GIA O'LEARY
The tall and imposing doors of the grand hall went open and Keegan led the way in with Madeleine, his pride and joy, clinging to his side, looking more beautiful than ever.
"Here comes the High priest and his holy maidens!" Emory Rhode, a gregarious man plunged forward to welcome us.
I instantly recognized him. The slightly balding man was a regular at the strip club. A pervert to the core. Although I performed every night with my face concealed, I still hid my face with my shawl, afraid of getting recognized.
A few pack nobles came forward to welcome us, treating us like we were daughters of the moon goddess.
Alpha Levi was a recluse, none of my sisters and I knew what the ruler looked like yet, my sisters were already wedded to him mentally.
I chuckled.
Just then, the babbles and cackles in the hall ebbed and this made my soft chuckles ring loudly.
"Excuse me?" Emory asked, "Is something funny?"
His condescending tone and cold eyes made it plain he already knew I was Keegan's runt.
Keegan shot me a death stare. I didn't mean to laugh so loudly. If things escalated then I'd be whipped afterwards for sure.
"My apologies," I spluttered, "I'm just overwhelmed to be here." I lied.
The lecherous Sir. Ferren, one of the pack Elders, the sickening old man who had demanded and got denied on several occasions at the club for a private session, shook hands with father, appearing more holy today than he did every other night in the strip club.
He repulsed me more than anything. These two-faced men in the hall tonight repulsed me just to think of their solemn appearances compared to their boisterous and leering remarks at the bar.
More Elders came forward to greet and welcome us, the more faces I recognized from the club. Was there any decent man in this pack?
Could Emory at least conceal his lustful gaze as they wandered my body? To think I was adequately covered from head to toes.
His perverted features stirred up a wave of disgust in me. How could I escape this? How long was it going to take to save up enough money to leave this all behind?
He shook hands with my sisters in total respect welcoming them but when it reached my turn, instead of a handshake he leaned into me with his hand grazing the small of my back. My guards instantly skyrocketed.
I didn't appreciate people touching me so I swatted off his hand from me with a deadly scowl on my face.
Father's face fell in disapproval of my attitude. We were bound to put on a show if this man kept on with this attitude. It didn't matter if Keegan ordered I get whipped afterwards with a silver whip.
"A pretty feisty one!" Emory made light of the situation.
The other men including father roared into laughter as though this man didn't just touch me in a way that made me feel violated. Even in the strip club, the manager went all out to protect his girls from men like Emory but father couldn't protect me from his subtle assault.
Not like I had any faith in Keegan to protect me.
The smiles instantly dropped off their faces, fear suddenly seized their features at the sudden aura in the hall. Emory snapped from my side and bowed his head stiffly at the man who just entered the scene in gallant strides exuding an air of dominance with his broad shoulders pulled back, haunted gaze scanning the scene before him.
My face dropped, the anger abruptly snuck out of me. Someone else from the strip club.
I quickly pulled my shawl to conceal my face.
The man I kissed. No, the man who kissed me.
His dark exterior clamped and jaws clenched as though grinding rocks with his teeth, my eyes dropped on the perfect set of green eyes that were oddly familiar.
Oh no!
A shrill rose and died in the hollow pit of my soul. This felt like an attack on me. My sins were catching up to me.
"Emory," His steely tone resonated off the now quiet hall.
Emory stood as though he'd been placed on death row. Shaky to the core.
"My alpha!" The older man nearly faltered.
"Clear your desk and vacate the treasurer position, your action towards a maiden is quite inappropriate."
"I apologize, Alpha Levi." Emory spewed, frightfully.
All the air left my vision.
He was Alpha Levi?
Our gazes snagged and I instantly averted mine, pulled the shawl to cover my face the more, afraid to get recognized by the man who had ignited a fiery flame that was burning ravenously on my inside from just a kiss.
"My apologies, my holy maiden." Emory redirected his apology to me.
For the first time I was actually getting apologized to. The first time anyone ever stood up for me. But my fear of getting recognized by this handsome pack ruler made it hard to react to Emory's apology.
