Chapter 1

Olivia’s POV

“She’s a virgin.”

Another vampire marked down the first one’s words. I could only allow them to examine me, or I might face punishment.

Every year for the past five years, I’d gone through a similar experience. The vampires wanted to ensure that their potential werewolf tributes maintained their chastity.

Since the vampires ruled this land, their rules had to be obeyed. Every year, they held the tribute selection, and with the tribute selection happening later this evening, examinations like this were a necessary preliminary event.

As I was now 20 years old, this was my fifth and final year taking part in the tribute selection. If I remain unselected this year, I would finally be free of these examinations and the entire selection process.

I waited quietly, my mouth firmly closed, watching and waiting for permission to leave.

When the second vampire finished writing down my result, the first one said, “Get out, and send the next girl in.”

Quickly, I did as the vampire commanded, stepping out of the makeshift tent. I nodded to the next girl who was standing outside in a long line. As she went in, I scurried off, slipping into one of the nearby barns.

There, my fated werewolf mate Jacob was impatiently pacing. He stopped when he saw me and rushed to my side.

I pressed my forehead to Jacob’s while we held each other’s hands. This was the most affection I dared to allow us to show to one another.

While it was still possible I might be selected as a vampire tribute, I didn’t dare take any risks. To do so, and to be caught, meant the whole werewolf pack would be punished.

After my father had been killed by vampires, I couldn’t lose anyone else, not when all I needed to do was wait one more day.

At the age of 15, all werewolf girls in the pack were entered into the lottery of tribute. For five years, each girl must face the possibility of the selection. After the fifth year, if not selected, that girl was then free to find love where they wished. The vampires would no longer want her.

The vampires considered this a mercy, a gift they bestowed on their lowly werewolf slaves.

“Soon, this will be over, and you will be mine,” Jacob said. “When I’m Alpha, I’ll be able to protect you.”

Jacob already helped me and my family so much. He had a good relationship with Mom and my little sister Keri. With my dad gone, things had been tough for my family, but Jacob, the future heir of the pack, never allowed us to go hungry. He sneaked us food, even when the vampires disapproved of it, always under the cover of sunlight, when the vampires were less likely to be watching.

“Only one more day,” I told him and myself, hoping to give us both the comfort we so sorely needed. “One more failed lottery, and we can be together for real.”

That evening came much too soon, with the sun setting behind the massive vampire castle, sending long shadows across our town.

Knowing what to expect, every member of our pack stepped out into the town square under the great clock tower there.

Jacob and I arrived together, and though we didn’t hold hands, our knuckles sometimes brushed together as we walked.

Across the crowd, I saw my mom and my sister Keri standing together among some other lonely women. Other widows mostly, female werewolves who had lost their mates in similar fashion, along with their children. Keri was the youngest one there. At only 15, this was to be her first time in the lottery.

I tried not to think about it too much. I hoped our family name was cursed, perhaps, and Keri would be overlooked for the next five years, just as I had been.

The clock chimed at 8pm, and the vampires processed the long lonely road down from their castle. They wore black cloaks with the hoods drawn up. With just their sallow, pale faces visible, even their hair hidden, the only flash of color on them was their red eyes.

They looked over us with bored disdain. To them, we must have appeared nothing but cattle, to be fed upon at their leisure.

When they reached the base of the clock tower, one stepped forward before the rest.

I recognized him as the King’s Voice, a colonel among the vampires. He had been here for each tribute lottery, never aging or changing at all.

He gazed among us huddled there and announced, “From this pack, we will select four tributes. Of these four, one will be specially chosen to become the blood pet of the Duke of Vampires, Damien.”

Those of us in the crowd glanced nervously at one another.

The tributes were typically gifted to Vampire King Henry.

The name Damien carried even more weight and more fear than the Vampire King himself. In fact, it was believed that Damien had been the one who sired Henry, biting and turning him into a vampire. This made Damien something like the King’s father, as vampires couldn’t have children the natural way.

Not much else was known about the elusive Vampire Duke, other than what the history books said. Though reclusive now, he had once fought in the great wars between vampires and werewolves.

If the history books were to be believed, Vampire Duke Damien had slain thousands of werewolves, and was directly responsible for the werewolves’ current plight as slaves to the vampires. He had been King himself then. But after the war was won, he totally disappeared, leaving the present-day Vampire King Henry on the throne.

“Damien taking tributes is a bad omen,” whispered someone behind me. “He has always been the real, secret power behind the vampire kingdom. For him to make himself known again…”

Someone shushed her.

But the voice continued, “We might be headed for another war.”

A second voice countered the first, just as softly, “What more could the vampires take from us that they don’t already have?”

The first woman answered, “There is always more. They have our freedom, but not our spirit. Soon, they will want that too.”

A few more people hushed the voices, and they went quiet this time.

Just hearing Damien’s name sent a shiver down my spine. To face the Blood King himself was a terrifying prospect. I already had many reasons for praying I would not be chosen, but this was one more.

“I will now call names,” announced the King’s Voice. “If you hear yours, step forward.”

I sucked in a breath and held it.

“Jeanette,” called the King’s Voice.

There was a sharp, sobbing cry from my left. Jeanette, a girl a year younger than me, covered her face with her hands, but still obediently stepped forward.

None of us had any choice but to obey.

“Rachel.”

To my right, a similar sob sounded. This time, Rachel, two years my junior, made her way through the crowd. The onlookers stepped aside. They gave her pitiful looks, already mourning that they would never see her again.

“Mckenna,” said the King’s Voice.

The girl directly in front of me froze. She was braver than most though, and did not sob as she hugged her parents and then left them behind.

Jacob leaned into me. “I’ve been waiting for this for so long. One more name and then you will be mine, once and for all.”

Despite the sadness of what was happening around me, I allowed myself a moment’s hope, knowing Jacob was right. Soon, I would be done with this lottery, and we could have the vampire’s mercy and blessing to be together.

We just needed to wait out and survive this last name.

The King’s Voice looked over us, then announced the final name.

“Keri.”

My blood ran cold.

Across the crowd, my mother grabbed my 15 year old sister, holding her closely, unwilling to give her up.

But she didn’t have a choice. The vampires would take her one way or another.

My sweet, innocent, young sister had been chosen as tribute.