CHAPTER 3
Anna's POV
Beta Chris takes a deep breath before speaking, his voice tense. "Who would dare do such a thing?" he says, pretending to be outraged. "Everyone in Dylan Moon Park knows it's treason to sacrifice a mate. The law is sacred, handed down by the moon goddess herself. To break it is to spit in the face of our ancestors, of the bond we're supposed to honor above all else."
I stay on my knees, my stomach twisting into knots. His performance is flawless, but I know better. I was there. I lived it. Every word out of his mouth now is a lie.
"May I ask how you came to learn about this information, Alpha?" Beta Chris says with a composed face, though he shoots me a warning glance. I know that look—it says, If you speak a word, you die.
I flinch. My lips seal themselves shut, even though rage burns in my chest. He stands there lying so easily—after everything he did to me last night—and I'm the one trembling on the ground like some criminal.
Alpha Dylan's expression darkens. "Weren't you supposed to be the one bringing this news to me, and not the other way around?" His voice grows louder, each word hitting like a slap. "What use are you as my Beta?"
Before I can blink, Alpha Dylan grabs Beta Chris by the collar, jerking him forward. His fist hovers in the air, trembling with fury. He stops mid-swing, barely holding himself back. Beta Chris looks like he's going to wet himself. I've served him for two years and I've never—never—seen him this terrified.
All this time, I thought he was fearless. That's why he had the nerve to offer me as a sacrifice last night. Now I realize he's not fearless—just foolish and arrogant.
Maybe all the rumors about Alpha Dylan are true. They say he's cruel, that he rules with an iron fist.
"I'm sorry, Alpha Dylan," Beta Chris stammers, lowering his head. "I swear, by the end of the week, I'll find that asshole and bring him to you."
You are that asshole, I scream silently.
Can't Alpha Dylan see through his lies? Aren't Alphas supposed to be half gods? Aren't they chosen by the moon goddess for their wisdom, their strength, their intuition? And yet here he stands, letting Beta Chris spin his lies without challenge.
And for what? So Chris can get closer to the Alpha throne, even if it means siding with the goddess Ivanka—the moon goddess's rival sister? He'd rather follow darkness than honor the truth.
Alpha Dylan's lips curl into a wicked smirk. "You have the whole of today to find me that traitor and bring him to me… or you'll take his place."
Then he turns to leave.
And before I can stop myself, I whisper, "What if I know who the traitor is?"
Oh my goddess. Did I just say that out loud?
Alpha Dylan freezes mid-step. His head turns slowly, and the look in his eyes is nothing short of deadly. His fists clench by his sides, trembling again.
I've never seen anyone look more furious.
Beta Chris? His expression could kill. "Are you fucking crazy?" he growls.
He lunges at me, grabbing my neck and lifting me off the ground like I weigh nothing.
His grip tightens, choking the air from my lungs, his nails digging into my skin. "How dare you speak in front of the Alpha when you're not permitted?" he hisses. Then he slaps me—hard. My head jerks sideways from the impact, pain exploding across my cheek.
"What the fuck do you think you're trying to do?" he whispers, raising his hand again.
But Alpha Dylan growls, stepping forward. "Enough," he commands. "Get your hands off her."
Beta Chris pauses, then throws me to the ground like garbage.
Alpha Dylan's eyes lock onto mine. "Do you know who the traitor is?" he asks, raising a brow.
"Alpha, she's just my servant," Chris says with a nervous laugh. "What could she possibly know?"
But the Alpha's glare silences him.
Then Alpha Dylan crouches beside me, his expression surprisingly gentle. I press a trembling hand to my bruised cheek, stunned by the shift in his tone.
"Tell me what you know, and I'll set you free. No more servitude. I'll pay off all your debts. Maybe even take you in as one of my maids," he says.
My heart races. Can I trust him? What if he's just as cruel as the rumors claim? What if once Chris is gone, he comes for me too?
But… I wouldn't still be wearing this jacket if he were truly heartless. He could've left me out here naked and shivering. Instead, he covered me. A small kindness, but one that matters.
"If you're worried about your safety, don't be," Alpha Dylan adds. "I will protect you. And reward you—generously."
I glance at Beta Chris. He smirks at me, confident he still holds power over me.
But he doesn't realize—I've made up my mind.
I open my mouth to speak. To tell the Alpha everything—that Chris tried to sacrifice me to Ivanka, beat me, left me for dead.
But no words come out.
Panic claws at my chest. I try again.
Nothing.
I gesture with my hands, pointing to my throat, shaking my head. Tears blur my vision as I mouth silently: I can't speak.
Alpha Dylan's expression turns puzzled. "Why aren't you saying anything?" he asks.
"That bitch is crazy, Alpha," Beta Chris snaps, quick to cut in. "Always has been."
No! I scream inside my head. Don't listen to him. Please.
Then another voice joins the chaos—Caroline. She approaches, bowing her head politely. "She's mentally ill," she says. "We took her in, knowing her condition."
Liar.
"She's lying," I mouth, shaking my head frantically. "Don't believe her!"
"And who the fuck are you?" Alpha Dylan asks, turning to Caroline.
Before she can answer, Beta Chris grabs her hand. "She's my fiancée, Alpha. And what she's saying is true. That's what I've been trying to tell you since the beginning."
Alpha Dylan narrows his eyes. "She didn't seem mentally ill to me a minute ago."
"I know, right?" Caroline jumps in. "But think about it. Who walks around naked? Isn't that your jacket she's wearing?"
Alpha Dylan doesn't answer. His jaw clenches tight.
I drop to my knees again, tears streaming freely down my cheeks. My palms press together as I silently beg him not to leave me with these monsters.
If he walks away now, I'm dead.
"I'll do what you say, Alpha," Beta Chris blurts, trying to change the subject. "I'll find that traitor, wherever he is."
Alpha Dylan stands tall, his eyes still on me.
I grab his leg, sobbing, clinging to him like a lifeline.
Then he says something I never expected.
"Seems to me like she doesn't like you very much, Chris. And you don't like her either. I'll take her with me."
"What?" Caroline and Beta Chris shout in unison, eyes wide with horror.
Alpha Dylan ignores them completely.
He crouches beside me again. His hand—warm and surprisingly gentle—reaches out and wipes away my tears.
"You're safe now," he says softly.
His smile is sincere. The most sincere I've ever seen.
I nod, unable to stop crying. Safe? Maybe. But deep down, I know the truth.
With people like Beta Chris and Caroline out there… I might never be truly safe.