Chapter 4: Whispers between the pages

The air thick with desperation in the poorly lit auction house. Laura was dragged onto the stage where lanterns casted long shadows over the crowd hungry for profit and power.

Face streaked with tears, body aching, chains bit into her wrist. The auctioneer’s voice rang “Next we have a rare prize.Laura.A runt from Silvermoon pack with fire in her eyes. Who will bid for this cursed one?”.

I stood there as the men with lecherous gazes watched and bid over me like I was some toy, an artifact or a possession.

Moon Goddess I’m calling onto you please save me!!.

Among the crowd a silhouette made its way toward the stage and dropped a heavy pouch filled with silver and Gold. Such wealth,only an Alpha could command.Who was this man.

With a deep and commanding voice that cut through the murmurs like a sharp steel blade he said:

“I’ll take the one they call Laura”.

Traders hesitated. Called her worthless,some even called her cursed.

“Might be worthless to you,but she’s mine!!”,

With a swift motion,he lifted Laura effortlessly like she weighed nothing.

———

They got into the car and sped off. They disappeared into the shadows.Laura was weak. But hopeful that the man who bought her won’t be so hard on her. She had suffered enough and even though she felt she was meant to suffer for life, she just wanted some time to recuperate.

The Alpha’s voice brought Laura out of her thoughts.

“ Your wondering who I am. I am Damian Blake. Alpha of Blackmoon pack. I am Your Master. And you will serve me for the rest of your life.”

Damian Blake? Alpha of Blackmoon? No this was just falling from frying pan to fire. Oh Moon Goddess what have I done for you to hate me so much.

———

Blackmoon pack and Silvermoon have never seen eye to eye. They’re rivals. I’ve heard rumors about Alpha Damian.They say he is Cold and Calculating.A force to be reckoned with. His presence alone commands respect and demands fear.

Even though Laura was Hal conscious,her brain was still very sharp. She knew that the Alpha didn’t buy her to be a toy, but someone more. But what?

———

“You’re weak. And a runt from Silvermoon pack. I hate your pack. You will serve me as my maid.You will have to earn your place. I will give you some days to come around,but after you do,you start serving me with immediate effect. Do you understand?”

I swallowed hard, fear mixing with a strange hope. I nodded my head quickly as I didn’t want to get on his bad side.

———

After some hours we arrived at Blackmoon pack. It was modern.Everything looked clean and expensive. We got to the Pack house.

As the Alpha stepped out of the car i immediately followed behind.

“She’ll be watched”

He said to the broad shouldered Beta wolf with eyes like steel. He nodded.

The Beta’s mate glanced at me with a measured look then said to me in a commanding tone:

“You’ll learn to respect us all… or suffer the consequences.”

I was shown a room where I would stay till I got better. The pack doctor came to check on me and prescribed medicine for me. The Alpha didn’t joke about my health. At first I thought it was out of kindness but then I remembered that I was to serve him and he wouldn’t want to waste his money.

I stayed in the room for 1week plus before I came out. I heard when the maids were talking that the Alpha was out on a business trip and he would be back by the end of next week.

———

Drawn by the scent of freshly bread and the need for normalcy Laura ventured into the pack kitchen one morning,though she remains wary.

She meets Mara the the head cook. A no-nonsense, but warm hearted woman who reminds her of the mother figure she longed for. Mara doesn’t question her. She hands her a loaf of freshly baked bread and teases her to grow more flesh. She smiles. She likes her.

Laura also meets two lovely omegas Gina and Lina, who see her scars but don’t flinch. They share stories with Laura as they do their chores, helping her regain a sense of belonging.

As they say not everyone will be welcoming.

Brielle a sharp tongued blonde with high status among the un-mated she wolves.She makes Laura her new target. With the Alpha away there won’t be any reason not to play with a cursed stray.

Blonde hair twisted into a ponytail, flawless skin, and a voice that could cut through glass. She leaned against the door way blocking Laura. Her sharp blue eyes scanned Laura like she was a pile of dirt.

“ Well if it isn’t our little luna reject” she purred.

“Blackmoon must be running a charity now”

Gina and Lina flinched at her tone.

But remained silent. They couldn’t say anything. They we’re omegas.

