5

LISA’S POV

“Alpha Asher is a monster,” Caleb said, his voice low and filled with fear. “He doesn’t care about us humans. His only concern is his pack and the power he wields over others. He demands payment from us every month for his so-called protection. But what happens if we can’t afford it? What if we run out of money or resources? What then?”

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine as I listened to my brothers, Jax and Max, along with their friend Caleb, discuss Alpha Asher. He was the formidable leader of the Red Moon pack, a werewolf of such ruthlessness that it was almost beyond comprehension.

Yet, it was this very individual upon whom we, as mere humans, relied for protection against the night crawlers—creatures of the night with a gruesome appetite for blood and human flesh. The stark absurdity of our predicament did not escape me.

"He's not the only monster," Jax said, his voice bitter and angry. "The night crawlers are just as bad, if not worse. They're the reason why we need his protection in the first place."

“But at what cost?” Max asked, his voice filled with weariness and sadness. “Every month, we must pay him in gold, when we merely have enough  to stay alive. We are forced to sacrifice a part of ourselves to appease the beast who holds our lives in his grasp.”

From their words, it was clear that striking a deal with Alpha Asher was our only hope for survival. However, it came at a huge price. We were obligated to make a monthly payment in gold or else face his wrath.

He was the one who decided our fate, and he had no mercy for those who disobeyed him or tried to escape his rule. I found myself wondering: What would be our fate if we were to default on our payment? Caleb’s answer sent a chill down my spine—death.

"Are you serious?" I asked, incredulous. "We have to pay him every month, or he'll let those monsters attack us."

Caleb nodded with a grim expression. “Indeed,” he said, “He’s the only one who can hold them off. After all, he is the Alpha—the most powerful werewolf in the world.”

I felt a surge of anger and fear. "But that’s not fair! Why should we have to live in fear of the alpha wolf and his pack, or even the night crawler that haunts our village? Why can’t we fight back?"

Jax shook his head. "Don't be foolish, sis. You know we can't. We're no match for them. They're faster, stronger, and more vicious than us. They have claws, teeth, and supernatural powers. We have nothing."

"How long has this been going on?" I asked, hoping for a glimmer of hope as I looked between all three of them.

Jax, my eldest brother, responded with a bitter laugh. "Forever, sis, forever. We were born into this, and we’ll die in this. There’s no escape. There’s simply no other way."

I was overcome by a wave of anger and despair. Could this be our reality? How could we endure such conditions? How could we reconcile this? Was there truly no alternative?

I wanted to argue, to protest, to rebel. But I knew it was useless. Jax and Max, my eldest brothers, knew better than me. They had seen more than me. I decided to keep quiet. I decided to follow their lead and survive. That was all we could do. That was all we had left.

Max put his arm around me. "It's okay, sis. We'll be fine. We've always managed to pay him on time. We just have to scraps everything this time and pray it’s enough. It's better than the alternative."

I shuddered, remembering the stories I had heard about what happened to those who failed to pay. They were dragged to the arena, where they were torn apart by the night crawlers, while the Alpha and his pack watched with amusement. It was a fate worse than death itself.

After breakfast, I retreated to the solitude of my room, but rest eluded me. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, each more terrifying than the last. What would happen if we were to default on our payment? The thought was too horrifying to contemplate.

As night fell, we prepared ourselves and made our way to the arena. This was where each family was required to present their payment. Jax, being the eldest, joined the queue to make the payment while Max and I waited anxiously by the side.

We watched as the Alpha representative turned and tossed some of the villagers’ coin pouches to the ground, dismissing them as being too small or unworthy for the Alpha, before the villagers were dragged away to be killed.

I clenched Max’s hand, praying our fate would differ. When Jax’s turn came, Alpha’s representative callously dismissed our offering, deeming it insufficient.

Max collapsed to his knees, imploring the representative that we had given all we could and vowing to provide the remainder at the earliest opportunity.

“Please, sir, I implore you to show mercy. This is all we possess. Day and night, we’ve toiled to gather enough. I give you my word; we’ll pay the remainder next month. I beg you; spare us this time.”

The representative sneered. “Do you think I’m stupid? Or that I would fall for your lies? You’ve been neglecting your duties, haven’t you? You’ve been squandering your resources on frivolous pursuits, like whores. How disappointing.”

I felt a pang of guilt when I realized that my brother was getting into trouble because of me. I had been suffering from a fever for the past few days, and my brother had bought me some medicine to relieve my pain.

They had sacrificed their share of the payment for me. I felt tears sting my eyes as I looked at Jax, who was still begging for his life.

The representative shook his head, "I’m sorry, but you’ve failed to meet your obligation. You’re aware of the rules and the consequences. Now, you must face the night crawlers." Turning to the guards, he ordered, "Take him away."

Two burly men grabbed Max by the arms and dragged him towards the arena gate, where the night crawlers were waiting, hungry and eager. I locked eyes with Jax as the same time he whispered my name, and I felt a surge of panic and desperation.

I  couldn’t let them take him away. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. He was my brother, the only family I had left aside from Max. I can’t afford to lose him either.

Without thinking, I broke free from Max’s grip and ran forward. Falling to my knees before the representative, I begged for my brother’s life to be spared, offering mine in exchange. 

The arena fell silent as I knelt before him. “Please, sir, I implore you. Don’t harm him. He’s innocent, having committed no wrong. His actions were solely my fault . If punishment is necessary, let it fall on me. I was the one who fell ill. I should bear the consequences, not him. I beg you, release him. Please.”

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?” the representative looked at me with a mixture of surprise and amusement. He tilted his head, as if considering my offer. Then he smiled—a cruel and wicked smile.

“A brave little girl is willing to sacrifice herself for her brother. How noble, or should I say foolish?" He leaned down, his face inches from mine, his breath smelling of wine and garlic. 

I  held back my revulsion as I watched his eyes gleam with malice.

“You know what? I admire your courage, but I think I find your face even more appealing. I also appreciate the fact that you are audacious enough to do this. You’ve amused me, young lady. And for that, I’ll grant you your wish. I’ll spare your brother and take you instead.”

He seized me by the hair, hoisting me from my knees. A sharp pain pierced my scalp as he hauled me towards the arena gate. I caught sight of Max’s face, contorted with horror and sorrow, and Jax’s, paralyzed in shock and disbelief.

“What have you done, Lisa?” Max yelled as he scrambled forward. But before he could reach me, he was restrained by two guards.

“Lisa, No!” Max tried to get past them as well, but he was knocked down and pressed to the ground. The tears I had been trying to hold back finally broke free as I wailed for my family. 

It was already bad enough that I was being dragged to that hell, but seeing my brothers getting hurt broke my heart terribly.

As I got pushed further towards the part of the arena, I knew that I might never see my family again. But at that moment, all I could think about was keeping them safe, even if it meant sacrificing myself.