Chapter 1 – Sold !

Chapter 1 – Sold!

Really, who am I?

Would a crow even want to feed on my flesh when I rot to death?

What is my name?

None. I do not have one.

I am Sold.

No, my name is not Sold. I was sold to these illegal traders who buy and capture werewolves who do not belong to any pack, called rogues. But no, I am not a rogue, or it should be proper to say, I WAS not a rogue.

I had a family, if that is what you call it. I lived with them for 16 years, and they treated me less than a pig. I was not their family, but their slave. I grew up thinking that they are my family, they are my parents - the Alpha and the Luna, and that I have two sisters and a brother, but… with the way they treated me proved that I was not their blood, not from the Luna at least.

I am a daughter of the Alpha and a pack slut who died giving birth to me. I was a disgrace to the Alpha and a shame to the Luna. When I was born, they took me in, not as a part of a loving family, but as a servant. For 16 years since I was 5, I had learned to work for my own food, to clean the pack house, I was kept in the dark basement every time I am done with the chores. They would lock me up, hide me from everyone’s eyes, for I am a shame that no one should know.

I was a prisoner fed like a low dog with bland food. When I started learning how to cook and serve them in the kitchen, if I am lucky I could sneak some food with me in the basement and hide it or else they would take it from me and replace it with something worse. I was never given a room for mistakes because every mistake is a slap on my face, a pull on my hair, or a bruise on my body, I move with very careful caution as fear had always lived in my heart, fear of getting beaten repeatedly. I wonder how I even survived in that house for 16 years.

I was so naïve back then, thinking that I should suck it all up and understand them, be patient with them and that someday they would acknowledge all my hard work and accept me, because they are my family.

But I was wrong.

The day before I turned 17, in the middle of the night, they dragged me out from the basement, shove me at the back of the truck and the Alpha and Luna drove me in the middle of the forest. I was scared, and cold, I did not know why and where they were taking me.

Until we stopped in front of another truck and again the Alpha drag me out and shove me to the ground. I looked up and found 2 strange men looking down at me, until they handed 3 thick envelopes to the Alpha and Luna.

I begged my father, but he was a stone and did not even hesitate to give me up to these men.

I had no choice, neither power to fight. I surrendered for this is my fate.

They sold me to illegal traders.

Since that day, I was kept in a cage, another prison for 3 years. When I turned 18, I had my first shift, it was painful, and I was weak. Even though werewolves were required to welcome the full moon every time it comes, I was not able to do so, I just shift in my own locked room with only one window with the moonlight striking in.

Even though I was locked up in this closed room, I was still tended properly and given food better than what I had in my father’s house.

The reason? We had to look presentable and good enough to be sold to other buyers, to bidders. We have to be in good health so that we can serve our masters.

I do not know how many of us who are bought by these traders, but I certainly knew that it was not just me since at night I could hear some cries and howls of pain from another room.

For 3 years that I was held by these traders, I have been presented in a yearly auction, thrice. But no one wanted me, no one bought me. I was useless, skinny, weak, and nothing.

This is my last year now, my last hope. These traders have a rule that if a werewolf remained unsold for three years, it is then deemed as ‘unwanted’, and thus they only way to make money out of it now is by its fur. The werewolf will be killed in his/her wolf form, and they would take the fur to sell it to those who wanted it, to make it as a carpet, for fashion, design, decoration, you name it.

I will be dead.

I sat on the floor of this cage, pressing my back on its metallic bars, wearing an old plain pastel brown dress that reached my ankle, staring at nowhere as my cage was still covered with a red fabric. In a minute, the cage moved and I felt the wheels of it rolling on the floor, transferring me somewhere, at the stage I figured since the voice of the announcer came louder and louder, presenting what is in this cage. Me.

This is now my fourth and last appearance, after it, I will be dead… but in peace. That is better, is it not?

The red fabric was pulled out, revealing me to the rich bidders. I am not new to this anymore as I recognized some familiar faces that always show up at auctions. Tobacco on hands, wine glasses, expensive dresses and jewelries, ready to spend their money for entertainment.

A stick poked my back, urging me to stand up, and so I did, fearing that I might get whipped if I refuse. I remained my eyes at the feet of these rich bidders and did not dare to look them in the eyes, I never have that courage in me. I was never taught to fight, but always to follow in submission to avoid pain.

“Let us start with five thousand dollars.” The announcer started.

Five thousand dollars, that is my worth?

Was I bought for five thousand dollars from my father?

“Can she serve properly? She looks weak.” A voice was heard in the crowd.

“She is healthy and she was fed properly. She is fit enough.” The announcer replied.

“She looks alright, she can be useful in bed.” Another man chuckled and was followed by others, and then the same man added,

“Five thousand dollars, I will take her.”

“With that idea, I will consider, ten thousand.” Another man bids.

“I might reward my pack warriors with her, fifteen thousand” another man uttered with an evil smile on his face.

Disgusting. They are all disgusting. How could they?

I would rather die instead than be a gratification to these evil men.

I stepped back and leaned my back on the bars, thinking of how my life started and had now become. Why does it have to be like this? They say, there is a moon goddess who takes care of the werewolves, who makes the destinies of each of us, but why did she make it so cruel to me?

For the past years, I had wished to be bought and be free from this cage, but I never expected neither wanted to be bought and serve as a filthy thing.

This auction was different from before as I have seen new faces and they are mostly the ones who are bidding for me, for their gratification and senseless job they want me to do.

My right ankle ached since I sprained it yesterday when I tried to escape when someone entered the room to give my food. Even though they give us good food, tend us properly, at some days of the year, they still beat us when they want to and when we try to escape. The beating only lessens when the day of yearly auction comes near. The bruise on my back was not doing well either due to the pressure I was putting to lean back at the bar, but I endured it. If I sit down now, I might get punished as soon as I was taken to the backstage before they hand me to whoever would buy me.

The bidding went on as there are some who became interested already, wanting me so they can sell me again to others who would bid higher, and for some, wanting me to warm a bed.

“I have seen her in past auctions already before and I never knew she would grow up so well. Fifty thousand.” A man uttered and eyed my body that developed fully.

“Fifty five thousand dollars”

“Sixty thousand dollars”

“Oh come on, one hundred thousand.”

The crowd went silent, and the man who bid for me smirked and looked at me with malicious stare.

“One hundred thousand, no more other bid?” the announcer asked and the men looked around and some were looking at each other.

After a couple of seconds of silence, a man spoke.

“One hundred five thousand.”

“One hundred eight thousand dollars.”

“One hundred ten thousand.” A man insisted.

“A hundred and fifteen thous—“

“One million dollars.” A deep voice was heard and as if it resonated in the room due to the high amount he just uttered. It shocked the crowd as well as me, totally not believing how someone could spend a million for a servant.

Meekly, I lifted my head up and tried to find where the voice came from, and I followed the gaze of the crowd at the darker corner of the room.

“It is the Alpha of Kingston Pack.” Murmured in the crowd. Kingston Pack? ah how could I know anything aside from the four corners of the room I was kept in since I was young?

“One million dollars.” The announcer repeated in disbelief before he continued.

“Okay, 1 million dollars, any more bids?”

 The crowd went silent and some shook their head.

“One million dollars, SOLD!” the announcer said and smashed the hammer on his podium to close the deal.