h's

en, the guards would come to give me some food-if you could even call it that. A few scraps of bread, maybe a piece of old meat, and a small cup of wat

e since they had thrown me into this miserable place. All I knew was that each day bled into the next, and my min

was nothing left for me out there. Kayden had rejected me. My mate, the one the Moon Goddess had fated me to be with, had turned

d anyone come for me? Or was this my e

thought it was just the guards again, bringing more scraps of food, but the footsteps were different t

d there they were: Selena

a bandage wrapped around her nose. It looked like she had suffered a little from the fight, but not nearly as much as I

trace of the man I had once hoped could be my mate, the man

s still alive. How unfortunate," she said, tilting her head in mock pity. "Afte

didn't have the energy to fight her

ffered because of her." She gestured to her bandaged nose, a pout on her lips. "Every time I look in t

. "Yes, sweetheart," he said, his voice low.

ht. There was no escape. I knew wh

standing at the door. "Bri

mething there-maybe pity-but they couldn't do anything. They were unde

r strap that looked menacing even in the dim light of the

y, stepping toward me. "You dared to hurt my mat

in my chest. "Kayden, please," I whispered, my voic

ce to explain, but your actions spoke louder than your w

y back. I screamed in pain as the leather tore through my clothes and cut into my skin. The

t blow, but it came just as hard as the first. Another scream tore from my th

lothes were shredded, hanging in tatters, and blood soaked through the fabric, staining the

helming everything else. I wanted to scream, to beg for mercy, but I knew it wouldn't help. Kayden wouldn't stop until

de. The pain was too much. I couldn't take it anymor

myself up any longer. My body was drenched in blood, my skin raw and torn from the w

whip, finally satisfied with what he had done. "Let this be a lesson, Leah," he

My body was too broken, too dr

rms around his neck. "Thank you, Kayden,"

forehead. "Anything

for a moment, their expressions filled with pity as they looked at me lying

ith pain. Every breath hurt, every movement sent sharp stabs of agony

ase, let me die," I thought. "Please, just end this pain.

e cold, unyielding darkness of the cellar, w

ving me. My mind was numb, my body broken, and I felt like I was slipping away. Maybe the Moon

. that woul