VALERIE
I stepped back, gasping loudly in dismay. My eyes gapped at him in fright and disbelief. "What did you just say?" I blurted out. He tilted his head sideways, ignoring my question as he twitched his lips in disgust. Before I could part my lips to say another word, two young men trudged into the room and gripped my arm, pulling me out of the large room roughly. "Stop it! Stop it!" I screamed, trying to break free from their grip which proved futile in the end. "Tell Margaret to get her ready for tonight!" I heard him snap at the guards before spinning around and heading up the stairs. "No, please, hear me out, please!" I screamed for mercy to no avail. The men got to a door and paused; one of them pushed the door open while the other flung me into the damp, cold room. "Wait!" I bellowed and staggered up to my feet, racing for the door. But it was slammed shut before I could touch it. I crouched down to the ground and buried my face in it, sobbing bitterly. “Get her ready!” I heard a rough voice snap at someone outside the closed door. Soon, the echo of shuffling feet filtered into my ear and the door clicked open. I raised my head, staring helplessly at the middle-aged woman standing beside the door jamb. “Please, help me. Get me away from here, please,” I cried, hoping that she'd have pity on me and help me escape from the Pack. “I need to go to college, I don't want to be your Alpha’s sex slave.” Her lips pursed out as a wave of sympathy flashed across her brown eyes. “I'm sorry, but I can't help you,” she muttered, and my heart shrank. I had to get out of here as soon as I could but finding a way was the problem. I looked at the woman again, pain written clearly in my eyes. “Please, ma'am, I know you can help me out of this place. You can tell him that I ran away, tell him anything.” I pleaded, but the helplessly still stuck to her features. “Come with me; that way, he won't be able to catch any of us,” I said, but she scoffed. The pity in her eyes slowly dissolved into a glare of disgust. “I told you that I can't help you! Just accept your fate and obey Alpha Jonas!” She snapped and I cringed back. The fear that bubbled in me wasn't because of the way she spoke to me but because of the name she spat out. “Al-Alpha Jonas?” I stammered, my heart constricted as the name echoed in my mind. My father sold me to Alpha Jonas. The most dangerous and feared Alpha in the wolf kingdom? The woman saw the shock in my eyes and understood the reason for my reaction. She squatted before me and stroked my hair slowly. “If you obey the Alpha then you'll be safe,” she muttered and smiled warmly at me. The warm smile I received from her reduced the fear tightening my heart. “Come,” she extended her hand. I stared at it before clasping mine in it, hoping that everything would work out in my favor. She took me to another room full of girls who should be the same age as me. “What is your name?” She asked as we stood before the group of girls that had their curious yet not surprised eyes on me. “I'm… I'm…” I stuttered and gulped, tears clouding my eyes. The thought of becoming a slave mocked me. I wanted to become a doctor but now all my dreams seemed to have been crushed to pieces. “Hey,” the woman's voice seeped into my mind, forcing me to look at her. “Your name?” She repeated. “She must be dumb,” a girl laughed and the older woman threw her a glare that made her slam her parched lips together. I took a deep breath and faced the girls. “My name is Valerie Garrett. I am from the Blue Moon Pack,” I said and they exchanged glances wordlessly. “You are welcome,” a brunette-haired girl finally spoke up in the silent room. “Julian, get her ready for the Alpha tonight and make sure you show her around the Pack tomorrow,” the woman said to the brunette-haired girl, and she nodded. She forced a smile into her face and approached me then took my clammy hands and led me to the bathroom. I had the best bath that night; the hot water washed through my broken body, making me sigh in relief. However, it didn't do any good in comforting me. Instead, it reminded me that it wasn't for nothing. I was being made comfortable because I belonged to the Alpha for the night just like Julian had earlier said. I sobbed and closed my eyes, sliding down into the large tub till the water covered my head. The hotness stung me mercilessly, and the water slipped into my body through every opening in my face. I didn't care about the pain, I deserved it. I couldn't accept such a ridiculous fate staring mockingly at me. I couldn't accept the fact that I was going to become a sex slave to a ruthless monster. It felt better to die and end the suffering within a night. My throat knotted, and I found myself swallowing lots of water, which kept choking me. The tears that slipped out of my eyes mixed up with the water. I wanted to stay still and die but I couldn't. I wriggled in the water, struggling with death instead of letting it take over my soul and take it away. Somehow, I couldn't keep struggling. My body weakened, and I couldn't help but pull my head out of the water, panting heavily. I had the opportunity to kill myself before facing the pain but I couldn't. It felt like a force was pushing me up and out of the dreadful hands of death. I shook my head, wondering what I had done. I swallowed hard and made to dip myself in again, but the door that burst open behind me stopped me from attempting to drown myself again. “Do you like this dress?” Julian's voice