No sooner had Alpha Kieran stopped speaking than I was pulled by the two men and thrown inside an SUV. A car I hadn't noticed was behind me before now.
"Alpha Kieran!" I called, attempting to open the door, but it was no use.
The two men I was in between did nothing. I guessed they allowed me to do as I wanted because they knew I couldn't escape from their grasp no matter how hard I tried.
"Alpha Kieran!" I called once more as the engine started. I began to pound on the car window.
Alpha Kieran stood outside, watching, with Selene wrapped in his arms. He didn't show any remorse. Rather, I could only see the disgust on his face and the need for me to leave here as soon as possible.
"It's not use," the man I was sitting on his right let out, his tone showing boredom. He can't hear you from here, and the glass is tinted. He can't see you."
I guessed he was right because there was no way he'd stay watching me without showing any compassion, but then again, he had watched them do all manner of things to me. He even ordered it to be done.
That shouldn't surprise me that he wouldn't give two fucks about me at this moment.
"Save your strength for later, love. I believe you'll need it."
"Where are you taking me?" I croaked out. My voice was hoarse from screaming and crying.
I wouldn't be surprised if I came up with a sore throat later.
"Nowhere you should be worried about," the one at my left said, and I turned to him. He peered at me through the glasses perched on his nose. I could make out granite grey eyes before he pushed the glasses up to cover them once more.
"Do you think she's worth all the trouble, Jude?" he grunted to his partner. "I can't possibly tell why the alpha is interested in someone like her."
Jude, who was at my right, shook his head. "I don't think the alpha would be concerned about her. He had enough harem to last him a lifetime. She's nothing but a used runt. Hence, we'll be taking her elsewhere other than the pack house." Jude said.
"Where?"
Jude snorted. "Come on, James, you can't be that stupid."
"Hey, I am not stupid!" James answered, earning a slight chuckle from Jude and a dodge as he attempted to swat him.
"But I am curious to know where else she'd be going if not the pack house."
"At this point, she's without a pack and worse than a rogue. So, it would be best to sell her off to the rogue traders so they can do what they desire with her. We don't want an outcast in the pack house. We already have more than enough of them, acting like they own the place. Secondly, we need money."
James said nothing for a while. He seemed to contemplate what Jude had said to him.
"That's an absolutely amazing idea," He mumbled.
"You see?" Jude grinned.
They continued to discuss me as if I wasn't in the car with them. They didn't even care if I was listening to their plans or not. I guessed they knew I couldn't thwart them. I was at their mercy, and they were the only ones who could save or harm me in this situation.
I had heard many stories about the rogue traders they were talking about. Even though I had only assumed most to be an exaggeration and mere rumors, seeing as people spoke about them in the Blood Moon Packhouse, now I doubted they were rumors as I had thought.
They bought the outcasts, who had been rejected from the werewolf society, and did to them as they desired. Rogue traders also resell to humans.
It was a part of the rule in the werewolf world to keep the supernatural away from humans. In addition, we were common enemies, and the humans despised us due to a feud that was still going on.
Werewolves, most especially, had been told to stay away from humans and everything that had to do with them.
Now it seemed they were still involved and operating in secret.
I even heard that most of the people they—rogue traders—were given, girls, were sold into prostitution and alphas were the frequenters of such.
Even though no alpha would openly admit they were seeing whores so as not to offend their lunas or even their stance in the pack house, it was a hidden truth.
Now, I was going to meet the same fate. But I was yet to give up. A miracle could happen.
They could change their minds and show me mercy, and the goddess could touch their minds.
The car came to a halt in front of a building that looked abandoned.
James and Jude stepped out of the car, pulling me out along with them.
I opened my mouth to speak, but a bag was placed atop my head, concealing my vision.
I could see nothing and only stumbled as James and Jude led me in.
A shiver ran up my spine as I felt hands on me. Touching, groping, smacking, as if they were trying to test the goods they wanted to buy before paying for it.
From the voices I could hear and the smell of the place, I felt like I was in a marketplace.
Sweaty bodies fragranced the air, and ridiculous prices were being yelled at the top of their voices.
I stopped walking as a hand touched my shoulder, halting me.
"She's here," Jude announced to whoever was before me.
"A virgin?" The person asked.
"Yes," Jude answered again.
I swallowed, biting on my lower lip. I was pregnant and barely a virgin.
I was used by the two guards as well and I could still feel the stickiness of the semen in between my legs and the aches.
"Can I check what I am purchasing?"
"Feel free to do so. She's all yours," James shoved me forward and I fell into the arms of the trader.
"She's soft," the trader chuckled, pushing back the strap of my dress, "Such fine skin lined with bruises. I hope she won't scar because she looks like she'd bring me a good price,"
"Surely," James answered. "Payment and she's all yours."
