Bruises

Amber

Kael carried me into a room and he slowly set me down on a chair to sit. While I sat, he walked away from me and it looked like he went to retrieve something as he returned with a box. “Pull off your shirt,” he said and my whole body tensed up. I was not wearing a bra and I was not going to go naked in front of a man.

“I’m not wearing a bra.” I simply pointed out and there was a calm look on his face. And it was very unlike him to look calm. He was always angry.

“So? Is that something that I haven’t seen before? Pull it off.” I swallowed and my hand shakily moved to the hem of my shirt. My hands trembled and I hesitated a bit before dragging the shirt up. I immediately felt goosebumps on my skin as my breasts bounced free and the room suddenly became cold for me.

Kael’s eyes wandered over my body and I never just looked away. I probably looked like an eyesore. He had seen women's breasts before. Bigger ones that were much more beautiful than mine. “What happened here?” I knew he was talking to me and I lifted my gaze to see Kael pointing at my abdomen.

There was a dull red color there and I got it from my father. It was when he beat me up the other day to the point of fainting that I refused to go for the selection. “And here?” He pointed at my shoulder blade and there was another ugly purple mark.

“I know that I did not do that. So how did you get it?” he opened the box and I watched as he retrieved a cotton wool and then a bottle of methylated spirit. I got it from my father, but I was not going to say that out loud.

“I got into an accident. Before coming here.” My voice was low and his eyes narrowed at me like he did not buy my lie and then he shrugged.

“Why did you come here?” I winced when he pressed the cotton wool to the injury on my forehead. I took in a deep breath and then exhaled.

“Because I need the money,” I replied softly and he continued dabbing the cotton wool on my forehead.

“You can work elsewhere to find money? Why did you come here to be a sex slave for two Alphas when there is a high chance that you will still not get chosen?” He finished cleaning the wound on my forehead and then he placed a band-aid over it, before moving to my arm where there were claw marks.

“The job back at home pays very little and I come from a very large family. I have four siblings. My family needs the money.” I uttered bitterly because the truth was that my father was going to drink off the money and then gamble with it.

“You are 18. You are supposed to be in school or college. You are not the breadwinner of your family. What happened to your parents?” He stopped dabbing the cotton wool on my arm and then stared at me squarely.

“I stopped school after high school. Mom is too weak to work and Dad only earns a little. I have to step down so my other siblings can go to school.” I was doing menial jobs before I was forced here.

“So you are doing all this for your siblings?” Ge continued tending to my wound.

“Would you not do anything for your brother?” he paused and then pursed his lips.

After a long stretch of silence, he replied, “Yeah, I would.” After he was done, he wrapped a bandage around my arm and then band aids to the other tiny cuts on my body. Then he applied an ointment on the bruise on my abdomen and shoulder before passing the ointment to me. I was no longer nervous and it did not even feel like I was naked before him from the upper body.

“If you are given a chance to leave here, will you live?” I wanted to nod, but I shook my head.

“Why?” Kael’s voice was low as he packed everything back into the first aid kit.

“Because I don’t have a choice and I need the money.”

“You may likely not win. And you may not come out alive to meet your family. Do you know what happens to the eliminated girls?” Kael squatted in front of the chair that I was sitting on and I slowly shook my head, my throat dry.

“They get killed. The four from yesterday have been killed.” I stiffened and my eyes widened. What? “Elimination here means getting killed. So what if you get eliminated?” I’d die. And if I got thrown out, my father would kill me.

“Are you trying to scare me?” Why was he even telling me that? There were other 10 girls, why did he choose to tell me about it and fuck, I felt fear to my bones.

“No. I’m giving you a chance. Jarek gave you that chance too, but you refused it. This place is not good for you.” He simply pointed out.

“Why are you helping me? Why are you doing this?” He treated my wound and offered me a chance to leave. Why was he doing it? He hated me right?

“I don’t know.” Kael sighed and then he stood up on his feet. He walked away to drop the box and when he returned, it was with a shirt which he threw at me.

“Put it on.” I caught the shirt, feeling a pain in my arm as I did.

“You will get hurt being here and my offer still stands. You have three days to think about it. I will let you leave if you say so.” That was all he said and without sparing one last glance at me, he walked out of the room.