echoed in the large bathroom. I glanced at the red skimpy dress in her hand and turned up my lips in disgust. “The Alpha loves his women in these kinds of dresses; I know it looks exposing, but that's what the Alpha likes,” she said. His woman? I scoffed at the words, wondering who the women were. The thought of me becoming part of those women made me shudder in the bathtub. “It's time for you to come out,” she quickly added and I sighed out, my heart twitching in pain. I stepped out of the tub and avoided her eyes in embarrassment as I stood naked before her. She hummed and wrapped a bathrobe around my body before leading me into a dressing room that was filled with other girls. My eyes widened and my cheeks heated up as all eyes in the room fell on me. I tightened my grip on the hem of my bathrobe, staring at the marble floor. “Here,” Julian said, shoving a red lacy thong at my face. My heart skipped and I shook my head in disagreement. “Sorry, I don't wear that,” I muttered in a low voice but the girls standing close to me heard what I said. “You don't wear that?” A girl chipped in a mocking tone and the other ones burst into laughter. My throat knotted and I sank my teeth into my bottom lip, tears gathered in my eyes. Julian wrapped her hand around my shoulders and forced me to look into her eyes. “Look, you should be confident. Don't be afraid of anyone,” she said and leaned closer to me. “Not even the Alpha,” she muttered and my brows raised in surprise. “What?” I gasped out, staring shockingly at me. “Get ready,” she said, shoved the clothes into my shaking hands, and moved back, smiling warmly as she watched me dress up. After I was done dressing up, she pulled me into a chair and began to apply some makeup on my face. Several thoughts ran in my head as Julian's words resounded in my head. Should I defy the Alpha and run away? What if he finds me and kills me? Isn't it better to die than become a plaything to Alpha Jonas? But when I thought about my mom and what might happen if I ran away, I withdrew from the thought and accepted my fate in defeat. “Done,” I heard Julian say and I snapped my eyes open. My belly knotted as I stared at the beautiful girl staring back at me. A girl once filled with dreams and happiness, a girl that once looked further to a better future. That girl was gone, it was replaced by a girl entirely broken. Abandoned in a place that had no way out, left without her dreams or future. “Valerie?” The older woman's voice snapped behind me and I shuddered slightly. Julian squeezed my shoulder reassuringly and helped me up to my feet. I turned slowly and looked at the woman whom everyone called Madam Margaret. “You look extremely beautiful,” she muttered, running her dazzling eyes around my body. I gulped in embarrassment and tugged on the dress as discomfort washed over me. She smiled at my naivety and waved her hand towards the door. “Come with me,” she spun around and began to lead the way out. I hesitated for a moment before following her out of the servant quarters. With my heart thumping loudly in my chest, I looked forward to an uncertain fate with the Alpha.VALERIEMy breath hitched when we got to the large oak doors, madam Margaret stepped back and jerked her head towards the door. “Go in,” she muttered and my heart shrank. My feet froze as I struggled to move closer and push the door open. “Valerie?” Margaret snapped impatiently. “The Alpha doesn't like to be kept waiting,” she added, but no matter how hard I tried, my paralyzed feet wouldn't budge from the spot. I gasped out, my heart thumping loudly in my chest. “Go in!” Margaret repeated, her voice louder than before. I gulped hard and bit my lips before pushing my feet forward. I reached out to open the door, but it pulled open, and Alpha Jonas's face popped out, to my dismay. Anger flickered across his sharp brown eyes as he ran his eyes around my trembling body. “Why is she late?” He sneered in a voice that made me cringe. “Forgive me, Alpha. She is a naive girl,” I heard Margaret reply behind me. “Naive?” He scoffed with disdain laced in his voice. He snapped his
VALERIEMy racing heart only stilled with Alpha Jonas dropped to the ground, unhurt. “Follow me!” He snapped in a hoarse voice, briskly walking into a dark tunnel. Why does he want me to come with him? Why doesn't he let me go and save himself instead? Does he… does he value me? I shook my head at the absurd thought. Not after what he did to me in his room. “Walk faster!” His snap jolted me out of my thoughts. I increased my pace, running at some point to catch up with his fast strides. The body was lying on the floor, and the shadows stuck to my mind, haunting me. The man's face has a striking resemblance to someone that I've come across, but I can't seem to place where I have seen it or who it was. But one thing is certain, he's dead. We kept walking through the dark tunnel till we stopped in front of a door. I stared in astonishment as he dug out a bunch of keys and slipped an old rusting key into the almost invincible keyhole on the door. The door clicked open and h
