Chapter 2

Bianca’s Point of View

My body feels frozen, and my mind won't stop spinning and my stomach keeps churning as Damon’s words keep repeating themselves in my head over and over again.

Luckily for me, my mother doesn’t stop once we leave the office. She keeps her head down, her grip tight on my arm as she pulls me through the halls.

My panic begins to climb and it feels like I can't breath. My mother increases her pace and the moment we reach my room, she opens the door and quickly ushers me inside before I fall apart in the hall.

As soon as the door closes, my chest tightens and my breath comes out uneven.

“I can’t do it. I won’t do it.”

I murmur as I begin pacing in front of the door.

“What’s going on? Why do you both look like that?”

Someone asks and I realize Emily is in my room.

She looks between me and my mother from the bed, confusion flickering across her face.

“I can’t marry him.”

I blurt out, shaking my head with my hands in my hair.

Emily stands from the bed, still frowning.

“Marry who?”

She adks, but I don't answer as I rush to my closet and rip open the doors.

“I have to leave. If I stay here...”

I continue, words spilling over each other as I begin pulling clothes from my closet but my mother reaches out to me, stopping me.

“Bianca. Slow down.”

My mother says gently as she turns me to look at her.

I shake my head.

“No. There is no time. I can't marry him! I have to leave!”

I say again.

“I still don't understand. Can someone please tell me what is going on. Who can't you marry?”

Emily asks again and I look up at her, swallowing hard before I answer.

“Damon made a deal with another Alpha. He sold me for some land. ”

I say, and her face pales slightly.

“To who?”

“Alpha Marcus Bass.”

I say and she gasps, her eyes going round as her hand flies to her mouth.

“No… oh Goddess, no.”

She mutters, turning to my mother instantly.

“She is right. She can't stay here, she has to leave! We need to get her out of here. Now!”

She says and my mother nods her head.

"I know... I..."

My mother begins, but panic surges through me and I shake my head.

“No! You can’t help me. If you help me escape, and Damon finds out he will punish you. Both of you.”

I say quickly.

“I don’t care.”

Emily says firmly, her eyes flashing.

“But I do! I won’t let him hurt you because of me. I’ll do this alone.”

I say, my voice breaking and Emily shakes her head.

“Absolutely not! I won't let him do this to you! You are not doing this alone.”

Emily snaps and I frown, shaking my head again, about to open my mouth to argue when my mother’s voice grabs my attention.

"Bianca!"

She says loudly and my eyes quickly snaps to hers.

She takes a deep breath, her jaw tightening slightly before she speak.

“I need you to stop arguing and to listen to me.”

She says, looking between me and Emily.

“Whether you like it or not, we are helping you get out of here. But we can’t rush this, we can't do it in the open, and definitely not right now.”

She says firmly and I swallow hard.

“So what then? I’m running out of time here.”

I ask desperately and she shakes her head.

“No, just stay calm and breath. We need to pretend that everything is normal. You go back to your duties. Both of you. You smile when you have to, and you keep your head down the rest of the time. We just need to make it to tonight.”

She says firmly and Emily frowns.

“Tonight?”

She asks and my mother nods her head.

“Yes, tonight. We will meet back here before the festival starts.”

“The festival? You think he will let me leave that? He will make me stay there to pretend to be a happy family. ”

I say immediately and she shakes her head.

“No. He won't. You'll tell him you're not feeling well and he will send you back home. And you will take your chance the. This pack will be distracted, and it may be our only window.”

She says quietly and I shake my head.

“Mom...”

I begin but she cuts me off.

“You are my daughter and I love you, Bianca. I failed to protect you before, but I will not fail you now.”

She says, her voice firm but trembling slightly as she grips my hands tightly.

“I can’t protect you here, and I can't get you out of this, but I can help you leave.”

She says and my throat tightens.

“And if he finds out?”

I ask, my voice shaky.

“Then he finds out after you are gone.”

Emily says fiercely, shrugging her shoulders and my mother nods her head before she pulls me into a tight hug.

“You deserve better than being sold. Better than him.”

She whispers before she pulls back, and lets me go, wiping her eyes.

“Now get dressed. Put on something simple, and go back to work like nothing has happened.”

She says firmly. I'm about to say something but Emily shakes her head and squeezes my shoulder.

“Don't worry about anything. We’ll handle the rest.”

She says and they both leave quickly, not giving me time to argue.

The silence begins to press in around me and I take a shaky breath before I strip out of the dress, and pull on some tights and a loose shirt.

When I step out of my room, my heart pounds painfully in my chest, and my hands trembled, but I force myself to keep moving.

My mother is right. I need to keep it together, to make sure no one suspects anything, because tonight is my only chance to get out of here.