VANESSA

Vanessa felt a stinging sensation in her eyes as the woman's words struck home. She knew that she was nothing but a concubine, a mere plaything for the alpha's pleasure. But she refused to let it get her down, to let the woman's cruel words break her spirit. Instead, she smiled again, her eyes flashing with defiance.

"I may be a servant, my lady," she said. "But at least I'm not a coward, hiding behind my words and my wealth. You may have the alpha's favor now, but it won't last forever. And when it's gone, you'll be nothing but a forgotten relic, a mere footnote in the alpha's...