CHAPTER 3

"She smells...funny."

I felt Arlene shift uncomfortably from her left to the right foot. She clearly thought that the lemon scented hurried bath, the repeated spray of strawberry scented fragrance on the dark red ball gown I wore, which was too much for this occassion, would conceal the funny scent the barbarian looking man conplained about.

The smell of rotten wolfsbane, dark spells and a wounded wolf. A weak luna.

My heart was frozen in time, devoid of feelings. I didn't know how I felt, being sold off to the most dangerous Alpha in the universe. Part of me couldn't believe that Arlene was doing this to me. It was an indirect death sentence. Alpha Gohan was going to kill me like he did every female in his harem.

Rumors had it that he was cursed by his birth mother, the strongest Luna to have ever lived, a favorite of the moons, during his pulp years, for an unforgivable crime he committed against her. A curse that couldn't be undone no matter how his mother regretted, so instead, she blessed him with all she could. People say she passed down her powers to him. But like a cancer, his curse consumed him to his madness. The only solution was a birth of his seed. This made him crazy with women. He bedded with every woman in skirt and tore their hearts out of their chests when they failed to provide him an heir overtime.

"Best to get going then." The man's eyes were intense on me and for a split moment, I saw the pity in his eyes. "The contract."

"Ah yes." Robert cleared his throat and stepped forward. I turned my face away from his scent and waited for my life to be taken away from me. This was it, how I deserved to pay for the lives everyone taught I took. Arlene was too weak to bear to take my life herself.

"This isn't in the contract but the Hillsboro clan will not keep providing crops once her life is deemed worthless." The barbarians loud and courageous voice was heard by the clan members present.

I froze, goosebumps decorating my skin. The reality seeped into my bones, warmth spread around my heels and my lips woobled uncontrollably.

"I don't understand." Robert coughed. "This is how it's always done. A lifetime supply of crops is what we asked for!"

"Or what? Alpha Gohan has his ways. He shall not continue to take care of a clan who has provided him with nothing but a weak female. Those are his words. You can still terminate it, if you so wish."

Silence.

All of a sudden I was pushed backwards by Robert, his right palm around my neck, squeezing the life out of me.

"You bitch! You better do your best to take his cursed seed and give him an heir!" He whispered venemously in my ear. "If you don't, I will end you, before the cursed king does."

My mouth was agape, trying to breathe, whilst trying to push him off me. I sank to my knees and desperately gasped for oxygen when the barbarian ripped Robert off me.

"Never do that again. She belongs to the Hillsboro clan now." He said in a dangerously low tone.

"Are you terminating the contract or not?" He sounded annoyed and impatient.

"We will not." It was Arlene. I don't know why but my heart sank again at her confirmation. There goes my life.

Everything happened in a daze. I was lifted up by the other barbarians and helped on a horse, the ball gowns huge skirts making me very uncomfortable. "You can ride a horse, can't you? Not much different from riding a cock, slut!" Robert snarled. "Remember what I told you."

My mind was too preoccupied wondering how Robert and I went from the inseparable best mates in the Balthazar clan to this. I was no slut and he knew that.

I didn't look back as we started riding out of the kingdom. I always had hope in Arlene up until this moment. She wasn't the sister I knew her to be. She...was a different person. From this moment onwards, to me, I had no family.

"You're a slave, aren't you?" The barbarians voice started me. We had been riding for over three hours. Three hours of numbness.

"Yes." My voice was barely above a whisper.

"What's your story?"

My story? I sighed. "I don't have one, sire."

"I am talking about the cursed mark on your shoulder."

I pursed my lips together and ignored his words. He wasn't dumb. Although they were a different set of wolves that chose to dress like mad men, their hair braided and in locks, their eyes lined with a black kohl and their dressing was the worst of all. They were shirtless and for shorts, they had a lazy excuse of a large pant made out of brown leather. Their boots were thick but the masculinity and power radiated off them.

"Alpha Gohan is a smart wolf. He knows your thoughts even before you think it. Do not attempt to lie."

I loosened the reigns from my hold. Why was he telling me this? He was giving me an advice?

"Why?"

My question was met with silence in the thick foggy area.

"We have reached the border. Ride fast. We shall reach the crown by nightfall."