CHAPTER FIVE

EMMELINE

Why did he buy me?

This was the question that continued to resound in my mind all through the ride back to Alpha Darius' pack. After I'd been sold, some of his men had bundled me off the stage and taken me outside to a waiting car. I hadn't seen much of the Alpha because he was in another car.

Even when we arrived at Fletch Pack, Alpha Darius did not say much to me. He just handed me over to two maids in waiting and ordered them to clean me up. Still blindfolded, I was taken to what I assumed to be the bathroom. It was only after I shoved into the bathroom that the blindfold was finally taken off.

The women got to work immediately, scrubbing me thoroughly. It felt like a repeat of what had happened earlier at the slave trade. I didn't even bother to fight back this time. I was exhausted to the bone, so I just sat there and let them do their job. They were so harsh with it that I wondered briefly if they were doing it on purpose.

I couldn't help but notice that the women were eyeing me with distaste, and treating me as though I'd committed some sort of crime. This made me so uncomfortable that I didn't know how much more I could withstand.

"I can scrub myself instead," I offered.

They looked at me like I'd said something blasphemous.

"Absolutely not. If you are not clean when you meet the Alpha, he will have our heads on a platter by dawn."

I saw them tremble at talk of Alpha Darius before resuming their scrubbing. I could clearly see that they were terrified of him. I wondered what kind of man he was if just the mention of his name could instill this much fear in his subjects. And why would a man like him buy me?

I was still confused.

It was already nightfall, and it seemed like I would be sent to meet him tonight. My stomach churned with anxiety as I wondered what he would do with me. I didn't want to believe that he was like all those other men who wanted a sex slave. At least, he hadn't struck me like that sort of man.

"Come on, we don't have time," the maids urged me.

A towel was wrapped around my body as one of them dried me off, and then I was led into the room. They handed me a pair of sexy underwear to put on and a transparent robe to layer on top of it. I was being clad in lingerie to meet him.

My heart sank with each passing moment. Perhaps I had read him wrong. Maybe he was just like other men and I had stupidly believed otherwise.

"Do I have to wear this?" I asked. "It's so revea–"

"It's either this, or you go naked to meet him. Your choice," one of the women snapped at me.

The other one was equally angry. "Why do you ask stupid questions like you don't know what you're here for?"

I clamped my mouth shut, feeling more petrified. After they put some perfumes on me, I was led out of the room and through the large estate. Being in this place reminded me of my home. I couldn't believe that I had gone from being a princess to a slave being forced to serve an unknown man. It was enough to bring me to tears, but I'd already promised myself that I wouldn't shed any more tears.

We arrived at the Alpha Darius’s chambers and the maids knocked.

"You may enter," his deep voice echoed.

My stomach churned. For some reason, aside from the fear rushing through me, I was nervous. I tried to shake it off as I was led into the room. He dismissed the maids with a wave of his hand, and in a second they were gone, shutting the door behind them.

My daring eyes looked up to face him, taking in his tall muscular frame which was clad in a blue shirt and tight black pants. He was seated on a sofa, leaning back casually with his legs crossed. For a few seconds, he said nothing. His eyes trailed up and down my body slowly. But again, they weren't filled with lust. It was more of a curious stare, as though he was trying to read me.

Nevertheless, I felt naked and bare, especially with the lingerie I had on. I couldn't help myself from covering my chest. I just felt so uncomfortable.

Finally, he cleared his throat. "What's your name?"

I was so nervous that I stuttered out an answer, "M-Molly."

What the hell…

I bit my tongue. Why on earth had I said Molly instead of Mary? Something was definitely wrong with me. Mary was the name I had been using up until now, and the name I should have stuck with. I had no idea why my nerves were a mess standing before him. I felt so nervous and small in front of him.

"Molly what?" He asked.

"Molly Sharpe."

He nodded but said nothing. Silence took once again as he fixed me with that curious gaze. "Do you know why you're here?"

I shook my head.

A cold smile graced his lips as he cocked his head to the side. "Isn't it obvious, Molly? Men have certain needs, and one of them is sexual satisfaction."

A strangled gasp escaped my lips before I could stop it, and I quickly took a step back. The fact that I had been wrong about him slapped me in the face.

He stared at me for a while before beckoning to me. "Come closer."

I wanted to flee right there and then, but I knew it was pointless. I took slow, careful steps towards him.

"Are you a virgin?"

I was silent for a few seconds, thinking of how to respond. "No," I lied through my teeth without even knowing why.

"I see. That means you have a lot of experience pleasing men. This isn't your first time, correct?"

"Yes," I said shakily, hoping that he would be able to tell I was lying. I didn't even know why I lied.

He nodded in approval and rose to his feet, towering over me. I almost took a step back, but I stopped myself from doing that. I watched in horror as he unbuttoned his shirt slowly. At this point, I began to panic. I didn't think he would want to sleep with me immediately. There was barely any time to mentally prepare myself.

Tears sprung to my eyes as the fear I'd been trying to hold in washed over my skin. Just then, Alpha Darius turned away from me and slipped off his shirt. A gasp escaped my lips at the sight but it wasn't his muscular frame or his shiny skin. It was the large tattoo mapped on his back.

The feeling that I had seen the symbol somewhere haunted me as I stared at him. Slowly, like a horror rising, I remembered.

This was the same symbol on the uniforms of the werewolves who murdered my family on the day of my mating ceremony. I recognized the insignia.

My eyes widened as I stumbled away, hot tears springing to my eyes. Anger and fear rose in my chest as I realized the cruel hand fate had dealt me.

I have been bought by the same man who killed my mate and my entire family.