Taken by the devil

IRIS POV

His hands slowly released me, causing me to stumble backward.

Smack!

A brutal punch landed squarely on my father's face. The force of the blow cracked through the quiet room, and dark crimson blood immediately began to drip from his nose, pooling over his mouth.

"No!" I screamed, my voice cracking as I tried to rush to his side. Before I could take a single step, two pairs of strong, heavy hands grabbed my shoulders from behind and violently yanked me back.

The psychopath let out another dark, chilling laugh. Completely ignoring my father's obvious agony, he reached down and gripped his collar, pulling him upward.

My father groaned, his head moving involuntarily as his body grew weaker by the second.

"How dare you say that, Gideon!" Ryker roared, his eyes flashing with a terrifying, vengeful fury.

 "Lola also had an unborn child inside her, but you didn't spare her! So tell me, why should I spare your daughter when you brutally killed mine?"

"Leave him alone! Just leave him alone!" I screamed helplessly, thrashing wildly against the iron grip of the guards holding me captive.

"Silence!" Ryker bellowed, his voice vibrating through the walls. On his command, a guard's rough, calloused palm slapped over my mouth, cutting off my air and muffling my cries.

Hot, heavy tears flowed out of my eyes uncontrollably, burning my cheeks.

My father shook his head, coughing out a spray of thick blood onto the floor. When he spoke, his voice came out weak, raspy, and dangerously low.

"I swear, Ryker... believe me," he gasped, fighting for breath. "I didn't kill her. I left right after I took the letters."

"Lies!" Ryker thundered.

He abruptly stood up, his heavy combat boots making a loud, threatening thud against the wooden floorboards. He slammed his hands against his temples, pacing back and forth like a caged predator.

"Enough of your stupid, pathetic lies!"

My father's desperate eyes locked into mine, and despite the absolute horror of the situation, a small, comforting smile touched his bruised lips. He was trying to brave the storm just to keep me calm.

Seeing that smile made me feel like a physical dagger had been stabbed directly into my heart. 

No, please, don't look at me like that. I tried to shift into my white wolf, pushing my power to the surface so I could tear these monsters apart, but my inner beast utterly refused. 

She whined and retreated into my mind, completely unwilling to attack the man who was meant to be our fated mate.

"Death seems far too easy for you, Gideon. It seems I will have to look for a much better way to torture you," Ryker mused, his voice dropping into a sinister purr. 

His eyes slowly drifted over to me, a cruel, mocking smirk playing on his lips.

His boots moved slowly, deliberately approaching where I stood captive. The sound of his footsteps echoed in the room like a ticking time bomb.

Thud... thud... thud...

My heart rate accelerated into a frantic frenzy, hammering so loudly against my ribs that I was certain everyone in the room could hear it. 

Before I could even brace myself, Ryker reached out with a swift, violent yank, dragging me up by my hair and forcing my body flush against his broad chest.

Pain tore through my scalp, and I gritted my teeth.

"How about I take you back to be my breeder, little wolf?" he whispered, his eyes glinting with malice.

Across the room, my father looked completely panicked, rattling the wooden chair in a desperate bid to break free.

My stomach twisted into a painful, nauseating knot. 

No. No, that cannot happen! I can't be bound to this heartless monster! I won't let him use me to breed his heirs.

"I would rather die than be your mate!" I spat directly into his face, my voice dripping with a newfound, blooming hatred that burned away my fear.

His jaw instantly clenched, his expression turning deadly dark. He slowly raised his other palm, casually wiping my saliva away from his cheek.

"Oi, sweetheart, you don't get to negotiate with me," he growled.

Suddenly, his massive hand wrapped tightly around my throat, cutting off my airway and squeezing hard. 

My lungs burned for oxygen as my feet were slowly lifted completely off the ground. I clawed frantically at his fingers, digging my nails into his skin as I tried to free myself from his iron grip.

"Please, Ryker! Leave her alone! She's completely innocent!" my father begged, struggling so violently against his restraints that the tight ropes bit deeply into his skin, drawing fresh blood.

Ryker smirked cruelly, leaning his head down until his hot, minty breath brushed directly against my ear.

"Any more resistance, darling, and I swear by the Moon Mother herself that I will slit your father's old throat right now, bathing your pretty face in his blood."

