Chapter 1 Episode 1

• Astrid struggled once more to free her wrists from the tight bindings, but it was no use.
• As she moved, the thin blanket that covered her slipped down, exposing her delicate shoulders.
• Aside from her shoulders, she was completely bare. The cold bedspread that pressed against her skin didn't help as she felt very uncomfortable, almost like being naked and exposed to the public.
• She recoiled, causing the quilt to slide down even further, revealing not just her shoulders but also her sharp collarbone. She froze, too scared to move again.
• This was her first night in the Alpha King's bed.
• It had been over four months since Astrid became the Alpha King's mistress, four months since her father sold her to the Alpha king and she had been counting the days. Unlike the other mistresses who eagerly awaited their turns with the Alpha King, she knew her time would come eventually.
• She couldn't say she was excited about it, and she certainly felt she had no right to resist. The other mistresses went to great lengths, even bribing the maids, just to have a night with the Alpha King.
• Who wouldn’t want that?
• Since the Luna passed away, all the King's mistress have been working hard to catch the King’s attention and become his favorite.
• But everything changed after the second mistress entered the Alpha King's bed and never came back alive.
• The last two mistresses who had been with the Alpha King after that incident were left with terrible injuries. One had been in a coma for days, while the other was fine but seemed lost in her own mind. She had a high fever, locked herself up in her Chambers, refusing to let anyone near her.
• After that, no one wanted to sleep with the Alpha King anymore; they avoided him like he was dangerous.
• But today, the maid in charge came to tell Astrid that it was her turn.
• When the other mistresses heard this, they let out a big sigh of relief, feeling grateful that they had avoided a terrible situation. Then, they looked at her with a bit more sympathy, almost as if they were gazing at someone who had passed away.
• Even though Astrid was scared out of her mind, she knew she had to follow the King’s orders. The palace maids helped her get cleaned up and then brought her to a grand, luxurious bedroom. They told her to remove her last piece of clothing, lie down on the bed, and cover herself with a light quilt. Before they left, two emotionless maids tied her wrists to the sides of the bed with strips of cloth, explaining that this was how they served the Alpha king.
• Astrid felt like she was just like one of those deer in the woods that they usually hunt.
• As those thoughts raced through her mind, she turned to look out the window. It was completely dark outside, and there was no one around—not even a whisper of wind. The shadows of the trees danced on the window, making her feel even more anxious.
• She hoped he wouldn’t show up.
• Maybe the Alpha king was too busy with Pack matters tonight and wouldn’t come to see her. If that were true, she might still have a chance to live.
• She kept telling herself this, and it felt like the Moon goddess was listening to her wishes. Time ticked by slowly, and even though she couldn’t see the wall clock clearly in the corner, she guessed it was nearly midnight, yet the King still hadn’t arrived.
• Could it be that he really wasn’t coming?
• With that thought, a spark of hope flickered in Astrid’s heart. If she could just make it through the next few hours, maybe she would be okay.
• But just as she was lost in her thoughts, a loud noise erupted from outside.
• People were yelling and making a lot of noise outside. Astrid could hear their fast footsteps.
• She frowned.
• What was going on?
• Astrid sensed that something was wrong, especially as the sounds grew louder and closer. She had no idea what was happening, but soon she noticed a red glow lighting up the dark night outside.
• Amid the chaos, she heard someone shout.
• "The fire has reached the pack house!"
• A fire at the pack house?
• Astrid felt a wave of fear. She tried to look outside, but her arms were tied so tightly that she couldn’t move at all.
• Instead, the blanket covering her slipped down a bit, exposing a large patch of her fair skin. She was so scared that she didn’t dare to move. If someone walked in and saw her like this, it would be so embarrassing!
• The noise outside grew louder, filled with panic.
• What was really happening?
• The red light outside became brighter. She could almost see the flames flickering through the window, lighting up her eyes.
• The fire was fierce, and soon she heard the sound of burning beams crashing down. Along with the roars, more screams filled the air.
• Astrid had a sinking feeling that something was very wrong. If the pack house was just burning down, the people in the palace wouldn’t be this frantic.
• Something terrible must have happened!
• Just as she was feeling confused and anxious, a voice shouted from outside: "There's a monster attack!"
• Then, a scream echoed through the night.
• A monster attack?
• This time, Astrid was really scared. How did the monsters get past the pack's defenses?
• At that moment, she heard several palace maids outside the door, shouting frantically.
• But then their screams rang out, and blood splattered against the doors and windows. Astrid's eyes widened in horror as she heard heavy footsteps approaching the door.
• Could it be - the Alpha king?
• Her heart was beating wildly.
• Astrid's heart raced when she heard a loud crash. Suddenly, the bedroom door flew open. A powerful gust of wind sent the curtains fluttering, and a tall figure stepped inside, bringing with them a strong scent of whiskey and oakmoss that filled the room.