Chapter 1

“Eleven!” Luna Amy says with a plastered smile, her eyes skirting over the crowd of us below them.

I glance down at the small paper in my hand. My breathing turns ragged and the air around me thin as I place my hand over my erratically beating heart. My clammy hand clutches the paper in my palm, afraid to let it go, afraid to lose it and the freedom that comes along with it.

I have been selected. My number drawn and now–finally, I am to be offered to the Lycan King. The virgin who will keep this shit hole safe for one more year, but I have no intention of actually meeting the monster Lycan King who lurks beyond our walls. 

No, I plan to get outside and run my ass off to find Jude, my little brother, who these assholes exiled for his gentle heart and shifting too young. He was a curse, they said, a bad omen, so they beat him and sent him to his death while I they made to watch. 

No amount of pleading would save him and with zero control over my gift of healing, I was never strong enough to leave. Someone gets within five feet of me with an injury and my body takes their pain while healing their injuries. It drains me, leaves me perpetually weak. Great for them, not great for breaking out of this hellhole..

No, escaping or running away are not viable options, but this? The offering? There is no way out of it and after two years of begging the heavens to be selected, it’s finally happened.

Today, my number is up. Literally. And I could not be happier.

“Number eleven!” Luna calls out once more, looking around a little annoyed as everyone waits for the selected girl to step forward. My heart races, my happiness almost too much to hide as I step forward and suck in a breath of air and open my mouth to claim what is mine. 

“Athena!” Alpha Gage says loudly in shock, reaching for her hand and pulling a paper out.

He reads it, his eyes finding mine, and it’s like he can read my thoughts. I shake my head, begging him silently not to do it. It’s as if he can sense my happiness and see the plan forming in my head. “Our own princess has been chosen for this great honor.”

My mouth falls open, a shocked squeal falling from my lips as Athena grows white, and looks at her father in utter shock. There is no way in hell that her number is the same as the one in my hand and by the way he shoves it in his pocket, I know I am right. My eyes snap to hers as they fill with tears. I open my mouth to protest, but a set of hands squeeze my biceps, dragging me away from the ceremony 

“The alpha would like you to help Athena get ready.” Beta Desmond whispers and drags me away, tossing me into her room like the prisoner I now know I am.

My fist pounds into my chest, the pain of what is coming overwhelming as I wait anxiously for Athena. If there were a way to escape, I would run now, but I know all too well they will have warriors outside the door to ensure I don’t leave. Not that I have done it very often. But apparently if you try to escape once, they think it’s better to babysit you around the clock. 

“This is bullshit!” Athena roars as the door flies open, crashing into the wall. Her father shoves her into the room with me. 

“It is what you must do!” He growls. “As your Alpha, I am not asking. I am ordering you, Athena. You will do this. Gemini is far more valuable to our pack than you are. We can not let her go. Think of your pack!” His eyes lift and I drop my gaze, looking at my feet, my chest hurting for my only friend. 

“I’m not even a virgin!” She screams and he freezes. My eyes slide up, watching him as his face grows red, and then he shakes his head. 

“Then you better hope the Lycan king is okay with whores.” he marches out the door slamming it behind him. 

“Athena…” I bite back a sob and rush to her, but she pushes me away. “I am so sorry, if there was a way to trick them, I could still go like I am supposed to…” I offer.

“I know you want out of here just as much as I don’t want to go.” She sighs heavily, plopping down on to her chair in front of the mirror.

“What can I do to help?” I ask, and she frowns.

“Nothing to be done, Gem. Alpha’s orders.” She whispers, tears in her eyes as she grabs her lip gloss, her hands shaking as she applies it to her lips. “I can’t defy him. Not now. Not with his order in place.”

“I’m not more valuable than you.” I whisper. She sighs, rolling her eyes as she looks back in the mirror.

“Everyone knows you are the blessed one, Gem.”

“Doesn’t feel like a blessing,” I mutter, walking to her closet. I grab out her favorite top, an off the shoulder beautiful corset white blouse with open flowing sleeves. As I turn with it, I jump as she pushes past me and instead grabs a black dress. 

“You wear that. I know how much you love it.” She says, pausing. 

“But it’s your favorite…”

“When I’m gone, you’ll have nobody.” She whispers, then she walks out of the closet, calling over her shoulder. “Just put it on. It will look better on you!” 

Everyone is already waiting for us as we walk to the gate. Luna Amy stands beside her mate, tears streaking her cheeks as they watch their daughter walk toward them in a black sheath dress, barefoot. Her father’s jaw clenches as he watches her move past him to the gate that creaks open. Athena looks like a badass, no fear on her face and her shoulders squared like she is ready for anything.

“You were instructed to wear white.” He hisses at her and she keeps her face forward. 

“It’s my funeral, father. Not my wedding. Black is customary for funerals.” She snaps at him.

Luna Amy whimpers, her angry eyes finding mine as she scowls at me like this is my fault. If only she knew how much I wanted to be the one going out those wretched prison doors.

“Begin the ceremony.” Alpha Gage says, clearing his throat. 

The customary white flowers float down from above us as Athena moves to the door. The pearly white petals dotting the dirt beneath her as she walks barefoot across the threshold without a look back. 

She stands, arms out wide, chin tilted up for the Lycan King to look over and decide what to do with her. It is short and depressing, watching as the doors creak, the gears whirring as it closes at an excruciatingly slow rate.

Luna Amy breaks into a sob as she holds her hand over her mouth, trying to be quiet. The doors thud together; the metal clacking and clicking into place; shuttering our view. Now the only thing to do is wait to hear if the offering is accepted. 

