VALERIE
I gulped.
One of the Alpha’s men came forward and offered a hand to help me from my chair. I wobbled as I stood, my legs numb and weak beneath me.
The moment they had the coin in their hands, the mood in the shop shifted dramatically. Smiles blossomed over their faces and they looked to one another giddily. “How generous of you, my Alpha. You are correct—she is quite a unique girl. Won’t find another like her. Please do enjoy!”
Aunt Rita, who just a moment ago looked like she was going to faint, was suddenly revitalized. She fluttered in front of him and gestured back toward a large display of “tools” used to keep slaves in line. Things like collars, cuffs, whips and a variety of toys—some I knew the purpose of and others that were simply question-marks on the wall.
I shivered at the thought of any of those items being used on me.
The Alpha’s gaze flickered back to me. There was a slight tilt to his lips—the slightest twitch of a smirk as he said, “No need, thank you.”
My stomach twisted into a knot.
No need? Did he already have tools of his own?
The Aunts escorted us out, buzzing about the Alpha with glee. If they had trumpets, they would most certainly be sounding them into the market to celebrate such a bountiful sale.
We stopped at the doors, where my hands were cuffed and my feet chained with a fresh set of cuffs. They were like parting gifts to all of us the moment we were purchased—shiny new metal binds, taken from fresh packaging and placed around our wrists and ankles.
As I followed the Alpha out of the shop, one of his wolves kept a tight hand curled around my arm as if I might try to escape.
He was just as smart as he looked if he thought I could run with these heavy cuffs on my ankles. I could hardly walk on level ground.
The moment we stepped out, I was overwhelmed by the harsh sunlight. It had been so long since I had seen the outside world. The sun was pins in my eyes and fire on my skin.
I passed by the highest of the Alpha’s guards who was waiting out front. His gaze stuck on me narrowly. I could tell he did not favor me, nor did he understand the Alpha’s decision to purchase me.
I couldn’t blame him. I didn’t understand it, either.
I watched the Alpha’s back as we walked, trying with all I had to remain calm.
As I walked, I began to remember the area around us. The last time I had seen this place was the day I was transported here to the shop. The streets were too narrow for cars, so slaves were unloaded from a van and walked on foot like cattle.
The sun had been as bright back then as it was today and I hated it.
The sun made me hopeful. And hope was unrealistic.
Back then, the thought of escaping had flickered to mind. The shops didn’t have strict security the way the Cell did. The walk down the strip could have been my only chance at freedom.
Ava laughed at me when I told her this. “You’re dumber than you look if you think that will work,” she’d said. She had been my only friend, Ava Grace.
I thought maybe it was because Ava had flaws like me—a big ugly scar on her belly that looked a lot like the mark on my neck. Or maybe it was because we both had dreams of freedom.
“How are you going to make a living?” Ava had asked me as we shuffled in one, long, slow line toward the slave shop. “Even if you do get out of here, how will you survive on your own?”
“My father taught me to survive for weeks on my own in the wilderness,” I told her. “As long as I can find water, I’ll live.”
Ava laughed at me, as if we weren’t marching straight toward our doom. “This isn’t reality TV, love. I mean, you don’t really know where we are, do you? This place is a desert. No forests, no lakes, not even bugs could survive out there. It’s called the Demilitarized Zone for a reason. You know what’s out there waiting for you?”
“I know,” I groaned, hoping it would be the end of her lecture.
Ava ignored my reply. “Werewolves, vampires, dragons—creatures we probably don’t even know exist. They’re all out there, hungry and looking for a little girl like you to walk right into their nest. And out there, they can do whatever they want to you. Chances are, before you even find a source of water, you’ll be ripped up by a rogue wolf or drained by a starved vampire—or if you’re lucky enough, you might be captured as an ambulatory uterus by one of those dragons you always hear tales about.”
I was shocked and a little sickened by how much she knew of the Demilitarization Zone. “Where did you get all this information?” I asked.
Ava grinned. She was always smiling in the darkest of times. “Where do you think I got these?” she said, flashing the scars on her belly.
Even now, as I walked in the Alpha’s shadow, I saw the ghost of Ava trotting in her shackles toward the slave shop. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. Every time I thought of her, it was like a knife going through my ribs.
