Chapter 52: Cleansing Agony

I remained still, an expression of indifference etched on my face, as the Alpha’s mistress stared at me with a look of revulsion, as though I had demanded she leap into the deepest abyss. What had she anticipated? She had called me filthy—a sentiment I couldn’t dispute. The blood-soaked dress clung to me, its scent nauseatingly pervasive. I desperately needed a hot bath to cleanse myself. But despite the urgency of my predicament, her lingering presence was more irritating than anything. What was her purpose in staying? Was she waiting for me to beg for my dignity? “I’ll deal with you later, slave,” she announced, her voice dripping with venom. I shrugged, arching an eyebrow as if to urge her toward the door. I wasn’t indifferent to her threat; in fact, I was unsettled. But showing fear would be a double defeat, and I refused to give her that satisfaction. I resolved to maintain my facade of bravery for as long as necessary. Nick’s advice echoed in my mind: keep up the act of a fearle