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WARNING!!!

If you are looking for a werewolf love story, this is not it. Although there is love in my story, a perfect love at one time. There is also a lot of pain, heart ache, and sadness.

This is not a fairy tale, there is no white knight. This is a story about betrayal, anger, bitterness, forgiveness, and change. This is a story of how the main character’s life fell apart.

I want to warn you that there are acts of violence in this story that may trigger some readers. This story contains acts of domestic abuse, and memories of sexual assault. This is not an easy story to read, and I caution all who do read it that there may be moments that will haunt you, I know because they haunt me to this day.

Another warning this story contains is tales of addiction, again something that may be a trigger to some readers.

My final warning to you is that this story includes mental health issues. Although this may not be considered a trigger, I want to make sure that you know exactly what

kind of ride you are in for by reading this book. I do not give out these warning lightly. 

I want you to know what you are in for if you choose to move forward and read my tale. I in no way, shape, or form wish to hurt anyone by telling my story but I must. I must get it out there, the truth of my life. It may be the last time I am able to.

Also, If you are too emotional and can't handle emotional roller coasters, angry and sad moments, being foolish for love, then this book is not for you. 

Skip it and spare me angry and mean reviews simply because certain things didn't go how you wanted or hoped. WRITING IS AN ART it is created to stir up emotions and entertain. Creation is hard and I put a lot of time and effort into writing this story. I hope my effort is appreciated and respected. Thank You*

* this book is dark with many ups and downs, not for the emotional or faint hearted*

------...----------

   Jessica POV

"Oh my goodness... this necklace are so pretty Maya. Could I please have them, I would love to wear it for Zulfi's birthday party next week?" I asked my best friend as we made our way to the garden.

"Of course Mylady, how could I say no. I am sure Zulfi won't take his eyes off you when he sees you with the necklace on." Maya said as we both laughed.

That moment a guard walked up to us, distracting the conversation between me and my best friend Maya.

"I'm sorry Mylady but the king asked to see you." The guard said.

"...Okay, tell him I will be there after seeing Maya out." I said with the hope of walking away, but was cut off again.

"I'm sorry Mylady, but he told me you to come with me."

With a frown I turned to the blonde girl next to me, "I'm so sorry Maya, I need to go now.. but we'll catch up later."

"okay then, bye!

Without replying to Maya, I quickly left with the guard.

.........

"Father you summoned me?" I asked my father immediately as I got into the palace. He then ushered me to sit next to him on the throne which I did without hesitation.

Although it was something he always did to me in the past~ always calling me to sit next to him in his throne, today I felt like there was a particular reason why he had asked to see me.

Being the only child he had, I knew it was my responsibility to always be there for him but not like he was old or could not care for himself. Whatever it was, I hope it was the discussion of marriage because I was over thirty now and he had refused allowing me to get married for a reason best know to him.    

"Yes, I did Jessica. There's something very important I need to tell you. I have been keeping it all this years and I think now is the time for me to spill it out." He said.

Very important? What could it be. Could it be that maybe he was about to talk about my engagement to Vampire  Zulfi?....

After settling down next to him, I glance at him and said." So what is it father, I am all ears?"

Two guards were standing opposite him, with leather made fan as they blew him. He glanced at them and gave them the sign to leave us in private which they did. Immediately they left, my father took my tiny hand to his, patting them gently like he had always does as he continued saying.

"The destiny of this kingdom lay in your hands which is something you are well aware of my child. I have always waited for this moment where you could finally achieve what I could not achieve over the past and I am very happy that that day had finally arrived."

"Father is it about my engagement to Vampire Zulfi?" I wanted to be sure but he pushed my hands away from his.

"Nonsense!" He yelled, "it's not about that dear, I know you love Zulfi and wished to get married to him but that is more reason why you need to carry out this plan so the earliest you can settle with him." 

There was a frown on my face. "So what is it father? If there's anything I can do just do be with Zulfi, then I will do it. Just tell me what it is." I said with determination in my eyes. 

