The following afternoon, Leia was trying to figure out a way to escape the room when several strong women barged in and dragged her out.
"Where are you taking me?" She asked as they pulled her along, but their faces stayed cold and unreadable. They wore armored shirts and pants, meaning they were either warriors or guards of the pack. She couldn't believe women served as guards in the beast's pack. Wasn't that supposed to be a man's job?
Her thoughts scattered when she heard roaring noises in the distance, and her heartbeat quickened. Were they heading toward the sound? Oh no, what was she about to face now? They hadn't even bothered to wash her up or give her food. At this rate, she would die before she ever became that beast's breeder.
The noise grew louder as they approached, and dread began to creep into her bones. It didn't sound like cheering, it sounded like death.
When they finally stopped, the sound became clearer. The women halted in front of a massive door, waiting as if for permission to enter.
"Amero!" One of them shouted.
The door flung open with a deafening thud. The brightness beyond it nearly blinded Leia, but her eyes soon adjusted as they dragged her forward.
The first thing she saw was two werewolves locked in a brutal fight just a few steps away. Blood streaked their bodies as they tore into each other with raw ferocity. Her skin prickled, fear and anxiety coursing through her veins. She tore her gaze away and looked around, an entire crowd filled the arena, cheering and howling with wild excitement.
Most of them were barely clothed, some not at all, as if modesty was an alien concept here. In her pack, at least, they dressed decently, like humans. The women in this pack seemed comfortable showing skin, their laughter echoing through the chaos.
"Alpha!" The women escorting her called in unison, yanking Leia to the floor. She hit her knees hard.
She had been too distracted by the crowd to notice they had arrived. Slowly lifting her head, she forced herself to look at the sight before her, one that turned her stomach, yet she refused to look away.
Casimir sat shirtless on his throne, a stunning woman sprawled across his lap, her hands shamelessly caressing him like she had never seen him before. The sight disgusted Leia, though she didn't care who he slept with. Respect was clearly not a concept he believed in.
"How did you like your room?" His deep, commanding voice cut through the air, forcing her eyes to meet his, those infuriatingly beautiful onyx eyes. For a beast, he was painfully handsome. His sculpted jaw and dangerously perfect face made her wonder how someone so breathtaking could be so cruel. But beauty seemed to run in their family, after all, she had fallen for Andrien the first time she saw him.
Though they shared only the same father, the Blackfang brothers were all striking. The first time she had ever come to this pack was to visit Andrien's mother, and that was also the day she witnessed Casimir kill his own men. At least back then, they were better dressed than now.
"Seems like our Luna is too scared to speak," the woman on Casimir's lap mocked, drawing laughter from everyone around them.
That jolted Leia out of her thoughts. She exhaled softly before replying, keeping her tone calm despite the storm within.
"I liked it. Thank you very much."
"She's a tough one. Makes it more fun to break her," the woman sneered again, but Casimir's gaze remained unreadable as he stared at Leia like he was searching for something.
"As my Luna," he began, his deep voice echoing through the arena, "you will fight one of my women to prove your worth. It's our tradition, and you can't back away from it. You may choose to drink poison now… or die fighting."
Leia's brows furrowed briefly before she composed herself again. Hearing him call her Luna felt like a cruel joke, considering the humiliation she had faced since her arrival, especially when he had sent another man to violate her in his place.
"I will fight," she said firmly. "And if I win, I assume there's a reward. Can I use it to make a request instead?"
A flicker of amusement touched Casimir's lips before he replied, "A dead person doesn't make requests." His tone was cold, dismissive, like he was already announcing her fate.
"That's if I die," she shot back, holding his gaze.
They stared at each other in tense silence until the woman on his lap broke it.
"Don't bite more than you can chew. Drink the poison now and spare us this pitiful display," she taunted, her voice dripping with contempt.
"Not everyone is satisfied with rubbing dicks," Leia retorted sharply.
The woman's eyes blazed with fury. "How dare you?!" She screamed, nearly lunging at Leia before quickly composing herself, reminded of whose presence she was in.
"Announce the fight," Casimir ordered flatly.
A man hurried to the center of the arena and shouted, "Now, it's time for our Luna to prove her worth! This is where the real mating begins!"
The crowd erupted.
"Let her drink the poison instead! We don't want a weak Luna!"
"Yes! Kill her!"
Their jeers filled the air until Casimir's darkened expression silenced them.
He rose slowly, stepping out from the tent with a deadly calm that made even the boldest warriors shrink. "If anyone dares to oppose this again," he growled, his voice like thunder, "bring him forward and have his head removed!"
Silence fell instantly.
Leia was led to the center of the arena where ten women stood in a row, each one muscular, battle-scarred, and exuding strength. She was told to pick her opponent.
Her eyes darted from one to another, her heart sinking. How could she possibly choose when they all looked equally deadly? If any of them transformed during the fight, it would be over for her. Her wolf was weak, too weak. All she could rely on were her limited combat skills, the few she had learned when she once hoped her father would let her work by his side.
But, as always, her sister had been chosen instead.
"Does our Luna need help choosing?"