My breath hitched completely. A sudden, overwhelming wave of paralyzing fear burst through my entire body.

No. I can't let him die. I can't let him murder my father right in front of me.

My thrashing body went completely still in his hold, signaling my defeat. Sensing my submission, his lethal grip slowly released from my throat, and my feet finally touched the solid ground again. I gasped, drawing in air.

"So... do you still want to act stubborn, or—" Ryker paused, raising a single finger adorned with a heavy golden ring.

On his cue, a guard stepped forward and brought a razor-sharp sword inches away from my father's exposed neck.

My heart hammered wildly against my chest. I clenched my fists tightly at my sides as Ryker gently pushed me from behind, guiding me forward.

"The ball is in your court," he whispered darkly against my ear, before daring to press a sickening, possessive lick against my earlobe.

My stomach violently twisted, and a desperate urge to kick him between the legs flared through me, but I forced myself to hold back.

My father's helpless, tear-filled eyes stared at me. He shook his head frantically, pulling his lips tightly together in a desperate plea.

"Don't act reckless, Iris! This matter doesn't concern you!" he yelled, trying to shield me from the burden.

I closed my eyes tightly, letting a fresh wave of tears flow freely down my face. 

Oh, Moon Goddess, why? You really made my eighteenth birthday the worst night of my life.

"You are taking far too much time," Ryker groaned impatiently, his voice sharpening.

"Three..."

"Please, don't do this!" my father shouted at him.

"I'm so sorry, father... I have to do this," I whispered under my breath, my heart breaking into pieces.

"Two..."

"I will leave with you!" The words tore out of my throat before I could even think to stop them.

My eyes snapped open just as the guard's sword was a mere inch away from beheading my father.

Before I could even blink, Ryker gripped my waist and shoved me backward until my spine hit the solid wall. His massive, muscular chest pressed heavily against mine, pinning me in place as he bent his face down and brutally slammed his lips onto mine.

The kiss was rough, intense, and completely devoid of affection. It was a declaration of absolute ownership.

No—no, please.

I struggled wildly against him, trying to turn my head to break the invasive contact, but he caught my hands firmly, pinning them high above my head against the wall while tightening his mouth over mine.

To my absolute horror, my inner wolf seemed to lean into the touch, sparked by the fated mate bond. But i hated it. I hated him with every ounce of my soul.

"Stop it, Ryker! Let her go!" my father yelled continuously, his voice cracking with pure rage and helplessness.

Ryker shifted his weight, releasing my hands and pinning my entire body to the wall with just his right arm. His left hand moved swiftly and violatingly down my body, tearing at the fabric of my birthday dress until I was half-naked, before brutally cupping my breast.

My nerves flared with a sudden, agonizing shockwave as his calloused fingers pinched my sensitive nipple.

"Ah—"

I let out a sharp, painful gasp directly into his mouth. Satisfied with my reaction, he finally broke the kiss and stepped back, looking over at my father, whose eyes were now bloodshot and burning with absolute hatred.

Ryker's breathing was jagged and uneven as he stared at him.

"I truly enjoy the aroma of your pain, Gideon," Ryker said cruelly, spreading his arms wide and inhaling deeply, as if the despair in the room was a fine wine. "It fills my stomach greatly."

My father's eyes burned with a lethal fire, glaring at Ryker as if he could tear him limb from limb with his gaze alone.

"She is my breeder now," Ryker sneered, delivering the final, crushing blow and he move close to father whispering a word in his ear.

"Don't you dare!" Father yell followed, but he completely ignore it and walk towards me with a smirk.

I bit my trembling lip, folding my arms tightly over my exposed chest in a desperate attempt to shield myself. 

Before I could process anything else, Ryker violently threw me over his broad shoulder.

I tried to kick and resist, but his grip on my legs was like iron. He turned back to face his men one last time.

"Take care of him," he commanded coldly, before carrying me out of the ruined pack house.

The biting, cold night air immediately slapped against my bare skin. As he carried me into the courtyard, I looked down to see my pack members kneeling helplessly on the ground, terrified and surrounded by massive, towering black wolves.

As the gates of my home vanished behind us, a dark realization settled into my chest.

Is this really the end of my sweet life?