A few minutes passed by, and it seemed some silent transaction went between the men.
James cleared his throat when they were done, "She's all yours. You're free to do to her as you desire."
"Come on," the trader pulled me, causing me to stumble.
I couldn't tell where we were going. But the more we walked, the deeper I sensed we were going and that made me even more uncomfortable than I was.
CELESTE POVThe blindfold was eventually pulled off my head, and for a few seconds, I was blinded by the brightness in the room—or, could I say, the lack of light? When my eyes adjusted to the room's lighting, I realized that only a chandelier that swung here and there, barely being held by the anchor, was the only source of light in the small room void of furniture.The room contained about five boxes and a small bed, if it could be called that.It was rectangular in shape and wooden, and a thin blanket was placed on top. At least, whoever prepared this place had the courtesy of leaving the blanket, and the pleasant smell, incense, I presumed, in the room could only mean it had been taken care of as well.The trader, whose name I still didn't know, shoved me into the room. I stumbled forward and collided with one of the boxes. Pushing my hands in front of me to brace my fall as I landed on my butt, I looked at my new owner.I couldn't decide whether to call him that, but he had bought
CELESTE POVI guessed I should have listened to Austin. Taking a walk around the vast marketplace, even though I might not know my way around here, I could find something that interests me. Also, I could easily plan my escape away from Austin and from everyone else. That was if he didn't catch me first and return me to the prison he had called a room.Also, I should have eaten. I had been rude to the maid who brought the food earlier and practically tossed the contents on her face.It was a slice of bread, a piece of banana, and water. That would give me the energy I needed to face this ordeal.I panted, holding my knees as they wobbled. I looked around me at the other slaves that were running away. For their lives. I knew I shouldn't stall.Because no one was stalling except for me, no one was in the right state of mind, and I was the least person with a mind right now.After dinner, two stern-looking men pulled me out of the room. It wasn't Austin or James and Jude, and it wasn't an
DAMON POVI felt a shift in the air. This was different from what had been happening since a week ago. The foreign scent that had infiltrated the pack house. Of course, I knew whose was it. It was hard for things to go by me without me noticing.Those were from intruders who had tried to mask their scent but failed miserably.However, this scent was different. It was more pungent and sweet at the same time, almost like it was trying to go unnoticed but failing miserably. It teased my nostrils, causing every part of my body to tingle, leaving me confused.My wolf stirred. It only stirred when there was danger within a mile radius of where I was, alerting me to either prepare myself and face it head-on or flee if it sensed a stronger opponent.But my wolf, Kael, barely ever made me flee a dangerous scene, even when facing opponents stronger than me.These feelings that were building inside me weren't due to danger or an intruder in close proximity. They were more of a desire.I could fe
"Alpha Damon!"I frowned as Seth nudged me. I was before the council of elders, barely listening to what they were saying.My thoughts were preoccupied by that strange woman and what had become of her. I wondered if she was alive or dead because I hadn't heard any other news since two days ago that she had been in the infirmary.I wouldn't say I was concerned. I had never been concerned about anyone in my life. The pack members were an exception because their lives were my utmost concern. But for a total stranger? It was unheard of.My wolf hadn't even stirred due to one before. But here he was, for two days now, restless, growling, speaking, telling me to go to the infirmary to ask questions. To know what was happening, and why no one was saying anything about the strange woman's wellbeing.It had taken all the willpower in me for me to shut down Kael's voice and act on my own self-will. Otherwise, I believed I'd have found myself tearing down the door of the infirmary, demanding answ
CELESTE POV"Where am I?"My eyes opened slowly to the bright light in the room, and I instantly regretted it as the light blinded me. Wincing, I allowed them to be closed for a brief minute before opening them once again.Despite the brightness, my eyes got accustomed to it quickly.I attempted to turn to my side to access my environment, but I could only see a white ceiling and a chandelier from which the bright light was coming.But it was impossible to turn. It felt like I was strapped to the place I was on. I could barely move my neck, much less the other part of my body. Also, the blinding headache and the tingling in my neck made it even worse."Where am I?" I tried again, hoping my voice was loud enough for anyone to hear me. If at all there was anyone in here.I could barely hear myself though.For some reason, I couldn't smell anyone around here, and I couldn't hear anything!It must have something to do with the bright light from before. Maybe."By the goddess!" I gasped, b