A smile came on his wrinkled face. "Good. You have heard stories of the Crescent-Moons pack right?" He asked.

There was glitters in my eyes, "Of course. Mother used to tell me that when she was alive. I was told Crescent-Moons pack was a very powerful pack with late Alpha Drew's son Jax ruling it. Alpha Jax is said to also be very powerful like his father. Rumors had it that he even lead the people to war and that he is more stronger than his father." I said as a smile came all over my tiny face.

When I was little ~ age 10, my mother used to tell me the Crescent-Moons stories and I had enjoyed every bit of them. At that time, I would wish that I could become as powerful as them. Wished that I could marry into that family and rule with power and authority, but unfortunately that was only a dream because I was born into a less power pack of the witches whose mission were destruction. Hence, we were not allowed to marry any Werewolf or had any thing to do with them because they were our worstest enemies. We could only marry Vampires, so now that my father has brought up the topic of the Crescent-Moons pack, I was happy again.

"What if I told you that you could bring the one and only powerful Alpha Jax of Crescent-Moons pack down to his kneels?" My father said to which my eyes widened. Wouldn't that be magical?

"That's a lie father, no one can destroy Alpha Jax not to talk of me, an ordinary girl." I said, not wanting to put my hopes high.

"Of course you could ny child.... this is why I had forbidden you from getting married so you could fulfill the destiny of bringing him down." He told me.

With all seriousness, I could tell he was telling the truth. If I could destroy him as said by my father, then what was I waiting for? I will not only become very powerful but all other packs will now their head for me except Draco pack which was far away from our pack.

"So how do we go about it father... I can't wait to see him begging in front of me kneeling down and worshiping me?" I asked.

"Good. Now lets began," he stood up from where he was seated and walked to his room. Then he came back with a map of the location of Crescent-Moons pack.

"In order to destroy him we have to think of a way to gain his trust, that way after he has trusted tut completely then you can go ahea and ruin him." He said.

"Which is?" I asked.

"You need to marry him...." said my father.

I immediately stood up from the chair I was sitting. "But father I can't do that, you know Zulfi is the one I love and wished to spend my enternity with."

"I know, but you are only doing this for me. I need you to get married to him, after that you will kill him and take over the pack." He said to me.

"But father, what did Alpha Jax do to you that you won't stop at nothing till you see his downfall?" I asked, wanting to be sure.

" His father, Alpha Drew betrayed me in the past and made me loose my wife your mother. So I won't stop at anything just to see his son go through the same pain I went through when your mother was killed, so that's why I won't stop till I see Jax's downfall!" My father told me.

Tears rolled down my eyes and I could not control my anger anymore. I had grown up with no motherly love and had to be raised in an orphanage, and this was all that stupid Alpha's fault. Now, not only will I marry him but will stop at nothing to put an end to his existence.

“....."

Wiping my tears, I walked up to my father. "I agree with it, so let's began."

Then we made plans on how I could get into Crescent-Moons pack. After everything was set, I traveled to began my mission of destruction.

********

“Will you marry me, Alpha Jax?” I asked and bowed slightly. My eyes shifted to the two guards at either side of Alpha Jax. It was funny to see their eyes look like they would pop out of their skulls when they heard my question.

Alpha Jax is currently the Alpha of the Dre family. Apparently, he’s been hailed as one of the strongest men on the continent—and the most handsome.

Not like that matters to me but I guess it’s a plus.

The city of Avan, the Alpha’s hometown, was always so unbearably cold. It didn’t matter what the time of year it was either. At least the charcoal fire was lit even though it didn’t really help ease any of the tension that was between us.

“Excuse me?” The man stared at me in disbelief. A frown creased the sides of his face.

“Surely I’m not the first person who’s attempted to propose to you, my Alpha. Although, if I have to repeat myself, will you marry me?” I looked into his eyes without hesitation.

Despite how long I had to wait to even get the Alpha to see me, it was nothing in comparison to the months of preparation that led up to this moment.

