Chapter 2

Tears slide down my cheeks as his scent fills my nostrils, the scent that always told me I was safe. The scent of my father’s Beta who always read me bedtime stories. The scent that would sneak me chocolate before dinner when my father said I wasn’t allowed. The scent that used to mean safety and fatherly love.

“Sammy, please-” a little girl’s voice comes out my mouth before a slap echoes around the stone cell. If he hadn’t been holding me up by the chain, I would have been knocked to the floor. My cheek stings but it’s nothing compared to the burning of the wolfsbane coursing through my veins. I desperately try to hold back any tears. I’m a strong, brave ferocious wolf. He has no right to make me cry. No right to hurt me… but that is besides the point. I can control the fact I will not cry.

“You don’t call me that, your father betrayed me,” he sneers, his lips next to my ear caused another flinch. He throws me back to the floor, I don’t try to move. “You’re ready. Conner, Trey release her.” I hear footsteps and the rattling of the chains. One by one my shackles make a clunk as they hit the floor.

I remain still, it’s easier to stay still as it doesn’t burn quite so much. “When did you last dose her?” Samual turned to the guards.

“This morning sir,” a young man’s voice comes from above. I try to turn to watch what’s happening but it’s like my brain and limbs aren’t connected. I hear a thud and the crunching of bone.

A low growling snarl fills the room. “Idiot! I told you she needs to be strong for my son!”

“I’m sorry,” his words are thick, it sounds like his nose is broken. Two sets of large hands wrap around my arms. I try to struggle but my muscles don’t comply.

I lay limp in their hands as they drag me from my little stone cell. My feet bump over a step, I look up slightly, Samual is in front; leading. I strain and manage to look to one of the men holding me. He’s not much taller than me, I can see his side profile. Average looking, dark blonde hair, I don’t recognise him but he wasn’t the one with a broken nose.

The strain of keeping my neck turned gets too much, I slump my head back down looking at the uneven stone flooring with a layer of dust and grime covering each and every stone. I distract myself by insulting their cleanliness. I mean sure, I’ve not been to our own cells before by the palace but I am one hundred percent sure the floors are remarkably cleaner than what I was staring at. My insults are suddenly distracted when my head suddenly gets yanked back by my hair, and my eyes water at the sting tingling over my scalp. My limbs turn icy cold, a bolder plummeting in my stomach. I can’t help the sight before me making my jaw quiver, and now my eyes are watering for a completely different reason.

“Christopher,” I breathe, my voice choking too much for what I wanted. They can’t know how I feel but I can’t help it. His little form is chained at his wrists and ankles, I can see him through the barred door, his cells looks much like what I’ve come from. He looks up to me, his eyes full of tears. “Ela!” his lovely little voice. He hadn’t been able to say my full name as a little one so he had shorted Adelaide into Ela, I didn’t mind.

I mind even less now.

Some fight comes back, I ignore the searing pain and struggle with all my might. “What did you do to him, you bastard!” I rip my hand free from the man with the broken nose and hit him but before I can do anything else both my arms are pinned behind my back by the blonde-haired man. I continue to struggle.

I have to save my brother.

Samual puts his face close to mine and I spit into it, he’s a monster. I watch with a small satisfaction as the glob of spit runs down his cheek. So unlady like but I really don’t care. I prepare to spit again, claw at him, headbutt him, kick him, anything! I will destroy him. “I wouldn’t if I were you.” He motions to the man with the broken nose who enters my brother’s cell.

The man kicks Christopher, “NO!” I scream and I struggle again, every movement hurts but I don’t care.

“If you’re not a good girl, anything I want to do to you, I’ll do to him.” Samual points his finger to my little brother curled up from the pain. “I’m sorry… I’ll do anything… let him go, please,” I beg, “He’s too young for this, he’s ten… Please Samual.” Panic flooding through me, my stomach’s tight. I’m no longer scared for myself.

Samual grabs my face, “I’ll tell you what you’re going to do.” His cold eyes bore into mine. “You’re going to be a good little bitch for my son, he’ll be your mate. You will bed him well, you will bear his pups.” My bottom lip wobbles.

“No,” I whisper without realising, a small chuckle comes from Samual and he motions again. Another cry erupts from Christopher as he’s kicked. “I didn’t mean it, I’m sorry.” I do something I have never done in my life. I bare my neck in submission.

He hums as he drags a finger down the jugular I’ve bared to him. I shudder at his touch; he makes me feel sick. “Now that’s better.” I can hear the smile through his words. I squeeze my eyes shut wishing he would take that filthy finger away from me.

My little brother… What the fuck do I do?