Labyrinth of Liberty

Gianna

I thought I was having a bad day until my life flashed before my eyes. The day started out normal, except for the fact that I was currently trying to carry five bags at once. One with a picnic blanket, and drinks. Another one with sunscreen, towels, moisturizer and other things my sister, Helena, insisted on bringing along even though they weren’t really necessary. One filled with the actual food we were to eat. One filled with extra sets of clothes for Helena to change to if she gets too sweaty. And another filled with fruits just in case Helena didn't have an appetite for the regular meal. 

She refused to help me carry any of the bags, and the distance from the car to the spot she picked was too far to go twice. Shifters are naturally stronger than humans so the weight itself wasn’t a real problem, it was the fact that the items were too much. I dropped a few items along the way and had to stop to pick and rearrange them. I took a deep breath when we finally arrived at the spot on the hill. It was actually beautiful, and with a perfect view of the Riverside pack lands. 

“Helena, can you help me set the blanket while I arrange the food?” I asked politely and she scoffed. 

She turned away from me and began inspecting her nails. 

“I just had a manicure. Are you planning to ruin it so my nails will be ugly like yours?” She asked and I shook my head.

“Never mind.”

I don't know why I even bother asking for help when it never comes. My shoulders ached and my fingers, and the pain from my broken nail made my eyes teary, but there was no one to complain to who actually cared.

I was focused on setting up the items for the picnic when I heard a scuffle behind me. I just assumed Helena must have tripped or something, so I was shocked when a hand covered my face from behind me. I tried to struggle, and fight off my attacker.

“Don't even think about it, or I will break your arm.” 

The warning wasn't what made me stop struggling though. It was the fact that my attacker wasn't alone. I counted nine in the group. Six in wolf form and the rest in human form. 

“Please let us go.”

I tried pleading, but almost got a kick to the stomach. They already had Helena tied up with a gag on her mouth and then did the same to me. One more look at the group and I realised that they were rogues. Loners that have no affiliation with any known pack. They were dangerous and irrational. I wonder what they wanted. If they wanted us dead, we would already be buried six feet under.

They moved us to a different location, and immediately called our parents with Helena’s phone. Mine had been in one of the bags which were still at the picnic site.

“Helena darling, are you there now? Are you enjoying your picnic?”

“Your darling and her sister are under our custody now.” The male with the phone said to our mother. 

We could all hear her because the call was on speaker.

“Who are you? What have you done to my daughter?”

“What matters is that if you don’t listen to my demands, I will kill your two daughters.”

“Don’t you dare touch my daughter!” She snapped and there was a commotion in the background.

“What’s wrong?”

“Is Helena okay?” 

“What’s going on?”

I could hear our father’s voice and some other relatives in the background.

“Hey! Listen to me. You must pay the sum of 200 million dollars to me before sunset tomorrow or we will send you the corpses of your two daughters. 100 million for each girl. Non negotiable.” The rogue male growled at them so they would listen.

“I will send you 100 million right now if you release Helena to me.” Our father said.

He must have taken the phone from our mother.

“But first we must see proof that Helena was unharmed.”

“Helena isn’t the only one we have captured. Didn’t you hear me? I have your two daughters here.” The rogue male said.

“I only care what happens to Helena. Show me she’s okay, and you’ll receive your 100 million immediately. I want her released as soon as possible.” My father said, and my hands began to shake.

I had to stare blankly at the wall and blink multiple times in order to stop myself from crying. It was of no use. I knew Helena was my parent’s favourite, but I thought that was a normal thing. That's why I never complained no matter the preferential treatment she got, but I never would have imagined they would abandon me at a time like this when I need them.

The money wasn’t the problem. They had enough to bail us both out. Our kidnappers knew that, which is why we both were taken. Else, they wouldn’t have bothered taking two of us. Within minutes everything was settled and Helena was escorted out to be returned to my parents. She didn't even bother looking back to check if I was okay, or try to plead for my own freedom.

“Hey. You have to find a way to get your own share of the money or we’ll have to kill you. I wonder what you did to make your parents despise you. They didn’t even bother to ask if you were unharmed.” Another rogue said to me with a scoff.

“I’ll have to call my mate. I need the phone.”

I was given the phone and I dialled his number. 

“Hello Marco. Please, I need your help. I’ve been kidnapped, and they’re demanding a 100 million dollar ransom in order to release me.”

“And why should I spend that amount of money on you?” He asked and I almost dropped the phone out of shock.

“W.what do you mean? I’m your mate.”

“Not anymore. You should never have gone in the first place. I warned you that it was too far from the pack boundary, but you preferred to please your sister instead of listening to me.”

“Marco, wait. Let’s just talk. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you. Please don’t,”

“I, Marco DiAngello, Alpha of Riverside pack, reject you, Gianna Marino, as my mate.” He said and disconnected the call immediately.

The phone dropped from my hand and I grabbed my stomach. It felt like someone was stabbing me with nails, then pouring hot coal inside me. It hurt so badly that I collapsed to the ground.

“What the fuck happened here? Weren’t you supposed to be watching her?”

“It’s not my fault. She just got rejected by her mate, and her family refused to pay her ransom. No one wants her back.”

“Then we should just cut our losses and kill her. We’re too close to another pack’s boundary, and if we stay too long we will get caught eventually. I’m not risking my life for her.”

The rogues were talking above me, deciding my death like I didn’t matter. But they’re right. No one wants me. My family and my mate just basically threw me away. I no longer have anything to live for.

“Who’s in there? Show yourself.” A voice called from outside.

“Damn it. We’ve been found by the pack patrols. Let’s move. We already got 100 million. Now we have to stay alive to spend it.” One rogue said and they immediately ran off.

I passed out, and woke up in a white room, surrounded by beeping equipment. I tried to stand up from the bed I was lying on, but a hand stopped me.

“Don’t get up. You’re still weak. My warriors found you in bad shape.” A male said to me and helped me lay back down.

I looked up to see a handsome male smiling at me.

“The moon goddess has shown us favour by returning you to us.” He said as he stroked my hair.

“What are you talking about? Where am I? Who are you?”

“You’re in the blood moon pack. I am Vincenzo Romano, the Alpha of this pack. And you are my long lost sister.”