Chapter 5 : Winter POV

“Miss, you need to wake up.” a voice says.

I was abruptly awakened from my sleep as I opened my eyes. I observed that my hands were still in handcuffs. When that feeling comes over me, I remember every single detail. I am currently part of a different pack, I stood up from my seat and glanced around, realizing that the car had come to a halt. I shifted my attention to the front, where two men were seated. Exiting the driver's seat, the man walked over and opened the door for me.

“We are here; you can get out of the car now” he says harshly.

I nodded in agreement and began the process of getting out. Upon surveying the area, I observed that we were situated in a significantly denser forest, encompassed by colossal trees. The foundation's beauty was so captivating that I couldn't look away.

"Quit daydreaming and hurry up, I have other matters to address," the man said, arms crossed, snapping me out of my thoughts. He was

Standing at around 6'2" with pale skin, he had a very muscular physique and short brown hair. Unfortunately, his sunglasses concealed his eye color from me.

"You're not a member of this pack?" I asks.

“ No my partner and I transport. We do our job, and leave, come on I must get you inside, to complete my job.”

I spin around and retrieve my bag from the car. After retrieving it, I sling the bag over my shoulder. Closing the car door, the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a string. He then attached the string to the handcuffs He walk pulling me. Two men were standing there when we reached the front gate. One individual, approximately 6'0 tall, had dark skin and a bald head. They were dressed in a red muscle shirt, black jeans, and black boots. And, as usual, he is sporting sunglasses. The second man was shorter, standing at around 5'10" with brown skin. He had blond hair tied up in a messy bun and was wearing a black muscle shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers.

Upon reaching the entrance, the guard, who was short, stepped forward and took off his sunglasses. With a steady gaze, the man scrutinized me, and then the guard. Abruptly, the guard refocused on the man and inquired, "What is your reason for being on our property?"

The man pointed to me and said, "I'm here to deliver the package to your Alpha."

The guard's eyes were foggy, indicating he was telepathically connecting with someone. After his eyes returned to normal, he stated, "I confirmed it with Alpha."

With a smirk, the guard turned to me and said “you’re the new slave purchased by the Alpha”

I expressed my annoyance by rolling my eyes and shifting my attention away from that obnoxious person, being labeled as a slave is highly insulting. I despise its meaning and the way people exploit that word for personal gain. I have been called that word so many times, you'd think I'd be used to it by now. Sadly, no, it's painful to be referred to by that name. Being called a slave feels like a permanent mark on my heart. My identity is slipping away and I'm losing sight of who I am.

The tall guard approaches and says, "We'll handle her from here."

Handing the rope to the tall guard, the man nodded to the guards and turned to me, saying "Good luck, this is it."

I sarcastically replied, “feeling sad to see you leave without having entertained you enough”

Walking away, the man smirked and shook his head. He headed towards his car, got in, and quickly drove away, soon disappearing. Without hesitation, the tall guard yanked me while the short guard opened the gate. As we enter, I glance around and am astonished by the breathtaking landscape outside. The grass is thriving and displaying a beautiful shade of green. I must survey a large area before I can continue surveying. "Pay attention and stay with me," the tall guard tells me, tugging at my arm.

Before we knew it, we were facing an enormous mansion that was reminiscent of the opulent and famous. The presence of statue water fountains on each side of the entrance was particularly noteworthy. Without any delay, I was drawn towards the stairs. Picture a scenario where there was an abundance of stairs, and we eventually reached the third floor. Exhausted and breathless, I dropped to the ground, struggling to regulate my breathing. Suddenly, I was pulled away from where I was standing and we made our way towards a large red door, with the guard knocking.

From inside, a loud voice commands, "Enter."

After the guard opens the door and enters, I follow suit, being pulled in. I realized we were in an office. Four individuals were seated behind a lengthy table crafted from cherry wood. Judging from the aura I picked up, it seems like they are all in higher ranks.

"Alpha, Luna, Beta, Beta lady, I have arrived with the new slave," the guard announces, bowing respectfully.

“Thank you young man, bring her here so we can have a closer look,” The lady on my left says.

"Pulling at the rope, the guard responded, 'Yes, Luna,' as we continued walking forward. We found ourselves in the center of the room when we halted. I quickly survey all four of them before casting my gaze downward once more. I learned from my father to avoid staring into someone's eyes, particularly an Alpha. When you do that, the Alpha perceives it as a challenge. Alphas are feared because of their reputation for being possessive and relentless in their pursuit of what they desire. Their domination in the battle is characterized by brutal force and an iron fist.

"You're just a dismissed boy," a man state. Nodding, the guard walked out of the office and closed the door behind him. The room fell silent for a couple of minutes until I heard someone say, "You're allowed to look up now."

When I looked up, I noticed everyone was staring at me, making me feel uneasy, so I had to avert my gaze. It didn't take long for me to hear the identical female voice saying "Slave, focus your eyes on us again."

