My Alpha Made Me a Slave. That Was His Greatest Mistake.

What if every drop of sweat falling from Avana's body wasn't the punishment... but the price of what was about to happen next? Avana's arms trembled as she scrubbed the polished wooden floor of Alpha Damon’s bedroom. Every stroke of the brush felt heavier than the last. Her shoulders burned with pain, and her fingers were swollen, their skin cracked from endless hours of work. Sweat rolled down her forehead, leaving streaks through the dirt on her face before dripping onto the spotless floor. Her faded dress clung to her thin body, soaked through after hours of cleaning. Her lips were dry and cracked, and even swallowing hurt. Not once had anyone offered her a drink of water. The bedroom was so spotless that it hardly looked lived in. The carved mahogany bed stood proudly in the centre of the room like a king's throne. Tall windows filled the space with warm afternoon sunlight, making even the smallest speck of dust impossible to miss. Avana drew in a slow, weary breath. Just a little more. If I finish before someone finds another reason to punish me, maybe today will end with only bruises instead of blood. She knelt and stretched beneath the massive bed, ignoring the sharp pain shooting through her aching shoulder. Her fingers swept away the last thin layer of dust hidden in the shadows. As she pulled back, her elbow brushed against the bedside table. A crystal glass trembled. It rocked once. Then twice. Time seemed to stop. "No..." Her whisper came too late. The glass slipped over the edge. It struck the marble floor. Crash! The sharp sound shattered the silence. Crystal shards scattered across the room like tiny diamonds, sliding beneath the furniture and sparkling in the sunlight. The colour drained from Avana's face. Her heart leaped into her throat. "No... no... no..." She dropped to her knees and hurriedly gathered the broken pieces with trembling hands. A jagged shard sliced across her palm. Blood welled up instantly. She did not stop. If someone discovered the broken glass, the punishment would be far worse than the cut. Bang! The bedroom door shook violently. Avana froze. Bang! Another heavy blow rattled the door, making the framed paintings on the walls tremble. Dust drifted down from the ceiling. Bang! The third strike echoed through the room like thunder. Before Avana could answer, the door burst open. It slammed against the wall with such force that the brass handle left a deep dent in the plaster. Heavy boots echoed across the polished floor. Warrior Kael strode into the room without waiting for permission. His broad shoulders filled the doorway, and his powerful presence seemed to drain every trace of warmth from the air. His cold grey eyes swept across the room before settling on Avana. He noticed everything. The blood dripping from her hand. The dirt streaking her cheeks. The sweat plastering loose strands of hair against her face. The faded dress hanging loosely from her frail body. She looked less like a servant and more like someone the world had forgotten. A cold smile appeared on his lips. "What a miserable creature." Slowly, Avana lifted her head. Fear twisted inside her chest, but she refused to lower her eyes. Her voice came out rough and tired. "Why?" Kael raised an eyebrow. She held his gaze. "Why do you keep humiliating me every single day?" Silence filled the room. Then Kael laughed. The sound was low, mocking, and cruel. He picked up the ornate silver mirror from the dressing table and held it in front of her face. "Look." His voice dripped with contempt. "Take a good look at yourself." Avana stared at her reflection. Her face was streaked with dirt. Dark circles shadowed her tired eyes. Blood stained her fingers. She barely recognised the broken girl staring back at her. Kael leaned closer. "A filthy orphan." "A cursed nobody." "A stain that should have disappeared long ago." Each insult struck her like a slap. He lowered the mirror. "Alpha Damon wants you in the dining hall." His expression hardened. "Now." Avana did not move. Her bleeding fingers slowly tightened around one of the broken crystal shards hidden in her palm. Fresh blood slipped between her fingers. Then something outside the window caught her attention. A flock of white birds rose into the bright blue sky. They circled once above the mountains before disappearing into the distance, free to follow the wind wherever it carried them. Avana watched them quietly. Freedom. She could hardly remember what it felt like. A dull ache settled deep