Felicity POV Ava and i walked into the market and immediately felt the tension in the air. The villagers were talking in hushed tones, looking over their shoulders as they whispered to one another. Ava tugged at my sleeve, making me stop in her tracks. "Do you feel that?" she asked, her eyes darting around the market. I shook my head, unsure what Ava was getting at. "Feel what?" "The atmosphere," Ava whispered, her eyes scanning the crowd. "It's different. Everyone seemed on edge." "Something's not right," Ava said, grasping my arm. I looked around, and Ava was right. The usual chattering and laughter had been replaced by hushed whispers and furtive glances. Something was definitely up. I nodded, feeling my heart race. "I know. Everyone seemed suspicious. It's making me nervous." As we made our way towards our favorite vegetable stall, we overheard two women talking in low voices. "Did you hear?" one of them said, her tone anxious. "The men of the alpha from the
We took advantage of this to run away. My heart was pounding in my chest. Ava put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You did the right thing," she said." You also ! " I congratulated her on her bravery.Despite my fear, I felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that we had stood up for ourselves. As we walked, I couldn't help but think about what the alpha's men were planning. What could they want from this small, peaceful village? Just a "Breeder"?"I don't like this," Ava said, echoing my thoughts."I agree. We need to be careful," I replied. "We need to figure out what's going on and how we can protect ourselves and the villagers."Suddenly, a hand grabbed my shoulder, making me jump."Sorry to startle you, ladies," said a man, "but I overheard what you were talking about. I might be able to help."He introduced himself as Elias, a local farmer who had some information about the alpha's plans. He had overheard some of the men talking at the tavern the night before."The alpha has bi
The next day, a meeting was taking place to which Elias had invited us.Ava and I walked into the meeting with Elias, scanning the room nervously for the mysterious man from the protest. "Do you see him anywhere?" Ava whispered, her eyes darting around the room."No, I don't," I replied, feeling relieved yet still tense. We took our seats and greeted Elias' associates, but there was a strange energy in the room that we couldn't ignore.As the meeting began, Elias started talking but he seemed to be skirting around the real topic of discussion. "So, we have some updates on the project," he said hesitantly.Ava and I exchanged confused glances, wondering why Elias was acting so differently than usual. "Is everything okay, Elias?" I asked, trying to break the tension.Elias forced a smile and nodded. "Yes, yes, everything is fine. Let me just continue with the updates." He continued to talk, but it was clear that he was avoiding certain details and topics.Finally, towards the end of the
My mind raced as I tried to process the situation. We had to act fast, and we had to act smart. The fear in my gut turned into full-fledged panic as I turned to Ava, my eyes locking with hers."Ava," I whispered urgently. "We have to go, now. They're going to break down the door any second."Ava's face paled as she assessed the situation. "We can't stay here," she said, her voice shaking. "We have to find another way out."My mind raced as I tried to come up with a plan. "There's the underground kitchen hatch," I suggested. "It may be our only chance."Ava nodded, her eyes filled with determination. "Okay, let's go."As we hurried towards the hatch, the sound of the door banging against the door frame grew louder. With each passing second, my heart threatened to burst out of my chest."We have to hurry," I said, my voice barely above a whisper."I'll slow them down," Ava said resolutely. "Go, get out of here."I shook my head. "No, Ava. I can't let you face them alone. We'll go toget
20But then a rat emerged from the bushes, I let out a relieved laugh. "Just a rat," I muttered to myself before continuing on my path. But the feeling of being watched didn't leave me.I continued on my path, constantly looking over my shoulder and scanning the area for any signs of danger.But my fear soon turned into panic when I heard footsteps behind me."Who's there?" I called out, but no response.I slowly began to pick up the pace, feeling my heart hammering in my chest at the sound of the footsteps closing in on me. "I said, who's there?" I called out again, my voice shaking with fear."Oh, just a couple of friends looking for a little fun," the stranger replied with a low chuckle.The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as I broke into a run, my mind racing with thoughts of how to get away from the strangers. "She couldn't have gone far, look everywhere, she is there," one of them shouted, only increasing my panic.I heard the sound of footsteps pounding mud behind me
21My heart pounded as Alpha Grimmjaw leaned in closer, his eyes shining with amusement."First things first," he said, his grip on my chin tightening. "You need to prove that you're worth keeping alive. So, let's see how well you can obey."He gestured to one of his minions, who handed him a knife. My eyes widened in horror as he pressed the blade against my throat."Tell me," he said, his lips inches from my ear. "Are you really willing to do anything?"I swallowed hard, nodding frantically."Good," he murmured. "Then prove it. Prove that you're worthy of my protection."My mind raced as he moved the knife away from my throat, but I knew there was no escaping him. I had to comply if I wanted to survive."Okay," I said, my voice trembling. "What do you want me to do?"Alpha Grimmjaw's smile widened. "Simple. You're going to kill one of my enemies."My heart lurched at his words. Kill? Me? I couldn't even imagine such a thing, but he didn't give me a chance to object. He grabbed my ar
22Maximus POV."Where is she?" I demanded, my voice laced with anger. "It's been months, and Felicity is still missing. Why have we not found her yet?""We're doing everything we can, Your Highness," one of my advisors responded in a calm tone. "We've deployed all our resources and sent scouts to every corner of the kingdom.""But it's not enough," I growled, feeling the frustration boiling inside me. "How could she have disappeared without a trace? This is unacceptable.""Perhaps she's hiding in a nearby village or town," suggested another advisor."That's impossible!" I snapped back. "She wouldn't be able to hide for this long without being discovered. Someone must be helping her.""Your Majesty, we need to consider the possibility that she's left the kingdom altogether," said a guard who had been silent until now. "We should start looking beyond our borders.""Absolutely not," I declared, my eyes narrowing. "We cannot let her escape without facing the consequences of her actions.
23"I'll do it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But on one condition."Alpha Grimmjaw raised an eyebrow. "And what's that?""I want to be treated with respect," I said, my voice steady. "I want to be treated like a human being, not a prisoner or a slave."Alpha Grimmjaw chuckled. "You're in no position to make demands, Sarah," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "But I'll humor you. You want respect? Fine. You'll get it. But don't think that means you're free to do as you please. You're still mine, and you'll do what I say, when I say it."I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. At least I have some kind of leverage now.As the days went by, I tried my best to hold up my end of the bargain. I cooked and cleaned for Alpha Grimmjaw and his guards, bearing the insults and abuse they hurled at me with as much dignity as I could manage.But it was never enough. Alpha Grimmjaw always found something to be unhappy about, always found a reason to punish me.One day,