Rian's POV
After crying my eyes out in Madam Sera's room, she cooked for me and brought me food. Lylah didn't leave my side we cried together.
"I'm so sorry you were treated this way. Nobody deserves this," she whispered, hugging me tightly.
"I'll be fine. Thank you for everything," I murmured, and she nodded, gently patting my hair. I fell asleep afterward.
The past few days have been unbearable. The torture has only worsened.
The Alpha appointed his childhood sweetheart as Luna, driving the pain deeper into my heart and turning me into a joke to everyone else.
I was on my way to the kitchen for work, as usual, when two pack warriors grabbed me and dragged me away.
"Let me go! I didn't do anything!" I screamed, struggling as their claws sank into my skin. One of them struck me with a silver belt, the searing pain weakening me instantly. I winced, helpless, as they dragged me toward the pack court.
On the way there, we passed other pack members none of them offered help. They just laughed and mocked me. My eyes met my parents', but they looked away. Tears streamed down my face.
"What did I do to deserve this?" I asked myself.
When we reached the pack court, a crowd had already gathered. Even Madam Sera and Lylah were there, both crying bitterly.
I didn't know what I had done wrong… or if I was about to be killed.
The Alpha stood at the front with his Beta Luca, who is my brother,the pack elders, and a tall man with dark hair and a face as cold as ice. He looked unreal, like something out of a story.
"This is Beta Toran of the Imperium Lunaris," Luca announced to the crowd, who bowed in respect.
"We have come to the decision to gift Rian Virelli to the King Darius as a sex slave, in order to strengthen our alliance," the Alpha declared.
I froze.
A sex slave? To a cursed king? A monster?
This was a death sentence.
My eyes found Luca's. For a fleeting second, his expression softened before going cold again.
"The King's Beta will finally take this filth out of our pack," Alpha Jake sneered.
The crowd cheered everyone except Madam Sera and Lylah, who sobbed silently.
The Alpha turned and left while the warriors dragged me from the court. I didn't cry. I had already accepted my fate.
"Be safe, Rian!" Lylah shouted behind me.
I looked back one last time at the people who tortured me, the family who abandoned me, the Alpha who rejected me, and the only two souls who ever showed me kindness.
( IMPERIUM LUNARIS PACK)
Once I arrived, I was handed over to the head maid, Selena, who looked at me with pure disgust. Without a word, she ordered two maids Mira and Lena to tend to me.
They led me to the maids' quarters, bathed me, dressed me in the standard maid uniform, and gave me a brief tour of the palace.
"You're starting work tomorrow. Madam Selena said you'll assist in the kitchen and serve as the King's maid," Mira explained gently.
Lena scoffed beside her. "She's not a maid. She's here to satisfy the King as a sex slave. One touch and you're dead. You're not the first girl they've sent back in a coffin."
I stared down at my fingers, trembling.
"Lena, stop being a bitch," Mira snapped.
Lena hissed and walked away.
"Don't mind her," Mira said softly. "Just remember don't touch the King. Whether you're with him intimately or not, don't ever touch him. And whatever you do, don't break the rules. No one's ever survived a night with him."
I nodded slowly, my entire body already shaking.
"Don't be scared. I'm really sorry you have to go through this… I have to get back to work. You can rest for now," she said, patting my shoulder before leaving the room.
I sat down and curled up in a corner.
I couldn't sleep. Everything felt like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.
The following day, we woke up at four in the morning. Mira gently shook me awake, whispering that it was time to start the day. My body ached, and my eyes felt heavy, but I forced myself up. There was no room for weakness here.
After quickly washing up and getting dressed in my plain maid uniform, Mira led me to the main hall, where I was introduced to the rest of the palace maids. They stood in a neat row, some curious, some indifferent, and a few with open hostility in their eyes. I recognized Lena among them, rolling her eyes when our gazes met.
"This is Rian," Selena announced sharply. "She'll be assisting in the kitchen and serving the King personally when needed."
Some of the maids murmured quietly to one another, exchanging knowing looks. I kept my head down and said nothing.
The day's work began with the kitchen. I helped Mira and two others prepare breakfast for the royal guards, warriors, and court staff. The kitchen was hot and fast-paced, filled with the clatter of pans, sizzling meats, and the scent of herbs and spices. Mira stayed by my side, showing me how to slice ingredients and plate meals the way the King preferred.
Despite my exhaustion, I worked silently and efficiently, trying my best not to draw attention.
After breakfast, we cleaned the massive dining hall, polished silverware, dusted corridors, and refilled supplies throughout the palace. The work was endless, and by the time dusk approached, my feet were sore, and my arms felt like they would fall off.
Just as I thought I might get a moment to breathe, Selena entered the maids' quarters. Her face was expressionless, but her words sent a chill down my spine.
"The King has called for you."
The room fell silent. Every maid turned to look at me.
"For Rian?" Mira asked hesitantly.
Selena nodded. "She is to report to the King's chambers. Now."
My heart stopped. My hands trembled.
Mira reached for me and squeezed my hand softly. "Just remember what I told you. Don't touch him. Obey everything. And whatever happens-….."
I nodded stiffly, my legs moving on their own as I followed Selena through the winding halls.
Tonight, I was going to face the monster everyone feared.
We got to his chamber and Selena left.. the guards open the door and I walked in I couldn't breathe I didn't want to. I walked in further and saw him seating on his bed
He looked breathtaking,the hottest man I had ever laid eyes on. Broad-shouldered, bare-chested, and draped in shadow and fire, like a god carved from smoke. His tousled black hair fell over his forehead, and every inch of him radiated danger and raw masculinity.
This is the monster they warned me about?
I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. I just stood there, frozen, as something inside me stirred something primal, ancient, and uncontrollable.
Then, in a blur of motion, he turned to face me.
Our eyes locked.
His once-stormy gaze bled into crimson, glowing with an otherworldly fire. A low, guttural growl rumbled from his chest as he rose to his feet, towering and powerful.
"Mate," he growled, voice deep and feral