Contractually Yours, Alpha by Giftemmy

Claim Me 629

Chapter Two Hundred and Forty

ALIYA'S POV

I woke up with a pounding headache.

The events from earlier came flooding back, sending a wave of panic through me. A blindfold covered my eyes, plunging me into darkness, and my wrists and ankles were bound in chains, secured to the wall behind me.

My slight movement must have captured my captor's notice. I heard footsteps approaching, and instinctively, I shrank back. Just then, the blindfold was yanked off, and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the light. We were in what seemed like an ancestral hall, the walls adorned with strange markings, and the windows similar to those in a cathedral. Candles were scattered across the floor and in the center was a table draped with white cloth.

The man who had removed my blindfold was dressed in a black robe. I recognized him almost immediately-he was one of the High Regents, and his name was Varek. The door swung open, and four more regents entered, each one dressed like Varek. They shut it behind them, and one took position by the door to guard it. The other three advanced toward me. Despite the scarves covering their faces, I recognized Gregold immediately.

"Why am I here?" I asked him.

"To finish what should have been done a very long time ago," Gregold said calmly.

There was something eerie about him, something off-putting. I'd prefer Julia's presence to this strange man's any day.

"Where is Julia and the other empresses?"

"Julia? Gone. The other empresses, likewise."

do you mean

be put in power over men. It was high time the goddess realized they were weak and incapable of making decisions. Everything would have gone

realized her mistake and

middle; this seemed like

my chest. Could this

I wouldn't have cared if they all died, but being in the hands

now, perhaps Sebastian would realize I'm

have I been here? I wouldn't be getting an answer to that, but I knew what I had to

for time.

she placed the empresses in

right under her nose,

you knew who he was either; maybe he was just very good at staying

opened his mouth as if to respond, then paused, his

and took a few steps back.

1/2

Hundred

chains that bound my hands and feet, then tore away my gown. The false bravado was gone.

said, but I could barely hear his voice as I struggled harder. I headbutted the man in the nose, and that earned me a slap so hard I fell back to the ground. "Esne stultus?" Gregold questioned the man who had hit me. He'd spoken in Latin; the phrase translates as

me with furious eyes, then approached again, tearing off the rest of my clothes. This time, no matter how many times I hit,

of men. I let