1 - Sold to seven ruthless Alphas

The cold breeze from the air conditioner raided Godiva's warmth, as the bathroom door crammed open. Her hands laid over her exposed breast while she bent to hide her private part. "What the hell, Theresa," she yelled in fistful rage, seeing her elder sister at the entrance of the bathroom, the warm shower cascading down on her, muffling her words.

"Papa is dying, get dressed!" There was no amusement in Theresa's voice as she threw a dress at Godiva, who caught it in a reflex, Theresa's statements yet making sense to her. It was a prank. Their father couldn't be dying.

"Now, Godiva!" Theresa yelled, jolting her from her trance. Quickly, she turned off the faucet, putting on the dress hastily, her hands trembling with every action, without as much drying herself. Her thumping heart posed questions when she strutted down the stairs with her sister. Her breathing stopped, her legs stiff when she saw her father in his favourite recliner, surrounded by her sisters trying helplessly to save his life.

Godiva's heart sunk in misery, everything around her going bleak. Kneeling beside her father, she violently shook him awake, her hands continuously trembling. "Father please, don't leave us," she said in a melancholy voice, her eye blurred from the rain of tears.

His father's voice sounded different when he spoke. "I'm sorry, Godiva but they are coming for you. I'm sorry."

Godiva's heart was shattering and she was a shivering tangle. "Please papa, who is coming, I don't understand."

Her father took a deep breath. Life was fast leaving him. "I lost my job the same time your mother died." He began to cough and Theresa helped him with water, unable to control her own sorrow. She had already called 911 but due to the distance, it would take some time for the ambulance to get there since they were away from the town. 

"I thought of finding each of you a mate before time to get enough money to raise you all without having to work again," his voice was getting hoarse and she could tell he didn't have much time left. "And," she asked eagerly, wiping her tears with the back of her hand as she listened intently.

"I presented your pictures with each meeting and all seven Alphas chose you among your sisters," he said in a low tone. Now Godiva's heart was as hot as lava.

"I couldn't tell each one after the first that you had been taken because I needed the money. I..I..am sor...." His last words were swallowed by the pangs of death as he began foaming on the mouth, his eyes wide open with no life in them.

A shriek tore from Godiva's mouth, "Arrrrrrrrgggghh, nooooooo," as she shook her father violently, pulling him to her chest. "Please come back, I have more questions. Who are they? What do I do?" She continued to wail. She was broomed with sadness, pain, fear and agony. 

Having been sheltered by her father all these years, how was she supposed to pick her life back up. She was just a college freshman, pampered all her life. What was she to do with seven ruthless Alphas? This was a betrayal of the highest form because she never expected anything like it.

Her father had no respect for the mate bond. What would happen to her true mate when she found him, what does she do in a time like this? She was drained, damaged and too shocked. Her eyes felt heavy and painful from crying so much, her voice turned hoarse. There was no hope for her. She lost her dignity because those Alphas would never show her any form of respect. It was magical if you were drawn together by the bond you both felt but not when you have been sold to someone who felt no bond. Godiva had no life left in her. She had nothing to fight for. She was an ultimate sacrifice.

Her sisters were apprehended in their own wails, hugging each other sorrowfully. A soft but strong hand pulled her up to her feet, "It's too late, he is gone," Theresa shivered and spoke. It wasn't easy masking her pain to comfort her sisters. The seven of them, apart from going to school, have always been with their father. He was everything to them. Always attending any program they had in school, teaching them the basic things of womanhood from his experience. Now Theresa the oldest took up the role of comforting her sisters. Everyone had different reactions but Godiva's was the worst. While her sisters wailed the loss of a father, she wailed both his loss and the meaningless future awaiting her.

She was still clinging to her father's cold lifeless body minutes after, her tears an unstoppable fountain. "What happened? He was fine this morning," Godiva recalled preparing his morning coffee before going into the shower. Her father had just woken up, his steaming hot coffee waiting beside his recliner when he received a call. Theresa saw it too late when he began calling Godiva after sipping the coffee he had poisoned with the content of a small bottle beside the recliner, which she later found out was a deadly liquid, instantly calling 911 before getting Godiva as her father had requested. 

