Chapter 9

Liana:

“So, what are the rules again?” Ian asked, looking at us as if we were stupid.

The idea of dealing with all of this was not one that I wanted to process. The fact that they were teaching us to ensure that we were ready to satisfy the Alpha wasn’t something that I liked. I was furious, but I knew that I wouldn’t be able to change anything. Not this way.

“No talking back, no looking into the Alpha’s eyes unless aloud, no yelling, no screaming, and no to being rude.” We repeated, knowing not to stay quiet. We didn’t want him to have us going at it for another hour again.

“Exactly, and the last, but most important rule, NO MEN.” He said, and we all looked at one another for a moment as Elena walked toward us. We looked at her as she took Ian’s place, and though we stayed quiet, too scared to ask, we watched as the man walked out of the room for a moment, leaving us alone.

“No men?” I asked, and Elena nodded.

“They are here as servants of the harem, of the pack, and of the women of the pack. Meaning, they are not men.” Elena said, making us frown. We all looked at one another, and she smiled, chewing the inside of her mouth before pretending to cut something with her fingers as she pretended that they were scissors.

Our eyes widened, and we looked at one another before we laughed.

The men were castrated.

“I left for ONE minute and now all of you are unorganized again.” Ian said, walking toward us. I looked at Cecilia for a moment and we all laughed. Ian let out a low growl and we all went quiet as we tried to stop ourselves from laughing. “Since you chose to break the rules and disobey, let’s go again. Repeat the rules, let’s go…”

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“I swear this day has been long enough as it is.” I said, looking at Cecilia as we had our dinner. “And the dinner here doesn’t seem to be getting any better.”

“Come on, Cecilia, you know that it is not bad.” She said, and I rolled my eyes.

“It lacks flavor. It needs something, you know…”

“I trust that you can do better?” Annalise asked, raising an amused eyebrow. The woman walked inside the harem as if she owned the world, and we looked at her for a moment before most of the girls who were in the room got up to walk toward her.

“Annalise, how was it? How was he? Was he gentle? Was he kind…?”

The woman was swarmed with questions, and I couldn’t help but find myself growing anxious as my body ached for a moment.

“He was heavenly, kind, and big.” She said, looking at us as if she was all mighty.

“If you were in his chamber, why not spend the night? I mean, if he was kind, why did he send you out after he was done?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at the woman. She looked at me as the girls muttered amongst themselves. But just as she was about to answer, Elena walked toward us and clapped her hands, stopping us.

“Clean up and ready yourselves for bed. Those who are going to shower, follow me, those who showered last night, change and get ready for bed. I don’t want to hear your voices.” Elena said, and she looked at me. I looked down at my feet, and she walked in front of us, watching as we stood in line.

“Now, for those who want to be lucky enough to find themselves entering the Alpha’s room, you are going to need to be good…”

“Why would we want to be in his room?” I asked, and she took a deep breath. She walked toward me and raised an eyebrow.

“You are testing your luck, aren’t you?” She asked, and I scoffed.

“Don’t mind her, she fainted the second she took sight of the Alpha. I can bet on everything that I have that she is more than hoping to be in his room, but then again, I…”

“You…”

“ENOUGH!” Elena yelled, stopping all of us. I looked down at my feet, avoiding the woman’s feet. Her eyes met mine and she nodded, dismissing the women before she wrapped her hand around my arm, pulling me to the distance.

“You’re hurting me.” I said, and she nodded, letting me go.

“It might teach you a lesson to be good,” she said, making me frown. “Listen, you need to be smart. If you want to get out of this slavery, if you want to become a Luna, you are going to need to drop the attitude. You are going to have to be smart, and use your beauty to your advantage.”

“If you can carry the Alpha’s child, and if you give him an heir, you are going to be able to become his Luna. And if it is a boy, and you are his favorite; you can forget all of this. Rather than being a slave, who is to serve, you will have your own serving you.” She said, keeping her eyes on mine. “Therefore, I suggest that you start thinking of what I said. And judging by your eyes, the way you speak, stand, and even move around; you are.”

“Now, go back and think of what I said, and I know that you are going to make the best out of it.” She said, and I nodded.

My eyes met Cecilia’s as I walked back toward my bed, and wanting to lay on it.

“What did she tell you, Liana?” Cecilia asked, and I shook my head.

“Nothing,” I said, shrugging. “She just told me to stay out of trouble. She dismissed me then…”