Back at her quarters, Regina couldn't shake the image of the child from her mind. He reminded her so much of herself—small, fragile, and full of quiet suffering. Bob, that was his name, or at least that's what she had overheard. A rogue's kid, captured near the territory.
She had gone to the slave quarters to check on him, but as she neared, she stopped in her tracks. The sight of him curled up on the cold, hard floor stopped her. He slept in a tight ball, his stomach drawn in, just as she had done in her own darker days to stave off the gnawing hunger. Her heart tightened, and she instinctively took a step back, not wanting to wake him.
But then someone grabbed her arm and pulled her away.
Regina's heart was pounding like a drum in her chest, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps as the warrior's meaty hand clamped down on her wrist like a vise. His fingers dug into her soft skin, leaving angry red marks that made her wince. She could smell the sour stench of ale on his breath as he leaned in, his lips curling into a predatory grin that sent shivers down her spine. His eyes, glittering with unrestrained lust, raked over her body like a wolf sizing up its prey.
"Those perky little tits of yours are begging for attention. Let me give them a proper welcome."
Regina's stomach twisted with fear. She had seen the way some of the warriors looked at her now. She had hoped ignoring them would keep her safe.
But tonight, she wasn't so lucky.
"Please," she whispered again, her voice barely audible.
"Please?" he sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "Oh, I'll give you *please*, sweetheart. I'll make you beg for it."
"Get your hands off her."
The voice was deadly calm, but it cut through the air like a blade.
The warrior stilled. His fingers loosened just slightly, and Regina wrenched her wrist free, stumbling backward. Marco stood a few feet away, his expression unreadable, his hands clenched at his sides. The flickering torchlight cast shadows over his face, but his gray eyes burned with quiet fury.
"W-what are you doing here, Young Alpha?" the warrior said, his voice slurring slightly. "You're not supposed to be in the slave's quarter."
Marco didn't blink. "And you are just a drunken fool who doesn't know his place."
The warrior let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, come on, Marco. You think your father would care? You think he'd punish me for touching a slave?" He turned his gaze to Regina, his smile cruel. "Go ahead. Call for him. See if he does anything."
Regina said nothing. Because she knew the truth.
Alpha Sirus wouldn't care.
No one would.
But Marco did.
His body tensed like a wolf ready to strike. "I won't say it again," he said, voice low and dangerous. "Step away from her or I'll have you banished from this pack."
The warrior hesitated, then scoffed, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. Didn't know you were so protective of the little rat." He shot Regina one last look before staggering off into the night.
Silence settled between them.
Regina's heart was still pounding, her hands trembling as she rubbed her sore wrist. She didn't want to look at Marco. She didn't want him to see the shame in her eyes.
"Did he hurt you?" Marco's voice was softer now, almost hesitant.
Regina shook her head, her body was trembling. "I-I'm fine."
He stepped closer. "You're not."
She let out a bitter laugh. "Go back to your room, Marco. You're just gonna put us both in danger. I'm a slave. This is just… how things are."
Marco's jaw tightened. "That doesn't make it right."
"It doesn't matter if it's right." Regina lifted her gaze to his, her silver eyes dull with exhaustion. "It's reality. I belong to your father's pack. I belong to him. I don't get to fight back. I don't get to matter."
Something flickered in Marco's expression—pain, anger, frustration. "You are not nothing, Regina."
Her breath caught. No one had ever told her that before. Not since she was a child. Not since she lost everything. For a moment, a foolish, dangerous hope sparked in her chest. But she crushed it before it could grow.
She shook her head, taking a step back. "You shouldn't say things like that."
"Regina, I--"
"It's getting late. I appreciate what you've done, but you shouldn't be here," Regina couldn't look at him in the eye.
Marco looked like he wanted to argue, but she turned away before he could.
Because a slave shouldn't dream.
And she had spent too many years learning that.