Chapter six

Elena's  POV

I can't feel anything. I can't hear anything. I feel like I'm drowning. Everything is pitch black, I feel weightless. Where am I? My consciousness drifts in and out. It's like I'm not here. Memories drift in and out of my mind like sand. I can't get a grasp on any. Distantly I hear sounds but they seem far away. I want to stay here, it's peaceful. Away from the wicked world out there. I feel like there's something that I need to do but I don't want to leave here. Let me rest, just for a little while…

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I'm thrust violently into a memory. It's like it's happening to me, I can feel everything, and hear everything but I'm not present at least not mentally. I look at the weak version of me dispassionately.

I'm leaning back against the stone-cold wall of the cage I'm being kept in, almost wishing for the relief of death. 

Away from the constant pain and torture. My entire fucking life has been one constant battle after the other because being an Omega wasn't enough, the Alpha of the clan was also a giant dickhead who thought being a weak Omega was even more distasteful.

He made it obvious how I should be mistreated, barely tolerating me and shunning me against the community.

I've been told my entire life how worthless I am.

An abomination.

Not enough of a human and not enough of a shifter to fit in either faction.

When I realized that people viewed me as truly worthless was on my thirteen birthday.

We were on a pack run and a group of older boys circled me, leading me away from the pack. When they attacked me, no one came to help me. Not when I screamed. Not when I cried.

No one ever came.

No, even when the boys left me broken and bloody in the snow and in the dirt. I lay there through the storm that night, the icy water washing over my body.

If I'd been human, I might have died from hypothermia. Fates knows I prayed for death that night.

It wasn't the first time I've felt like that, experienced that, but it was the first time it has been so public, so I knew for certain the entire pack was aware of what happened and did nothing.

It was when I learned that I was truly alone. No one was coming to save me.

It's not like my family was better off. My dad treated me like I didn't exist, always muttering and blaming my mother for bringing such an abomination into the world. My mother tried to protect me but after a while, she too gave in.

After a while, my father started denying that I was his daughter; that I didn't belong to him.

It was why I was sold. My dad got a nice sum from the trader, he even thanked him for taking me off his hands.

I've been passed around to several traders till my current one which is the longest. It says something when being sold into slavery isn't the worst thing that has happened in my life. 

Despite being trapped in a cell and transported around, this is probably the most alone time I've ever had in my life.

I've not been molested or tortured in the last five months, which might just be a record for the last four or five years.

As I said, my Alpha was a fucking asshole.

I could remember how despondent I felt on my fourteenth birthday and how it just reiterated the fact that there was no hope for me.

One of the Alpha's mistresses was leading me to his bedroom, I was trying to steel myself, whatever was coming tonight was just another thing I had to endure.

I could try to escape but the copper banks around my hands suppress my wolf and weaken me. One of his Mistresses is a Witch who helped him bind me, they even laughed together as she sealed the binds to my wrists. 

Only the two of them can unlock it. Which means even if I escape, I won't get far. Hiding from them isn't even an option, I'd just be prolonging and doubling my punishments.

I keep my head lowered, eyes on the ground as I follow Meryl's footsteps. She stops outside the double doors that lead to the Alpha's bedroom and lifts my chin to look at her.

"Do not disappoint him tonight. You aren't the only one that would pay for it," she says.

My stomach twists at her words but I nod and remove my gaze from her hard eyes and look back at the ground.

Without another word, she turns to knock then she walks away leaving me in the cold hall waiting for the Alpha.

"Enter!" I start as he bellows from the inside, the wooden doors barely dulling the volume. Lifting a shaking hand to the handle, I take a deep breath and push the door open.

"Ah Ellie-bear. Good, you're finally here".

His voice makes my skin crawl. He's not as kind as he looks or talks, I already know that.

I keep my mouth shut and stand with one arm around wrapped around my waist, clinging to my other arm to try to make myself smaller. 

The slip of see-through material Meryl made me change into does nothing to cover me and it's freezing here.

I can feel his stare raking over my body, the heat of it turning my blood to ice. You'd think I'd be prepared for this by now, and yet….I'm not.

I think I know what's coming this time. I might have not been fucked yet, but I've been used and abused in many other ways. I know exactly what might be expected of me tonight. It doesn't matter how much I don't want it, I mean no one gives two fucks about me to even try and stop it.

I glance up, taking a peek at him when he doesn't speak again and the swarm's smile on his face makes me want to vomit.

I can't handle this.

"Such a pretty little thing, aren't you Ellie-bear?" He moves towards me, and it takes every ounce of strength I have to keep my feet planted on the floor and not run away. 

He raises his hand and I flinch expecting a slap for not responding to him, instead, he tucks my long hair behind my ear in a false caring gesture. I try not to shudder as his skin came in contact with mine.

"Oh yes, my darling Ellie-bear, you and I are going to have lots of fun together".

Rattling beside my cage jerks me out of that horrible memory, I turned looking at my fellow inmate.

"Elena, y'oka-y?" Belle whispered over to me.

She was young but I guessed she was the same age as me just with a more petite stature. She was bought a couple of months after me along with some weird prissy guy I guess from the pieces of conversation I've caught, who was taken along with her.

"Just fucking peachy" I replied. "Just waiting on our next buyer, is all".

The corners of her mouth turned down and I almost felt bad. Almost.

"Don't say that!" she half whimpered, half cried.

"Calm your shit, Belle. That's the reality of the situation we're in. If I were you, I'd get used to it and don a thicker skin". 

I said with false bravado. I was scared shitless too, even more so than her. I didn't mean to be so mean either, but I've learned throughout my life that no one is looking out for me. No matter how well-meaning they might seem, I've only got myself. 

And there's no use wishing away bad things, just get ready buckle down and pray you to survive it.

The prissy guy she came with chuckled at my harsh response and I could see Belle narrowing her eyes at him. Before I knew it they started bickering back and forth, throwing barbs at each other in the hopes of one-upping the other.

I sighed and closed my eyes in hopes of catching a little nap.

"Four-oh-seven. Wakey wakey. Boss wants to see you". I startle awake at the loud voice screeching my number.

 That's how they catalog us. Dehumanize us. I quickly scramble to my feet, keeping my eyes turned down. I knew better than to try and challenge men like him.

He'd take pleasure in beating the hell out of me, so I'm not going to give him a reason to.

The cage is opened and I step forward, not fighting when he grabs my upper arm hard enough to bruise and drags me out.

I follow behind as demurely as I can with him dragging me. The sudden bright sunlight shining down on my face blinded me momentarily causing me to stumble, only his firm grip kept me upright but that didn't stop the harsh ground from scraping my feet. 

We kept on walking until we approached a rusted red door.

 He opens it and I'm shoved to the floor, my knees scraping the floor as I hit the hard ground, barely managing to catch myself before my face hits the floor

"At least this one isn't half stupid." I hear sniggers around me. "Do you know why you're here, girl?".

My eyes still lowered, and I kept my mouth shut knowing that despite the question, speaking would be the worst thing I could do.

"Clever girl", he says before roughly grasping my chin. "It's your lucky day. It's a surprise a thing like you is mated to these men".

My brows furrowed in confusion.

Mated? What does he mean? What men?

He grins like he sees the question on my face.

"I have a certain friend...who can sense things...some men have been looking for their mate, immediately I saw you she sensed that you were who these men were looking for. Well, they're here to claim you". 

He shifts to the side and I see Zayn and Ethan for the first time.

Even from here, their eyes looked so cold and menacing that it made me shiver.

It looks like my situation just went from bad to worse.