The price of impurity

XENA'S POV

I sat on the edge of the couch, my fingers curled tightly around the fabric of my skirt. My stepfather stood near the fireplace, arms crossed, his face unreadable. 

Chloe, that smug witch, lounged on the other couch like a queen, her legs crossed, lips curled in a satisfied smile.

“I guess you know now,” my stepfather said finally, his tone flat. “About Chloe and Jason, so it’s time to move on.”

“Move on?” I laughed bitterly, standing up. “Just like that? You expect me to forget everything and move on like none of this ever happened?”

“You’re acting like you and Jason were married,” Chloe said, flipping her hair. “You weren’t, so stop acting like you owned him.”

I turned to her, rage bubbling up again. “You already have a fiancé, Chloe! Or did you forget? Why are you after mine?”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “I’m not marrying some random stranger just because Mom wanted me to. Please.”

“That’s your business,” I snapped. “But leave mine alone!”

Chloe leaned forward, a wicked smile on her face. “Too late for that, sis. And let’s not forget, Jason already denied your little ‘I’m pregnant’ stunt. So now you’re not just a rejected impure wolf…you’re a rejected impure wolf carrying a mystery child.”

“It’s Jason’s!” I yelled, tears welling up in my eyes. “You know it is!”

Chloe burst out laughing. “Oh, really? Let’s rewind to what Jason said. He used you, Xena. He never loved you, His words not mine, you’re nothing to him.”

I shook my head in disbelief hoping I would just wait up and all of this would be different, like it was a bad dream or something but nope, it wasn't, Chloe did sleep with Jason. 

All these years of thinking that I finally belonged somewhere, that someone saw past my tainted blood but it looks like everyone was just the same, I’d been rejected, thrown away like trash and now…I was carrying a child and the worst part? Because of my own foolishness, the whole pack would soon know that an  impure wolf lives among them. 

I couldn't bear the rage so I walked out of that place, completely letting the rain wash away the potion hiding my scent. 

I barely managed to get the few wolves off my back, but I knew it wouldn't take long before they found me. 

“I just got off the call from Jason, they said an impure wolf is running in our territory,” he turned to me, maintaining eye contact. “I wonder who that could be?” 

I looked up, my chest aching. “So what now? You want to throw me out?”

My stepfather sighed. “This situation can’t go on. I can’t let you drag this family’s name through the mud.”

“This family name?” I scoffed, staring at him in disbelief. “My mother built that name, you betrayed her, brought in some slut—” he cuts me off with a slap. 

“You are really growing a lot of nerves, so I think we need to teach you a lesson,” he growled, grabbing me by my hair. “Chloe, call the sentinels, tell them we found the impure wolf.”

“Alright,” Chloe said in excitement. “We would be praised for turning in the damn thing, I would ask Jason to do the honors.”

“Let go of me,” I screamed in pain, trying to free myself from his grip. 

Chloe reached for her phone in her bag, I knew if she made that call I would be totally screwed. The sentinels would tear me apart even before I would even have a chance to defend myself, I had to get out of here. 

I picked up the mug cup on the table and smashed it to my step father's head, he screamed in pain, his grip loosened, I quickly stood up rushing to the door, but before I could open the door, my step father was already on me…I guess that was the cruelty of my fate. 

Impure wolves can't outrun a werewolf, never has it happened, we were even slower than humans. 

“Get over here you bitch,” my step father spat, shoving me hard to the ground and started hitting me hard with his foot. 

My hands went straight to my belly trying to protect the little life growing inside me, it's not like it was going to make a difference anyway, we would both die very soon.

“Dad enough,” Chloe shouted, pushing him away. “You would kill her before we even get the chance to watch the sentinels tear her into shreds.”

He nodded in agreement, his breath hard already. 

“You guys can't do this to me,” I cried, locking eyes with Chloe. “Please I don't want to die, spare me child…we are sisters.”