Earlier today, I told myself I was just going to visit the city with my maid, Jennifer. I was initially just trying to get familiar with the layout of Avan. Honestly, I wasn’t trying to rush into a marriage and then move to a brand new place I barely knew anything about.

But something changed when I got a glimpse of Jax's castle. It was like a switch flipped. It was then I decided that today was going to be the day I would put my plan into motion.

I remember begging the guards as soon as I made my way up the castle steps. “Just let me in, please! I have an urgent message for Alpha Jax that he needs to hear!”

The guards were hesitant at first but they decided to listen to me. They escorted me to one of the Alpha's parlors and told me to just wait outside.

Unfortunately for me, it didn’t take long for my request to see the Alpha Lord be denied. “Sorry, miss, but Alpha Jax  has stated that he has no time to meet with another messenger of the Wisdoms.”

Regardless of their answer, I was still determined to see the Lord. They weren’t going to stop me from waiting outside of the parlor’s doors. The guards weren’t too particularly happy with it but for the most part, they just left me alone.

I heard one of them comment about how fragile I looked and how they didn’t feel the need to keep a strict eye on me.

What was a petite little witch going to do against an army of strong men anyway? I mocked their words.

Tsk. Idiots.

Thanks to their arrogance, I was able to slip away and rush straight for the parlor that Lord Jax was in.

It didn’t take long for the guards to catch up, though. They were ready to escort me out for good. Well, more like drag me away.

“Please! It’s really important!” I insisted as I tried to fight against the strength of the guards even though they were way bigger than me. “It concerns the future of the Dre bloodline!”

“There’s really no use, miss. Don’t make our job any harder than it already is.” One of the guards spoke up with an annoyed tone.

“I could equip you with riches and power if you’d hear me out!” I turned my head back and shouted.

“Wait. Let her stay.” Jax's husky voice chimed in.

It seemed like my sincerity piqued his interest.

Great! We’re getting one step closer.

“You proposed to me…” Jax's voice interrupted my thoughts and flashbacks. “Yet we are not on a first-name basis. And you are…?” His tone was indifferent.

I couldn’t read his expressions or emotions, so I figured I needed to reply carefully so I wouldn’t upset him. Especially when I had gotten this far. “My name is Jessica, my Lord.”

“Well, Miss Jessica… Marriages often come with benefits. Why should I agree to such an arrangement?” His elbow rested against the armrest of the chair as he exhaled a cold breath.

“The Wisdom family has occupied the heart of the Dre continent for a hundred years. While the race of the witches may not be as powerful as other families like they once were, we’re more than capable of providing the Dre family with plenty of potions and money.”

I paused for a moment. I have to make him agree with me! What else can I say to convince him…?

I knew that this marriage proposal was dumb… But I knew it was the fastest and most effective way of getting close to him. It was my only option.

But he still had the choice to reject me. Not like I would’ve been the only woman he would turn away. There were others before me whose seductive behaviors and attempts at courtship he had shooed away.

Even if he did reject me, that wasn’t going to stop what I had in store for him…

I watched him as his expression remained blank while in thought. At least he was willing to hear me out since he allowed me inside. I just hoped I could sway things in my favor.

The lightbulb in my head lit up with an idea as I looked up into his eyes. “Should you agree and cooperate with the Wisdoms, your ascension to the throne of the werewolf’s kingdom would be quick.”

Jax's eyes snapped to me as he sat up straight in his chair. His voice was completely void of any warmth or emotion. Suddenly he became dangerous. “Ascend to the throne of the werewolf kingdom? Did you forget how I lost it in the first place?!”

The two guards on either side of Jax drew their swords, their sharpened points were now pressed against my neck. I knew that the topic was a sensitive one to bring up. Especially by me as the daughter of the Wisdom family.

He despised our bloodline.

The threatening atmosphere stunned me but I wasn’t going to give in. I dug my nails into the palm of my hands as my fists clenched. I needed to make sure my voice wouldn’t give away how scared I actually was.

