Chapter 4 - The Kings Arrive

Alina's POV

The black carriage rolled through the gates and came to a stop. And it was bigger and heavier than anything I had ever seen before.

When the doors of the carriage opened, out stepped the two identical kings, tall and well built, both dark-haired, pale-eyed, and made them seem even more eerie.

Their presence sucked air out of the entire courtyard. One bore an expression that was cold, unreadable, while the other had a faintly amused look, as though this whole visit had something of a view to it.

For a moment, their eyes moved over the pack grounds.

Then they landed on me.

My stomach dropped out by that, and I thought my knees might buckle.

One of them, the oldest, I presumed, spoke to Damon. "Is that her?" His voice was deep, steady, and had not a hint of warmth.

Damon straightened himself up, quickly regaining his confidence. "Yes, Your Majesties. This is the girl I promised."

The younger king spent more time on me, narrowing his eyes before he said, "She's small."

Damon quickly nodded. "But healthy. Besides, she'll be right for the job."

Their purpose.

Breeding.

The word rang hollowly in my skull.

The oldest king nodded curtly. "We leave at once."

Before I could even catch my breath, I was shoved toward the carriage. The kings didn't ride with me but rode ahead of me on their separate path as soon as we passed through the borders of my pack.

I looked in the direction where they disappeared into another road.

I was property.

Finally, after many hours of my traveling, the carriage stopped. When the door opened, I found myself before The Crimson Lycan Empire, my new prison.

Two female guards seized my arms and sent me through a dim hallway. Then they hurled me into a small room with a single bed, basin, and a tiny barred metal window.

When I looked up, the door opened again.

An elderly lady came in with her gray hair knotted very tight at the back of her head.

"Sit," she ordered.

I followed her order quickly, sitting at the edge of the bed.

She stared at me, considering, then spoke flatly. "You are here to breed."

"I... I know."

"Do you really?" she countered. "Most young girls think they know until they hear the rest."

I swallowed hard but nodded.

"Straightforward enough, then. You will produce healthy male children for the royal bloodline. Not one. Not two. As many as your body can withstand until the expiration date of your contract."

Contract.

As if I signed up for any of this.

She walked around me slowly. "You will be inspected every month, live on special meals, be manufactured to perfection, and observed. If you cannot conceive..." She tapped the scroll softly. "You shall be out."

"Out?" I asked, though dread filled me at what I thought was inevitably coming next.

Her eyes were unyielding to mine. "Executed."

My breath stilled. "Executed...because I can't get pregnant?"

"Because you would be useless," she said simply. "This isn't irreverent here. Many breeders before you have died that way."

I tightened my chest as though I were holding unexplainable pain within it. "And what about those who succeeded?"

"The ones who bore it are now alive," she answered. "Free they were not."

She rolled the scroll up.

"Your stepbrother has sold you into a dangerous promise, girl. The kings are expecting results. And the kings always got what they wanted."

I looked down at my hands trying to stop shaking. It felt like my bones were shaking.

"I'll leave you to your rest," said the woman. "Someone will come to collect you when you're needed."

When the door closed, the silence in the room felt too loud.

I stared at the little window and tried not to fall apart.

This is worse than what I had imagined.

Not only did Damon throw me like an object... he also traded me for death if I failed.

The door opened again. This time, a young maid stood there. Her hands were pressed together as she wrangled nervously, "You need to come with me."

I sat up instantly, "Why?"

Her eyes turned away. "The kings... they want you in their chambers."

I felt my heart hit the ground.

The kings.

She led me through the hallway, and all I can do is shake my head by moving slowly and steadily. She stopped in front of a large door made of dark wood which had carvings of wolves on both sides.

"They're inside," she whispered.

Before I could even open my mouth, the door swung itself wide.

Inside their chamber stood the twin kings: a wide room with fire burning in the fireplace and big bed behind them. They didn't sit. They waited.

The oldest king spoke first. "Shut the door."

The maid bowed, closing it up behind her, leaving me alone with the two tall kings.

My palms were clammy, and my throat felt tight.

"Come forward," the younger king said.

I forced my feet to move until I was a few steps away from them.

His arms were folded across his chest. "Your stepbrother took a huge advance from our empire, and to cover it, offered you up."

Collateral.

Not sister.

Not relative.

Collateral.

The younger king neared me. "You shall give births to pups for us - strong ones - healthy males, and this will go on until Damon repays everything he owes."

Involuntarily, I tightened my fists. "What if he doesn't?"

The eldest king didn't even blink. "Then you belong to us forever."

My voice cracked. "If I... if I fail to supply you heirs?"

The younger king cocked his head. "Then you will die like your parents."

Something broke inside me.

Air felt thin.

The eldest king stepped toward me slowly, and his overwhelming presence made it impossible for me to look away.

He assessed me, scrutinizing me with cold, critical eyes.

Then he gave my new life the first command.

"Strip!"