Chapter 1 A Life Of Chains

Daisy’s wrists burned against the iron cuffs, the rough metal digging into her skin with every tiny movement. She bit her lip hard, swallowing the hiss of pain that threatened to escape. The chains clinked as she shifted slightly, the cold stone beneath her knees biting through the thin fabric of her dress. Her body ached, bruises forming from the last time she had dared to fight back. She wouldn’t cry. Not now. Not ever. The grand hall of Alpha Raymond’s mansion was filled with laughter, the scent of expensive liquor and cigar smoke thick in the air. Wealthy alphas lounged on velvet seats, their predatory gazes flickering toward her as if she were nothing more than a prized possession on display. And to them, that was exactly what she was. “Daisy,” a smooth, mocking voice called out. She stiffened as Alpha Raymond stepped toward her, his polished shoes tapping against the marble floors. He was an older man, powerful and cruel, his lips always twisted into an arrogant smirk. His silver-ringed fingers reached for her chin, tilting her face up so he could admire his little prize. “You should smile more,” he murmured, his grip tightening just enough to remind her of her place. “You’re quite the beauty when you’re not so… defiant.” Daisy clenched her jaw, forcing herself to remain still. She knew better than to respond. She had made that mistake before. The memory of his last punishment still lingered in her bones, in the faint tremor of her fingers, in the way her back throbbed from wounds that hadn’t fully healed. “You look bored, gentlemen,” Raymond addressed his guests, his fingers finally releasing her chin. “Shall we give you some entertainment?” A sickening murmur of approval filled the room. Daisy’s stomach twisted as Raymond snapped his fingers, and two guards stepped forward, unlocking the chains that bound her. She didn’t dare hope for freedom. Not when she knew what was coming. “Stand up,” Raymond ordered. Her legs trembled as she rose, but she didn’t stumble. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. One of the alphas leaned forward, his sharp eyes raking over her with undisguised hunger. “I hear she’s a feisty one,” he commented, swirling the whiskey in his glass. “Does she still bite?” Laughter erupted. Daisy’s lips curled into a smirk, despite the fear clawing at her throat. “Why don’t you come closer and find out?” The room went silent. Raymond’s gaze darkened, his expression turning sharp. A warning. Daisy held her breath, already knowing she had pushed too far. His slap came fast, the sharp crack of his palm meeting her cheek ringing through the room. The force sent her stumbling, her vision blurring for a second. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth as she caught herself, her breathing ragged. A few of the alphas chuckled. To them, this was nothing but a show. A twisted game. Raymond crouched beside her, his fingers gripping her hair, yanking her head back so she had no choice but to look into his cold, unfeeling eyes. “You should have learned by now, little rogue,” he murmured, his breath hot against her face. “You are nothing. No one.” Daisy swallowed down her hatred, her heart pounding in her chest. “Let’s see how bold you are after tonight.” She didn’t have time to react before two guards grabbed her, dragging her through the hall. She kicked, fought, but it was useless. The moment she was thrown into the darkness of the dungeon, the heavy door slammed shut behind her. She was alone. Again. Her body curled in on itself, pain radiating from her bruised cheek, from the fresh cuts on her wrists where the chains had bitten into her skin. But she didn’t cry. She never did. The only sound in the cell was the faint drip of water from the ceiling. The smell of damp stone and old blood clung to the air, suffocating. But through the silence, voices echoed from beyond the bars. Daisy forced herself to sit up, her ears straining to catch the conversation. “…She’ll be sold soon.” Her heart stilled. “She’s too much trouble. Raymond’s done with her.” No. Her breath hitched. The chains, the punishments, the humiliation—it had all been leading to this. She wasn’t just going to be punished. She was going to be sold. Panic clawed at her throat. Not again. She had spent her entire life being passed from one monster to another, never free, never hers. But she had always told herself that one day, she’d break the cycle. That one day, she’d escape. Now? That hope was slipping through her fingers like sand. Daisy pressed herself against the cold wall, her fingers curling into fists. If she was going to be sold, if she was going to be thrown into another nightmare— Then she would make d*mn sure they regretted it. She wasn’t weak. She wasn’t broken. And she wasn’t done fighting. Outside, the laughter of alphas echoed into the night, unaware that the girl they had spent years trying to break had just decided she would never, ever belong to them.