Chapter 19: Something Is Wrong

The dirty liquid splashed across the slave master’s face.

For a moment, the whole yard went silent.

The man froze, his eyes wide, his mouth hanging open as the foul-smelling water ran down his cheeks and soaked into his clothes. His face twisted slowly as he realized what had happened.

Sofia stood there, shaking from head to toe, the empty cup still in her hand. Her heart was beating so hard. Her chest rose and fell fast, like she had just run for her life.

“I… I won’t,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I won’t drink that.”

The slave master’s face twisted with rage.

“You stupid girl—” he snarled, wiping his face with his sleeve. His hand shot out and grabbed Sofia’s arm so tightly she cried out. “Do you know what you just did?”

Some slaves gasped. Others looked away, scared to even breathe.

“You dare pour urine on me?” he spat through clenched teeth. Before Sofia could speak, his hand flew out and slapped her across the face, tearing her lip open with the force of it.

Gasps rippled through the crowd. The other slaves stared with wide, terrified eyes. Sofia tried to pull free, but his grip only tightened as he dragged her along with him.

“Where are you taking me?” she screamed, struggling with all her strength, but she was no match for a man so much bigger and stronger than her.

He dragged her across the yard, his grip bruising, his anger wild and out of control.

Sofia stumbled over her feet as he pulled her toward the far end of the work site, where an old wooden door stood hidden behind broken crates and rusty tools.

“No… please… let me go,” she cried, trying to pull free.

But he didn’t slow down.

He shoved the door open and threw her inside the dark storeroom. The smell of dust, oil, and rust filled the air. Before she could even get back up, he slammed the door shut and locked it from the outside.

The slave master stood over her, breathing heavily, his eyes dark with hunger and hate.

“I will have a taste of you,” he said with a sick grin. “And don’t even think of running to the Alpha. He hates you. He won’t believe a single word you say.”

Fear flooded Sofia’s eyes.

“You… you can’t,” she whispered, crawling backward on her hands and knees.

He laughed darkly. “Who’s going to stop me? You?”

Tears ran down her face as she tried to crawl away, but there was nowhere to go.

At the same time, far away in the Alpha’s wing, Damien lay on his bed.

He had not slept the whole night.

After what happened with Sofia, his mind would not rest. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her face. Her tears. The way she shook under him.

By the time afternoon came, his body had finally given in to exhaustion.

He fell asleep.

But it was not peaceful.

His chest felt tight even in sleep.

Suddenly, his eyes flew open.

His heart was racing.

A strange, heavy feeling pressed down on him.

Sofia.

Her name echoed in his mind.

Damien frowned. Why was he thinking about her? Why did his chest hurt like this?

His wolf stirred inside him, restless, uneasy.

“Something is wrong. Go to her.”

The urge was so strong it made him sit up.

His jaw clenched.

“No,” he muttered. “I don’t care about her.”

But the feeling would not go away.

It only grew stronger.

Like a pull.

Like a warning.

His wolf growled again inside his chest.

“Damn it, Damien. Go. Check on her,” he urged.

With a frustrated growl, Damien swung his legs off the bed, his heart pounding even though he did not understand why.

Something was happening to Sofia.

And deep down, he felt it.

But why? That feeling was only meant for his mate. So why was it burning so strongly for Sofia?

Damien stormed out of his room. The moment he stepped into the hallway, every servant and guard bowed low, fear and respect written on their faces. But he didn’t slow down. He didn’t even look at them.

His chest felt tight.

His wolf was restless, pacing inside him like something bad was about to happen.

Sofia.

Her name still rang in his mind.

Damien stopped in the middle of the corridor and closed his eyes.

He breathed in deeply.

The air shifted.

Then he caught it.

Her scent.

Soft. Warm. Sweet. Mixed with fear and pain.

His eyes snapped open.

It was coming from outside… from the direction of the work grounds.

His brows pulled together in a deep frown.

Why was she there?

She was supposed to be locked in her room.

Anger flared in his chest.

Damien turned and walked fast toward the stairs. His long strides echoed through the halls as he followed the trail of her scent.

Down the steps.

Through the main doors.

Past the guards.

The closer he got, the stronger her scent became.

Fear. Sweat. Blood.

His jaw tightened.

The work site came into view.

Slaves were bent over, lifting stones, carrying wood, working under the hot sun.

But the moment they saw him—they froze.

Tools slipped from shaking hands.

Eyes widened.

Fear spread through the yard like fire.

Damien noticed it instantly.

The panic.

The way some of them slowly stepped back… like they were hiding something.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

His sharp gaze swept over the workers.

“Where is she?” he demanded.

No one answered.

They were too scared to even breathe.

A low growl rumbled in Damien’s chest.

He closed his eyes again and followed the pull of her scent.

It led him toward the far end of the yard…

Toward the old storeroom.

His heart started pounding harder.

The smell of her fear was thick there.

So was something else.

A man.

His anger exploded.

Damien walked toward the door, his entire body shaking from rage.

He reached the old storeroom and noticed the fear in Sofia’s scent was so strong it burned his lungs. His wolf snarled inside him, furious, ready to tear apart anyone in its way.

He didn’t knock.

With one powerful kick, Damien slammed his foot into the door.

BAM!

The old wood cracked and flew open.

Dust filled the air.

And then—

Damien froze.

The sight inside hit him like a blow to the chest.

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