We all listen for the squeal of shock and then the silence that always follows. But this time, instead of a squeal, Athena’s muffled cry rips through the silence and rocks through the pack. It shouldn’t sound like that. We expect to never see the girls who exit again, but they never sound pained. Everyone looks around at each other, unsure of what to do as she cries out again, only this time, she begs for help.

“Momma, please!” She sobs.

Luna Amy, unable to handle Athena’s cries, releases a broken scream, the mind link filling with her demands to open the gates. She tears to the doors, forcing them to open faster, shoving through the small crack the second she can fit. Athena’s frame appears before us on the ground, her head tilted toward the pack as she reaches out. 

My stomach twists when I see the pool of blood forming around her and my eyes focus on Athena’s wounds, gaping and exposing her insides as she holds her belly and sobs. Luna Amy throws herself to the ground, grabbing Athena’s face close and blubbering.

“Do something!” She growls at Alpha Gage. He seems to snap into action, looking over at me with an anger I’ve never seen in him. 

“Heal her!” He demands.

I rush to Athena on shaky legs, grabbing hold of her, pressing my hand to her stomach as her pain becomes mine and I scream out in agony, my cries over taking hers as she grows quiet. I can feel the depth of her wound as if her injury is in my flesh, my wolf whimpering to heal Athena as best we can.

There is no paying attention to anyone around me, the screaming and arguing that is muffled in the background. Until I feel Athena squeeze my bicep and I open my eyes, looking at her. Her face is pale, her eyes swimming with fear. 

“Athena…?”

“Run…” she chokes out. I frown at her, looking back down at her stomach to see if I can speed up the process. I won’t leave her, not like this, not when there is still a chance she could die if I don’t heal her just a little more.  

Then pain laces through my ankle, a strangled cry ripping from my lips as my eyes meet Athena’s panic filled blue orbs. This pain is unlike the others. It’s not one that is a phantom. It’s real, licking up my leg in a fiery burning heat and I realize it’s my own, no one else’s. Athena reaches out to grab hold of me, her fingers barely grazing mine as I’m slammed to the ground. 

I shriek, trying to crawl toward her, away from the pain as it grows more prominent in my mind. My body bounces hopelessly along the hard ground as I’m dragged away. Every bump rocking me with bruising force as warriors holler and chase after me.

“Gemini! No!!” Athena shouts weakly as she watches in horror.

“Alpha! The healer!” A warrior hisses to Alpha Gage.

I watch him look over, fury replacing his worry as he stands and lets out a growl. 

“Get her back or don’t come home! That’s an Alpha’s order!” he barks out.

With zero hesitation, they charge forward, chasing after me. The beast that drags me away moves faster, putting a healthy distance between us and the warriors I know will stop at nothing to bring me back home. They have no choice now.

Twigs and small roots strike at my thin skin, slicing into me as I whimper out and flail, trying to use my other leg to kick at the jaws that drag me with so much force. My muscles tense and my hair prickles when I see the massive form of a lycan as dark as a starless sky.

My stomach drops and I can feel the hope I have of escaping him dissipate with every painful stride he takes. The warriors are out of sight now, so far behind that they stop to howl out in anger and frustration.

The bouncing and jostling of my body finally ends, my legs wet as I glance down to see I am partially in a bog. I gingerly push myself up, whimpering softly in pain when I hear a growl from behind me. Everything in my body freezes, my heart pounding in my ears, and my lungs burning for air. I try to scramble away. 

“Don’t move.” A gravelly voice whispers in a threatening tone, making me swallow roughly as I freeze, unable to move for fear of dying right here. 

I nod in agreement, dread taking hold of me as I try to calm myself and formulate a new plan. Before I have a second to think, the monster clutches my injured ankle, the dark figure hovering over my body. A looming threat as my wolf howls before I open my mouth and let out a panicked scream.

I try to scramble away, but he has my leg. I kick at him, and he grunts when my heel makes contact with some part of him and he releases me. He tilts his head, inspecting me before shaking his massive lycan head and looking up to the night sky as he transforms back into his human form. The beast takes a step toward me and I whimper, pushing further away. He sneers at me, a growl on his lips as he moves closer.

“You can’t walk,” he grumbles, sounding angry.

Then, in one smooth move, he drags me to him and he lifts me, hoisting me over his shoulder. My nose bounces off his bare back and I squeal in shock, looking down at his naked buttocks as heat fills my cheek. I’m flooded with sparks and butterflies as my wolf preens in my head, trying to tell me something. 

“Let me go!” I squeal out, all sorts of emotions swirling in my head, anger taking the lead as I slam my fists into his ridiculously hard back. 

“You are injured,” he growls, his words vibrating through his chest. 

“Because you tried to eat me!!” I cry out, squirming as much as I can.

I need to break free and run. First step is escaping him and it’s impossible if he has me up here. He continues to move through the darkness in silence as if I am nothing more than a tiny bird on his shoulder, not bothering him in the slightest. 

“Let go of me, you asshole!” I grit out after a short time and he finally stops, dropping me roughly to the ground. I land on my back, my head slamming painfully into the dirt as I whimper and rub where it hurts. 

In an instant he is in my face, his body looming over me as I suck in my breath and lean back, trying to shrink away from the beast who stole me. His pure green eyes meet mine and my body goes rigid.

“Stop squirming!” he growls before pausing, then he sniffs the air and tilts his head. “Mate.”