C1

===== Freya Holloway POV =====

"Is this your first time?"

His voice burns my ear. Deep. Rough. It makes my skin crawl.

I don't answer. I can't.

"Answer me." His hand grips my shoulder. Turns me around. "Look at me."

I look up. His eyes glow gold in the dark room. Like a wolf watching prey.

"I asked you a question."

"Yes," I whisper. "It's my first time."

He pauses. His jaw tightens. "There's still time to say no."

I shake my head. "I won't regret it."

He laughs. Cold. Empty. "You will."

"Just do it."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

He grabs my chin. Forces my face up. "What's your name?"

"Freya."

"Freya." He says it like he's tasting it. "Pretty name for a pretty girl."

I'm not pretty. I'm fat. Ugly. Worthless. That's what my father says.

But this man doesn't seem to care.

"Why are you doing this?" he asks.

"I need money."

"For what?"

"My mom. My brother." I swallow. "They're dying."

His eyes soften. Just a little. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." I pull away. "Just do what I paid you for."

He steps closer. His body is huge. All muscle. All heat. He towers over me like I'm nothing.

"Take off your clothes," he says.

I freeze.

"Take off your clothes, Freya. Or I'll rip them off."

My hands shake. I undo my shirt. My jeans. I stand there. Naked. Exposed.

He looks at me. His eyes roam my body. My thick thighs. My round stomach. My heavy breasts.

"Beautiful," he whispers.

I don't believe him.

"Lie down."

I lie on the bed. The sheets are cold. My skin is hot. I feel sick.

He takes off his clothes. I see his body. Scarred. Muscular. Powerful. He's a wolf. A real wolf. And I'm just a human.

"Last chance," he says. "Say no, and I'll stop."

"I won't say no."

He climbs on top of me. His weight presses me down. His scent fills my nose. Pine. Smoke. Wolf.

"This will hurt," he says.

"I know."

"Bite your lip if you need to."

He enters me. It hurts. It hurts so bad. I bite my lip. Taste blood. I don't scream.

He moves faster. Harder. I feel like I'm breaking. Like I'm nothing.

"Almost done," he whispers. "Almost done."

I close my eyes. I think of my mom. My brother. Caleb. He's only eight. He can't talk. But he smiles. He holds my hand.

I just need the money. Just get through this, Freya.

He finishes with a growl. His body shakes above me. Then he pulls away.

"Go," he says. "Take your money and go."

I get up. My legs shake. I can barely walk. But I don't let him see me cry.

I grabbed the heavy bag. My stomach hurt so bad, like someone was twisting a knife inside me. I did not care. I ran fast. I did not stop.

"Please! I have the resources! Save my mother! Save my brother!" I screamed.

The doctor looked at the bag. He told the nurses to hurry. They pushed my mother into the healing room.

"What about him? Please, help him too!" I begged, pointing at my little brother.

The doctor shook his head. "I am sorry. It is too late."

My world fell apart. I felt like I was falling down a deep hole. My heart beat so fast it hurt. I had worked so hard, I had done everything, and it was still not enough. My brother was gone.

A month later, my mother still sat in her bed. She did not say a word. She just stared at the wall. I held her hand. It was cold.

"Mom, I am here. You have to stay strong," I whispered.

I heard footsteps in the hall. The door opened. A man walked in. He looked at us like we were trash.

"Martha, you promised. The deal is still on. Your daughter will join the Bennett Silverclaw pack," the man said.

My mother looked up, shaking. "What are you saying, Graham?"

"Young Master Miky needs a mate. The Bennett family is very powerful. This is a great chance for her," he said, his voice cold.

I knew who he was. He was the man who left us in this place years ago. He never looked back. Now he wanted to sell me? I knew the rumors. Miky was once a strong wolf, but an accident left him weak and unable to shift. He was a broken man.

"I will do it," I said, stepping forward.

Graham looked at me, surprised. "You will?"

"Yes. But I have one condition," I said, my voice steady even though my hands were shaking.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I go back to our home territory. You give back everything that belongs to my mother. Every bit of land and resource that was hers before you married her," I said.

My mother grabbed my arm. "Freya, no!"

Graham looked nervous. He did not want to give anything back. But he looked at me and grinned, thinking he was getting a deal.

"Fine. You go back with me. You marry him. Then I will give it back," he promised.

I looked him in the eyes. I did not trust him, but this was my only way out.

"Fine. We leave tomorrow," he said, turning to walk out.

I watched him leave. I felt a chill go down my back. I did not know what was waiting for me at the Bennett Citadel, but I knew I could not stay here any longer. I was going to get what was ours, no matter what it took.

What if he lied to me when we arrived? I did not know what to do next.