CHAPTER 3

Fiona

"Please, get me out of here!" I yelled weakly, banging the railings of my small cell. 

It had been two days since I was sold here and I couldn't accept my fate yet. 

I had cried for the entire night on the first day, begging the guards to let me go. But everything I said fell on deaf ears. They paid no heed to me at all. 

When I realized that crying wasn't going to help either, I began to cause a scene by hitting the railings of my cell and screaming. I thought that would get their attention but I was wrong. 

"Shut up, girl!" One of the guards barked at me. "Or I'm going to come shut it for you." He grinned, exposing his yellow teeth and I shuddered. 

I didn't want him close to me so I retreated back into my cell. 

My eyes scanned the large prison cell where I and over twenty girls were kept. The girls have been watching me since I got here. They were just as young as I was and some, even younger. 

But we all had one thing in common; we were poor, hopeless and wretched. I couldn't also deny that they were beautiful and charming. Everyone remained silent as they observed me and each other. 

I was kept in a separate cell and I couldn't help but wonder why. Most of the girls were kept together in the cold cells. They huddled together, shivering from the cold and wet floor. I could see the fear in their eyes, the uncertainty of losing their freedom forever. And it was daunting, even for me. 

"Eat as fast as you can. You'll need the energy." The guard serving us food announced.

I examined the plate of watery soup and I lost my appetite. I couldn't bring myself to eat whatever they gave us. 

"You'll need to eat, trust me." One of the girls in the cell next to me said. "You'll need it wherever you're going."

"How do you know that?" I asked. 

"My sister was sold too. I thought I could escape it but it seems to be our fate." She said meekly. "You can't escape and you'll die trying. Just pray you're sold to a kind master." 

Her words caused shivers down my spine. There was no other way for me. This was my fate. 

"You'll be given new dresses to wear, matching the color of your hair. You'll do as you're told, or you'll be killed. Run, and you'll be killed. Just sit still and look pretty," the guard snickered, joined by others in laughter.

They handed us what appeared to be dresses, but they were made of a small material that exposed parts of our bodies. I covered my shoulders with my hands as they leered at us with hungry and lustful gazes. When we had changed, they opened the cells.

"Come on, pretty girls. We've got people waiting," they said, grabbing us out of the cells.

Fearfully, I looked around as they hauled us to a large room to wait. It was the first time we were all kept together since I arrived. 

One of the girls spoke, her eyes filled with tears and her body trembling. 

"Do you have any idea what they are going to do to us?" 

She was far younger than the rest of us and I couldn't help but feel pity for her. She didn't deserve this treatment. None of us did. 

"It's almost time for the auction. You should wipe your tears and look pretty." Another girl replied, straightening her dress. 

"Isn't that harsh?" Another girl asked. 

"She's scared. The least you can do is to comfort her." 

The other girl laughed and shook her head. The rest of us watched the interaction with curiosity. 

"Comfort won't help her here. Why do you think they have given us pretty dresses to wear? Do you think they want to take us home?"

"Where are they taking us?" 

"We're going to be sold," the girl replied and a collective exhalation escaped amongst us. 

"We're going to be sold to Alphas from different packs who need us. So, understand that nobody is coming to save you and an attempt to escape will get you killed."

"How do you know so much about this place?" 

"My former mistress told me all about it. She said I have to be confident and stand out in order to be sold to a wealthy Alpha who will take care of me as his breeder."

I turned to her, wearing a puzzled expression. "What is a breeder?"

The girl sighed, clearly showing her annoyance. "Most of you are so young and innocent. It's such a pity. A breeder is someone whose job is to bear children for her master. Once you're sold, you'll become a birthing machine for your master. I hope that answers your question."

"That's –that's not true," I stammered, struggling to understand what she said. "But they are young ones amongst us. Some who have mates out there and can't be with another."

She chuckled bitterly. "Well, tell that to your master. Do you think they care if you're young or not? How old are you?"

"I'm nineteen." I answered. 

"You're old enough to be a breeder. Every one of us here is. You should pray to the moon goddess to bless your wombs or you're going to suffer in the hands of your master." 

I staggered back unwilling and tears pooled in my eyes. At that moment, it felt like I was falling on a sword and it was ripping my heart out. I didn't want to believe my life would end this way. I couldn't be sold as a breeder. I was a free wolf, with dreams to meet my mate someday. I couldn't be turned into a birthing machine. 

I didn't know when tears escaped my eyes and I joined some of the girls crying. I prayed desperately for my mother to come back and take me away. To save me from the torment called life. 

As I glanced up, I noticed some girls weren't frightened at all and remained unmoving in their positions. They looked like they had accepted their fate to be used by vile Alpha's. But I didn't want to accept that. I wanted to be free and happy. 

Tears continued to flow hard as I thought about my predicament. What would happen to me after giving birth? Will I be killed off? What kind of life was waiting for me out there? How many children will I have to give birth to before my master gets tired of me? 

My inability to get answers to these questions almost drove me crazy. 

As I wiped my tears, the guards walked into the room, eyeing us gravely. I could immediately tell it was time for the auction and my body was trembling. 

They led us to the backstage of the auction stage and gave us tags. A number was assigned to each girl and we had to remember our numbers. 

I said a quick prayer before I heard a loud voice making an announcement. 

"The event is about to kick off. Please have your seat and get your bids ready.”