Maya's beauty captured Alpha Rick the moment he stepped into the room, and he let out a sigh of amazement. "You're beautiful," he said, almost mesmerized.
Startled by his compliment, Maya quickly stood up from the bed and adjusted her clothes. Her heart pounded with fear as she asked Alpha Rick, "What do you want to do with me?"
Alpha Rick scoffed at her question. "Why do you keep asking? Aren't you from Alpha Blake?"
The mention of Alpha Blake sent shivers down Maya's spine, and her eyes shifted to gold while her wolf fang fingers popped out. "If you think you can take me back to Alpha Blake, you'll have to fight me first!" she declared defiantly.
Amused by Maya's fiery attitude, Alpha Rick chuckled and asked if she really wanted to fight him. Maya replied, "I have no choice. If fighting you means avoiding Alpha Blake's den, I'll do it."
Before she could react, Alpha Rick's eyes turned black, and in a flash, he appeared in front of Maya, gripping her neck tightly and lifting her off the ground. "Who told you that you'll leave here alive?" he snarled.
Struggling to free herself, Maya realized she couldn't overpower Alpha Rick's strength. He warned her to stop her crazy attitude if she didn't want to die quickly. With a sudden drop, he released her, and she fell to the floor like a discarded paper.
Panting, Maya got up, looking at Alpha Rick with a mix of fear and disgust. Alpha Rick then commanded her to get on the bed. Maya protested, refusing to comply, but he warned her once again not to provoke him further.
Reluctantly, Maya sat at the edge of the bed. She slowly stretched out her left hand to show Alpha Rick her magical mate ring, which glowed like pure gold. Alpha Rick was taken aback. "What does this mean? You're mated to someone and were sold?"
Maya's voice trembled as she explained that her fated mate had rejected her and sold her to Alpha Blake. She revealed the horrifying truth of being raped by Alpha Blake and how she managed to escape his clutches before being brought here by Liam.
Enraged, Alpha Rick's anger burned inside him. He muttered to himself, "How dare Liam lie to me!" Without a word, he left the room, leaving Maya alone with her pain and fears.
As Maya stood there, tears streamed down her cheeks. She had escaped one nightmare, but now, another awaited her. She wondered what fate had in store for her in Alpha Rick's pack and prayed that somehow, she could find solace and safety in this new place.
*Shadow pack*
The next morning, Alpha Blake's rogues returned empty-handed, informing him that they couldn't find Maya anywhere. Alpha Blake's rage boiled over, and he ordered them to search again, sparing no effort to find her.
Lucas, one of Alpha Blake's rogues, spoke up, "But Maya isn't important. She was rejected, and maybe another wolf killed her, like Alpha Rick's rogues. They might have caught and killed her."
Alpha Blake's eyes narrowed with fury. "Then find her body and bring it to me! I want proof that she's dead. If you can't find her, don't bother coming back."
Lucas and the other rogues reluctantly left the pack mansion to resume their search for Maya. Meanwhile, Eve, observed the situation from a corner. She regretted mentioning to Maya that escape was possible whenever they were sold, fearing that it might have led to Maya's escape.
Summoning courage, Eve approached Alpha Blake and inquired, "How did Maya escape? I thought she was locked up."
Alpha Blake's anger flared, and he slapped Eve across the face. "No slave has the right to question me! If you dare do it again, your life will be forfeit."
He stormed out of the room, leaving the other female slaves terrified by his violent mood.
*Wind winder pack*
Akira stumbled out of the wine storage room, appearing intoxicated and angry. Her feelings were still hurt from when Alpha Glen referred to her as a mere maid. She had not forgiven him, and it seemed like she had spent the night in the storage room.
Spotting a pack member, she slurred that he summon everyone to the meeting hall as she wanted to address them. The pack member hesitated, questioning whether Alpha Glen was aware of it. This only fueled Akira's fury.
"What do you mean? I don't need Alpha Glen's permission! I am just like an Alpha!" she retorted.
Mocking laughter escaped the pack member's lips. "You're just his bed warmer, a mere maid! You have no right to summon the whole pack!"
Akira seethed, "What did you say?"
The pack member repeated his derogatory remark, and that was the last straw for Akira.
Enraged, Akira's eyes turned golden, and her werewolf fang fingers appeared. Without hesitation, she attacked the disrespectful pack member, pulling out his heart, and he fell lifeless to the ground. Akira stated licking the dripping blood on her hand, while her fang fingers where slowly turning back to normal human fingers.
Just then, Ivy arrived at the scene, witnessing Akira's violent act. She rush and check the wolf but she discovered that there's no way the wolf can survive it. Ivy was enraged by Akira action because this is not her first time of killing a pack member.
"What the hell is wrong with you Akira? At first you betrayed our friend and now, you're killing the pack members!"
Akira looked at Ivy with disdain, and slapped her across the face then retorted, "Shouldn't you be supporting me as my personal maid?"
Ivy scoff and said, that is where Akira got it wrong, "I will never support your evil behavior, I serve Alpha Glen, not you and my loyalty is with the pack!"
The other pack members surrounded Akira, disgusted by her actions, but unable to challenge her due to her status as Alpha Glen's lover.
Alpha Glen appeared and saw the lifeless pack member on the floor. He touched the wolf's forehead in mourning and ordered the others to take care of the body and asked Akira to follow him. Inside the mansion, he slapped her in anger. "Why did you kill him?" Alpha Glen asked.
Alpha Glen chastised Akira, questioning her actions and how it would affect his leadership. He was furious that she had killed another pack member, adding to the problems they were already facing.
Akira defended herself, claiming she didn't want to be seen as weak like Alpha Glen. And anybody that disrespect or step on her toes, must face the consequences. Alpha Glen's anger only intensified when she called him weak.
In a fit of rage, Alpha Glen ordered his rogues to lock Akira up in the maid cell and have her starved. Akira laughed defiantly, believing that Alpha Glen would eventually come crawling back to her.
She was dragged away and thrown into the cell, her laughter echoing through the empty space.