Amazed as they pulled up to what looked like a castle of a mansion with gray bricks and high towers, she hopped out the car and waited for Beta Seungri to take the lead to which the rest of the group flanked behind. All in sync with one another, the large double doors to the castle like mansion slowly opened to allow their entrance. Minzy became highly aware of the endless bodies flooding every inch of the mansion as they stood cautiously watching them. Hugging in closer behind Beta Seungri, they entered a large hall that had pillars of columns aligning the sides that led all the way towards the throne front and center with floor to ceiling windows to show off the massive garden in the background. It seemed to have flowers of almost every kind blooming. It was a beautiful sight to see for Minzy as she wished she could be out in the garden to bask in its fragrance rather than suffer the scrutiny of these strangers. 

Turning her attention back towards the men they were approaching, stood three men. One which she assumed was the Beta as he stepped forward. He stood towering over their group with midnight black hair and pitch black eyes to boot. His strong build fit that of a warrior. As his eyes fell upon hers, he grinned, "Welcome." Grinning back to be pleasant, she was met with a mental nudge from Beta Seungri to keep her cool. "Please excuse my Alpha's absence. He has been mourning the loss of his Luna. My name is Beta Seunghyun and I will be handling the affairs for today," he said with his eyes still trained on Minzy. 

Minzy on the other hand was consumed by the Beta's words as she felt a tug of sadness and wondered if their Alpha would be okay. She could understand loss because it was an all too familiar feeling. Beta Seungri cleared his throat as he pushed her thoughts aside and focused on the matters at hand. "My condolences to your Alpha. Can we please see Youngbae before we complete the trade," Beta Seungri spoke up. Youngbae. The mention of her mate's name was like a jab to the gut. She felt like the wind was knocked out of her, making her feel uneasy. If this was how she was feeling just hearing his name, she was unsure how she was going to react seeing him. Slightly biting the corner of her lip, she shifted from side to side uncomfortably. 

"But of course," the Beta nodded as he turned to move towards a doorway across from the throne. Her heart rate began to accelerate with every step they took. Not to mention how her palms began to sweat and her mark began to warm with a tingling sensation. She was turning into a complete mess and didn't know what to do about it.  

Pull yourself together, Beta Seungri growled through the mind link. I know you're scared but you have to keep it together while we are away from home do you hear me?! Letting out a quiet sigh of frustration, she did her best to block out her emotions. Though completely cutting off her mind link would be her first choice so she could suffer alone, it would be incredibly stupid of her to turn it off being in foreign territories. They had to be on guard in case this trade turned for the worse. Expect the unexpected, she tried to calm herself to Beta Seungri's warning. 

Coming to a large arch way, they moved down the cement stairs and found themselves in what looked to be a gloomy dungeon. Watching as the Beta of their pack lit a torch and handing it to Beta Seungri before lighting his own, they continued their journey down the damp and dreary halls until they came upon two men who stood guard to metal bars. Stepping aside, they allowed their Beta to unlock the door and head inside towards the cells. 

Minzy began to shiver as she sensed a faint and familiar scent and her mark began to burn like crazy. Each step they took down the long hall of cells had her senses going haywire. She had to search deep within her to find the strength to keep moving forward. Stopping at the end, the sound of the lock turning had her holding her breath. Shifting her gaze as the torch was raised, there cowering in the corner sat a rugged and beaten man. The tattered clothing, the dirt smeared all over, the gruff out his dirty beard and matted long hair, it was a pathetic sight to see compared to is clean cut business attire she had grown accustom to.  

"Minzy," he mumbled in barely a whisper, before letting out a harsh cough and falling upon his forearms. He struggled to hold himself up as he gazed towards their direction.

The call of her name was all it took for her to break out of character and fling to his side. Scooping his now thin form up, she could hear just how faint his heart beat was. He also appeared to seem ill as he hacked out another cough and shivered in her embrace, "Youngbae you ing idiot! Look what you got yourself into!" Taking the man by the shoulders, she tilted his chin to look up at her and saw those once ocean blue eyes now glazed over and murky gray. She could feel all the pain and torture he had put himself through after betraying her. He was suffering and hating himself for what he had done to her. She could see it now and hated herself as she found out the real reason for his betrayal. The woman she had killed was a woman he had come to love before she was ever in the picture. They loved each other deeply until she came along and had torn their love apart. She had invaded their scared bond of love and trust. She had torn this broken man in two as he fought against nature to be with the woman she had stolen away from him. The tears of realization stung as she shook her head in shame, "I'm sorry Youngbae. I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I didn't know." Sobbing, she felt the weight of guilt heavy upon her shoulders. With one arm draped over his frail body, she ripped the necklace off and clutched the ring in her hand. It felt like it was burning through the palm of her hand. Trembling as she placed the small ring into his weak hand, she helped him close his hand and she cried harder. The feel of his cold hand made her feel like the worst person in the world. "Here take this," shaking her head in shame and disgust for being such a monster towards him without never learning of his truth. "That ring never truly belonged to me," her wolf whined in despair and disbelief. "Please forgive me Youngbae. I now know that we were both wronged," she sniffled. "I release you from this bond. Do you hear me? I release you!"