VALERIE “Have you heard of the Lycan kings?” His voice came out hoarse yet pleasing to my ears. “Huh?” I stuttered and the beat of my heart accelerated. He glanced over at the other man and twitched his lips, leaning closer till our lips were just a hair's breadth away. My body began heating up slowly and my pulse raced. I wanted to move back but the other man was right behind me, compelling me to remain stuck at that spot. I was trapped between these two devilishly handsome and dangerous-looking men. “Who are you two?” My voice quivered as I spoke with a heart gripped with fear. “We just told you, sweetheart,” the one behind me said in a soft singsong voice which strangely sounded appealing to my hearing. “You are his Luna, aren't you, honey?” He muttered in a sultry tone that made my belly knot. Luna? Whose Luna? Alpha Jonas's Luna? No, they're wrong, I'm not his Luna. I shook my head and parted my lips to spill out the truth but a loud thud behind me made m
VALERIE My lips parted yet no words came forth. I was short of words, I was confused. I wanted to speak up for my defense, but I couldn't; it felt like Alpha Jonas's words had paralyzed me. “So, you are his Luna, after all,” Killian said, a mischievous smirk dancing at the corner of his little plump lips. Lucian remained unmoved as he glared coldly at me. “Why did you say you weren't?” He muttered in the iciest voice that I've ever heard. The hoarseness was somehow gone, its absence added fear instead of relief to my soul. “I… I,…” I stammered and glared at Alpha Jonas, hoping he would have a change of heart and tell them who his real Luna was. But the useless devil did nothing of such, instead he pursed his lips in anger and shook his finger accusingly at me. “You lied to them? You told them you weren't the Luna. How shameless can you be, Valerie?” He snapped, calling me by my name.My eyes batted in shock, I was petrified in wonder that I was dumbstruck.The two men stared
VALERIE I stumbled for the fourth time as I ran far off into the woods. I couldn't tell where I was or how I would get out; only one thing stuck to my mind: this was the perfect escape plan, and I had to stick to it no matter what. As I ran, my mind drifted back to those Lycan kings and I felt my heart skip a beat. They must have noticed my absence by now. The thought of them coming after me made me quicken my pace. The cold air grazed my parched skin, stinging me without mercy as my body shuddered from the cold. I sneezed and clenched my belly as it rumbled yet I couldn't stop to catch a breath. My heart froze when I heard a twig snap behind me. I stopped running and listened cautiously for any rattle of leaves but heard nothing. I wanted to continue running, but my wolf, Jade, urged me to stop and listen longer. My heart thumped loudly and my hands shook as I stood in the dark forest. What if it's a wolf hunter? Or worse, the Lycan kings? ‘Jade, I can't wait anymore, I ha
VALERIE “I am not the Luna."A lump formed in my throat as I tried to sink in her words.“You… you are not the Luna?" I found myself sputtering.She smiled and took a step closer. My heart sank when she fell on her knees and bowed her head to the ground.“Forgive me, Luna; I know you've always hated me because the Alpha claimed me too, but it wasn't my fault. I begged him to have mercy, but he wouldn't listen,” she blabbered, and my eyes widened in shock.I turned around, searching for the person she was talking to.But when I saw no one behind me or close by, it dawned on me that she was referring to me.“What… what are you saying? I am not the Luna!" I snapped.I glanced over at Killian and Lucian. I found their amused eyes staring at me.“I…" I trailed off and glared at her.I understood that she wanted to escape Killian and Lucian's wrath. She wanted to put me in her place and make me suffer in her stead.It finally dawned on me that she didn't love her mate, perhaps, that explai
VALERIE I felt a chilly sensation on my arm when I tilted my head. I tried to snap my eyes open but couldn't; I felt like something was holding me down. Two different scents slipped into my nostrils and I gasped out, enjoying the scents of dark musk and rich sandalwood that intermingled and played with my senses. The chilly sensation came again, but this time, it was on my waist. I felt something slide up my thighs, heading in between them. My heart skipped a beat and I forced my eyes open. The first thing that hit me was the grey and blue eyes that flickered blackness the moment they met mine. My mind reeled, my pulse raced and my mind shot back to the previous tragic events that took place before I fainted. I wasn't dead, I was still alive and trapped with the devils that threatened to ruin my life. “You?" I gasped and shifted uncomfortably. I tried getting away but found that impossible as they were both hovering over me, caging me down to the soft mattress. “Stop, let
VALERIE The door creaked open, and I raised my head, expecting to see Lucian and Killian, but to my disappointment or perhaps to my relief, it turned out to be a girl who seemed to be my age mate. My eyes trailed after her as she walked over to a table and set down the tray she was holding. She turned in my direction, walked up to the bed, dropped some clothes on the edge, and turned around to walk away without saying a word. My heart constricted at her cold attitude. “Hello," I whispered and her feet stopped shuffling to the door. She cranked her neck and stared at me with blank brown eyes which seemed to have a layer of pain and sadness behind them. "Hello," she replied and bowed her head then quickly averted her gaze. I needed to get out here, but firstly, I had to know where I was. “Where is this place?" I asked, still clenching the duvet. She switched her gaze towards me and I saw a flash of disgust dart across her eyes as she looked at the duvet covering my nude body.