Chloe scoffed, her eyes filled with disdain. “I never liked you, Xena, everyday I always pray to the moon goddess, I even went to church to pray that you would be gone, I spent years trying to get mum's approval but no, everything I did was stupid, you never stood up for me back then so why I should I do that now?” She leans closer. “Say hi to mum in the afterlife.”

“No,” I cried louder, trying to reach for her leg but my step father placed his foot on my fingers, crushing my bones so hard, I screamed in pain, watching his cold cruel smile playing on his lips. 

“Let's take her inside, I have called Jason to come with the sentinels,” Chloe said, her tone filled with excitement. “This is going to be so much fun.”

They both laughed, nodding their heads in agreement. My step father grabbed my legs and pulled me into a room and slammed the door shut. 

Immediately I was alone, I forced myself up despite the pain in my abdomen, my hands went to my stomach as fresh tears flowed out. 

“I'm going to save you, my child, we are going to get out of here,” I muttered, forcing myself to walk towards the wardrobe. 

I flung the door open, searching desperately for the potion that hid my scent but I found nothing…I was all out. 

“No, I can't give up,” I muttered to myself. 

Fuck the potion, I just need to get out of here. 

I ran to the window. It was really far from the ground, but I didn't care, I knew I wouldn't die from the car…probably but I knew I would die if I stayed here. 

Without giving it a second thought, I climbed, jumped down, rolling hard to the ground, my hands instinctively went straight to my belly. 

My side screaming in pain, I struggle to get to my feet. I just needed to get far away from here.

Just as I was about to take another step, my neighbor walked right in front of me. 

“Are you okay?” He asked, staring at me. His eyes filled with something dark. 

“I'm fine,” I muttered, under my breath. “I just need to get far away from here, can you help me please?”

He paused, glancing around. “Your step father was never a good man, I knew something like this would happen.”

He smiled and helped me up, taking me to his house. We were the only people living in that area, far away from civilization and humans. 

“Thank you so much,” I groaned in pain as he helped me to his couch.

“Nah, it's nothing,” he waved his hand dismissively. “And besides it's not everyday you get to see an impure wolf.”

Suddenly I froze, my eyes widened in realization. I completely forgot I wasn't wearing my perfume. 

I turned to him, my expressions flickered to fear, tears welling up in my eyes. “Please, please, Mr Lincoln, please don't call the pack on me, I promise to leave tomorrow night,” my hands went to my belly. “Please.”

He smirked, sitting down next to me. “I don't think it's fair that impure wolves are persecuted.”

“Really?”

He nods. “There are better things to use them for,” his expression changed immediately, and before I could process what was happening, he lunged at me and raped me…brutally. 

Hours later, I was lying on the floor, tears flowing down freely, it was like my soul left my body and all that was left was an empty living shell. 

My vagina was on fire, I could feel sticky substances coming out, I wasn't sure if it was blood or his fucking cum. 

“Damn, you must have enjoyed yourself,” I heard my step father's voice. 

“Yeah, she was one tight slut,” Mr Lincoln laughed. 

I don't know what really happened again but everything fast forward to dawn. Chloe walked in with a bright smile on her face. 

“Rise and shine,” she smiled, crouching down beside me. “Mr Lincoln sent his appreciation, he couldn't stop talking about how fucking good you were.”

I ignored her, turning to the other side.  

She leans closer, brushing the strains of hair that were covering my face away. “You know that stranger called, the one that mum wanted me to marry, I found out he paid mum a lot of money to marry me, he seems dangerous and he desperately wants what he pays for.”

“I’m going to propose a deal, you’ll marry the slave your mother had originally arranged for me or—” she stood up, forcing me up and dragged me to the window. “You go with the sentinels.”

A slow wicked smile played on my lips. If I go with the sentinels, Chloe would have to marry the stranger that means we both go down. 

I slowly turned to her. “Fuck you,” I chuckled darkly. 

But she smiled back. “I knew you were going to disagree,” she turns to the door. “Hey Dad, come in,” she shouted. “Trust me, you really don't have a choice.”