Bought!

"I'm so sorry, Em," My mother's voice came out like a squeak, tears slipping down her flawless face. "I tried so hard to talk sense into him but he wouldn't listen."

"It's alright, mother." I dropped the last of my clothes into the box and secured it with the band hence I zipped it and slouched my shoulder in exhaustion. "I know you would have done more if you could."

"No, I failed you!" Her shoulders shook as she came forward and embraced me. "If I didn't marry him all these won't be happening to you."

"And then we'll both be suffering, Mom." I was hurting inside, but I didn't want to show it. It wouldn't help if both of us were falling apart with none to console the other, so I bit down on my tongue to keep the tears away. "You did the best you could for me. Maybe this is my fate. I hold nothing against you."

"I will make sure Dr. Spencer pays for this."

"You will do no such thing, mother. What did you say about forgiveness?" I pushed away and picked my bag to hand to an oversized man who walked in that minute to collect it and walked out. I swept my eyes around, memorizing the last I could of the only space I had come to call my sanctuary. It wasn't flamboyant, but it was my space and gave me a listening ear the nights I needed someone to rant to. "I will be fine, mother, I promise."

A few minutes later, I was aboard a sleek black Audi with Alpha Ethan as he steered the car out of my childhood home, and from the side mirror, I watched my mother cry beside the Alpha who didn't seem a bit remorseful up to the last moment about what he had done.

I looked to the side at my new owner, still fighting the tears trying to slip out of my eyes. "What are you going to do with me?"

He didn't reply for a while I almost thought he wouldn't. Then, he said without looking at me, "Marry you, of course."

I flushed in awe. "Marry me?"

"Why else am I bringing you to my pack?"

"I tho- I thought you didn't like me and only wanted me to be your surrogate."

"I didn't mention I liked you either." Suddenly the car came to an abrupt stop and he leaned in my direction, taking in a large gust of air with his eyes closed. When he opened them, I was hypnotized by his sharp green eyes. I felt like he cast a spell on me.

Before now, I haven't been with any man. The closest I have gotten to any man was when Tom, my high school crush gave me a perk during a pack bonfire after which he ran off after Magdaline, the school's hottest chick. It was an experience I hate to relive but which helped shape my subsequent love experiences. But this man, there was something about him. Something beckoning, like magic each time he was near me. In his eyes I could see hostility, nonetheless, perhaps, due to the bond between us, his pheromones tended to weaken me and leave me numb, yearning for a connection in any form I could get with him.

"Now, let's make certain things clear between us," He whispered, and I regained myself, abruptly shifting away from him and wetting my lips. "The only reason I am taking you back to my pack is because of my child which you presently carry and because of my mother and pack members. They won't stop disturbing me to settle with a chosen Luna since I couldn't find mine- that was of course before today." He shifted back to his former position with a loud sigh. "So, I intend to use a stone to kill two birds. Unfortunately, since the goddess decided to play pranks on me, you will be my Luna, but only on paper."

"I don't understand," It was my time to speak because none of this made sense. "Your mother and pack needs a Luna and I am carrying your child. So, I'm supposed to be a pawn in your games?"

"It's not like you have a choice."

"Well, I would have had one if you hadn't gone to my family." How did he even know where I lived? 

"You mean the family that sold you for a piece of land?"

My guts twisted, anger lodging in my throat but I didn't say anything. He was right. I was never a part of that family. I only stayed this long because of my mother. I didn't even get to see my baby brother before leaving! He was going to miss me for sure. He was the only one apart from Mom who genuinely loved me. "Okay, you won there," I mouthed, seemingly defeated. "So, I'm supposed to do what?"

He started the car. "Nothing, really. Simply give birth to my child and...do whatever Lunas do." The last words ended in a whisper, I wouldn't have heard them if it wasn't for my wolf abilities.

After that, he didn't say another word to me. And really what could he possibly say to me? It wasn't like we had anything in common to talk about, plus he didn't like me. This seemed more like a business transaction; Play the Luna role and bear my kid. I was a fucken surrogate to my mate.

I relaxed back in the car and stared at the fleeting landscape. My life had always sucked, but not as bad as this. If there was something I had gotten so used to, it was playing the hide-and-seek game. Since my stepfather didn't like me and vowed to make my life hell with his son, I tried as much as possible to avoid their tracks.

I was less heard and seen and worked very hard in the pack in any way I could to compensate for my presence. Everything was going on fine until now. Until that blasted hospital decided to use me as an experiment in the name of a mistake! Now, I don't know what next. I have never felt more helpless than I felt now and the worst part was unlike before when I had my Mom, my little brother, or my school friends, to speak to, now, I was all by myself!

...