Without delay, I glanced back to find that it was the lady the guard called Luna. Based on my observations, Luna has olive complexion, light brown hair, and hazel eyes. Her gaze indicates that I have disgusted her, as she turns up her nose. I noticed that the other three also did the same thing.

“Let's get straight to the point - your former Luna sold you to me. You were a slave before, and your status as a slave will persist in the Voyage pack. Additionally, there are rules that you will be expected to adhere to. As the Alpha, it is my duty to inform you that you have already acquainted yourself with the Luna. Now, allow me to introduce the Beta and Beta lady," the man points to the other two people.

I acknowledged with a nod and stood silently, giving my full attention to the beta lady, who was the next to speak. She was describing the rules they have for me, which were the same as the ones from the previous packs. The Beta lady kept talking, but then she said something that caught my attention.

"Can you repeat the last thing you said?” I inquire.

“Take off your clothes for us to observe your body. It's a part of our pack procedures," explains Beta lady.

Upon hearing her words, I turned my gaze towards her and the others in the room. Based on everyone's expressions, it is clear they are serious. Do they really believe I will take my clothes off? I made be consider a slave in the pack, that makes me lower than the omegas. However, I still have self-respect and would never stoop that low.

I express my disgust and firmly state, "I am refusing to do that I heard a growl, and it came from the Beta, indicating his wolf was attempting to emerge, but he managed to keep it under control.

"You've crossed the line, slave. We've given you an order, obey Beta lady," Beta asserts.

“I might be a slave or even the lowest of the low, like dirt on your shoes. Feel free to insult me, degrade me, or even make me behave like a dog. I replied, rolling my eyes, "I won't expose myself to you perverted individuals."

Loud growls filled the room, creating such a strong aura that it shook. The Alpha forcefully slammed his fist on the table as he rose to his full stature. It caught my attention that the Alpha was a muscular man. He appears to have beige skin, short sandy blond hair, and dark gray eyes. He is about 6'4" tall. From just one glance, I could see that his wolf did not like the insult I gave. His menacing glares could have easily put me six feet under by now.

You have the audacity to enter my pack and disrespect me, my Luna, the Beta, and his partner. "Take off your clothes now or face the consequences," Alpha warns.

I reply, "No, I refuse to do that."

Luna smirks and says, "Then you must be punished."

"Then go ahead and give it your best shot," I say to her.

Luna said, "Alright, Beta and Beta Lady, teach her a lesson. They nodded in agreement and stood up from their chairs before they could act. A guard burst in through the open door.

"By what authority do you think you can enter here without permission?” Shouted Alpha.

“Forgive me Alpha, I needed to inform you that Elder Torres is here” The guard says.

“What reason does he have for being here?” Alpha asked.

Luna indicates “ It’s probably concerning our proposal for hosting the Alpha's ball.”

“Dorian arranged for someone to bring Elder Torres to my office, so you are right, we should prepare. Alpha instructed, "Take this mutt and show her where she will stay, which will be with the omegas."

The guard approaches me, saying, "Yes, Alpha” Before we reached the door, he grabbed the rope still connected to the chain on my hands. With a single word, "Stop," we both instantly stopped in our tracks and faced Beta Lady as she approached us. She directs her attention towards me.

"You were lucky this time, but don't expect to dodge a bullet next time," Beta lady threatens, yanking my hair before leaving.

After a long journey, Dorian and I finally arrived on the first floor. Then he guided me to a different location. As we approached, the aroma of food became more noticeable, making my mouth water. The moment we entered the kitchen, everyone's attention was on us. When I glance at Dorian, I notice that he's experiencing a mind-link. Once his eyes return to their normal state, he scans the area as if searching for someone. Once he noticed the person, he started walking and brought me along. Upon getting closer, we realized that a girl was the one mopping the floor. She had her back turned towards us.

Dorian shouts "Emmily!"

The girl was startled when she saw me and Dorian as she turned around. From my observation, the girl was not unattractive, measuring 5'6 with olive skin and red hair. The girl's messy bun was the first thing I noticed, but what stood out the most were her beautiful violet eyes; she was a natural beauty.

Emmily rolls her eyes and asks, "Dorian, what do you want?"

"Alpha wants you to teach the new slave the basics," he says.

Emmily responds, "As usual, why am I always burdened with this task? Aren't there any others available?"

“Take it up with the Alpha, I’m just the messenger,” Dorian replies.

"It's more like a lap dog," Emmily says.

After Dorian growled and left, Emmily locked her eyes on me. The way she looked at me was reminiscent of past encounters with omegas. I decided to avoid prolonged eye contact by keeping my head down, as it seemed futile and feeble.

"Hey, what's your name?" Emmily asks.

When I looked up, I noticed that Emmily was still giving me that same look. Instead of being impolite, I replied with "I'm Winter".

"Nice to meet you," Emmily says as she reaches out her hand to me.

I accept happily by shaking it.