The spiked whip cracked through the stale air of the prison cell, its barbed tip slicing across Amelia’s bare back with a wet, tearing sound.
"Ahhh!"
Her body jerked violently against the heavy chains binding her wrists. The long iron links rattled as they scraped against the rough stone wall, biting into her skin as she struggled on instinct. Agony ripped across her back, so fierce that her vision blurred for a heartbeat.
Blood slid warmly down her spine, soaking into the tattered remnants of her clothes. The metallic scent mingled with mold, sweat, and damp stone until every breath tasted foul. Her knees buckled beneath her, trembling so violently she could barely remain standing.
The woman lowered the whip with deliberate slowness.
A wicked smirk spread across her lips as she strode toward Amelia, her leather boots scraping against the filthy floor. Without warning, she seized Amelia’s chin with fingers as cold and unyielding as iron, forcing her head upward.
"Ready to speak now?"
Tears blurred Amelia’s vision.
Every nerve in her body screamed for the torture to end.
Don’t.
Her jaw tightened despite the pain.
"I won’t say anything."
The woman’s smile widened.
"Suit yourself."
The whip sliced through the air once more.
Crack!
"Agh!"
The next lash carved across Amelia’s shoulders.
Crack!
Another tore into her side before the first wave of pain had faded.
Crack!
Her body convulsed against the chains. Each strike sent another surge of agony exploding through her nerves, stealing the breath from her lungs.
Don’t scream.
Don’t let her win.
She bit down hard on her lower lip.
The taste of blood spread across her tongue.
Another lash landed.
Her fingers wrapped tightly around the chains until her knuckles whitened. The rough metal dug into her palms, but it barely registered anymore. The pain consuming her back drowned out everything else.
A low, delighted laugh echoed through the prison cell.
"When I’m done with you," the woman said, raising the whip again, "you won’t even be recognizable anymore."
Crack!
"You’ll just be a broken little thing..."
Crack!
"...that no one will ever want to look at."
Another cry climbed Amelia’s throat.
She swallowed it.
Endure.
The word echoed through her mind like a desperate command.
Just endure.
Every breath hurt. Every movement sent fresh pain tearing through her body. He’s coming. The thought became the only thing keeping her upright. My fiancé will find me. She closed her eyes for the briefest moment, clinging to the image of his face.
He always does. Just hold on a little longer.
The woman stopped striking her.
The whip dragged across the stone floor with a slow, hissing scrape as she circled behind Amelia.
A sharp pain suddenly exploded across her scalp.
"Ah!"
The woman had grabbed a fistful of Amelia’s fiery red hair and yanked with brutal force.
Her head snapped backward.
Tears sprang into her eyes as several strands ripped free from the roots.
The woman leaned close enough for her foul, hot breath to brush against Amelia’s ear.
"What made you think the devilish brothers wouldn’t catch you?"
Amelia clenched her teeth so tightly her jaw trembled.
"You aren’t the first whistleblower stupid enough to sneak onto their estate."
The woman twisted Amelia’s hair even tighter.
A pained gasp escaped before Amelia could stop it.
"So very..."
Another vicious twist.
"...very stupid."
Don’t answer. She wants you to break.
The woman finally loosened her grip, only to smile again.
"Normally, you shouldn’t even be alive."
A chill crept through Amelia despite the burning agony covering her back.
"The men don’t spare spies."
There was unmistakable satisfaction in the woman’s voice.
"But since they’ve allowed you to live..."
She stepped around until Amelia was forced to look directly into her eyes.
"I’ll make sure you’re begging for death before I’m through with you."
She raised the whip one last time.
For a heartbeat, everything became eerily still.
Then—
Crack!
The barbed leather ripped across Amelia’s back with even greater force than before.
Pain exploded through every inch of her body.
The chains rattled violently as her body arched helplessly against them. A strangled cry escaped her lips before she could stop it.
Her vision blurred. The torchlight melted into streaks. The damp stone walls seemed to disappear. There was only fire. Only iron. Only unbearable pain. Yet beneath it all, one promise refused to die.
Amelia had long since lost track of time.
Hours had bled into days until they became impossible to separate. The only thing that marked the passing of time anymore was the relentless cycle of pain, darkness, and waking up just to endure it all over again.
The woman finally lowered the whip.
A thin sheen of sweat glistened across her forehead as she rolled her aching shoulder. Catching her breath, she looked down at Amelia’s battered body and smiled with cruel satisfaction.
"I need to replenish my energy," she said casually, as though discussing the weather. "Then I’ll come back and continue."
She chuckled softly.
"So don’t go anywhere."
The heavy iron door groaned open.
Cold air drifted into the prison before the woman stepped outside.
Moments later—
Bang.
The door slammed shut.
The sharp click of the lock echoed through the silent cell.
Silence settled over the room like a suffocating blanket.
She slowly dragged herself across the filthy stone floor. Every small movement sent agony shooting across the countless lashes covering her back. Fresh blood smeared behind her, mixing with dirt and dried stains that had been there long before she arrived.
A shaky breath escaped her lips.
She rested her forehead against the cold wall.
Once...
She had counted the days.
Every distant clang of the guards changing shifts. Every freezing night that made her wounds ache even more.
Seven.
She had made it to seven, and wasn’t able to count anymore. Then she stopped.
What’s the point?
Counting only reminded her how long she had been trapped. How long no one had found her. Her fingers curled weakly against the damp stone.
They demanded answers on why she came to spy on them, who is she working for.
She had answered every question with silence. Even now...
She would rather die than betray the truth. She closed her eyes, letting her head rest against the wall.
Dylan is coming.
The thought remained stubbornly alive despite everything. A faint smile almost reached her lips before pain stole it away.
He loves me.
Even without a wolf...
Even after everyone else had treated her as someone beneath them... Dylan never had. For six years, she had stood beside him, supported him with everything she had.
Now he was the Alpha King.
I know you save me dylan, and when this is over... Her aching chest tightened. We’ll finally get married. Just like you promised.
Another face drifted into her thoughts.
Jade, her bestfriend. She knows she is definitely worried
Exhaustion slowly wrapped around her mind. Her eyelids grew heavier. The pain became distant. Her body went limp against the chains as sleep finally claimed her.
***
Crash!
A bucket of freezing water crashed over her without warning.
"Ah!"
Amelia jolted awake with a choked scream. The icy water flooded every open wound, sending unbearable pain tearing across her back like fresh blades slicing through already ruined flesh.
She gasped for air. Her body shook uncontrollably. Pink droplets slid from her soaked hair before dripping onto the filthy floor beneath her. Something changed.
The air itself became heavier.
The pressure settled over the prison cell without warning. It crushed against her chest.
Her breathing became shallow. Amelia slowly lifted her head. Three men stood inside the cell. Her heartbeat faltered.
The devilish Alpha brothers. The rulers of the Moonfist territory. The very men whose estate she had risked everything to infiltrate. For a brief moment, none of them spoke.
They simply looked at her.
Their expressions revealed nothing. Only cold calculation. One of them finally stepped forward. He stopped directly in front of her. Without saying a word, his hand wrapped around the chains hanging from her wrists.
His grip tightened. Then he yanked.
The chains rattled violently as Amelia’s battered body was dragged upright and slammed back against the rough stone wall.
A cry escaped before she could stop it. Fresh pain exploded across the torn flesh covering her back. Her vision blurred white for a heartbeat. She struggled to breathe. When her eyes finally focused again, she found herself staring directly into three pairs of eyes.
Something about them sent a chill crawling beneath her skin despite the fire still burning across her wounds.
Is this it?
Her pulse hammered against her ribs.
Have they finally decided to kill me?