EMMELINE
I was locked up in the back of the van on it’s way to the slave house. Tears streamed down my cheeks as my new reality dawned on me. It was over for me. What could possibly become of my life once I started living in the slave house? That was, if such a life could be considered living. I wanted to scream my lungs out in desperation. The guards had made sure I had no means of escape by binding both my arms and legs tightly so that it was impossible to even move. Tears of frustration formed in my eyes again as I trembled in the back of the van. Things were by no means perfect, but at least I'd had some sense of stability. A job, a roof over my head, and plans to relocate as soon as possible. There were just a few months left. And now everything had been turned upside down. All my plans had crumbled into one meaningless blob of nothing. Perhaps I was cursed. Maybe happiness just wasn't something meant for me. Every time it seemed within reach, something happened that would bring me back to square one. I brushed off a tear that slipped down my chin. All the horrible things I'd heard about the slave house came rushing back to me. It was a horrible place, and most people sold off and bundled there, lived a life worse than death. I shuddered to think of what would become of me. My imagination conjured up the worst possible scenarios, bringing me to the verge of tears. "Yes, this slave trade is going to be massive. I can already tell. Did you see the list of all the Alphas who are attending today?" I heard one of the security men say to his partner. "It's looking promising, I tell you," The second man chipped in. "These are wealthy, powerful Alphas. We are going to hit it big today," he laughed. "We are lucky to have gotten our hands on this one, eh?" "Yes, she is very beautiful. I'm confident we can sell her for twice our normal price." They both chuckled while I lay there frozen in shock. I couldn't believe they were talking about me as though I were some petty commodity and not a person. Their words were also very disappointing. I had hoped to get a chance to slip away since the event looked to be a huge one. But from what I was hearing now, I would be sold immediately. Cold fear creeped up my skin as I shuddered once again. Soon, the van came to a halt. I could already hear that there was a large crowd before the men pulled me out of the van. "Come on!" They pulled me forward as they led me into the thick of the marketplace. We arrived at a stall that seemed to belong to the chief trader. They tossed me to him, and I felt bile rise in my throat as the man eye raped me, his lips curving into a smile. Without warning, he reached out to touch my breasts. But my reflexes were quick enough that I stepped away from him in time. This seemed to amuse him because he chuckled darkly. Then, he grabbed me by the hair and pulled me forward roughly. "Don't bother fighting, girl. Soon, your body will belong to one of the many men present here today." My blood ran cold, but I kept a strong expression, unwilling to let my fear show. The chief trader pushed me away before turning to my captors. "Let's talk business. I'll give you 30o pounds for the girl. She's quite attractive, which is why I am offering this much." The men grunted. "300 won't cut it. Take a look at her. She is more beautiful than every other girl on display here, and you know it. 1000 pounds and we have a deal." "1000?! That's outrageous. I'll give you 350." Petrified and humiliated, I watched as the men bargained for me. When, finally, they settled on 500 pounds, my heart shattered. This was getting real. I had just been sold. The chief trader paid the security guards the money and then beckoned to some women. "Take the girl inside and make her look presentable. Clean her up and give her some fresh clothes. I can't put her on display looking like that." The chief trader exited the room soon after and the women got to work. I couldn't even protest as they surrounded me and began to clean me up. Someone began to put makeup on my face while two others worked on my hair. The others prepared my outfit which turned out to be a very revealing dress. Tears filled my eyes, but I was determined to hold them in. They forced me into the dress and continued to work on me. I had a sudden fear that they might discover I was a Lycan. But luckily, that didn't happen. Once they finished, a bag was put over my head and I was led to another part of this godforsaken place. I couldn't see a thing, but I could hear some people bargaining in the distance. "200 pounds!" Someone yelled. "250!" Another countered. "250 pounds going once, twice…" "300!" I could tell that the girls were being sold, and my stomach churned at the realization that it would soon be my turn. The whole thing was sickening. Most of the girls sold here were used for sexual pleasure by sick, twisted men. Some of them would be turned to breeders or made to serve as sex toys for multiple men until their bodies gave way and they died a painful death. Tears filled my eyes at the thought of such a despicable existence. It was unfair and cruel. As I stood there, I said a silent prayer to the moon goddess to be bought as a maid or servant. Only a handful of girls were lucky enough to be bought as maids. I can clean, cook, wash…anything but this torture. Please, moon goddess, save me. You have abandoned me this whole time…help me this once… I had barely finished my prayers when I felt myself being shoved to the stage. In the next second, the bag was yanked from my head and I was hit with the blinding lights in the room. I blinked a few times before my eyes grew accustomed to the room. I nearly staggered to the floor when I