Lips tight. Laura straightened up. She said nothing.

Brielle stepped closer and lowered her voice.

“Reject. Don’t get too comfortable. Just because the Alpha paid for you doesn’t mean your part of this pack. Your nothing but temporary. Runt.”

She pushed her out of the way and laughed as she walked away.

Feeling defeated Laura ran to her room. Tears in her eyes.Memories of Silvermoon’s betrayal clamped like iron shackles on her. She kept her voice softer and raised her walls higher.

The next day,the kitchen staff offered her kind words. But she politely and quietly left them behind.

———

After Brielle’s taunts and vicious reminders that she is still seen as a curse even in Blackmoon pack, Laura folds.Her shell hardens. She speaks less. She tells herself to forget about peace not to even hope for it.

Refusing to fall apart, she tends to her wounds and forces her healings, quietly volunteering for chores no one wants. She keeps to the corners of the pack house.Unnoticed. Unseen.

Seeking for solace she decides to take a walk in the gardens, where she finds a small girl sitting by a wilted flower bed all alone.

Her wide silver eyes look up at Laura, alert and broken with an ancient look a child shouldn’t have. Looking up at Laura with a haunting familiarity.

Words didn’t need to be said. Two broken souls discarded by those meant to protect them recognizing each other in silence.

After a silent conversation the girl stood up and ran away like she has just seen a ghost.

“Who was that child?”

Laura thought aloud.

———

A week had passed after she met the little girl.

Laura’s scars began to fade. Leaving yellowish and purple marks. Though the physical wounds were healing, the emotional wounds were mending very slowly.

Thanks to her new friends Gina and Lina she walked straighter,speaking out now did her chores with a quiet efficiency.

Vast. That would be the perfect word to describe the pack house. Laura found out that the pack house wasn’t this big. That it was rebuilt by Alpha Damian 2 years after he took over from the previous Alpha. They talked about how rich and handsome he was. Even though Laura was healing she couldn’t even deny the fact that the Alpha was handsome. But cold.

The pack house was filled with rooms she hadn’t explored yet. Lucky for her she was assigned to cleaning the rooms upstairs,Tall doors and dust that wrapped around the air like a blanket.

An old wooden door was slightly open.

She pushed the door open and gasped. Books. A lot of them. Hundreds of them. From the floor to ceiling shelves. The air was filled with the scent of ink and old parchment paper. Leather giving a warm feeling.

She heard sounds

She traced them. Then she saw her. The girl from the gardens. She looked closely and noticed she was trying to read the words but all that came out were weird sounds.

The child was curled upon a corner a massive book open in between her legs. The child noticed Laura and her silver eyes flickered assessing her. She wasn’t scared.

Hesitantly Laura walked up to her knelt beside her leaving a respectful space between them enough not to startle her. She told the child.

“I didn’t expect to see you here”

Silence. Silver eyes stared at Laura.

The girl slowly closed the book slowly and oddly tilted her head in an odd way. Old soul. Laura noted.

Laura glanced at the book“Tale of Moon-born wolves”.

“I loved that book, especially the one about the wolf who talked to the stars.” Laura whispered

The girl blinked.

Laura smiled“ I always felt it was unfair that the stars only answered when she was alone..as if they didn’t want anyone to know they cared.”

Still no response. But the girls gaze softened.

“You know when I was your age I tried talking to the stars, but I only received a scolding and sore throat.”She quietly laughed.

The girl smiled the tiniest smile.

It encouraged Laura.

“And once I thought I could live in the stables forever, I stole a loaf of bread and hid there. I forgot to bring water, so I ended up drinking horse water. I smelled like hay for a week.”

The girl giggled. A soft laugh that made her face light up and Laura’s heart swelled.

“Much better” she added“ you look even more beautiful when you laugh. Like the stars might talk to you.”

The girl pulled from her pocket a small fired flower carefully kept and gave it to Laura.

“For me?”

The girl nodded once and showed Laura a picture of a silent guardian wolf protecting a little cub.

“I’ll look out for you too” The girl didn’t speak but scooted closer to Laura and rested her head against Laura’s shoulders.

The two souls found comfort in each other. They stay in silence. Till it was interrupted by a loud bang and growl.

“HOW DARE YOU!!”