VALERIE The cheerful chatter in the kitchen made me stretch my lips into a smile. Two days have passed since that passionate kiss with Damion on the rooftop. It seemed that the kiss was the real reason for my quick healing. Michelle hadn't woken up or she wasn't satisfied with her pretense and the Lycan kings' endless care for her “How are you feeling now?" Monica asked as she ran her curious eyes over my body. “Better than before," I grinned and she giggled. I and Damion had decided when to kick off with our plans of running away. However, I still felt worried about the risky decision that we had made. But life is all about risk, isn't it? So, I was ready to take the risk for the one that I love. “You are making a mistake, Val," Jade's weak voice sneaked into my mind, and I scoffed, narrowing my eyes. “No, I'm not!" I snapped at her and she slid back into her shell. Ever since I decided to leave the Lycan Kings, Jade had refused to talk to me. Though I didn't care about be
VALERIE I stood by the window, resting my weight on the crutch, staring at the running kids in the field.A day had passed since I woke up and yet no sign of them or Michelle. This was enough, wasn't it?I had made up my mind to leave whenever these invisible wounds healed up and whenever I had gotten my revenge on Michelle.I swore to make her pay, and relenting was no option for me. I was going to be a monster, I had to get ready for the sacrifices, and that included locking up my feelings.“How are you feeling?" The last voice I wished to hear echoed behind me.I took a deep breath and turned around, staring blankly at Damion's face.Sadness darted across his eyes when he glanced at the crutch I held onto.“I heard…" he paused and bit his lips, that innocent action causing my heart to flip.“Yeah, we fell, and she was the only one that ended up with a serious injury. Stupid, right? I chuckled, hoping that the pain in my voice didn't reach his ears.He sighed and tucked his hands
VALERIE How many days did I roll down that dark endless abyss? I couldn't calculate.But one thing was certain at a point. I saw a light. It was dim at first, piercing my lifeless eyes with a single ray and rushing hope and life to my dead body. The closer I got to the dim light, the brighter it got, and the greater my hope heightened.“Valerie!" A familiar voice snapped into my mind, setting my dead brain cells back in order.“V!" That nickname sounded familiar but I couldn't place where I had heard it.The light flashed into my eyes, causing me to gasp and slam my eyes shut.“Valerie, can you hear me?" The voice muttered in my head and I fluttered my eyes open.The surroundings seemed strange and full of light, unlike the dark vacuum I had been stuck in.“You're finally awake?" That was a feminine voice, but it definitely didn't sound like my mom's voice.Who owned it? Michelle?I swerved my head around and the face that smiled down at me made my brows raise in surprise.I tried
VALERIE I was beyond shocked when Michelle wrapped her hands around me. “Don't worry, you can cry on my shoulder," she whispered and my brows raised in astonishment. The tears ceased to flow and the pain in my chest vanished, replaced by abashment and curiosity. “What are you doing?" I muttered, still paralyzed by shock. "Trying to comfort a sister,” she muttered. I whisked out of her supposed comfort grip and scoffed loudly. "Comfort? I wonder if you know how to use that word,” I groused and she narrowed her eyes. "As far as you're no longer the crybaby I saw some minutes ago, then it definitely means that I used the word right,” she said, and my eyes dimmed in confusion. Wasn't she supposed to be hating me? I wiped the streaks of tears on my face and tilted my head, getting the annoying encounter out of my mind. “Let's go," she muttered in a calm voice, throwing me into deeper confusion. I wanted to ask her questions about her changed attitude but couldn't. Was it my m
VALERIE I walked swiftly into the field, my heart skipping beats. “Beta!" I called out when I saw him. The beta turned around and looked at me, anger darting across his orbs. He narrowed his eyes and faced the confused trainees standing before him. “Let's kick off with some warm-ups!" He chanted, clapping his hands. The boys formed some lines and began to do some push-ups. “Beta, please can we talk?" I asked, glaring at the boys, who turned to look at me. “Let's go!" He shouted and began to walk around the lines, observing the boys and reprimanding those who seemed weak, threatening to kick them out. I clenched my fist, aware of how furious Michelle would be by now. Though I didn't care about her feelings, I didn't like the idea of standing in a training area filled with boys who wouldn't stop feeding their eyes on me. I bit my lips, watching him as I thought of ways to get this done quickly. “I am sorry, Beta Neil!" I screamed, feeling my throat knot as all heads turned in