saw the number of people present in the room. Holy moon goddess. It was like a festival. My heart raced with fear as I stood there helplessly, waiting. Most of the men had dirty looks on their faces, their eyes raking over me as they licked their lips and whispered amongst themselves. It didn't take much to know what they were going to use me for if I was unlucky enough to fall into their hands. Their lustful gaze was enough indication of whatever they had in store for me. I gulped, trying to steady myself to no avail. My breathing felt more labored, and my head was spinning. I was having a panic attack. I was unsure how I was able to keep myself from collapsing on stage. "Gentlemen!" The trader began. "As you can see, I have a beautiful girl right here. Very good looking, very sexy. And she is very petite too. You know what that means gentlemen? You can bend her into any position you wish!" The men burst into primal laughter and grunts of approval. "She will definitely satisfy any man lucky enough to buy her. Feast your eyes on this beauty, gentlemen. The bidding starts at 2000 pounds." He then stepped away. A hand shot up immediately. "2300!" "2500 pounds!" An older man countered. I shuddered at this. This man had been staring at me with so much lust in his eyes." "5000!" Someone yelled. "She's mine!" "6000!" "7500!" "10,000 pounds!" The older man said again. The trader looked shocked. "Woah! I have never seen anything like this. This is surely the most heated bid we've ever witnessed! Alright, gentlemen. 10,000 pounds going once, twice…" I was shivering on the stage. The old man had bid 10,000. I prayed desperately that I wouldn't be sold to him. It was clear what he wanted to use me for. I already knew that my body would be used tirelessly if I was unfortunate enough to be sold to him. Just before the trader announced the sale, I saw a hand rise slowly. All eyes turned to face the man and I was confused when whispers broke out in the hall. I stared at the man in shock. I hadn't noticed him before now. He was staring at me intensely, his dark eyes seeming to pierce right through me and into my soul and drawing me in. Unlike the other men, his expression was closed off. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. There was something about him… "15,000 pounds," he bid calmly. Gasps broke out from everyone present. I could see the old man glaring at him angrily. The trader couldn't hide his shock either. "15,000 pounds going once, twice…and sold to Alpha Darius!"EMMELINE’S POV□■□■□■□■□■□■□■Later that afternoon, the moon goddess decided to test me further—or so it seemed.Darius and I were in the council chamber, just the two of us, when a guard entered holding a sealed letter."It’s from the Highlands, Alpha," the guard said.Darius looked at me, then back at the letter. He didn’t want me to see it. That much was obvious. But I was already standing."Give it here.""Emmeline—""I said, give it."The guard hesitated only a second before handing it over. I broke the wax seal with shaking fingers and pulled the parchment out.The words were polite. At least more than I had expected.‘The Northern Highlands Council humbly requests an audience with Luna Emmeline for clarity and spiritual assessment, in light of recent visions received by our seer. This request is made in the interest of peace, truth, and the protection of all packs.’I stared at it for a long moment. My blood ran cold.Visions? What visions? What the hell did they think was insi
EMMELINE’S POV□■□■□■□■□■□■□■Something was off.It started with the stares. Quiet, piercing stares from the guards stationed at the corridor leading to my chambers. Their eyes used to follow me with a sense of duty, respect even. But now, it was something else. They were all standing stiff at the sight of me, heads turned, pretending the floor was suddenly way more interesting than me.And the in-house servants? They acted like they'd forgotten how to speak. Like someone hit mute on their damn mouths.Pity? Fear? I couldn’t tell.First, I thought I imagined it. You know, maybe I had food on my face or something. But no, it wasn’t that. It was the way the guards stopped making eye contact, the way their eyes slid away the moment I met their gaze. One of them literally turned his face away when I looked at him, like I was something dangerous. Or cursed. Or both.I made my way down the hallway, my bare feet padding against the cold marble. Even the air felt... off. Heavy. Like the silen
DARIUS’ POV ●●●●●●●●●● I brought in two new guards this morning—Weston and Aiden. They were handpicked from the south quadrant. The type trained not to ask questions, not to hesitate when I give an order. I didn’t tell Emmeline. She didn’t need to know. Not yet. But one of them would stand outside her door every second of every damn day. Even while she slept. I hated doing it. Felt like locking her up. But after what happened to that guard... fuck, I couldn’t take another risk. Because the truth is, I don’t think she meant to kill that man. I don’t. But she did. And that scares the shit out of me. Because if she can do that without knowing, without remembering, then what happens the next time someone pisses her off or tries to touch her or startles her in the hallway? What happens when the baby’s instincts kick in stronger than her own? My Emmeline. She wasn’t capable of that—at least, the woman I knew wasn’t. But reality didn’t care what I believed. The truth was, her hands had