“There is no malice in my visit, my Lord. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come alone. My proposal is sincere—I truly do want to marry you. I, on behalf of the Crowtyer family, also seek to form an alliance with the Dre.”

“Alliance?” Jax barked out a laugh. “The Crowtyer

 have been such obedient little puppets for Miah. Ten years ago when my father was killed, what did the witches do? When my family was hunted by Miah , what did you do?! After all the time, you think you can just waltz into my castle, propose to me, and form an alliance with the Dre's?” His voice thundered throughout the room.

Jax rose from his seat as a low growl escaped the back of his throat. The air around him was thick with anger. The guards fell to their knees, unable to breathe in the now oppressive atmosphere.

I stood straight with my shoulders squared. He wouldn’t be the first person to use fear as a tactic of persuasion, even though he was way more intimidating than anyone else I had ever come face-to-face with.

I wasn’t going to falter under Jax's coercion either. “I swear by an oath that the Crowtyer

 family will remain loyal to the Dre and that this alliance will not waver.”

“What collateral could you give me in order to guarantee your words?”

“Myself.”

Jax closed the distance between us. He pinched my chin and forced my eyes up to look at him. Did he want to read me to see if I was being sincere?

I stared up at him without flinching. I attempted to get a read on him, too, but it was really hard to do so. His sharp jaws were in a relaxed state. There was no sparkle of amusement or humor in his golden eyes; the way he looked at me felt like he was burning holes in my soul.

The way he towered over me screamed dangerous.

I held my breath before I continued. “The Elder of the Crowtyer family was my grandfather. His mind was too weak to resist Miah's oppression. Because of this, it caused him to violate the witch’s principle as a Judge. Though he passed away, we know that he didn’t carry his sins with him…”

I let out my breath and continued. “We regret our actions and now also offer the Dre family 10,000 gold and powerful elixirs as compensation.”

It was so hard to maintain eye contact with Jax. His hardened stare made my eyes flutter from the tension between us. Still, I had to remain calm. I needed to convince him.

“After I’m married into the family, the Dre and Crowtyer bloodlines will converge. Our children will have both strength and intelligence. Gods forbid it but if the Crowtyer family betrays you again, then know that I’m at your mercy.”

Jax just continued to stare at me. Silence consumed the room and no one dared to move another muscle.

Time stood still. My eyes remained fixed on Alpha Jax's toughened gaze. I could hear my heart pound wildly against my chest, and for a moment, I thought he could hear it, too.

Thoughts raced through my mind. Was I going to die? The last time my family sent a messenger to Alpha Jax, he sent the guy’s head back as a threat. The message was clear. Anyone else from the Crowtyer family who set foot in his castle would also suffer the same fate.

Even if he did kill me, at least my death would be swift. Although I definitely wasn’t looking forward to it.

Maybe I would be lucky and he’d show me some kindness and let me go unscathed.

I thought what I proposed would entice anyone. Even though the witches weren’t as numerous as we were before, we were still powerful people. Those who lusted for power in one way, shape, or form wouldn’t be able to resist the blood of a witch coursing through their descendants.

Would Alpha Jax be the rare case?

Even if he ended up declining the offer altogether, it wasn’t going to be enough to stop me. I knew that the webs of fate were spinning in my favor.

He was probably used to being the predator—however, it wasn’t going to be the case for long.

I looked up at him who hadn’t moved a muscle nor taken his eyes off of me. He just needs to accept my proposal already! This silence and waiting is unbearable! I’m offering you money and power. What more could you possibly—

“I accept your marriage proposal.” he interrupted my thoughts and released his hold on me.

My eyes widened in shock. For a moment, I thought I didn’t hear him right. The most powerful man on the Avan mainland, whom no one could stand up to physically or psychologically, just agreed to marry me!

I’ve succeeded!

I fell to the ground in exhaustion. Being so persistent and having to stand my ground against the intimidating and dangerous Alpha Jax really took its toll on my body.

