Chapter 1

Sybil’s POV

“Move!” A kick landed on my back and I fell to the hard granite rough ground, blood pooled in my mouth. I’d bitten myself.

I staggered to my feet and spat the blood out. I hadn’t had anything since I was locked up two days ago, not even water, beaten and chained to that black pit, known as the dungeon, but who cared? No one, not when I was already guilty in their eyes. I’ve been even before the incident.

“Walk, or I’ll make you really crawl.” The guard grabbed me by the hair and yanked me forward, “and it will be for the rest of your rotten life.”

I resisted the urge to spit directly on his face. He must have seen my thought flash before my eyes because he sent me down with a shove.

“Drag her along if she won’t walk and make it worthwhile.” He barked at his subordinate.

Not wanting to incite more wounds that would turn into grotesquely looking scars, I forced myself upright with the last strength in my body and followed behind, stumbling. They threw me into a room and I went crashing into the wall. My shins were bruised and wounded, cut against my thighs with few fabrics around my body if it could be called clothes.

My spin locked up when I saw our pack’s alpha. A glint in his eyes, the same evil ones that flashed through his pupil when he executed soldiers, traitors, and enemies. I didn’t want to know the edge behind those glints until a familiar sob caused my spine to stiffen and straighten like a rod.

“Sybil.” Her voice was low and broken like a chord gone wrong and she was shivering by the guards.

My lips dried and I became clammy despite the shrilling coldness in the room. “Let her go!” I growled and sprang towards her, however, I merely left my position as a pair of meaty, strong hands held me in place.

My wolf hissed, and I knew I would’ve shifted if not to the cuff around my neck and wrists.

“Do not hurt her!” I lifted my eyes to the alpha, “If you don’t wish to die let her go—” I slammed my head into the wall and sticky red liquid cascaded down my face.

I could be reckless sometimes, but anything for them to leave my sister.

They grabbed my hair and pulled me back.

“You will address the alpha with respect!” My mate, Ryder spat. A fire in his eyes that he was never born with. His gaze flickered and I stared at him, stunned, shocked, and in pain.

“No need to go all dragon on me. I will not harm your sister, I swear it, by my name and pack, and my son.” He nodded to my mate beside me. His blonde hair was left to fall to his face.

Lies!

Alpha Kane was the kind to lie while smiling.

I couldn’t breathe as I waited for his statement and stared at Ryder. I knew he was a coward, too stupid to stand up to his father, but this, I didn’t see coming.

“I’ll simply sell her as a sex slave, that will fetch me far more money, then you’ll die, seeing your sister belonging to someone.”

My lips dried and all my rage disappeared as though I was submerged in an ocean. I couldn’t talk, no words would form.

“You can’t.”

“I can, she’s very docile, will obey before she’s broken.” The thrill that accompanied his voice at her being broken made me almost wretch out my empty stomach.

Her scared eyes were strained on mine. She tried to look brave, to tell me that it was okay, that she was older, but her body betrayed the bravery in her eyes.

So often she reminded me of our parents. Soft eyes like mothers, filled with all the love and care. After our father left, her touch and hand were the only warmth of a family I had left. Even though I’d been too young when he abandoned us, that moment of him leaving was burned into my mind than the touch from his hand or his face. My chest rattled like chains in a locket as I was about to lose the only family I had left.

“Please.” A single tear left me, and I dropped to my knees begging.

“Take her!” He gave his orders and they began to drag her away. Her screams were like a thousand knives to my flesh, seeing her struggle despite being weak and wolfless was like reliving the incident from eight years ago.

“I’ll go in her place!”

The words were out before I could think better of them.

Silently, but firmly I repeated. “Sell me instead for your coins, use me, but please leave her alone, she’s all I have.”

“Sybil, No!” Marylin yelled.

But the alpha smiled, a satisfied grin that I’d played directly into his palms. “How touching.” He clapped with a mock. “Too theatrical if you ask me, but an obvious play.”

Now I felt sick to my stomach, having no clue what this sick bastard sorted.

“Call him in.”

“Wait!” Marylin yelled. “I-I’ll go. She’s my younger sister.”

Ryder yanked her back by the hair and she winced, coughing.

“You dare—”

A guard hit the side of my face and sparkles flew. “Shut it!”

“Bring him in.” Alpha Kane gave the order and the guards bowed and ran out. Some seconds later a man returned with the guards. I knew that eerie aura trailing behind him like a wet footprint on the floor. Holy fuck! The Pack’s Alchemist. Alpha Kane saw my expression and his grin only widened.