DARIUS’ POV ●●●●●●●●●● I brought in two new guards this morning—Weston and Aiden. They were handpicked from the south quadrant. The type trained not to ask questions, not to hesitate when I give an order. I didn’t tell Emmeline. She didn’t need to know. Not yet. But one of them would stand outside her door every second of every damn day. Even while she slept. I hated doing it. Felt like locking her up. But after what happened to that guard... fuck, I couldn’t take another risk. Because the truth is, I don’t think she meant to kill that man. I don’t. But she did. And that scares the shit out of me. Because if she can do that without knowing, without remembering, then what happens the next time someone pisses her off or tries to touch her or startles her in the hallway? What happens when the baby’s instincts kick in stronger than her own? My Emmeline. She wasn’t capable of that—at least, the woman I knew wasn’t. But reality didn’t care what I believed. The truth was, her hands had
DARIUS’ POV●●●●●●●●●●I brought in two new guards this morning—Weston and Aiden. They were handpicked from the south quadrant. The type trained not to ask questions, not to hesitate when I give an order. I didn’t tell Emmeline. She didn’t need to know. Not yet. But one of them would stand outside her door every second of every damn day. Even while she slept.I hated doing it. Felt like locking her up. But after what happened to that guard... fuck, I couldn’t take another risk.Because the truth is, I don’t think she meant to kill that man. I don’t. But she did. And that scares the shit out of me. Because if she can do that without knowing, without remembering, then what happens the next time someone pisses her off or tries to touch her or startles her in the hallway? What happens when the baby’s instincts kick in stronger than her own?My Emmeline. She wasn’t capable of that—at least, the woman I knew wasn’t. But reality didn’t care what I believed. The truth was, her hands had blood
EMMELINE☆■■☆■■☆I hadn’t slept. Not even for a damn minute. I just sat there, staring at my hands like they weren’t mine. Like they could leap up and strangle someone on its own, without warning. The scratches on my arms still stung, raw and real, but it was the blood under my nails that kept me frozen. Not mine. Someone else’s. And I didn’t even know how it got there.Darius had been watching me like I’d break in half if he blinked. It was pissing me off more than it should’ve. I didn’t want his pity. I didn’t want his silence either."Just tell me what the hell happened," I’d asked him again that morning, voice low, shaky, but firm.He’d exhaled hard through his nose, like he was tired of repeating himself. Or maybe tired of lying."Everything’s been handled, Em. You don’t need to worry. You’re safe now."Safe. That word scratched down my spine like nails on a chalkboard."Handled how?" I asked, folding my arms tight against my chest. "I blacked out. I woke up with blood under my n
DARIUS’ POV☆■■■☆■■■☆She looked me dead in the eye and said, “I swear to you, Darius, I didn’t leave this room.”And fuck me, I wanted to believe her. Hell, a big part of me did. But the ripped shirt hanging off her shoulder, the dried blood caked under her fingernails—none of that screamed, ‘I stayed in bed all night reading a goddamn book.’I noticed the dried blood under her nails weren't even hers. My heart sank. I didn't want to alarm her, but I needed answers. "Em, you really don't remember anything from last night?"She shook her head, confusion clouding her features. "No. I... I don't remember leaving the room."I nodded, trying to mask my concern. Maybe it was just a bad dream.But it wasn't. A search party had found a body near the north edge of the estate—one of our guards. His throat was torn open, no sign of struggle, no witnesses. Callis examined Emmeline and suggested that the baby might be influencing her behavior. She theorized that Emmeline's instincts were sh
DARIUS' POV☆■■■☆■■■☆The morning air was crisp, the kind that bites at your skin and wakes you up faster than any cup of coffee. I left before the sun had fully risen, the estate still cloaked in shadows. My destination was the outskirts of the territory, where an exiled elder Alpha named Magnus resided. He was known for his extensive research on bloodline anomalies, particularly those considered taboo by the Council. Magnus was a recluse, suspicious of visitors, but when I mentioned Emmeline and the possibility of her carrying traits linked to the extinct werewolves, he agreed to meet. His cabin was nestled deep within the forest, surrounded by ancient trees that seemed to whisper secrets. The structure itself was modest, built from weathered wood and stone, with smoke curling from the chimney. As I approached, the door creaked open, revealing Magnus—a tall, gaunt man with piercing eyes that seemed to look right through you. "You're Darius, " he stated, not asked.I
DARIUS' POV☆■■■☆■■■☆The second Callis muttered the word "trihybrid," something in my chest tightened. Like a wire had been pulled too tight inside me and was about to snap.I pulled her and Anastasia—the healer—into one of the old side chambers in the west wing, the kind barely anyone used anymore. The door groaned as I shut it behind us."Alright, talk. What the hell is a trihybrid?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.Callis glanced at Anastasia, then back at me. "It’s... complicated. But if what we’re seeing is true, Emmeline might be descended from Fellbloods."I blinked. "Fellbloods? That some kind of vampire clan?"Callis shook her head. "No. Werewolves. A rare, nearly extinct bloodline. Small stature, unusually fast, natural magic. Their blood was... dangerous. Not in a 'they’re evil' way—just powerful. Most thought they died out centuries ago."Anastasia stepped forward, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her cloak. "The symptoms line up. The accelerated fetal gr