I didn’t know if she was dead or alive.
All I knew was that Ava was purchased by an old wolf during the high season a year ago. A horrible older man with jagged scars on his face and a look of terrible intention in his eyes. A veteran of the war. A man who knew how to hurt.
Even that day, as she was led out of the shop in her shackles, Ava smiled back at me.
Tears pricked my eyes.
Ava. I couldn’t help Ava and I couldn’t help myself. For so long, we dreamed of freedom together. We fantasized about running away—about the moments we reached the islands and started our new lives.
And yet we met the same fate. Our lives would never be our own.
Suddenly, the Alpha stopped.
I bumped into his back, not realizing he’d come to a halt. Quickly, I scurried back, bowing my head in apology. The Alpha turned to look at me, and I felt a shudder run down my spine at the thought of what his intentions might be.
Surely, he hadn’t purchased me for the same reason the old wolf had purchased Ava. Ava was beautiful, even with her scars.
For a long time, he stared at me in silence. My heart ticked in my throat like the hands of a clock. Then the Alpha said, “Chad, give her your coat.”
One of the guards complied, though I didn’t look up to see who. Suddenly, a warm fabric was throne over my shoulders. I wrapped myself in the jacket and looked up slowly to see the Alpha leaning in close to get a good look at me.
He took the lapels of the jacket and tugged them around my neck. “Much better,” he muttered, as if he didn’t want the others to hear. “Your lips were turning blue.”
I felt like a startled rabbit, my heart stammering endlessly in my chest. I tucked my head down. I didn’t know how to react—didn’t know what to say. They had taught us how to behave with masters, not Alphas.
I wanted to utter a thank you, but I feared talking at all. I remained silent and held the jacket tight around me.
He was so strange, this young Alpha. Why was he so considerate of a simple slave?
Why had he taken me at all?
VALERIE The Alpha said nothing as we continued our walk out of the market square, where a vehicle awaited us. Wolves themselves didn’t require cars. They were much stronger and much larger than humans—and in their shifted form, they had enough endurance to travel at quick speeds all day long. But then again, Alphas probably preferred to be driven around on business. The car that awaited us was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was sleek and low—the kind of car that probably used to air on television ads decades ago. Vehicles were hard to come by since the factories all closed—but of course, the Alpha had his connections. It was more than likely that he had the thing personally designed and built just for him. It was a wonder what the wealthy did with their money while others starved. I found my reflection in the dark windows. I was such a ragged, unkempt thing. Why would he want me? Chad took the driver’s seat and the engine roared to life like a wild beast, woken from its
VALERIE I didn’t know what to say. What was allowed when speaking to an Alpha? Was I to wait until he addressed me? Could I speak first? Surely, I couldn’t just say something like, “Can I call you Alpha instead?” Could I? After a moment of my silent deliberations, the Alpha seemed to give up on any chance of a reply. “Nevermind,” he said. Then he turned to the glaring man in the passenger seat. “That’s enough, Ralph. You can rest easily now. This journey has been tiresome enough.” I wasn’t sure what he meant, but Ralph nodded his head and his unfriendly gaze finally lifted off of me. Truly, he couldn’t have thought I would try to hurt the Alpha. What was he, a damned guard dog? Outside, the landmarks had finally begun to change. A greenness began to take over the earth—a color I hadn’t seen since my parents were still alive. I gaped at the vast forest of trees awaiting us, a slight excitement beating in my chest. Calm down, I told myself. You’re still a slave. Your life is still
VALERIE It was a well-known fact that werewolves were among the most attractive species on earth, but this man was something else. He looked like a prince, plucked straight from a fairytale. His hair was blond, just long enough to curl beneath his ear. His eyes the color of lightning—blue and pooling with light. He was lean, but strong. Not quite like the burly guards that accompanied the Alpha. He wore a shirt, half-buttoned that showed his pale flesh beneath, white as the marble stone we walked upon. Tangled in his arms was a human girl. She reminded me a bit of Ashley, with her pretty face and her long golden hair. She wore nothing but a thin night dress that saved little to the imagination. But despite that she was human, she was donned in fine jewelry and makeup, which made me think that she was either from a prestigious family, or she had been gifted those things by someone much more fortunate. Her face was glazed in ecstasy, and I could tell from the lost look in her eyes th