I watched as he left the room without looking back at me.

“Another step closer to your death, Alpha Jax…” I whispered to myself with a small smile on my face.

But after I got married to him, I fell in love with him and decided not to kill him anymore like I planned in the first place. Since I had an agreement with my family to destroy him before our marriage and I failed, I know my family would come to destroy me. I have birth to two beautiful children for Alpha Jax named Avalyn and Tia and as lived in peace, but deep down I know my family was in a lot of trouble so I got prepared for the future without letting Alpha Jax aware, other wise he might destroy me knowing that I only married him because I wanted to destroy him.

Now I pray that the moon goddess shows me and my family mercy not go be broken apart but to continue living in peace. But it seems my prayer wasn't answered when my people later came to ruin me, hence destroying what I was afraid of happening.

——————————————————

         Avalyn POV  

I used to be a very happy girl with  a very happy family. My father was the alpha of the Crescent-Moon pack while my mother Jessica was his Luna. I grew up with my both parents loving me and my younger sister and my parents although they had huge responsibilities of taking really good care of the pack continued taking really good care of us like a good family should consist of. My mother was the best mother I could proudly say. She always ensured that we were never hurt and lived a very peaceful life while my father, Alpha Jax made sure to took the responsibility of protecting us from any danger. Tia, my younger and only sister and I could not ask for a better parents than them, and we both were the closest of any sisters bound. 

Our pack, the Crescent-Moon pack was not really that big like most other packs outside of our stayed territory, but that did not mean that because our pack was little that we were also poor. Truth was, we were wealthy even though we lived in a small pack. We had huge flowers that we grew all over the packs, and it was like our duty to ensure the productivity of this flowers because if a stranger walked into our pack, they would be mesmerized by how the flowers covered everywhere of our Moon pack. Not only that, we also made it our duty to have huge jewelry gotten from our ancestors that we supplied to companies outside the pack, who would buy them because non had such an old type of jewelry like us and they would pay us a huge amount of money for each pieces of the jewelry. As few companies brought the jewelry from us and saw that it was good and boosted their sales in whatever they came from, they introduced more people who began go also buy more jewelry from us. 

Before long, we had became very famous and got a lot of people coming from different places to buy moreJewelry  from us.

At first, my father the Alpha Jax of Crescent-Moon pack was reluctant about selling this ancient jewelry because he had inherited them from his father who was then the alpha of this Crescent-Moon pack.  My father Alpha  Jax told me, Tia and my mother Jessica his Luna that the jewelry he had gotten as the only inheritance from his father when he was little.

Alpha Jax my father told us stories of how he had escaped from a war when he was fifteen years old. Back then, his father Alpha Drew was one of the strongest alpha and managed to ruled the then Crescent-Moon pack.  Every thing was going smoothly until enemies gathered together for his downfall. At that time , Alpha Drew my grandfather thought as long as he had the support of his people in the pack, he could defeat the enemies but unfortunately people that he trusted the most joined the enemies and betrayed him~ hence stabbing him in the back. 

My grandfather Alpha Drew was left alone to fight for himself, at that time my grandmother Gigi supported her husband Alpha Drew and they managed to escape from the crescent-Moon pack to another place where they thought they were save and began to live in peace and fear.

However, the enemies attacked them from their hiding place and abducted them. Since my father Alpha Jax who was still fifteen years at then could not do any thing to protect them from the enemies, Gigi my grand mother told him to escape away and go far away so that he could not be killed. My father had been reluctant to leave them both, but later after much persuasion from his mother had to run away to a hiding place. It was when he was ruining that he heard the screen of his parents and the sound of gun~ fwy his made him aware that his parents had been killed.

My father, at that age of fifteen had lived in fear, hiding away from people who were meant to protect him. However, it was when he became thirty years that he was able to go back to Crescent-Moons pack to defeat the enemies. Meanwhile while he was away after his parents were killed, he met an old man who saved him and helped him out. The old man was a warrior and trained my father, who later became powerful and after he became of age went back to the place where he had always feared to ruin those who shattered his heart and destroyed those who killed his parents~ including those who gang up with the enemies for his parents. 

