Page 115 of The Alpha King's Fate

“Isn’t she...”

“Yes.”

“And she’s working with them?”

“Traitor.”

“What did we expect from someone like her?”

“I heard she’s a half-blood. They should have fucking killed her.”

Every word was like a knife through her chest.

‘Miss Layla.’

She didn’t dare look up at Faith, either.

'I'm okay,' Faith said.

How could she even say that after what almost happened to her?

Her head lowered even more. If they even managed to escape their prison, she didn't know if she could hold her head up again.

The doors slid open again, and the scent of a feast reached her nose. Meat. Something juicy and hot. She hadn’t thought about her hunger until that smell made her stomach grumble. It had been days since she ate anything, but now just the thought of putting the food in her mouth made her nauseous.

It was a reward from the Commander. Another clear sign to everyone of how she earned that meal.

But she couldn’t stop her mouth from watering as her ears picked up the sound of the trolley rolling up and down the aisles. The food would taste like sand in her mouth. How was she meant to enjoy it when it felt like the Last Supper?

The trolley finally made it to her aisle. She watched them from behind the curtain of her hair as they opened cage after cage until they finally stopped in front of her. Someone pulled the broken door open and slid a huge platter full of meat, potatoes, and vegetables into her cramped space. Her stomach growled louder than any of the others.

She moved without thinking, grabbing the biggest steak off the platter and taking a bite. It melted in her mouth as if a top chef prepared it.

Her eyes closed, and a small groan escaped her lips. It didn’t taste like sand. It tasted like a slice of heaven that found its way into the hellhole she was stuck in, even if every mouthful went down her throat with a coating of guilt.

When she reached for the second one, she heard a whimper. Her hand froze as she looked in the direction the sound came from.

It was the little girl across the aisle from her. Her little face peaked at her between the bars of her cage, and her teary gaze was on the platter in front of her.

And in her hand was a small piece of bread.

The stale bread they were all fed like animals in their cages.

She released the steak and shuffled back before she finally looked around her. All eyes were on her. She could see them—feel them staring at her from behind their silver prisons.

And they all had bread for their meal.

The steak felt like a lump of coal in her stomach, and shame brought it back up her throat. She almost didn’t reach the bucket in the corner as it came out as quickly as it had gone in.

She was still heaving when the doors opened again. When the sound of heavy boots started to echo in the warehouse.

'My Queen...'

Gavin's weak voice in the mindlink forced her to look up at the cage above hers just as the Hunters started walking down her aisle.

'My Queen... Be strong. Please,' Gavin continued.

She completely forgot about him! How could she call herself a queen when she could easily put him aside when they probably only caught him because of her?

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