CHAPTER 471: STUBBORN WHORE

The room was cold, as always.

The kind of cold that curled into the bones, the kind that crept up the spine and whispered that this was not home — and never would be.

She had been here for over two weeks now and she barely hung on a thread of survival.

It seemed Alpha Hunter had traveled and left, because he had stopped inviting her to have dinner with him.

She was served her meal in her bedroom by the maids, given a bath once a day and left to mind her business.

All she could do was stay away and sleep.

It was exhausting.

She had requested to see Xaden, but no one was listening.

She felt her baby move, and then she gently clutched her belly.

Jasmine sat on the edge of the bed, one hand resting on her belly, the other pressed to the polished wood of the bedpost.

She stared at the door, tense and silent, as footsteps echoed outside.

Then — a knock. Soft. Hesitant.

She didn’t answer.

The door creaked open anyway, revealing the thin, freckled maid who had become a near-constant shadow in her prison.

The girl bowed her head, clutching a folded cloth in her trembling hands.

"The Alpha wishes to see you," she said softly.

Jasmine didn’t move.

She blinked once. Her voice, when it came, was quiet — but full of steel.

"I won’t see him."

The maid flinched. "Please... don’t say that. He... he’ll be angry."

"I don’t care," Jasmine said, her jaw tightening. "I won’t take a single step until I see Xaden. I’ve asked to see him over and over again. He agreed to let me see him, but it’s been two weeks and nothing."

The maid hesitated, shifting nervously. "Alpha Hunter doesn’t allow delays. He’ll—he might hurt you."

"Then let him try," Jasmine said coldly. "Unless he shows me that Xaden is alive and well, I’m not moving. Even if he throws me out of this tower himself."

There was a flicker of fear in the maid’s eyes, but also something else — pity.

She bowed again and left quickly, closing the door behind her without another word.

Jasmine exhaled, slow and deep.

Her hands trembled against the curve of her stomach, but her eyes burned with defiance.

She wondered for Kire and Marro.

She wondered if they had made it away once she hadn’t returned.

She hoped Kire had obeyed and taken him back to their pack.

She counts imagine what would have happened if he had insisted on following her now that she had been caught here.

She hadn’t heard any news about them in the pack so hopefully was good.

She now assumed that he was locked away somewhere in this cursed place. She knew how cruel they were.

It was the only explanation that made sense.

Why else would she feel the bond — faint, dull — but never see him?

He was alive. She could feel it.

But that wasn’t enough anymore.

She needed proof. And she would not kneel to a monster like Alpha Hunter until she had it.

The hours dragged on.

She paced. Sat. Paced again.

And then—

The door slammed open without warning.

She spun around, startled — only to find herself face-to-face with Leviathan.

He stood in the doorway, the smell of blood and arrogance thick around him, his yellow eyes gleaming with something cruel.

"Did you think refusing him would end well?" he sneered.

Jasmine didn’t answer. She turned away and stepped back.

"I don’t take orders from you," she said tightly.

"I’m not here to ask nicely." He snapped at her.

He crossed the room in three quick strides, his hand clamping around her arm.

Jasmine cried out, struggling. "Let go of me!"

Leviathan’s grip tightened.

"You have been getting on my nerves little whore. When the Alpha says something you will obey him. It’s how things work now," he hissed, dragging her toward the door. "You’ll see the Alpha, whether you like it or not—"

In one swift, wild motion, Jasmine jabbed two fingers hard into his eye.

"AHH—! YOU STUPID FUCKING BITCH!" he screamed, staggering back and clutching his face.

His other hand came swinging blindly, cracking across her cheek in a vicious slap that sent her stumbling backward.

Her side hit the bedpost.

She gripped it hard, stopping herself from falling entirely.

She felt unease in her stomach where her left hand had gone to, to protect her baby from any harm.

The pain bloomed across her face, her ears rang, but she stayed on her feet.

Breathing hard. Steady.

Leviathan was seething now, his hand still over his eye, his face twisted in rage.

"I’n going to teach you a lesson," he growled. "One you won’t forget—"

Before he could take another step, another voice thundered from the doorway.

"ENOUGH!"

A tall, broad-shouldered wolf stepped into the room. Silver eyes. Black cloak. Older. Smarter. Mean-looking in a quiet, dangerous way.

Leviathan turned to him, panting.

"She attacked me!"

"She’s pregnant," the older wolf snapped. "You think Alpha Hunter wants her harmed? You know how he had been with her since in the beginning."

Leviathan clenched his fists, trembling with fury. "She’s disrespectful. She needs to learn who’s in charge."

"Let that be a decision for Alpha Hunter. Not you." The other wolf stepped closer, growling low. "If you touch her again, I will be the one to teach you something. And it won’t be gentle. Get out, Leviathan."

Leviathan hesitated. He looked from Jasmine, to the older wolf, then back.

His face twisted into a snarl. "You’ll regret this," he spat at her.

And then he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

The room was quiet again, but the air was tight with tension.

Jasmine turned to the older wolf. Her cheek was already swelling.

Her breathing came in ragged bursts, but she didn’t lower her gaze.

"I still won’t see Alpha Hunter," she said calmly.

She was terrified in her heart.

But she knew better.

She could not back down.

Not now.

"Not until I see proof that Xaden is alive."

The man stared at her for a long, quiet moment.

Then, he nodded.

And left without a word.