Playing The Alphas

SAMANTHA

Darkness. Pain. The distant sound of growling. I surfaced from unconsciousness slowly, my body screaming with agony. The claws in my back, the searing heat, the roar of Finnian’s beast—it all came flooding back in a disjointed rush. I was being held. Not by Finnian, but by something warm and solid. His arms were wrapped around me, his massive body curled protectively around mine.

Then I heard the shouting.

"Separate them! Now!"

Rough hands grabbed me, tearing me from Finnian’s embrace. I cried out, reaching for him, but my vision was blurred, my limbs too weak to fight. Finnian roared, a sound of pure fury, and I heard chains rattling, weapons being drawn.

"Samantha!" His voice was broken, desperate. "Father, please! Don’t hurt her!"

But the guards were relentless. They dragged me across the cold stone floor, my bare legs scraping against the rough surface. I tried to focus, to fight back, but my body refused to cooperate. I was too weak, too broken.

When I finally came to my senses, I was in the throne room.

King Lionel stood before me, his face twisted with fury. His hands were clenched at his sides, his eyes blazing with a hatred I had never seen before. He paced back and forth like a caged animal, his footsteps echoing through the vast, empty hall.

"You," he snarled, pointing a trembling finger at me. "You have destroyed my family. You have turned my sons against each other. You have awakened ancient curses that should have remained buried. And now, look at what you’ve done to Finnian."

My throat was raw, my voice barely a whisper. "Your Majesty, please. I didn’t—"

"Silence!" he roared, slamming his fist against the armrest of his throne. "I have heard enough of your lies. Vera brought me proof. Proof that you have been plotting against my sons. And now, Finnian is lost to the beast because of you."

I shook my head frantically, tears streaming down my face. "Vera lied! She planted all of that evidence. She was working with John and Amanda. She—"

"Enough!" King Lionel’s voice thundered through the hall. "You expect me to believe that a harmless librarian conspired against you? That she somehow orchestrated all of this? You are nothing, Samantha. Nothing but a manipulative, scheming whore."

The words hit me like a physical blow. I opened my mouth to respond, but the guards grabbed my arms, dragging me to a post in the center of the room. Chains were wrapped around my wrists, cold and unyielding. They locked me in place, leaving me exposed and vulnerable.

King Lionel strode toward me, his eyes boring into mine. "At dawn, you will be publicly executed. The entire kingdom will watch as you pay for your crimes. I will make an example of you, Samantha. No one will ever dare threaten my family again."

My heart seized in my chest. "Your Majesty, please. I’m innocent. Just give me a chance to prove it. Let me find Vera. Let me find the real culprit."

"There is no real culprit," he said coldly. "There is only you. And you will face the consequences of your actions."

Before I could respond, the doors to the throne room burst open. Finnian staggered in, his body weak and trembling. His clothes were torn, his skin pale, but his eyes—those beautiful, amber eyes—were human again. He had regained control.

"Father, please," he begged, falling to his knees. "Samantha is innocent. I know it. The transformation wasn’t her fault. It was Vera’s lies that triggered it. Please, don’t do this."

King Lionel turned on him, his face contorted with disgust. "You would defend her? After everything she has done to you? Look at yourself, Finnian. Look at what she turned you into."

"I turned into a monster because Vera knew exactly what to say," Finnian pleaded, crawling forward. "She manipulated me. She wanted this to happen. Samantha has been framed."

The king scoffed, shaking his head. "You are weak, Finnian. You have always been the weakest of my sons. And now, you have proven it. You let a woman destroy you, and you still beg for her mercy."

Finnian’s face crumpled with pain, but he didn’t back down. "Father, please. I love her."

The words hung in the air, shocking me to my core. Finnian loved me? Even after everything that had happened?

King Lionel’s face darkened with rage. "You are no son of mine," he spat, and then he slapped Finnian across the face. The sound echoed through the hall, sharp and brutal.

Finnian fell back, his hand pressed to his cheek. But he didn’t cry out. He didn’t fight back. He just knelt there, broken and defeated.

"Get him out of my sight," King Lionel ordered. "Lock him in his chambers until further notice."

Guards rushed forward, grabbing Finnian and dragging him from the room. He looked back at me, his eyes filled with anguish, and I felt my heart shatter.

"No!" I screamed, struggling against my chains. "Finnian! Finnian!"

But he was gone, and I was alone with the king.

Kylie stepped forward then, her face pale but determined. "Father, please. Listen to me. Vera vanished during the chaos. That is not the behavior of an innocent woman. She is hiding something."

King Lionel turned on her, his eyes blazing. "And you, Kylie? Have you also been brainwashed by this witch?"

"She’s not a witch, Father. She’s a victim," Kylie insisted. "Vera framed her. I found evidence in Vera’s quarters before she fled. She was working with someone outside the palace."

"Enough!" King Lionel roared. "I will not listen to another word. You are to leave this room immediately, Kylie. I do not want to hear your excuses."

Kylie hesitated, her eyes meeting mine. There was desperation in her gaze, a silent promise. Then she turned and walked away, escorted by guards.

I was alone. Chained to a post in the center of the throne room. My body ached. My heart was breaking. And I knew that dawn was approaching far too quickly.

The guards approached me, their faces cold and indifferent. One of them held a whip in his hand, the leather coiled and dark.

"King’s orders," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "You are to be punished until dawn."

I braced myself. The first lash came, and I bit back a scream. Pain exploded across my back, hot and searing. But I refused to cry out. I refused to give them the satisfaction.

Lash after lash, I endured it silently. My vision blurred with tears, but I didn’t break. I wouldn’t break.

When the guards finally left, I was alone in the darkness. My body was broken, my spirit battered, but my will remained intact.

I whispered into the silence, my voice hoarse and raw. "I will survive this. I will make them all pay."

The words were a promise. A vow. And I would keep it. No matter what it took.