Chapter 1
“Ah!” I screamed as I felt a sharp pain in my back. I was whipped. I didn’t need to ask who did it, it was the slave master; my slave master. The same one who worked for one of the most heartless and evil werewolves to grace the earth, Lord Marcus.
“Why are your eyes closed, you useless pig?” He yelled, after which he grabbed a chunk of my hair and pulled me up, the chains that bind my legs and hands rattling in the process.
“Nothing, Master,”
He spat on my face. “If not for my Alpha’s money, I would’ve thrown you into the lion’s den so they could feed on your flesh and bone,”
“So useless. You’ve been my Slave for ten years and nobody wants you. Better pray somebody wants you tonight or else, I’ll allow the dark beasts to strip you naked and fuck you till you’re dead. Understood?” He yelled.
With tears rushing down my face, I whimpered, “Yes, Master,”
He’s right. I’ve been with him and his Alpha, Lord Marcus for ten years. He was the man who brought me from my parents’ killers.
For the ten years I’ve spent with him, I’ve lived in hell. He feeds us like street dogs and beats us if we complain about the food.
There was a time he purchased a collar that would strangle us whenever we acted stubborn but when over five slaves died from the effect of the collar, he stopped using it.
In a world where the werewolves ruled, I was just a human girl.
The human population was like 10 percent of the entire world population, while the werewolves were the largest number of creatures on earth. Humans like me were considered weak, fragile, and above all useless. The wolves are stronger, faster, and smarter.
When I was twelve, my parents were murdered right in front of my eyes. I can still remember their killers laughing as they tore them into pieces, limb by limb. They made me watch while they sexually assaulted my brother, insisting that was the only thing he was useful for before killing him. He was 13 years old.
Our parents had tried to hide us for those years, we lived in caves, mountains like the nomads, enduring the cold day and night but still, they found us at the end. The only regret I have was surviving. Why didn’t my parents kill me off once I was born? Why make me go through this pain called life?
“What happened with the last wolf that bought you?” my master asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.
I’ve been bought more than five times but I was always returned to my master. The reason was a mystery to me as well. The man who bought me had beaten me to a pulp before dropping me off at my master’s and that wouldn’t be the first time.
“I don’t know, master,” I answered as my scalp began to sting. He was still holding my hair as if his life depended on it, pulling at my scalp so painfully.
“You better behave and get bought tonight or else, I’ll keep to my promise?” I nodded frantically, the tears spilling down my face.
There were times when I wished I could strangle him to death but the one time he caught me staring at me, he pushed his fingers into my eyes, drawing blood. For the next two days, I thought I’d gone blind because I couldn’t open my eyes to see anything.
He dropped my body to the floor. Through the chains that bonded my hand, I struggled to get up to my feet. I had to, no matter how hard it was. If I stalled on the ground, I’ll be affecting the second girl that was bound to the chain and that’ll affect the third and consecutively till it gets to the last person. I was usually the last person on the line whenever we were taken out for an auction or display but today, I was first because my master was so desperate to have me sold.
“I heard some groups of Alphas are attending the auction tonight,” My head whipped up at the strange voice. The words came from a lady who was walking by the lobby of the Wolves’ hall that the auctioning was to happen. I turned to stare at the girl behind me and I could see the same fear that I had in her eyes. We were as good as dead. The last time we were auctioned to a group of alphas, they decided to use us as bait for vampires.
They’ve captured those vampires for their entertainment and released them to chase us like prey for their next meal. They all laughed, drank, and jubilated as we walked through the shadow of death.
“We’re as good as dead tonight,” The slave girl whispered.
I closed my eyes, convincing myself it’ll take a few minutes of pain before death finally envelopes me as I’ve always wanted.
Suddenly, the door opened and my eyes fluttered. My chain was loosened at the leg, allowing me to walk into the hall. A man grabbed my arm and pulled me to the center of the hall. I held on to the hem of my torn, dirty gown to cover up my nakedness.
“Here is a nice piece of meat, Alphas, why don’t you try to have a taste?” The same man who had pulled us to the stage said. I shivered at the meaning of his words.
“The Alphas get to choose first, don’t they?” Another man asked from the crowd, raising an argument.
“Alpha Denica, you might need a new slave girl,”
“They don’t have dicks, do they?” A female Alpha replied and laughter rang through the room. “I might be interested in her,” Since I was the ‘her’ she was referring to, I became scared for my life. Male Alphas are terrible but Female Alphas are demons.
Suddenly, an eerie silence descended on the room and soon, murmuring followed. I couldn’t dare to look up and know what the reason for the sudden change was. If I’m caught looking or staring at them, I’ll be killed for disrespecting their rules.
“I’ll take her,” An intense, thick voice resonated across the room. Every fiber of my body wanted me to look up and look at him. His voice called out to me.
“I chose her first,” A female voice that probably belonged to Alpha Denica argued.
“One more word from you, Denica, I’ll have your head hanging from a tree,” The thick voice was closer this time. I could feel his presence right in front of me. For a second, I lifted my head to take a glimpse.
He was dangerously gorgeous.
“Alpha Black…” My master whispered. My heart began to race immediately.
Is he the same Alpha Black? The one is known as the King’s Bane, the King’s assassin, and the Nightshade Hunter. He’s a popular wolf known for his ferocity and heartlessness. Some even call him the mad Lycan behind his back. I shivered from the fear that had gripped me.
But immediately he stood right in front of me, my fear was replaced by an unexplainable calmness. It reminded me of those silent evenings I spent on trees as a child.
“Look at me,” he demanded.
I swallowed hard, torn between following his orders and defying them. Slaves weren’t allowed to look at the wolves straight in the eyes.
“Sir?” I asked, scared of his next action. His large palm underneath my jaw urged me on. I finally lifted my head to stare at him and I almost lost my breath. His blue eyes entrapped me and I felt butterflies fluttering in my stomach. I quickly looked away before I sinned by staring too long.
He wrapped his shirt around my waist and said, “You’re coming with me,”