The five sisters had only just joined upon being awakened by Theresa's noise. Before Theresa could answer, the sound of sirens polluted the air. The ambulance had arrived too late but who could blame the paramedics? Their father built a ten-bedroom mansion a little away from town.

The paramedics' team declared him dead, getting the local police involved. It took hours to ascertain that there was no foul play and the man poisoned himself. Luckily, no one touched the small deadly bottle and only their father's fingerprints were on there. Their house was finally cleared, their father's body deposited in the morgue.

Things were a bit calm after the police officers left and it was already past midday. They must have all forgotten their father's caution that 'they were on their way,' but not Theresa. Before Godiva could retire to her room in her misery, she pulled her back. "We have to do something about those Alphas. You are not thinking about going with them are you?"

Godiva was deflated. She saw no way out of a situation like this. They hadn't lived close to packs but she knew that Alphas were very powerful and packs were violent. This was the reason why she wished to be mated to a human and live her life in peace but now, she was as good as meat in the slaughterhouse. Her fate lay in the hands of the butchers. "I can't face seven Alphas. I will just allow them to do whatever they want," her eyes welled up again as she spoke.

"Don't be ridiculous, Godiva. Your life isn't over yet. Over my dead body will I allow them to take you away," Theresa said with gross determination, though her eyes were still red.

Godiva had no hope but it wouldn't hurt if she listened to what Theresa had to say. "What would you have me do?"

"You have school friends. You need to leave this house. Run and seek shelter somewhere but don't go down without a fight. Don't go down feeling you should have done something and did nothing. This is your life Godiva, don't throw it away," Theresa encouraged her. From her father's confession, Godiva was sacrificed for all of them. If things had gone as planned, they would have all been mated to Alphas who weren't their destined mates.

"Tell me, Theresa, what would you have done in my shoes?" She asked with a sling of hope. Theresa had always been protective of them and she was the second to their father after they lost their mother. Godiva knew that Theresa cared.

"Just as I'm telling you to do. I will run!" Theresa said truthfully.

"That can wait till tomorrow. I have a few things to do. At least I should know the Alphas involved." Godiva didn't want to run without knowing what was after her. She needed the identity of those Alphas.

"You are right. The documents should be in father's study. Let's check them out."

As soon as they got to the study, Godiva broke down in tears. She could feel her father's presence heavily because he spent a lot of time there. It wasn't long for Theresa to locate the documents. From the way they were kept in the drawer beside his desk, there was great importance attached to it from everything else. Godiva's last bit of hope began to dwindle when Theresa read the names; "Alpha Alonso, Alpha Storm, Alpha Bond, Alpha Brick, Alpha Caesar, Alpha Jax and Alpha Ice. They are just as fierce as their name sounds."

Godiva leaned on the bookshelf shrivelled. "I can't do this."

Theresa pulled her into a comforting hug. "We can find a way to fly you far away from..." The door to the library barged open, and the fourteen-year-old Anita, who was also the youngest stood at the entrance, covered in fear. "Strange cars are driving into the compound," she announced in deep breaths.

"It's them, Godiva. You can't wait till tomorrow. You have to leave now," Theresa said in a matter of urgency and profound care.

Godiva's mind was jumbled. Where does she go? Her schoolmates from high school lived in the city. She had no idea how to get there on time and she was still worried about her sisters, even in her predicament. What if something happened to them because of her? The flame of hope she had, soon died. "What about you? Won't they hunt my sisters if I escape?"

Theresa stroked her hair like when they were little, doing nothing to hold back the tears wetting her cheeks. "Leave that for us to think about, Godiva. These Alphas are ruthless. None of them would want to let go. It's going to be bloodshed for whichever of them has you."

Godiva nodded her head, sniffling as she hugged Theresa and Anita. "Please be safe," she whispered to them. She paused at the sound of the doorbell and had no idea of how she was going to make it out without being caught