“Silly girl.” He mused.

That was when my stomach tightened and my throat drew tight in fear for what this sick bastard had installed for me.

Even though he worked side by side with my father, he’d always had a sick side to him, more horrendous now since the Alpha supported his every research.

Alpha Kane walked into my line of sight with the man. “You’ll be my spy inside, Little Sybil.” He hooked his finger on my chin and lifted my face to stare directly into the horror in them. I tried to glare in response, however fear was quickly taking over and my sister’s shout was soul-crushing

I would not show fear, I told myself.

“The Butcher might be ruthless and live up to his name, but he isn’t untouchable, that’s definitive…”

I tried not to focus on the way my stomach roiled like I’d consumed blood as he continued. “So you’ll leave among them, as their whore. You will watch him, observe everything about him, and learn his weakness, his strength, his secret, and report back to me.”

“You can’t be—”

A glare shut me up. “You’ll do as I say or.” He didn’t complete his statement and gave a tip of his head. They dragged my sister forward, albeit too roughly, and then set my chains on her.

“Don’t worry, she’ll only be a prisoner in a well-furnished room. Any mishap, anything out of line and she’ll be saying hello to your bastard parents before you.”

That forced me to swallow the poison in my mouth, but a sudden scream tore through me when my mate grabbed my head and bent it over. My arms were pinned behind me in a bone-snapping pain, what I thought was all was just the beginning as the Alchemist, I realized too late pressed something to my upper back.

The pain was so visceral that my vision turned white and my throat ran dry. I let out a high-pitched shriek, tears streamed down my face and my whole body was set ablaze.

When they finally let go, I fell to the floor with a thud, heaving like a mammal in labor.

“It’s simple,” Alpha Kane’s voice rose above my head. “The mark will keep you in check. Think of running, of betraying me at all and that pain would double.”

That—that can’t be real…

I lifted my head, blurry vision filled with pain, and my heart boiling like magma but my mate only looked me in the eye and stepped away. How could he?

“W-what about my matebond with Ryder, you can’t send me off.” I attempted a bargain with Alpha Kane because I was as good as dead taken to the rogue Alpha.

“And what about that?” He chuckled, the glint in his eyes never dissipated, instead it flared like fire, catching dry leaves and flaming up.

I thought for one millisecond that he was going to have his son reject me and as much of a coward as he was, my wolf wanted her other half.

“I am not that evil to come between bonds bestowed on werewolves by the moon goddess,” he said and walked toward the exit, my stomach churned and fear took lead about my ankles like fetters.

He was just that brand of evil and for him to go against his nature only suggested one thing, he had more evil planned.

“Your bond must remain and neither of you will break it.”

He took his son’s hand, and the sniveling bastard, pig spoke. “I love you Sybil and I can’t live without you, when this is over you will be by my side as my mate.”

Fucking bastard!

“Very well,” he turned to his son, “I will give anything to him, as long as it’s what he wants.”

“Take her out.” He nudged his head to the guards and they were on me again, they grabbed my arms and I didn’t bother fighting.

A figure was waiting at the hall, blond hair rolled in a messy bun that somehow complemented his high cheekbones that looked like they had never worn a smile before. His dressing was different, a little armored but expensive. Even with all the gold Alpha Kanes took from others, he never did care about the pack guards.

And I realized he was the man I would be sold to.

He wasn't the rogue Alpha, because the rumors had mentioned his eyes to be dark and lifeless.

“Apologies,” Alpha Kane gave a clipped bow, “the bitch needed more training to be docile.” He patted my head like he was caressing a dog.

The man passed a satchel of gold coins to a guard who offered it to the alpha. Gold, up to a hundred marks, was in Alpha Kane’s hand.

His side twitched into a smile, “She’s all yours.”

The man grabbed me up and Alpha Kane seemed to shoot me a look that said, You know your role.

“No!” A throat-tearing shriek caused us to turn. My sister was fighting with the guards, struggling to break free.

“I said take me instead, please, not her. Take me.” She fought earnestly and I pitied how that would rattle her come night. Seeing her like that made the corner of my eye sting.

“I’ll be okay, Lyn.” I tried to force a smile but more tears spilled.

“No, please Alpha, sell me instead, I’m her older sister, if anyone deserves to be sold it’s me!”

The man’s men took me and dragged me out. When she attempted to break out and run towards me, a pair of hands pinned her down to the ground.

“Sybil! No!”