Daughter of Grace to Grass

LYDIA

They say he is a monster. Wicked to the core and devoted only to only his pack known as the Rose. They say with eyes like blood, the Alpha of the Rose-the onset of the conclusion to those that defy him— travels from territory to territory, wiping out enemy packs in a single battle. Drawn to war, he slew even the smallest resistance with misery and bloodshed.

To see him, they say, is to look death right in the eye.

They claim he has no moral compass and that he killed without mercy, stole without qualm, and obliterated without guilt, all to receive serenity: Assurance in knowing his pack would never have to suffer the fate they did in time past to rival packs.

In two excruciating nights, I had gotten to know all the horrible things Alexios Rose stood for. The cell was cold and I was utterly alone. It had been two good days but I still refused to admit to myself that a cruel lot had been tossed my way. Two days ago, I had been werewolf royalty. Now...now I was about to be sold to the highest bidder. Actually, not anymore. The slave master who had received the lion's share of Nightshade's tribute had taken interest in me the moment the elders that threw to the ravaging lycans revealed I was noble blood. The man had not relayed the unspeakable evil he had slated for me but it couldn't be good. I had been separated from the others and put in a separate cell. Countless others would be elated by this special treatment. Who was I kidding? Anyone in my predicament would be terrified. A jab at the metal confines before me yanked me out of my thoughts and I looked up to see the slave master. His eyes were crimson red, a sharp difference from my blue ones. It implied that he was a member of the Rose pack. His nose was elongated and his hair was shabby. He banged the metal plate in his hands against the cage again right before he slid my lunch over. The plate wheezed past the hard concrete and stopped once it struck my foot. it was an unrecognizable gunk that made my stomach lurch just looking at it.

"Eat up," The man proceeded to say. "Today is a very big day."

Usually, I let him talk and leave for my sanity but the devious smile he could not quite get rid of bothered me greatly so without a second thought I relayed the burden that danced around my mind.

"Today..." I stammered. "What happens today?"

I expected a snigger from the man or worse but he was extremely jolly to my surprise. I watched him bend over and smile, showing his sickening yellow teeth. "The auction." He whispered. "And usually, auctions don't pique my excitement this much. It's just a gamble for the rich after all." I shuddered upon hearing that. He referred to abduction and auction of living breathing human beings as a gamble for the rich. Ignoring my reaction, the man continued. "But this is different. The consort of our Alpha is looking for a new maid. Someone in the high places recommended my quarters. The Alpha will be here real soon and I can hardly wait to hand you over to him. For a price of course."

Alexios Rose? The same man who had murdered my father in cold blood and ensure a fate worse than death befell me when he placed the rule of tributes on our pack? I couldn't be sold to him. Since I had arrived in Rose territory, all that had plagued my mind was how I would end up entertainment district; a cum dumpster for Lycans under heat but the stakes had somehow managed to spike and certainly not in my favor. I found myself shaking. What did I have to say, I wondered? If I made it in front of Alexios Rose, there was a ninety percent chance I ended up dead. That was what he would want. My lips quivered as I looked up to the man who determined my fate and tears streamed down my face upon realizing what had to be done.

"I am a virgin," I told him.

His eyebrows peaked with interest. "Why are you telling me this?"

He was right. Why was I telling him this? The man in front of me had no scruple. I had let fear dictate my lips and possibly brought upon myself another heap of disastrous results. But disgusting men like him loved the concept of virginity. I swallowed and embraced the chaff of confidence I had left.

"Why should Alexios have to get me?" I spoke. I did my best to show a little skin whilst biting my lower lip but nothing about it was sexy. I bit too hard and my tongue tasted metal. I shuddered as the slave master's hungry eyes swept over me. I was cold, hungry, and afraid but survival was a smart choice. All I had to do was let go and my body and submit to the whims of this psycho. I watched as his member toppled in size, threatening to tear out of his trousers. The lust in his eyes was brazen and intense. His hands slithered in between his legs and he groped his dick.

"Come here." He ordered and like a good little whore, I obeyed. "You want this?" He asked and as much as it repulsed me to oblige in his sick games, I nodded with a pretty smile glued to my mouth. Almost immediately, the man burst into a laugh. My wits gathered and I took a step back before he could reach for my throat. He missed. Only by an inch but the damage had been done. He had proved to me that he wasn't one of those men.

"You are just like your father." He spat. "Manipulative Nightshade royalty. You deserve this you know. I can scarcely wait to throw you into his arms treacherous bitch!"

He then strolled off like nothing had happened. His words played in my head like a broken vinyl. Maybe I did deserve this, I thought to myself. Father had brought this hell on us. I had lost my mother to this cruel world too. Was I expecting it to get better? A laugh almost fled my lungs as the questions poured in. Perhaps it was time to stop fighting the inevitable. Death was coming for me. It was time I accepted it. I was starving anyways. I crawled back to the good bowl and lifted it to my lips, initially grateful for the warmth and surprised that the gunk tasted palatable. My stomach ached from not having eaten all morning, and I felt a strange numbness in my chest. Was it fear or what to come or relief? The voice at the back of my head assured me it was the former and my guts were never wrong.