Chapter 3 Bound but Unbroken

Chapter 3- LUCA

They’re calling me Luca the Conqueror now. Some of my men say it with pride; others whisper it. The humans and wolves in this broken community have started calling me a tyrant; maybe I am, but I don't care.

I ordered the courtroom and the royal quarters to be refurbished to my taste. I’ve executed more people in the past few days than I can count. And I don’t feel a thing. I guess whatever emotion I had left finally drained out.

I summoned my inner circle: Trent, my beta; his mate, Edith; and Lucy. They’re the closest to me.

We sat in what used to be the strategy room, Conrad’s old war table. I leaned forward and began.

“We need to talk about how we’ll manage this place going forward.”

Trent was the first to speak. “For all his flaws, we have to admit Conrad ruled this community well. Wolves and humans lived in peace under his system, even outside the estate. He had a way of keeping the thugs in line, from both sides. He also built a solid justice system, though unfortunately, we’ve killed most of the judges.”

Lucy scoffed. “We don’t need judges. Luca can do that himself.”

Trent turned to her, calm as always. “I don’t doubt that. I’m only giving a clear picture of where we stand.”

I nodded. “I appreciate your work, Trent. All of you, Edith and Lucy. I wouldn’t be here without each of your contributions.”

Trent looked as casual as ever, like praise didn’t move him. Edith bowed slightly; she’s always been quiet and a little shy. Lucy smiled at me and mouthed, 'Anything for you,' though everyone heard it.

I smiled slightly and continued. “We’ll face challenges. But we will rule this place and rule it well. We’ll execute those who need to die. We’ll persuade those who need to live. That’s how power works.”

Everyone nodded.

Trent spoke again. “Then we need to make some decisions. The dungeon is full; there are dozens of maids locked up. Thugs in the deeper cells. Elders who pledged allegiance only out of fear. What do we do with them?”

Edith spoke softly but clearly. “We should release the maids. They can’t serve in the court now. They’re too emotionally shaken. Keeping them close could be a risk.”

Lucy cut in. “Or we could just kill them. Less risk that way.”

Trent shook his head. “That’ll work against the peace you claim to want. You don’t win hearts by slaughtering people’s daughters. Especially when their only crime was cleaning floors in the king’s house.”

I leaned back, thinking.

Then I said, “We’ll release them. Give them a choice. Most will run. But over time, things will settle. Until then, we’ll manage with what we have.”

There was a pause, and then everyone nodded.

Then Lucy asked, “What about the elders? And the king’s daughter, Renee?”

I leaned back in the chair and said, “I’ll handle that myself. In fact, that’s what we’ll handle first.”

I signaled to the guards at the door. “Bring Renee.”

Minutes later, they dragged her in.

When they brought her in, I couldn’t look away, though she was a mess, her hair was tangled roughly and her face was pale. But her eyes was too bright for someone half-dead, somehow, that only made her more beautiful, I must admit. Even broken, she carried herself like a queen. The dirt on her face didn’t dull her beauty; it only made her look real and fierce.

They shoved her to her knees before me. She looked up,

“You bastards,” she shouted, “that seat doesn’t suit you. You’re a murderer.”

Before I could even speak, Lucy stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face.

Renee only laughed, a broken, bitter laugh that made Lucy’s eye twitch in irritation.

“I’ll personally carve the bones out of your body when I’m done with you,” Renee hissed at her.

Lucy smiled. “That’s a fantasy that’ll never come to pass.”

She raised her hand again, ready to hit her once more, but I stopped her. “Enough.”

Lucy backed away slowly, clearly irritated, but obeyed. I stood and looked down at her.

The way she was spitting curses instead of begging should have made me angry. It didn’t. It intrigued me. Every glare she took against me felt like a challenge I didn’t ask for but couldn’t walk away from. She was supposed to be a prisoner, yet somehow, she looked more powerful than I could have ever imagined.

“No matter what the fantasy you’re clinging to, you need to let go,” I said. “This is your new reality.”

She laughed again, though it sounded like it took everything she had left. Then she crawled closer and looked up at me with burning eyes.

“Then kill me,” she said. “In fact, I want to die. I’ll haunt you. I’ll hunt you in your dreams. You won’t sleep, you won’t eat, and you’ll be restless until you meet your ancestors in hell. Do it, kill me.”

I smiled.

“As much as I admire your strength and spirit, death is a mercy. And I don’t plan to show you any. You’ll live. You’ll work. You’ll serve. Let’s see how long the proud princess lasts scrubbing floors across the estate.”

She stared at me with disgust. “You think I’ll do that without these chains on me? You must be deluded.”

I leaned in slightly. “I know you won’t willingly. So here’s how this will go: for every act of rebellion, one of the maids will be executed. Their bodies will be sent to their families with a note saying they died because of their princess’s stubbornness.”

“You think their parents will believe that?”

I smiled again. “It doesn’t matter what they believe. You know the truth. And I’ve already decided to spare them until you give me a reason not to.”

I saw her contemplating just for a second.

Then I gave the order. “Bring one of the maids.”

They brought in a young girl, barely more than sixteen. She was already sobbing, eyes darting between Lucy and Renee.

“Give your answer now,” I told Renee. “Say yes, and they live. Say no, and this one dies first.”

Renee looked at me and said nothing.

“Lucy,” I said.

Lucy smiled and stepped forward, with her fangs out; just as she was about to, the maid screamed, and Renee shouted, “I’ll do it; I’ll serve you.”

She bowed her head, still trembling. “I’ll serve you,” she repeated, sobbing quietly.

The maid dropped to her knees, crying too, and crawled to hug Renee.

I gave the order to the guards. “Release them. All of them. Give them chores like cleaning and washing. Pay them, except the princess.”

The guards bowed and led them away.

Trent and Edith watched everything with their usual calm expression.

Lucy looked like she was enjoying my kind of justice.