VALERIE The surprise on my face slowly melted away, replaced by a smirk.Michelle huffed and rubbed her red cheeks which must be burning.“Hey, woman! Watch it!” She snapped, her eyes filled with rage.My mom scoffed and poked her forehead, earning a shocked gasp from her."What are you going to do about that, huh? You're going to hit me too, right?” Mom snapped, and she flinched back, muttering inaudible words under her breath.She glared at my mom fearfully, backing away as she began to approach her.“Stay away from me, you maniac. I am trying so hard to stop myself from hurting you!" She barked, waving her hand at my mom.I could tell from the fire burning in my mom's eyes that she was more than outraged. She looked like someone ready to kill at any moment.To be honest, I loved that version of my mother, and I loved the way she was putting Michelle in her place.She was taking revenge on my behalf without realizing it. Even though Bianca was the real culprit behind the bruises on
VALERIE I felt heavily burdened with guilt rather than anger after discovering that it was done by Michelle and not the beta. “Yes, I did it. What are you going to do about that?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. I huffed, tears gathering in my eyes. I was scared of talking because I was sure that I would break into tears if I should say a single word. The sorrow didn't sink in because she humiliated me, it sank in after I realized that I had accused the beta wrongly and had ruined my friendship with Bianca myself. My throat was tearing up and I was afraid that the tears would drop out any moment. I turned around and walked out of the garden, not minding if she still needed my services. I blindly ran up to my room and slammed the door shut, slipping down to the floor as I buried my face in my palm, weeping bitterly. Perhaps, if I had waited a bit longer, I wouldn't have hurt the Beta and Bianca as well. “Oh my, what have you done, Valerie Garrett?" I mutte
VALERIE “She pitied me?" I whispered to myself as I leaped across the empty corridor. I was quite grateful that people weren't present in the corridor to feed their eyes on me. I could still hear the girls’ mocking laughter and excited whispers in my head as I staggered away. If someone had told me that Bianca would be among those who would turn their back on me, I would never have believed such lies. But with what was displayed some seconds ago, I realized that no one is to be trusted, not even yourself. She was no different from Margaret. No, she was worse than her. She had been a pretender all along, all she had done was pity me, putting on some deceitful smile on her face to warm up my lonely, deceived heart. “Valerie!” Monica's call behind me stopped my feet from shuffling forward. I stood like a zombie, my body bent forward in a sickly manner. “You… forgot the plate of grapes,” she muttered and moved over to stand before me, a sympathetic look on her face. I took the pl
VALERIE “What have I done?" Those were the words I muttered to myself as I stared at the spot where Bianca once stood. A part of me nudged me to go after her, but the guilt dwelling in me didn't let me take a step in her direction. I staggered back and sighed loudly before trudging back into the manor. With a heavy heart, I sauntered into the kitchen and stumbled into Monica. I wasn't afraid of her as I used to be. A large smile formed on her face and she left her minions to meet me by the door. “What are you doing here of all places?" She asked, folding her hand as she watched me. “I got into trouble,” I muttered and she turned up her lips in amusement. "Again?” She teased, and I nodded, worry etched against my face. “Can you get me a plate of grapes, please? I do not remember where the fruit section is,” I asked. She patted my shoulder, grinning widely. “Stay right here; I will be right back with your order," she muttered and disappeared into a corner of the kitchen. Wit