VALERIE How had I not realized? He had all the traits of a vampire: a sharp-boned, handsome face, skin the color of fresh fallen-snow—and the glinting I’d noticed must’ve been his fangs peaking out over his devious smile. It wasn’t that I didn’t know what vampires looked like, or that I wouldn’t have been able to identify one in person—but this man called Lucas was different than the vampires I’d come to know. He was larger, stronger, almost the size of a werewolf. This was unusual for vampires, who were often just as small in stature as humans. Then again, I had only met a vampire once before. It had happened at a wedding reception I’d attended with my parents and Mathilda. The bride and groom had been close family friends, and they’d celebrated their marriage at their newly acquired home in a small, quaint little village. Things were different then. There was still good in the world, and the war had not destroyed most of what we held dear. The couple were deeply in love, and th
VALERIE I followed obediently. What else was a slave to do? As long as I obeyed, he hadn’t a reason to punish me. Once we reached the top of the staircase, I allowed myself to look around for the first time. Over the banister, a large lounge room came into view. It was dark and spacious, with leather furniture and walls made of stone. A fire radiated from somewhere inside. I wondered why so much space was necessary. Who would be spending their time in such a room? We passed, and heading toward a room at the end of another long hallway. Two ornate doors awaited us, the scent of sweet oak filling the air. As we approached, I noticed the guards at the door—two on either side. The door itself was made of a tawny bronze material, looking like it weighed more than the both of us combined. Was this where I would be kept? After all, making an escape through those doors would be impossible. I supposed it was better than a locked cell. The Alpha stopped before the guards, and waited as th
VALERIE By the time I’d arrived back downstairs, the foyer had filled with the wafting scents of fresh-cooked meats and baked bread. I wasn’t sure why I had been invited to dinner when it was probably more fitting for a servant to be in the kitchen actually cooking the meal, but I couldn’t deny that the smells wreathing me were irresistible. Flavor was not something we experienced often back at the slave shop. The aunts complied to the Alpha’s orders to feed us meat and milk every week, but seasoning and sweets were something we only caught a whiff of when the windows were left open on a windy afternoon. I rounded the foyer and stood at the threshold of the dining room, watching servants buzz around the table. They dropped off platters full of food, and laid out silverware in a distinct order. The sight made me nervous. Which spoons was I meant to use? Which knives and forks? One of the servants pulled back a chair when he spotted me and gestured for me to sit beside the Alpha, ac
VALERIE The Alpha had a point. Why would those vampires have risked their privileged lives to go up against the council? The council was full of hardened, unforgiving men. They would have been deprived of their luxurious lifestyles and been put on trial immediately, if not imprisoned entirely for their crimes. It was so like the high class to think they were above the treaty. It was so like vampires to believe they were above everyone. There had to be more motive behind their crimes. Vampires we not the most powerful creatures, but they were certainly smart. Smarter than the average human, and much smarter than the average wolf. Lucas frowned. Even his frown looked pretty. “Perhaps they’re after something…more attractive?” “Yes, much more attractive,” said the Alpha. “Attractive even to you and me.” I did not miss the rough, disgruntled edges to his voice as he said, “It’s related to the prophecy.” Lucas’s frown eased into a look of interest. All hint of playfulness had vanished
ValerieSo that was it.That was why the Alpha had wanted me.It was not that he saw past my imperfections, but rather, my flaws were useful to him. He wanted to…use me.I should not have been surprised. All my life, I was made fun of for my mark. Even long before I had been taken in as a slave, children pointed and laughed when they saw it. I recalled the way the neighbor kids used to point and said, “Look! She has a stain on her neck!” And for a long while, I thought it was just that—a stain.For months, I tried to scrub it off in the bath, even making it bleed at one point. Eventually, I came to understand that it was not a stain at all. It was a part of me and I would never be rid of it.I had never expected that for the past several years, it would be the one thing keeping me from living a life of slavery and abuse. I had also never expected that it would be the one feature on me that caught the Alpha’s eyes. That he would be the one to take me from the shop and feed me delicious