Chapter Five

No Escape: 

Dinner was silent as Alice waited in the corner for them to finish, eyes casted at the floor. Her arm was still aching but the ointment Loretta placed on it was making the pain bearable. The chairs began to move about from the table and Alice cringed hoping they would just leave her alone and go about the remainder of the evening. They had made her suffer enough, today

Her father was passed out up stairs. He apparently threw a giant fit after he branded her, drank way too much and was carried up the stairs. Every now and then you could hear him, wake up, groan and then it was silent. 

“How did it go with Eliza?” Sarah spoke up, setting her fork down and patting her mouth with a napkin.

“Fine. She loved the roses and Alpha enjoyed the cigars, we smoked one together and began talking about the pack.” Jame said proudly, pushing his plate away.

“Excellent, you will be Alpha soon enough. We are so proud of you.” Sarah beamed.

“We need to get rest; the banquet is tomorrow and then of course a ceremony. Once you officially mark Eliza everything will fall right into place.” Sarah said standing up.

“I need to go double my outfit for tomorrow, you should do the same. You need to look sharp and like an Alpha.” Sarah nodded at him before she excited the room.

The plates were left at the table as her stepmother left. James lingered back a second longer. Alice kept her eyes on the ground. She hated the way he stared at her when no one was around. Ever since she entered her teenage years and began developing breasts, he would consistently look at her when his mother wasn't around. His gaze made her feel disgusted. He would even accidently walk in on her in the bathroom back when she was allowed to use the bathroom in the house. She waited silently acting like she didn't feel him looking at her, like his eyes were not wandering over her body. Scarlet was growling at him from inside of her. 

“James go set out your clothing.” Sarah's voice came down from the hall like she knew. 

James looked at her one last time before disappearing. Thank god she thought. She brought the dishes over to the sink and began washing them staring out the window at the moon in the sky. She sighed trying to push back the wave of emotions she was feeling. The pack was filled with single and troubled wolves. The Alpha stuck them there to keep an eye on them or they were going through training. She didn't want to be around more boys like James. She was used to sleeping and existing in poor conditions. Home life here wasn't any better but at least there was only one James. Alice finished wiping the dishes dry. She set the last dish in the drying rack and paused to listen. 

The house was quiet, she could hear her stepmother's snores and her father’s overly loud breathing. She smiled to herself as she walked to the back door the cold cool air of the night rushed into her brushing against her skin. Her arm with her newly fresh burn stung, she flinched seeing it weeping from the bandage. She needed to clean it and rebandage it. Alice walked into the forest and followed the path she knew all too well. She could hear the water flowing and it called to her.  

She walked out into the clearing, the river flowing moving gently almost still like with moonlight dancing off of it. Her body instantly calmed. She sat next to her favorite rock kicking off her torn and dirty shoes dipping her toes into the water.  Her arm stung and she knew she needed to attend to her arm. She slowly began unwrapping the bloody bandage. Wincing the whole time she was doing it. She hadn't looked at it, she didn't want to see the numbers, didn't want to see what her flesh looked like. She didn't want to deal with what it meant. 

The blistered numbers stared back at her and she felt her chest cave in. She squeezed her eyes shut as hot tears flooded her eyes. Why! Her mind screamed. She doubled over feeling like she was going to vomit, like her chest was collapsing. 

A father isn't supposed to do this! How could he! He didn't love her! How did she lose his love? Why!  She felt the air rush out of her lungs.

She wanted to scream, her body shaking as silent cries rippled through her body. She held herself with her good arm trying to calm down. The blister scraped across the fabric of her shirt and she flinched. The involuntary flinch caused her to move and fell into the river. Her knees scraping the rocks.  Her arm plunged into the water, the cold shock of the river water hitting her skin brought her out of her crisis. She crashed to her knees letting the river wash over her. she tilted her head back looking up at the dark blue velvet sky that flickers with the tiny lights of the stars. Her eyes settled on the big white full moon. The word please whispered in her mind, pleading. 

“Please save me.” She whispered to the moon, begging the goddess to save her from her fate. 

“No one is saving you.” A cruel voice came from the river bank. 

Hearing his voice she felt like the world just hated her. What did she do so bad that she deserved this. Maybe  if she didn't acknowledge him he would leave. James kicked a rock and skipped across the water hitting Alice in the chest, water splashing up into her face.

“You're not worth anyone's time,” James sneered,staring at her. 

“I know you're thinking that  You’ll turn eighteen tomorrow and maybe find your mate. Runaway like cinderella. If the moon goddess has even given you one. Your mate will take one look at you and flee. You're worthless.” James said, his eyes wandering over her body.

Alice tried to chase his words from his mind. A sickening thought entered her head: what if he was right, what if her mate rejects her. She stood up dripping wet. She made her way to the river back out of the water, trying her best to avoid James. James watched the wet clothing clinged to her body. Even though she was thin, far too thin she still had curves. Her breast bounced as she walked, the wet fabric showing every outline. He remembered wishing she was so beautiful, he hated that he was attracted to her. She stumbled again and ended up closer to James. She took a deep breath not wanting him to see her weak and walked past him. 

James reached over and caught her wrist. Alice stopped hoping if he got to say the last insult, the last degrading thing he could think of, maybe he would just leave her alone and she could go back to hell. 

“You're wasting your time asking the goddess for help.” He said, still holding her wrist tightly. 

“James, just let me go.” Alice said defeated. 

He felt himself become harder as she said his name. He wanted to hear her scream his name. Images of what it would like to be on top of her flooded his mind and he couldn't fight what he wanted anymore.

“You should ask someone who could actually help you.” Jame said his voice deep and suddenly filled with lust.

Alice was confused by his tone, so she turned to look at him. What was going on? Was he serious? Did he know someone who could help her?

“Who?” Alice asked her eyebrow together in confusion.

“An Alpha.” James said, pulling her wrist gently to make her step closer to him. 

“The Alpha isn't going to help me. It’s his fault people are enslaved in the first place. It was his idea.” Alice said, shaking her head at James.

“He won't be Alpha for long and lucky for you, you know the next inline Alpha.” James said with a small smile.

“You..you would help me?” Alice said her voice was small, trying to fight hope that maybe after all this time her step brother did care for her and would help her. 

“I might consider it…if you helped me.” James said stepping towards her, he licked his lips as he said it.

“Help you? What would you need help with?” Alice said the way he was acting was hard for her to understand. 

“Don't get coy Alice. You know you could definitely help me with something you have.” James said, his voice getting more and more breathy as he talked.

“Something I have?” Alice said tugging on her wrist. 

“Yes, something you have, that you haven't let anyone have. Something no one has touched.” James said, holding on to her wrist tighter.

“Let go.” Alice said alarms going off inside her head.

“Give me your virginity and I will let you be Eliza’s and our house maid. You won't ever step into the pack house.” Jame said quietly, as he licked his lip again.

“Get the fuck away from me James.” Alice growled, pulling on his her hand hard this time. 

“Don’t be stupid Alice, i am your best chance.” James said, yanking her back into him.