inside her heart. At last, she looked back at Kael. "I'm coming." She pushed herself to her feet. The room spun around her. Her knees nearly gave way, but she forced herself to remain standing. Kael clicked his tongue. "Pathetic." Without warning, he seized her injured wrist. His grip was as hard as iron. Pain shot through her arm as he dragged her out of the bedroom. Avana stumbled after him, struggling to keep her balance as her bare feet scraped against the cold stone floor of the endless hallway. The servants they passed quickly lowered their heads. No one dared look at her. No one dared help her. The sound of Kael's heavy boots echoed through the mansion. Behind them, the bedroom door slammed shut with a loud bang. The echo rolled through the silent corridor like the closing of a prison cell. After several minutes, they stopped before the towering doors of the grand dining hall. The dark oak doors stretched almost to the ceiling, carved with fierce wolves whose hollow eyes seemed to watch everyone who approached. Kael released Avana so suddenly that she stumbled forward, barely catching herself before she fell. Without another glance, he turned and walked away. His footsteps gradually faded into silence. Avana stood alone before the enormous doors. Her heart pounded against her ribs. Cold air slipped through the narrow gap beneath the entrance. Faint voices drifted from inside. Laughter. Conversation. The clinking of crystal glasses. People were celebrating. She had no idea why Alpha Damon had summoned her. But one thing was certain. Nothing good had ever waited for her beyond those doors. She swallowed hard. Then, with trembling fingers, she slowly raised her hand and knocked. Knock. No answer. The cheerful laughter, clinking glasses, and lively conversation inside drowned out the soft sound. Avana knocked again. Knock. Knock. Still nothing. She pressed her lips together and tried one last time. Knock. Knock. Knock. Silence, not true silence. The people inside were simply too busy celebrating to notice her. Or perhaps they were pretending not to. After several more hesitant knocks, Avana slowly lowered her hand. Her fingers trembled. If she walked away without answering Alpha Damon’s summons, she would be punished. If she entered, she would probably be punished anyway. Taking a slow breath, she pushed one of the heavy doors open. The lively chatter stopped at once. Every head turned toward her. The smiles disappeared as though someone had blown out every candle in the room. Disgust spread across their faces. One noblewoman wrinkled her nose. Another covered her mouth with a silk handkerchief. Someone spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear. "Goodness... she smells as though she's been sleeping in the stables." A few guests laughed. Another pretended to gag. "Keep her away from the food." More laughter followed. The sound echoed through the grand hall like stones being thrown at a wounded animal. Avana lowered her eyes. Her cheeks burned with shame. The scent clinging to her was not dirt. It was sweat. Soap. Ash. The scent of someone who had spent the entire morning cleaning the Alpha's mansion. Yet, to them, she was nothing but filth. At the head of the long dining table, Alpha Damon slowly placed his wine glass on the table. His cold eyes settled on Avana. "You cursed orphan." His voice cut through the hall. "If I don't give you permission to enter, have you become bold enough to walk in whenever you please?" He did not wait for an answer. With one furious sweep of his arm, several porcelain plates flew across the table and shattered against the marble floor. Crash! Broken pieces scattered everywhere. Food splashed onto Avana's worn shoes. "The meal you prepared was tasteless!" His furious roar echoed through the hall. "Were you trying to poison my guests with your miserable cooking?" Avana immediately dropped to her knees. Her forehead nearly touched the floor. "I... I'm sorry, Alpha Damon." Her voice trembled. "I knocked several times, but no one answered. I thought—" "Silence!" His shout cut her off. "You do not think." "You obey." "I won't make the same mistake again," she whispered. "I'll do better." A dangerous silence swallowed the room. Alpha Damon said nothing. Then his lips curled into a smile that made every servant lower their eyes. "But tell me, Avana..." He looked at Avana as though she were already broken. "Do you know why I didn't punish you immediately, Avana... or are you still foolish enough to believe I'm the cruelest person waiting for you tonight?”