I am the Unwanted Mate

My eyes snapped open, and a deep breath escaped my throat as the door slammed open. I shifted my gaze towards the entrance, and amidst the haze, I recognized the outline of a familiar figure making its way towards me.

I blinked repeatedly, attempting to focus my eyes, but everything remained blurry.

Suddenly, a strong pressure seized my neck, and a sharp scream erupted from my throat as I was yanked up by my collar, forcing me onto my feet.

Struggling to maintain my balance, I swayed precariously as my back collided with the wall.

"Still not awake, huh?" a gruff voice hissed, followed by a searing pain on my cheek.

The force of the blow jolted my weakened body, sending me sprawling in the opposite direction.

Gasping for air, I crashed onto the ground, my back colliding with the unforgiving rocky gravel.

"Bring me the water pitcher," he ordered with a contemptuous and malicious tone, addressing his enslaved followers.

Before I could comprehend the situation, my face was drenched with what felt like an avalanche of water, causing me to cough as it entered my nostrils.

Yet, my vision remained unfocused, and I continued to struggle in my battle to stay conscious.

"My lord, she has been injected with wolfsbane. It's making her weak and impairing her senses. She won't be able to respond until the effects wear off," one of his slaves informed him.

The audacity of someone speaking without his permission kindled his anger, and he let out a menacing growl.

"YOU DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" he snarled, seizing the slave by the neck and snapping it in an instant, ending his life.

The gruesome sight of witnessing someone's life being extinguished right before my eyes danced hauntingly in my mind, sending a chill through my entire body.

My eyelids grew heavy, and I teetered on the precipice of darkness, when a sudden, sharp sting pierced my right arm.

I hissed in pain and instinctively tried to break free, but an ironclad grip held me firmly in place.

With great effort, I blinked, forcing my vision to focus on my surroundings, and a blurred image of someone injecting my arm etched itself onto my retina.

Fear and panic surged within me, and I began to jerk my arm, fearing that the unknown assailant was poisoning me.

However, before I could take any action, the needle was swiftly withdrawn, releasing my arm from its clutches.

"Give it a moment, my lord. The antidote will take effect soon," a soft voice whispered, eliciting a satisfied growl in response.

Gradually, the fragmented pieces of information started to assemble in my mind, forming a coherent picture. One by one, the puzzle began to reveal itself.

Wolfsbane. Death. Abuse. Familiar face. Antidote. Pain.

A wave of realization washed over me, and a curse escaped my lips. I had been kidnapped.

"What is it that you want?" I growled, yanking on the silver shackles that seared and bruised my skin beneath them.

I refused to flinch. Pain held no power over me right now.

"You know damn well what I want, you wretched whore!" He spat, gripping my jaw and distorting my face with agonizing pressure. "I want every scrap of information you possess. If you cooperate and spill your secrets, I'll release you. Think about it. No more suffering. No more struggles."

I regarded him with an incredulous look, as if he had just uttered the most absurd proposition imaginable, and burst into raucous laughter.

My laughter echoed through the room, so loud and unrestrained that it caused me to clutch my stomach, and his face flushed with humiliation.

Enraged, he raised his fist high in the air and delivered a brutal blow to my face, snapping my jaw and causing my cheeks to collide with my teeth, making them bleed.

I cradled my injured cheek, spitting out the blood, while waves of pain radiated through my jaw and cheeks, and dizziness swirled in my head. Yet, I remained resolute.

"I won't utter a word," I declared, defiance lacing my voice. "I owe my loyalty to my pack, my family, and my people. You won't extract any information from me. I would rather meet death than surrender easily."

My words seemed to strike a nerve, as a deranged glint flickered in his eyes, and he growled at me.

"So you refuse the easy way, huh? What do you want then? Pain? It's easier said than endured. It's simple to make promises, but difficult to bear the consequences. Women are weak, and I'm certain you won't withstand the torment."

Anger blazed in my eyes as I stared him down.

"Women are NOT weak—"

Before I could finish my sentence, a vicious kick landed squarely in my stomach, driving me backward into the wall. Agony coursed through me, and I gasped, doubling over, but the shackles restricted my movements.

"Remove her restraints and let me show her the true meaning of weakness," he commanded, and soon the chains were undone.

A look of sheer horror crossed my face as he advanced toward me.

"I could have given you wolfsbane, but your wolf is already dead. Poisoned at such a tender age."

My wolf is not dead! I wanted to shout at him, but even to my own ears, those words sounded desperate.

"However, I want to inflict upon you a pain that will stain your soul forever. Something you won't forget, something that will scare you to the core."