"We are most honored to be here, Our Alpha!" Father stiffly bowed, Tilting everyone's attention to himself. Easing the tension in the air. Looking somewhat nervous.
How could father be nervous? Why was everyone acting like they were scared to breathe?
But Alpha Levi's amused gaze was pinned on my face. No, he couldn't have recognized me as black swan from the strip club last night. My shawl covered most of my face. I'd be killed if he did for sinning against my body.
My face grew white and my gaze dared not leave the floor beneath my feet.
A nightmare was unfolding before my eyes.
GIA O'LEARYThis certainly was the part where I'd get exposed and put to death for I was no holy maiden. I was an exotic dancer who kissed a man the previous night. His coat in my room a constant reminder that kissing this man who turned out to be the Alpha was never in my head. "I'm blessed with your appearance and that of your holy maidens."The way Alpha Levi said this must've been with a smirk, it was how I pictured his amused tone. My sisters didn't help things, they clustered to themselves as we were ushered to a seat leaving me as the odd one out. The ceremony began with Keegan taking control of the first ritual of the night. This gave me an opportunity to look in Alpha Levi's direction. He looked nothing like he did the previous night. He looked more pale and a bit frail than he was when we first met. Something was wrong. I looked across my sisters and thought of which to pry into a gossip mode with. Sadly, there was none. The first daughter, Beth had been married so she
GIA O'LEARY Keegan tried to persuade Alpha Levi into reevaluating his options but whatever this was about, Levi had already made up his mind. Nothing in Alpha Levi's perceptible mild exterior suggested he recognized me from the previous night. Wth the embroidered loose gown flowing to my ankles and hair covered with the shawl, it was hard to tell I was the same girl twirling around the pole last night. But what were those twinkles at the corners of his eyes whenever they regarded me? "What are you waiting for?" Keegan chided me, his displeasure plain in his manner and tone. I left the chair, towards Levi's outstretched hand. But chose to ignore his hand, I couldn't bear to know what they felt like another time. I couldn't risk his touch exposing me before the scrutinizing gazes of these men. I went straight ahead towards the inner room where the final rituals were to take place. Amusement seemed to twitch at the corners of his sensuous lips, his sweet patchouli tempting, almost
GIA O'LEARY I grabbed onto the shiny pole in the center of the curbed area in the strip club, just as every other night, this was supposed to be easy. My eyes scanned my audience through my mask, a habit to be certain no one in the crowd was familiar enough to recognize me even with the mask on. I was on display just as every other Friday night, the sickening gazes of these lustful men devoured me ravenously like cackling flames, their leering faces bore unmasked lust. Cheers erupted from the crowd, 'Black Swan' getting chanted from the dark corners of the bar, excited to finally have me on display for them. Wild display. The dim lights cast a golden glow on my skin, accentuating every curve in me as I twirled around the pole. I knew all of the regulars by heart, these boisterous lecherous men ogling at every move I made by the pole were regulars. But tonight, the sudden change of air at the bar stemmed from the unfamiliar face in the VIP area, his piercing green eyes dwelt on
GIA O'LEARYIt was almost morning light when I slipped into my bedroom. I closed the door and rested against it, releasing the trapped air from my lungs as I stood unnaturally still by the closed door. What just happened?The night had grown into something else, something fierce. I kissed a man. I kissed someone for the first time. And I liked it. A lot. No. This was wrong. My eyes screwed tight as though to fight the sizzling thoughts plaguing my mind, the electrifying feel of his rough palm trailing every inch of me, flooding my entire body with heat. What was absolutely wrong became the prickling sensation between my thighs as I conceived these thoughts. Forgive me, sweet goddess but this was a sin too great to resist. To shake off. Keegan didn't want me around his other five daughters because I was a runt. He feared this energy might rub off on them and worse, I was a constant reminder of how tragically his mate, my mom, died so he offered me the antiquated garage to stay In