DAMON POVI was acting weird. Even I knew this. I didn't need to be told. I was the Lycan King and Alpha Damon, whose names ignited fear in the hearts of his enemies, made them tremble in my presence, and could barely stare at me in the eyes.Yet, I was the one who had run from the courtyard to the damned infirmary, just for a bloody nobody.A bloody, strange, wounded woman I couldn't stop thinking about for two days now.Ignoring the look I was receiving from the patients as I stepped into the large infirmary, I made a beeline towards Sabrina. She was a noble-born Lycan and one of the most educated in the medical field.So, it wasn't a surprise when she was made the head of all the medics in the infirmary."King Damon!" Sabrina exclaimed, bowing curtly.I nodded to acknowledge her greetings, before staring at the strange woman.She was awake. My breath hitched as our eyes locked.If I had thought she looked stunning two days ago, she looked even better now.Her beauty seemed to light
CELESTE POVHe left the room.My savior was gone. A look at me from him turned my legs into jelly. I believed that was what had made me almost embarrass myself and probably had nothing to do with my knees being weak.His expression was undefinable. I couldn't tell if he approved of seeing me or not. He had only looked at me and spoken to the beautiful lady, Sabrina, then turned around, not even sparing me a glance.He hadn't even said hello to me as much. Maybe Sabrina had said something that made him not do so.But I doubted it. He was arrogant—I needn't have told you, seeing as it oozed out of him. Also, I couldn't help but notice how his presence dominated the room.I couldn't smell him to ascertain whether he was alpha level or not, but I could feel him.I could feel the intense energy radiating from him, wrapping strangely around me.I flinched, snapping out of my thoughts as someone gripped my shoulder.It was the man that had stepped into the room after my savior.He was tall a
DAMON POVI wandered around the pack house, doing nothing in particular. I was trying to restrain myself from returning to the infirmary and taking the woman to the alpha building myself.It could seem weird because Seth was there to attend to her. He could do everything in my stead, and I had never been one to do an introduction or even a tour around the pack houses when there were others whose jobs were it.Most significantly, Seth. That wasn't part of his job description, but he always volunteered.And I never objected to it because Seth knew the pack house as much as anyone. He had been here, if not the longest, along with me. So, he'd be the one to give the most correct information with facts.Again, I was trying to take a walk to have a clear head. All that Sabrina had told me about my newest guest still swirled around in my head. Likewise, my wolf, Kael, being increasingly aware of a very warm-blooded female, made me escape the infirmary because I didn't know what he'd do if I
DAMONI was bored out of my mind, barely listening to what the elders were saying. It wasn't as if it didn't concern me, or I chose to be bored. I kept on getting distracted.It was Kael. He was restless because of Celeste. He had been prancing nonstop inside of me, ranting, asking me questions that I couldn't even answer.Questions about her transformation, I was only just witnessing. About who the alpha was who had hurt her, and how we would deal with him soon after.Questions arose about when Celeste would come awake and shift into her human form, or when he would get to see her, Nyra, once again.I hadn't responded to any of his questions, and that made it even worse because he kept prodding me, pushing through, and each time I tried to shut him out, he stopped me from doing so.I kneaded my head, grimacing as pain erupted in it. I couldn't remember the last time I had experienced such an intense headache. It was never because of Kael and more about the elders of the pack house.T
DAMON“Alpha!” Seth strode towards the door, stopping short. He did a double-take on the door, his eyes narrowing back on me.“The barrier,” he said. “I can't get through.”“I know,” I answered him. I looked towards where Celeste was lying, under the duvet that covered her entirely, before walking towards Seth.“You did it? Why?”I shrugged, not responding to him. Since bringing Celeste back into the room after her transformation, I had to ensure she was completely safe and secure. I didn't want to be able to reach her because I didn't trust that her maid wouldn't blab what she had seen to someone else.Or maybe someone out there was watching and had seen her shift. I had made the barrier put up again. This time, I was the only one allowed to leave freely as I desired.Seth peered behind me as I didn't respond to him. “Is that Celeste? I saw Hanna earlier and she looked astonished to meet with me and…”“I thought you'd be with the other warrior,” I asked him as we walked towards the o
DAMON POVI heard the noise from the attack. The cries for help and the running around the pack house.The first thing that had wandered through my mind was going to the training room to help Celeste.But recalling that Seth was keeping her safe and the reason I was keeping my distance, I decided to stay put where I was.Well, not being entirely useless because one of the warriors had rushed into my office soon after to tell me about the ongoing attack. Although I had not gone there myself, I had sent enough warriors to help.It wasn't a major attack, but it wasn't one to be overlooked either.I had heard Celeste's voice. Her cry for help. Hence, the reason I was here.She wasn't with Seth; instead, she was with her maid.I'd watched all the things that happened from a distance, believing they'd take charge.Even if Celeste couldn't fight them off herself, her maid should be able to. She was a high-level caster.However, it seemed the attackers had caught her off guard. Rather than go