He had managed to defeat the enemies at the end and took over the once pack that belongs to them. After that, he settled down and got married to my mother Jessica, who at first he did not love but later ended up falling in love with her.  After their marriage and my mother was pregnant with me, another enemies from my mother’s side came again to destroy us again. This time, they didn’t just come to destroy my mother but also wanted to destroy my father because they felt my mother betrayed them. At the beginning, my mother family were among the enemies that killed my Grandfather so when his son my father Alpha Jax, managed to destroy them, they sent my mother to my father with the idea that she should make her way until his kingdom, and managed to marry him. My father did not want to marry her at first, but later had to agree. 

When my mother married my father and she did not fulfill her promise of killing him(Because she had now fallen in love with him ) as planned by her family, her family became angry that age did not fulfill her promise and now they gathered new enemies to not only kill my mother and father, but to put an end to our existence including not sparing my younger sister Tia and me,  to which they succeeded and after that our lives became a total mess when not only my mother died, but my sister, cousin and people of our pack who were willing to go any length for the good and development of our pack ~ The Crescent-Moons pack.

……..

Because the pack was so small, we spent a lot of time helping around the pack. We didn’t have amusement parks or anything, so Tia and I were young we collected gems in the rivers and spent our days playing tag in the meadows. Our parents would watch us from the back of our house until it was time or lunch. After dinner, we’d cuddle up around the fire and they would tell us stories about the great alphas and the way our current society came to be.

I could never have guessed that I would barely get sixteen years of that happiness.

Tia and I had been in the garden, planning a prank for our parents’ 20th-anniversary party that night. Something about a terrible poem our Dad had written when he was eighteen. It was supposed to be sweet and funny. Everyone was supposed to laugh and tease Dad. Dad was supposed to scowl a bit at our mischief, but Mom would have only fallen deeper in love and demanded to keep the terrible poem for posterity.

We had been giggling when the gunshots started. Werewolves I didn’t recognize stormed the garden, capturing us before we could run. Blood and gunpowder filled the air as I tried to use my mind link to warn our parents and struggled against the men who were dragging us towards the courtyard.

I found it had been too late and watched my mother and younger sister's bodies swing from the courtyard fountain in bleak horror. Their wedding bands glinted in the sunlight and they seemed to still be reaching for each other until their last breath.

I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t do anything but pull my dad closer to me and hope that our deaths would be painless.

But death didn’t come. It was so much worse.

“Gag and blind them,” one of the attackers said.

Someone screamed. I remember trying to get away, to drag mum and Tia with me, but we were surrounded. A bag was shoved over my head.

My Father was ripped from my arms and they hauled me away.

I couldn’t see anything. My breath was running away from me in panic as they forced us into the back of a van.

“Keep your mouths closed or you’ll wish you were dead.”

I shuddered at the voice even as I tried to reach out for my dad. He didn’t respond, either out of shock or because she was unconscious. The van bumped and shuddered as it drove away from our home.

My eyes burned with tears as I smothered my sobbing. Dead. My mother and younger sister  were dead. Our cousins. I had no idea who was still alive.

When the van stopped, I heard the doors open and someone dragged me out and onto my feet.

“Move it.”

I flinched at his tone and walked where he shoved me. The air turned damp and musty like a dungeon and when they ripped the bag off my heels, I realized we were in a dungeon. I crossed the space to wrap my arms around my father as if I could protect her.

He was shaking with fear and I could hear her teeth chattering though I was too afraid to open my eyes.

"Avalyn," she sniffled. "Avalyn, where are we? Tia and Zoya…"

He hushed me, trying to keep the memories at bay. We had to get out of here somehow.

“The boss told us to bring him the best three/”

My heart lurched in fear as someone laughed. It was a leering, gut-turning sound that made me cling to my father tighter.