There was a glint of blue that crossed his eyes as he stayed gazing into her eyes. A tear fell from the broken man's eyes as he felt a heavy weight lifted off of his shoulders. Shifting his gaze to the scar on her neck over her mark, he knew he had wronged her more than she did to him, "I should be the one to ask for your forgiveness. I am weak and undeserving of a mate like you. Thank you Minzy." Those were his last words as he exhaled and slumped forward in her grasp, letting his spirit be freed from the world.

Minzy sobbed as she cradled his withered body in her arms, "I've released you from this bond. Now go and find the one you're supposed to be with."

Beta Seungri felt what was left of his heart break a little as he watched Minzy sob. Though the moment was so intimate, they couldn't fully mourn this loss here on foreign lands. Stepping forward he crouched down and placed a comforting hand onto her, "Let us go home."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," Beta Seunghyun spoke up. "She stays with us," he nodded towards Minzy.

Beta Seungri felt his chest tighten as he stood to size up the opposing Beta. "She is not who we've brought for the trade..."

"She is who we want for the trade. Take it or leave it," Beta Seunghyun simply answered.

Meanwhile Minzy couldn't care less what was going on as she rocked Youngbae's lifeless body in her arms. She hoped the Gods would be kinder to the man who suffered just as much as she did. "Beta Seungri, take him home. Give him the proper burial so that his soul won't be lost forever."

Beta Seungri pressed his lips firmly together as he knelt next to Minzy. "Minzy," he softly cooed. "Listen to me, do you know what you're asking of me? This pack has selected you for the trade. If I take him, you must stay."

She nodded through the tears too consumed by the loss of her mate, "I understand. Let him go home. Let me do this one last thing for him."

Beta Seungri let out a soft sigh as he stood on his feet and nodded for the men to take the body. Clenching his fists, he looked to the heartless Beta Seunghyun and growled. "My Alpha will not appreciate your cruel demands."

"But you will obey them," the Beta stated as he stepped aside to let the men carry out Youngbae's body.

Minzy you foolish girl, I can't save you from this, Beta Seungri called out to her.

You've saved me more times than I've deserved. So please let me do something honorable for once. Thank you for being the closest thing to family for me. Minzy gave him a broken smile as the tears continue to fall.

Don't lose faith, I will find a way to rescue you, he said firmly before turning to glare at Beta Seunghyun. "This isn't over," Beta Seungri growled through gritted teeth before he moved out of the cell.

Staring in shock, she let the tears fall as she saw Youngbae's hand tightly clutching the ring she had placed in his hand. Weakly grinning, she fancied the thought of Youngbae presenting the ring to the woman he truly loved in the after life. Sensing Beta Seunghyun staring at her, she shot him a gaze full of hate. But it was met with nothing but tenderness, a feeling she didn't want from this stranger as she turned away. Folding her arms over her chest, she held herself as she listened to the clanking of metal. Flinching as the door was locked, she was grateful to be left alone. With the source of light gone with everyone else, she was able to cry to her heart's content as she prayed for the welfare of Youngbae's soul.

Awaking to the sound of approaching footsteps, she laid huddling against the stone. Minzy had a splitting headache as she heard the clanking of keys and the door to the cell was opened to reveal the beta who had her fate in his hands. "Woman," the voice of Beta Seunghyun called out to her. "Woman come with me. You are no prisoner here." 

"If I am no prisoner am I free to return home," her voice cracked, apparent of how hard she had been crying.

"This will be your home now," he clarified. "You chose to be apart of this pack and now you will stay a member of it until the day you die."

"Then go, let me die in peace," she shook her head. The joke is on you, she thought. She had wanted to die long ago, but as fate would have it she was still alive.

"I was afraid you would say that, at least eat and drink just a little," he said as he placed a plate of bread and a glass of water onto the ground next to her.

She scoffed which made her wince at how that simple reaction made the headache worse, "Don't bother. Just treat me like another one of your prisoners and let me rot away."

Beta Seunghyun let out a heavy sigh as he knelt down beside her, "Woman don't make this harder than it needs to be. Will you please just eat something?" Drained from complete exhaustion, she used what little energy she had and swiped at the plate and cup. Staring at the scattered bread and split water she was dying to have, Beta Seunghyun sighed again before taking his leave.

