Episode 13
607 Words
Raina’s body ached as she drifted between wakefulness and sleep.
A dull pain passed through her limbs, but it was nothing compared to the happiness in her chest.
When she finally opened her eyes, her vision was hazy. Her muscles twitched with exhaustion, her breath uneven.
And then, she saw him.
Kai.
He stood at the edge of the room, his expression unreadable.
But something was off, his eyes, once warm, now showing with something dark and unrecognizable.
Anger? Resentment? Cold fury?
Raina’s lips parted, but no sound came out. She tried to lift her hand, to reach for him, but her body was too weak.
Why was he looking at her like that?
Over the years, he had always been gentle, even in his frustration. Even when he was upset, his voice never carried malice toward her. But now, his gaze was sharp, piercing through her like a blade.
Was this a dream?
Raina’s head spun, her vision blurring again. The room seemed to tilt, and an overwhelming pain washed over her. Maybe she was imagining it. Maybe she was still trapped in sleep.
Her body surrendered to exhaustion once more.
The next morning when she woke, it was to chaos.
Hands seized her arms, yanking her out of bed. She barely had time to register the cold floor beneath her knees before the reality of the moment crashed down on her.
Guards. Palace maids. The entire room was filled with them.
And in the center of it all seated in a chair like a god passing judgment was him.
Alpha Darius.
Raina’s breath caught in her throat.
Why was he here?
Terror clawed at her insides. She could feel their stares, their judgment. Their eyes darted to the marks on her skin, to the remnants of last night.
She felt exposed, stripped bare without them even touching her.
Darius’s voice was cold, cutting through the air like a blade.
“Where is Kai?”
Raina’s blood ran cold.
“What?” she whispered.
“Where is he?” Darius repeated, his face cold.
Before she could even process his words, a sharp crack exploded across her back.
The sting of the silver-tipped whip lashed through her, knocking her forward onto her hands. The pain was like fire, burning her skin.
“The Alpha asked you a question!” a guard barked, his voice laced with cruelty. “Where is Kai? And that maid, Mira, she’s missing too! We’ve searched the entire palace, and they’re nowhere to be found!”
Raina’s heart pounded violently in her chest.
Gone? Kai was gone?
That wasn’t possible. Just last night, he had been here. He had held her, whispered to her, touched her. And this morning… this morning, she had seen him standing by her bed.
Hadn’t she?
Her mind spun, scrambling for an explanation.
“He… he left?” she murmured, her voice shaking.
The moment the words left her lips, another sharp whip struck her face, sending her sprawling onto the floor.
Pain flared through her cheek, and the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. She could feel the warmth spreading down her face, a slow trickle of liquid heat.
“How dare you?” the guard sneered. “You think you can talk back to the Alpha?”
A heavy silence filled the room.
Then, slow, deliberate footsteps approached.
Darius stopped in front of her, looking down with eyes that held nothing but cold indifference.
"Tell me where he went."
His voice sent a chill down her spine. Raina's body trembled, her voice barely audible. "I—I don’t know."
Darius's patience snapped.
"Torture her."
- Writer