CELESTE POVThey knew who I was. Damon knew. The seer and the elders would surely know. They weren't stupid.Elder Zara. I recalled what she had said to me before, pretending to make friends with me as soon as Damon stepped into the room.I wasn't needed in the pack house. They didn't need more ruins here to be done. The damage was substantial, and it was all my fault.Now that no one knew who I was, it was better I leave the pack house quietly before they do, because no matter how Damon tries to save me, they'd all be against me.I knew that. She needn't say that to me twice. But how do I leave the pack house when Damon was always watching me? It was almost impossible to step out without having at least one guard trailing me from behind.What do I say to him if he catches me? I'd surely stutter. I wasn't a good liar. I wouldn't be able to look him in the eye long enough to tell the truth, and he would know what I was up to.But I had made up my mind. After today’s training, I'd fin
DAMON POV“What do you have to say to me?” I questioned as soon as we were out of hearing range.We were currently in my office, and the seer, as well, seemed to have cast a spell as soon as we stepped in, making hearing difficult.The conversation was necessary, and she didn't want anyone else to know what had been discussed.“That woman,” she paused, sighing. “I feel the aura from her this time., Previously, it wasn't as strong as this, and we could only guess, but I know better. Although I've been trying my best not to jump to conclusions. However, I feel the need to mention it, just in case you didn't know already, which is unlikely. Do you know who she is before you brought her into this pack filled with people who'd see her as an enemy?”“Because she's a werewolf?” I questioned. It wasn't something I had said out loud before or even told Seth when he was speculating. I had never agreed to anyone when they mentioned the possibility of her being that, or when she asked me if I kne
CELESTE POVThe torture. Nightmare. It was back.I stood before Alpha Kieran, trembling. My heart was pounding in my ribcage, and it felt like it might burst.It wasn't the murderous glint in those gorgeous eyes of his or the way he held onto my neck like he would snap it if I made the slightest move, it was the aura radiating off him.Dark. Wicked.It wasn't like anything I had felt before.“Let me go, please,” I begged, hoping he would listen. Hoping he was kind enough to tell me to get out of his presence, as he does sometimes.I wasn't ready to open myself up for him again, not after everything he had made me go through.“Why should I listen to a worthless Omega like you?” He chuckled darkly.I whimpered as his grip tightened even more. Enough to make breathing a bit difficult.As I said, he pushed me to my knees, his grip tightening around my hair. “You are my mate, huh? Then I am free to use you as much as I desire, Celeste Ravaryn. You're going to obey what your alpha says, and
DAMON“The Alpha has gone berserker!”“Did you see what happened today in the training ground? I've got juicy gossip for you.”My ears twitched as I caught on to some of the things the members were saying. Well, the maids. They were mostly the gossip mongers because no high rank lycan with something to do would idle away in that manner. This was the tenth time I was hearing them speak and gossiping about me. And I doubted it would be the last.It was about her. Celeste.My gaze shifted to the bed where she still laid unmoving. It was my fault.If I hadn't pushed her. She would be awake. Smiling even or trying to avoid me.I groaned. I never wanted to do that. But the reason I had done so, I couldn't tell.Shoving a hand through my hair, I ruffled it, looking at the seer and Elder Zara and John that was standing at the room’s corner discussing in a hush voice.I wouldn't be surprised if they began to gossip about me now. But I could hear all that they were discussing about. It was sti
CELESTE POVTWO DAYS LATER“You fight like a girl!” “I am a girl!”I muttered, barely dodging the attack coming my way. I had decided to participate in the training after much deliberation and encouragement from Seth. He'd believed I'd fare better while in the training centre. Also, the last attack had made me almost lose a limb.So, he wanted to teach me how to defend myself, and here I was—in the training ground, sparring with him.He wasn't as lenient as I had thought him to be. It was my first time in the training ground. I was barely getting the hang of things, so he should be patient with me rather than he acting like I was a veteran of some kind, who knew all skills and he wasn't holding back because he was afraid I'd pull out a nasty trick from the pocket of the leggings I was wearing and used it to beat him.“You catching up?” he said as I once again dodged another attack from him.I snorted. I had fallen on my butt ten times today and had almost done so just now but here he
CELESTE POVI returned to the room with Damon.My sobbing had long stopped, and he said there was no reason for me to return to the infirmary since I was fine and barely needed any medical attention.I was glad I didn't return there either. I didn't think I'd be able to hold myself. The dead child was still in there. The mother fainted, and they were still trying to revive her.My appearance there wouldn't make anything feel better either.“Coffee or tea?” Damon asked as he stepped into the room.I looked at the tray he was carrying, which held steaming cups.“Any,” I whispered. However, I was a coffee lover. At this moment, I didn't feel like making a choice.I just wanted to be offered anything.“Coffee is more suitable. Keeps you alert. I brought along cream and sugar cubes. I didn't add them because I don't know if you like it black or not.” She pushed the small coffee table to where I was seated on the couch.“Thanks,” I whispered. I added the coffee cream generously and two suga