Blankly staring at the stone walls, she now knew what Beta Seungri meant by losing a mate. She was physically, mentally, and spiritually broken. She thought she knew pain. She thought she knew grief. She thought she knew a lot of things, but apparently she didn't. She was completely hollow. A living zombie have you, as she found herself reflecting on Youngbae. It was an ongoing torturous process as she went from growling out in anger, trembling with self pity, and sobbing with total loss. 

One Week Later

Minzy had mastered ignoring Beta Seunghyun. By routine, he would make his way into her cell. She would then respond by playing dead, though most of the time it wasn't an act because she already felt dead inside. He would then insist that she should live and try to coax her with some bread and water, to which she would decline without a word or movement. This was her ongoing act she was going to play as he had stopped in again.

"A letter came for you," he softly spoke. "It is from Beta Seungri." 

His words caught her off guard, causing her insides to twist into knots. "What...does it say," her voice cracked being the first time she had spoken to him since being held prisoner. 

"Would you like to open it or would you like me to read it to you," he asked as he moved closer.

Minzy was slightly surprised that he had not attempted to open it for the fear of fraternizing with the enemy. But she didn't think too much into it as she had no strength to really care or even move to retrieve the letter, "Will you read it to me?" 

"But of course," he said as he moved to settle next to her. "Dear Minzy, I have done what you've requested of me. The ritual and process has been completed. Youngbae has been laid to rest and Alpha Daesung is in the works of getting you home. Stay strong and hold the faith. Respectfully Beta Seungri." 

"Thank you," she  breathed as she closed her eyes. Sending a prayer of praise to the Goddess Luna, she hoped that Youngbae would be guided through the Other Side to his true love. Meanwhile she hoped that her fortune would turn around as she prepared herself to be received on the Other Side. 

Days Later

Pain and darkness.

Minzy had no concept of time as it was filled with nothing but pain and darkness. In the midst of such suffering she was granted a brief moment of relief through Beta Seunghyun's consistent visits. He came with a torch in hand, bringing light into the dark and dreary cell. Setting the torch near by to let her eyes catch a glimpse of the fire that had lit the bread and cup of water he so foolishly brought. She let him try his best to pursuade her to eat the bread and drink the water. But sadly she had starved herself for so long that she no longer felt hunger or thirst. Instead she just lay and awaited her turn to pass on to the Other Side and in the mean time accepted the company from time to time. 

"Minzy, are you hungry? Please you must eat," he frowned. Unlike Beta Seungri she found out that he was a little more friendly. She shook her head slightly as she stared at the torch. It was the only time she saw light and it was the only source of warmth that brightened the dreary cell. "What can I do to make you feel better?"

"Release...me," she whispered dryly.

"I told you that you're not a prisoner here. You may leave this cell..."

"But I...can never leave this pack," she coughed knowing very well what he was going to say.

"Minzy my Alpha will not be pleased that one of his pack members is in such a pitiful state. Can you please comply for once?"

"Beta why must you be the only one I see, you must have other important things to attend to. You shouldn't waste your precious time on me." Beta Seungri always seemed to be running as if he were running out of time. But beta Seunghyun here always seemed to find the time to attend to her everyday since coming to this dreary hole. Who was she to him? She was only a prisoner, whether he wanted to admit to it or not.

Beta Seunghyun sent her a warm smile as he sat down next to her, "I do have a lot of thing to take care of. You are just making things a little more difficult to accomplish them." She couldn't help the small grin that crossed her lips as she thought of Beta Seungri, he would not be as gentle in telling her that she was wasting his time. "Minzy I don't know why, but when you walked through the doors I sensed something about you. I had to choose you. If I can speak so plainly, I think that you will be the one to restore the balance within our pack. I can feel it!" If she could laugh she would, he most definitely was out of touch. How could she restore the balance of their pack? Sighing, she thought of how ironic that sounded when she couldn't restore the balance to her own life. Laying quietly, she was grateful that Beta Seunghyun went on to share a little bit of his day and how he wished to see the day she would eat the bread and drink the water he would bring. It secretly gave her a little relief of the torment she was inflicting upon herself until her time to leave this world would come and she felt it. Soon, was what she told herself in hopes to have this pathetic life of hers over and done with. 

Author's Notes:

Yup now y'all know who Minzy's mate was. I know this chapter is a bit sad and there was some time jumping because Minzy's suffering in this chapter happens in a blur. Anyway thanks for reading and I appreciate your lovely comments, thanks! Hope you all have a great week! Until the next update...