The Princess's Revenge Chapter 16

Valencia's POV

I stood up quickly, nearly knocking over the chair. "I... Alpha Logan told me to stay here."

She looked me up and down, taking in my torn dress and the iron collar. "You're eating his food. Sitting at his table. In his private chambers." Her voice grew louder with each word. "How did you seduce him, you fucking bitch?"

"I didn't seduce anyone," I said, backing toward the bed. "I don't know why he brought me here."

"Don't lie to me!" She advanced on me, her face flushed with fury. "You think I'm stupid? You think I don't know what whores like you do to get what they want?"

"I'm not a whore," I said firmly, though my voice shook. "I'm a slave."

"Exactly!" she spat. "You're property. And somehow you've convinced our Alpha to treat you like you matter. Like you're worthy of sleeping in his bed."

She grabbed my arm and yanked me toward her. I stumbled, my weakened body unable to resist her strength.

"I'm Gamma Amara," she hissed in my face. "I've served this pack faithfully for years. I've fought beside Alpha Logan, bled for him, would die for him. And he brings home some worthless slave and puts her in his bed like she's his fucking mate."

She shoved me hard, and I tripped over the nightstand and fell backward onto the bed, and the ceramic on the nightstand shattered on the floor. "You're going to tell me exactly what you did to bewitch him, and then you're going to leave. Tonight."

"I didn't do anything," I insisted, struggling to sit up. "He saved me from the rogues, brought me here, told me to stay. That's all I know."

"Liar!" Amara grabbed my hair and hauled me off the bed. I cried out as she threw me to the floor. "You think I'm blind? You think I don't see what's happening here?"

She kicked me in the ribs, and pain exploded through my already injured body. I curled into a ball, trying to protect myself.

"You're going to ruin him," she panted, kicking me again. "He's never shown interest in any woman, and now suddenly he's keeping some broken slave like a pet. You've poisoned his mind somehow."

She shoved me hard to the ground and dropped down on top of me, her hands wrapping around my throat. Her fingers pressed into my windpipe, cutting off my air.

"You're going to pack your pathetic belongings and get out of this castle," she snarled, her face inches from mine as she squeezed tighter. "If I ever see you near Alpha Logan again, I'll kill you myself."

I clawed at her hands, gasping for breath. "No," I choked out.

Her eyes widened with shock. "What did you say?"

"I said no." I struggled beneath her weight, my vision starting to blur from lack of oxygen. "Alpha Logan told me to stay here. Until he tells me otherwise, I'm staying."

Rage twisted her features into something ugly. "You worthless piece of shit. I'll squeeze the life out of you right here."

Her grip tightened around my throat. In my panic, my hand scrambled across the floor and closed around one of the ceramic shards. Without thinking, I slashed upward, the sharp edge catching her across the eye. Blood immediately streamed down her face, and she screamed in pain and fury.

"You cut me!" She touched her face, staring at the blood on her fingers. "You fucking cut me!"

Before I could react, she punched me in the stomach. I doubled over, gasping for air. She grabbed my hair again and slammed my head against the stone wall. Stars exploded across my vision.

"I'm going to kill you," she hissed, drawing a knife from her belt. "I'm going to cut your throat and tell Alpha Logan you attacked me."

She raised the blade toward my neck. I was too weak to fight her off, too injured to run. This was how I was going to die - not at the hands of rogues or in some sacrifice, but murdered by a jealous woman.

"STOP!"

The single word cut through the air like a whip crack. Amara froze, the knife inches from my throat.

I turned my head toward the doorway and saw Alpha Logan standing there, his face dark with fury. I had seen him kill rogues with less anger in his eyes. Beta Dorian stood beside him, his mouth hanging open in shock.

Amara's hand shook as she held the knife. "Alpha, I can explain. This slave attacked me. Look at my face."

"Put. The knife. Down." Each word was delivered with deadly precision.

For a moment, I thought Amara might obey. Her hand lowered slightly, and hope flickered in my chest.

Then her face contorted with renewed rage. "NO!" she shrieked. "I won't let this WHORE DESTORY you!"

She gripped the knife and drove it down toward my neck with all her strength.

The blade came down toward my throat with deadly force. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the end.

CLANG!

The sound of metal striking metal rang through the room. I opened my eyes to see Alpha Logan's dagger embedded in the stone wall, having knocked Amara's weapon from her hands. The knife clattered across the floor.

Amara collapsed backward, tears streaming down her face. Blood from the cut on her eye mixed with her tears, creating red streaks down her cheek.

Alpha Logan stepped into the room, his footsteps heavy on the stone floor. He drew his sword with a soft whisper of steel and walked over to where Amara sat on the ground and placed the tip of his sword against her throat. His voice was cold.

"I gave you a direct command to put down your weapon. Why did you disobey?"

"Because—because she's bewitched you!" Amara's words came out in a desperate rush, her voice rising with hysteria. "Can't you see it, Logan? She's a witch! She's poisoned your mind, made you weak!" Tears and blood streaked down her face. "I did this for you! For the pack! She'll destroy everything we've built—everything you are! I'm trying to save you!"

"You're trying to save me," Logan repeated, his tone flat and devoid of emotion.

"Yes!" Amara sobbed. "Yes, Alpha, please understand—"

Logan's sword moved in one swift, precise motion.

Amara's scream shattered the silence. Her left hand fell to the floor in a spray of blood. She clutched her wrist, sobbing as blood poured between her fingers.

"Take her to the dungeons," Alpha Logan commanded Dorian without emotion. "Tend to her wounds."

"Yes, Alpha," Dorian said immediately. He picked up the severed hand and helped Amara to her feet. She was pale as death, barely conscious.

As they left the room, I let out a long breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

The word echoed in my head like a curse. Whore. That's what Amara had called me. She thought I'd seduced Logan, that I'd used my body to get what I wanted.

The absurdity of it would have made me laugh if my throat didn't hurt so much from where she'd choked me.

But her words kept replaying. Maybe... maybe that was the answer I'd been searching for. Maybe that's why Logan saved me. The thought made my stomach twist.

I'd been a slave for fifteen years. I knew how the world worked. Masters didn't help slaves out of kindness. There was always a price.

When Logan finally looked at me after Dorian dragged Amara away, I forced myself to meet his eyes. I needed to know. I had to ask.

My voice came out hoarse and shaky.

"Why did you save me? "