Playing The Alphas

SAMANTHA

Jayce’s announcement ignited a spark of excitement among the sex slaves, Alicia’s eyes practically gleaming with anticipation. Her lips curled into a predatory smile, and I could see her mentally calculating her chances of victory. It was clear she couldn’t wait to dive into the competition.

My heart, however, felt like it was sinking into an abyss. With the stakes so high—both reward and punishment—neither outcome was particularly appealing. I certainly had no desire to parade around the palace in nothing but my skin, nor did I want to spend a night with Jayce. The thought of either scenario made my stomach churn with dread.

A sideways glance at him confirmed my suspicion: he seemed to relish this predicament. That malicious smile of his, familiar from past humiliations, only fueled my anger. He stood there with his arms crossed, looking like a cat who had cornered a mouse. His eyes sparkled with cruel amusement, and I could tell he was enjoying every moment of my discomfort.

If I weren’t bound by my position as a sex slave, I would have unleashed my fury on him right there. What a bastard! The words burned in my throat, but I swallowed them down. Now was not the time for recklessness.

"Why are you still standing there?" Jayce’s voice sliced through my seething rage. Ignoring the fire in my eyes, he raised an eyebrow and taunted, "Are you ready to admit defeat and run around naked?"

Seizing the moment, Alicia chimed in with a sneer, "Scared, Samantha?" Her voice dripped with mockery, and I could see the other women snickering behind their hands. They were all waiting for me to crumble, to show weakness.

I shot her a glance but held my tongue, focusing instead on preparing for the climb. My fingers traced the rough surface of the wall, mapping out my path. At this point, retreat was not an option. No matter the prize or the punishment, backing out was not in my vocabulary. I had survived too much to let this defeat me.

Alicia readied herself as well, strapping her safety rope with exaggerated care. With one last, provocative glance, she declared, "I’m going to win this competition and spend the night with Prince Jayce. You’d better get ready for your naked run."

How juvenile! I chose to ignore her, mentally plotting a way to avoid both the so-called reward and punishment. My mind raced with possibilities. Perhaps I could intentionally tie with her. Or maybe I could stage an accident that would end the competition prematurely. But even as I considered these options, I knew they were risky. Jayce was not a fool. He would see through any deception.

The whistle blew abruptly, signaling the start of the climb. The sound cut through the air like a blade, and I launched myself at the wall.

The wall loomed nearly 150 feet high, but for me, it was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. With swift, practiced movements, I scaled it effortlessly, as though strolling on level ground. My hands found each hold with precision, my feet pushing off with practiced ease. The rough surface scraped against my palms, but I barely noticed. I was in my element.

In contrast, Alicia, who started off even with me, gradually fell behind, her pace faltering as she struggled. Her breath came in ragged gasps, and I could hear her grunting with effort. Eventually, she was left far behind, her efforts slowing to a crawl. Her movements became clumsy, desperate.

I glanced down to see her straining and failing to keep up, reluctance etched across her face. Her eyes were wide with panic, and I could see the sweat dripping down her forehead. She was out of her depth, and she knew it.

I raised an eyebrow, a smirk curling on my lips, and increased my speed. If I was going to win, I would do so convincingly. There was no point in holding back now. I wanted to make a statement. I wanted them all to see that I was not someone to be underestimated.

"Impossible! Bitch! How can you climb so fast?" Alicia’s voice, laced with frustration, reached my ears from behind. Her words were punctuated by gasps as she struggled to maintain her grip.

I ignored her, focusing solely on my ascent. The summit was drawing closer, each handhold bringing me nearer to victory. I could almost taste it. The wind whipped against my face, and I felt a rare moment of freedom. Up here, away from the whispers and the scheming, I could just be myself.

As I neared the summit, the spectators below suddenly erupted into gasps and shouts. Instinctively, I looked down, only to see Alicia, in her panic, losing her grip and plummeting.

"Argh! Help me!" Her scream echoed in terror. She flailed, grasping at the rocks but failing to catch hold, and continued to fall. Her body twisted in the air, her arms reaching desperately for anything to stop her descent.

The sight startled me. My heart lurched into my throat. For a moment, I forgot about the competition, forgot about Jayce and Molly and all the scheming. All I could see was a woman falling, and I knew that if she hit the ground, she would not survive.

Thankfully, her fall was arrested by the safety rope, preventing a catastrophic impact on the ground. She swung helplessly, suspended in midair, her screams fading into sobs of relief. The rope had held, just barely.

Relief washed over me. The thought of an accident was too dire to contemplate. I had wanted to win, but not like this. Not at the cost of someone’s life.

Turning my attention back to the top, I noted that I was only a few feet away from victory. Victory was within my grasp—literally. One more pull, one more push, and I would be at the summit. The crowd below was watching, waiting for me to claim my prize.

However, hesitation gripped me. I peered downward with a subtle smile. A thought had taken root in my mind, a dangerous and reckless idea. Without a second thought, I let go. If I landed safely along my safety rope, the competition would end with no clear winner or loser. I was curious to see what Jayce would make of such a result. Would he be angry? Amused? I wanted to see him squirm, to take away his satisfaction.

Just as I began the descent, I felt the reassuring support of the rope falter. The tension that had held me so securely suddenly vanished. A split second later, I heard the ominous sound of the rope tearing.

My safety rope snapped.

The world lurched beneath me. I was falling, plummeting toward the ground with terrifying speed. The air rushed past my ears, and I could hear the screams of the spectators below. My heart seized in my chest, and for a moment, I was frozen in disbelief. This wasn’t part of the plan. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

The ground rushed up to meet me, and I braced for impact.