DELORA, THE FORSAKEN MATE

DELORA'S POV

My hands ached as I scrubbed the floor of Alpha Otto’s cabin, but I dared not slow down, not when the Alpha himself was seated at his desk, his gruff voice filling the room. I kept my head low, feigning to focus on my task, but my ears were on alert at every spoken word.

“She will marry Alpha Luther,” Otto declared, his deep voice echoing in the room.

Someone gasped, and when I glanced up, I realized it was his wife, Luna. “But Otto, she is unwilling. Zibah does not want to leave home, and you know she…” Her voice trailed off, and I could tell she was sobbing.

My heart pounded against my ribs. I knew little of Zibah personally, only that she was a pampered daughter of the Alpha, but the pain in her mother’s voice made my stomach twist.

“She has no choice,” Otto said firmly. “This is an alliance we cannot afford to break. Alpha Luther is powerful, and despite his… condition, he will secure our future.”

I raised my brows. A paralytic Alpha? Even as a slave, I could sense the unease in the room at those words. An Alpha was supposed to be a warrior, strong and fearsome, yet they were sending Zibah to one who could not stand on his own? I tightened my grip on the brush, my mind racing with the implications.

Luna inhaled sharply. “Otto, she will be miserable.”

“She will learn her duty,” Otto replied, sternly. “And she will not go alone.”

I froze. A chill slithered down my spine. Something about the way he said those words made me uneasy.

“You will send someone with her?” Luna asked hesitantly.

“Yes. Delora.”

My breath hitched, my fingers stilling on the brush. My head remained bowed, but my entire body tensed as I waited for more.

“Delora?” Luna repeated, disbelief evident in her tone. “But she is—”

“A slave, yes,” Otto interrupted. “But not anymore. She will be her maid, tending to her needs and ensuring she fulfills her role as Luna of the North. Zibah is spoiled and lacks discipline. Delora will be the one to make sure she does not disgrace our pack.”

I stared at the wooden planks beneath me, my mind reeling with thought. A maid. No longer a slave, but bound in servitude nonetheless. I had spent my entire life obeying orders, enduring beatings, and knowing my fate would never change. And yet, now, I was being pulled into something even more uncertain.

And worse, Zibah.

The thought of serving her made my stomach knot. I have never spoken to her directly, but the rumors about her are horrible. Zibah is unpredictable, prone to fits of rage that have left even warriors wary of crossing her. It was said she once clawed a servant’s face for bringing her tea at the wrong temperature. Another girl, tasked with dressing her hair, was beaten mercilessly and locked up in the prison.

I forced myself to keep scrubbing, though my hands trembled against the rough bristles. I have endured many things in this pack, but none has ever terrified me as much as the thought of being under Zibah.

“Delora?” Otto’s voice snapped me back to reality.

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to remain steady. “Yes, Alpha?”

“You will go with my daughter to the North. You will serve her as her maid and carry out all her duties. You understand?”

My throat went dry, my body rigid, but I had no power to refuse. “Yes, Alpha.”

'' Go ahead with what you're doing.'' He said and I did a curtsy and returned to my work immediately.

I left a few minutes later, my mind filled with the thought of what awaited me in the North. I should have returned to my sleeping quarters, but my feet carried me elsewhere, away from the suffocating palace.

I walked quietly, past the main training grounds and toward the dense cluster of trees near the eastern border of the pack’s land. It was a secluded place, away from prying eyes.

That was when I heard it. Voices, low murmurs, hushed but urgent.

I hesitated, pressing myself against a tree as the voices became clearer. “You can’t do this, Zibah,” he said in a low tone. “You don’t understand what kind of man Luther is.”

Shivers ran down my spine instantly, and I widened my eyes in shock. Zibah? It was unbelievable.

My pulse quickened. ''What is she doing here, away from the safety of the pack?''

Curiosity took the best of me, and although I knew it could cost me, I took a cautious step forward, peering through the gaps in the trees.

A man stood with her, his broad frame partially hidden by the shadows. I couldn't see his face, but his voice was calm and pleading.

Zibah huffed, folding her arms. “You think I care? You think I have a choice?” Her voice cracked slightly, betraying her frustration. “My father is forcing this marriage, and no matter how much I despise it, I must obey.”

The man stepped closer, reaching for her, but she swatted his hand away. “If you think I’ll just sit there and be his good little Luna, you’re a fool.”

He sighed, shaking his head. “You’re playing a dangerous game. Luther—”

“I don’t care about Luther,” Zibah snapped, her voice sharp. “I care about us.”

My breath hitched. Us? The realization struck me like a lightning bolt. Zibah had a lover. And she was being forced to leave him.

A sharp twig snapped beneath my foot, and my heart skipped a beat as their heads snapped toward me.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, Zibah's face twisted in fury.

“You,” she hissed.

I took a step back, but it was too late. She stormed toward me, her nails digging into my arm as she yanked me forward.

“What did you hear?” she demanded.

I swallowed hard, my mind racing. Lying was pointless, but I had to. “Nothing,” I whispered.

Her grip tightened painfully. “Liar.”

The man behind her shifted, clearly uneasy, but he said nothing.

Zibah's lips curved into a smile. “You love to eavesdrop, don’t you, Delora?” Her nails dug deeper, and I bit my tongue to keep myself from wincing. “You think because you’re living with me, you have power? That you can run your mouth about things that don’t concern you?”

I forced my gaze to stay neutral. “I wouldn’t dare.”

She smiled, “Good. Because if I find out you told anyone about this,” she leaned in, her breath hot against my ear, “I will personally make your life worse than it already is.”

She shoved me backward, and I barely caught myself before hitting the ground.

“Now, run along, little maid,” she sneered. “And remember, your place is beneath me.”

My stomach churned, but I bowed my head and turned away, forcing my feet to move before she decided to do worse.

But as I walked away, her words and the fear in her lover’s voice echoed in my mind.

Zibah was planning something. And whatever it was, it would only make our journey more dangerous.