Bound by Midnight's Spell

Chapter 9

Elena gradually became aware of her surroundings, her consciousness returning in fragments. Panic gripped her as she opened her eyes to a dimly lit room.

The vivid memory of Kai's nearly naked form enveloped her thoughts suddenly, setting her face ablaze with embarrassment. She recalled the imposing figure of the Crown Prince Kai, standing at 6'5", his muscular physique commanding attention. Dark caramel skin adorned with the memory of stormy gray eyes that had sent shivers down her spine.

The recollection of him smelling her hair and the unexpected bite on her ear replayed in her mind like a lingering melody. Her heart had leaped in her chest, and the rush of blood to her cheeks had been undeniable. The intensity of the encounter left her buzzing with a strange sensation that she could not shake.

As if sensing Elena's heightened state, Sarah, her colleague, reached out and touched her forehead. Alarmed by the heat radiating from Elena's skin, Sarah remarked, "You need to rest. It seems like you're burning up."

Elena, still flustered from the vivid memories, could only nod in embarrassed agreement. The room held the remnants of the charged encounter, and as she settled back into the reality of her surroundings, the enigmatic Midnight family's realm loomed with its secrets and unpredictable twists.

Attempting to stand upright, she quickly discovered her body had other plans. Dizziness overcame her, and she swayed before collapsing back onto the bed.

"Take it slow, Tiny," a voice echoed in her ears.

Blinking to focus, Elena saw the concerned face of Sarah, the older omega in the household. "You gave us a scare. Everyone was terrified when Master exited into the hallway and urgently asked for one of us. I was the closest, and when I saw you unconscious, I got so scared. Thank God you're okay. It seems that you fainted from emotion."

Sarah continued, offering a piece of advice, "I know Prince Kai can be intense. Try to be invisible around him. It's the safest way to navigate his presence. For the higher ranks, it is easier, but for omegas and humans, he is too intense, especially when he manifests his emotions. Try to rest."

More rumblings from the corridor caught Sarah's attention, and she left Elena alone, who was now covered with a small blanket. As Sarah retreated, the room fell into a quiet hush, the only sound being Elena's shaky breaths.

She tucked herself beneath the blanket, the fabric offering a feeble sense of comfort. The encounter with Prince Kai and the subsequent collapse had left an indelible mark on her. Plus, her weak, battered body was not helping her too much. She knew that she was getting better, but the trauma that she suffered till that moment left a strong mark on her.

Hidden beneath the meager warmth of the blanket, Elena's eyes welled up with tears as the haunting memories of the past week flooded her mind as she touched with her hand her damaged throat. The chain of events had unfurled with the abuse she suffered at the hands of her cousin; a torment that ultimately led to her being sold to the dreaded Slave House. The mere mention of its name sent shivers down her spine, causing her to freeze in panic even under the thin cover.

In the recesses of her thoughts, she revisited the harrowing moments spent within the walls of the Slave House.

Flashbacks assaulted her mind, like ghostly apparitions from the previous days after the morning inspection.

The morning inspections concluded with an ominous directive – a mandatory shower for all the captives. Lined up in a desolate hallway, the air thick with apprehension, the wardens wielded their authority with cruel delight.

The command to strip echoed through the corridor, and Elena, feeling a sudden icy chill, hesitated. She observed as the others, subdued and accustomed to this dehumanizing routine, began to remove their jumpsuits. Yet, she stood frozen, caught in the grip of profound discomfort.

Wide-eyed, Elena noticed a shocking revelation as the surrounding women discarded not only their jumpsuits but also their undergarments. Gasps escaped her lips, and her heart pounded in disbelief. The wardens, with twisted amusement, reveled in their power, spewing dirty words and degrading laughter.

The main warden, an old, fat man with an intense look, intervened. "What's going on here?" he barked, addressing the scene.

A warden stepped forward, a sly grin etched on his face. "We've got a rebel," he declared, pointing at Elena, who stood defiantly, refusing to succumb to the invasive orders. Actually, she was not defiant, just too ashamed and shocked to react in a timely manner.

The main warden's gaze fell upon Elena, his eyes narrowing with displeasure. "You there, why haven't you complied?"

The main warden's expression darkened, and he gestured to the other two wardens. "Take her to my office. We'll have a little discipline session."

Realization struck Elena too late, and as the wardens seized her arms, leading her away, she caught glimpses of pitying looks from some of the others. The hallway echoed with the sounds of distant cries and muffled sobs as Elena was ushered toward an uncertain fate.

Once in the office, the door locked behind her, and she noticed just a chair and a desk in the office. Soon the door opened and the fat man entered.

“So, you are the rebel this time; I really like it when some of you are opposed. More fun for me.” he added, with a wicked smile on his face.

“Now, be a good girl and let's try this again: remove your clothes.”

Elena trembled, as she started to unbutton her jumper and she removed it while her body was shaking.

“Hmm, you are too skinny to be f****d, but you can still use your mouth.” The warden said, as he unbuttoned his trousers and pulled out his manhood.

“Come here and sit on your knees in front of me.” He barked.

Elena followed the instruction mechanic, trebling from fear and disgust.

“Open your mouth,” he said, while moving his hand up and down on his member, and to her horror, she saw it growing in size.

Once he arrived in front of her, he grabbed her hair from behind and pushed his member inside her mouth. She tried to struggle and push him, but he was too strong.

“Oh, yes!!! Take it all!!” the warden groaned, while continuing to assault her mouth.

Elena felt herself chocking, and while trying to gasp for air she felt her stomach rising as she vomited on the warden.

“What the f**k you just did, you disgusting cunt!!!” the warden shouted at her, while he slapped her viciously.

“You vomited on my uniform, you f*****g animal! It seems that I was too good with you, so now I will show you how I discipline bitches like you.” He said before slapping her hard again, and she lost her hearing in her left year from the impact.

To her horror, the kicks continued, as the enraged man grabbed her by the neck and strangled her and shook her violently.

She felt right there and then that she would be killed, but he suddenly stopped when someone knocked and called him. His assistant entered the office and noticed Elena’s beaten figure.

“Disciplining the new one?” the other attendant smirked.

“Yes, it seems that I will need to do some taming. Place her with the slaves dedicated to the Dragon households.” The fat man replied, while changing his trousers.

“Dragons? Are you sure? Usually, we place there only omega werewolves or hybrids. And because of how weak she is, she will not last a week in a Dragon household,” the other attendant added.

“I know, no worries, I will move her later to the right slave category once I grow tired of her. But Prince Yann just came yesterday and recruited almost the entire batch of available trained slaves for his Dragon household. Which means that it will take a long time until someone will come to recruit again from that House, especially a large number, which will keep her available for more discipline, and she will not be placed in a household so soon. She needs to pay for her disrespect to me.” The man added, while adding another kick in her stomach.

Little did he know that she would be sold on the same day when Crown Prince Kai arrived.

As the memories of the degrading ordeal within the Slave House lingered in Elena's mind, an overwhelming exhaustion settled over her. The weight of past trauma and the uncertainty of her current circumstances converged, pushing her fragile psyche to the brink. Despite the discomfort of her weakened body and the haunting recollections, sleep claimed her.

In the dimly lit room, surrounded by shadows, Elena succumbed to the embrace of sleep. Her eyes, once filled with distress, now fluttered closed as weariness overcame her. The tension that had gripped her body gradually eased, and she drifted into a realm where the echoes of torment and humiliation were momentarily silenced.

In the realm of dreams, Elena found a temporary refuge.