GIA O'LEARY Keegan tried to persuade Alpha Levi into reevaluating his options but whatever this was about, Levi had already made up his mind. Nothing in Alpha Levi's perceptible mild exterior suggested he recognized me from the previous night. Wth the embroidered loose gown flowing to my ankles and hair covered with the shawl, it was hard to tell I was the same girl twirling around the pole last night. But what were those twinkles at the corners of his eyes whenever they regarded me? "What are you waiting for?" Keegan chided me, his displeasure plain in his manner and tone. I left the chair, towards Levi's outstretched hand. But chose to ignore his hand, I couldn't bear to know what they felt like another time. I couldn't risk his touch exposing me before the scrutinizing gazes of these men. I went straight ahead towards the inner room where the final rituals were to take place. Amusement seemed to twitch at the corners of his sensuous lips, his sweet patchouli tempting, almost
GIA O'LEARYThis certainly was the part where I'd get exposed and put to death for I was no holy maiden. I was an exotic dancer who kissed a man the previous night. His coat in my room a constant reminder that kissing this man who turned out to be the Alpha was never in my head. "I'm blessed with your appearance and that of your holy maidens."The way Alpha Levi said this must've been with a smirk, it was how I pictured his amused tone. My sisters didn't help things, they clustered to themselves as we were ushered to a seat leaving me as the odd one out. The ceremony began with Keegan taking control of the first ritual of the night. This gave me an opportunity to look in Alpha Levi's direction. He looked nothing like he did the previous night. He looked more pale and a bit frail than he was when we first met. Something was wrong. I looked across my sisters and thought of which to pry into a gossip mode with. Sadly, there was none. The first daughter, Beth had been married so she
GIA O'LEARY The tall and imposing doors of the grand hall went open and Keegan led the way in with Madeleine, his pride and joy, clinging to his side, looking more beautiful than ever."Here comes the High priest and his holy maidens!" Emory Rhode, a gregarious man plunged forward to welcome us. I instantly recognized him. The slightly balding man was a regular at the strip club. A pervert to the core. Although I performed every night with my face concealed, I still hid my face with my shawl, afraid of getting recognized. A few pack nobles came forward to welcome us, treating us like we were daughters of the moon goddess.Alpha Levi was a recluse, none of my sisters and I knew what the ruler looked like yet, my sisters were already wedded to him mentally. I chuckled. Just then, the babbles and cackles in the hall ebbed and this made my soft chuckles ring loudly. "Excuse me?" Emory asked, "Is something funny?"His condescending tone and cold eyes made it plain he already knew I
GIA O'LEARYIt was almost morning light when I slipped into my bedroom. I closed the door and rested against it, releasing the trapped air from my lungs as I stood unnaturally still by the closed door. What just happened?The night had grown into something else, something fierce. I kissed a man. I kissed someone for the first time. And I liked it. A lot. No. This was wrong. My eyes screwed tight as though to fight the sizzling thoughts plaguing my mind, the electrifying feel of his rough palm trailing every inch of me, flooding my entire body with heat. What was absolutely wrong became the prickling sensation between my thighs as I conceived these thoughts. Forgive me, sweet goddess but this was a sin too great to resist. To shake off. Keegan didn't want me around his other five daughters because I was a runt. He feared this energy might rub off on them and worse, I was a constant reminder of how tragically his mate, my mom, died so he offered me the antiquated garage to stay In
GIA O'LEARY I grabbed onto the shiny pole in the center of the curbed area in the strip club, just as every other night, this was supposed to be easy. My eyes scanned my audience through my mask, a habit to be certain no one in the crowd was familiar enough to recognize me even with the mask on. I was on display just as every other Friday night, the sickening gazes of these lustful men devoured me ravenously like cackling flames, their leering faces bore unmasked lust. Cheers erupted from the crowd, 'Black Swan' getting chanted from the dark corners of the bar, excited to finally have me on display for them. Wild display. The dim lights cast a golden glow on my skin, accentuating every curve in me as I twirled around the pole. I knew all of the regulars by heart, these boisterous lecherous men ogling at every move I made by the pole were regulars. But tonight, the sudden change of air at the bar stemmed from the unfamiliar face in the VIP area, his piercing green eyes dwelt on