“That’ll be hard! They’re all so pretty… How are we supposed to choose?”

I heard someone squeak in fear and looked up as one of them grabbed my cousin by her jaw and stared down into her face. Tara had always been pretty and she shook like a leaf as the man stared at her.

“He likes the petite ones,” another one said. “She’s a good choice.”

“You,” another of them said, coming towards me. He leered and smirked at us. “Get up.”

I shook my head, shuddering, “Please… Please don’t–”

He grabbed me by my arm and dragged me up to my feet. He grabbed Tara with his other hand and proceeded to drag us towards the door. The others jeered and laughed.

“Have a good time, ladies!”

Someone wailed in terror as I continued to please, trying to fight the man’s grip. Panic took over as I saw the fear in Tara’s face. Tara had gone all but silent as she was pulled along like a ragdoll. Her eyes seemed glazed over.

My heart raced.

“P-Please. I can give you gems! Jewelry! What about lunar flowers? We have them all. If you’d just take us back–”

“How are you going to bargain with something that’s not yours anymore?” He scoffed, “Move it. The boss doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

Tears streamed down my face. We were brought out of the dungeon into another section that had been turned into a room. There were no windows and the scent of sweat and tears filled the air.

The man who brought us there shoved us inside and closed the door behind us as a fat, whale of a man turned towards us. I could tell by his stature and his scent that he was either human or his wolf was weak.

He chuckled and licked his lips as he approached. He stopped at me first, grabbing my chin and leaning close to take a deep breath of my scent. He chuckled as I recoiled and shuddered in disgust.

Tara squeaked and trembled, holding herself perfectly still as he drew a fleshy hand over her face.

Then, he stopped at me, tracing a hand over my cheek.

He chuckled and stepped back, “I love the obedient ones… Welcome girls, to my dungeon. You will call me, Dan.”

He walked back to his chair where a glass of whiskey waited. He picked it up and took a long drink, rubbing at his crotch through his robe.

 He retched beside me, just loud enough to hear as he pulled his cock out and began to stroke it.

I looked at the two guards on either side of the room for help, sympathy, or something, but they only gave me a leer in return.

They were there to see the show.

“Take off your clothes,” he said, licking his lips.

This sick fuck was at least as old as Dad had been. I was barely fourteen, and Tara was sixteen. Was there nothing I could do?

No. There was. I was the eldest. I had to protect them somehow.

Tara stepped in front of them, clenching her jaw and setting aside her pride as she undressed. The room was heated, but she was freezing in her skin. Disgust and anger made my skin crawl.

“I… I can serve you on my own.” she said

He chuckled, “So eager. I’ll have you… last.”

I soon realized that hell wasn’t a place of endless fires but hopelessness and Dan.

After that, I forgot what the sunlight was like. The days melted together in the darkness of the dungeon. Someone was always crying. A guard was always telling someone to shut up. I was always in pain, yet I tried not to lose hope. I watched the guards hoping to get some sense of where we were and come up with a plan.

Some of the girls began to disappear. It seemed that each time we were brought back from Dan’s room another girl was gone and never returned.

The fourth time they came to take Tara, and me to Dan, I waited until we were halfway down the hall before throwing my weight into one of them and trying to scramble for his gun.

I got a hold of it, but I was backhanded to the ground before I could take a shot.

“Avalyn!” Tara cried, panic and fear filled her face. Another guard hauled her and Tara down the hall towards Dan’s room as I was taken in the opposite direction.

He dragged me into another dungeon and fastened shackles around my wrists before shoving me to the ground and closing the door.

 The lock slid into place and I grit my teeth, feeling the bruise start to heal as I tried to reach out to Tara.

I felt her fear and her pain. Then, her mind was gone as if she had fallen unconscious again. I pulled at my shackles, trying to break them, but they were made by the Fireash pack using a blend of steel and diamonds mined in our lands.

They were near unbreakable, so I slumped against the wall  and tried to conserve my strength for my next escape attempt, hoping that Tara and the others would be okay.