The cool dawn air once again nipped at Thalia’s skin as she dragged herself out of the warm confines of the old SUV, pressing herself against the closed door as Marcus and no-name clambered out and stood in front of the vehicle, Marcus’s displeasure at being there coming off of him in waves while the other male seemed much more relaxed, bored even.
For nearly a minute nothing happened. No one stepped out of the dark sedan across from them. The windows were too tinted to make anything out and Thalia could sense what kind of creature was hidden within the confines of the vehicle. Who were these people? They appeared to have money so why were they mixing with the likes of rogues who made their money from kidnapping little girls and selling them on to whoever. Thalia could still vividly remember her own abduction yet for whatever reason, Lars didn’t sell her on like the rest. He had kept her like some dog in a cage, only letting her out to clean and cook or to be someone’s punching bag.One of the car’s doors opening snatched Thalia back from her thoughts and she watched as a tall woman stepped out gracefully. Piercing blue eyes, the colour of the arctic seas, were settled against creamy skin. Her Nordic blonde hair had been scraped back against her scalp into a tight bun and post-box red lips had been set in her a firm line giving away her obvious distaste for the men in front of her. Black stilettos gave way to long shapely legs that disappeared under a black pencil skirt that started just above the knees and ended high on the waist. A cream blouse with a pussy-bow hid under a fitted houndstooth jacket finished with brass buttons and black trim.She looked like she was dripping in money and yet at the same time harsh like a catholic school headmistress. Her energy instantly made Thalia shrink back like a shy child who wanted to hide from those hard scrutinizing eyes.The woman wasted no time in crossing the dirt clearing, the sharp pebbles underneath her shoes never once slowing her seamless gait.“Ms Thorton, how nice to see you again.” Marcus spoke up but his words belied his true feelings.“Do you have what he requested?” Ms Thorton’s tone was sharp and firm, leaving no room for time wasting.“Yeah.” The old wolf grunted, glancing over his shoulder. “Get over here, girl.”Thalia thought at first that she had misheard the man. There was no practical reason that she should be needed to show herself to this intimidating woman. It was bizarre enough that she had been made to go along on this trip. However, when the silence stretched on, Thalia realised she was indeed being summoned and she took hesitant steps forward until she was standing next to Marcus, keeping her gaze down and her hands folded in front of her.“Her?” The woman barked, unimpressed. “She looks like she hasn’t seen the inside of a bathroom in years. He won’t accept her. We said we wanted one that was in good health. This girl looks like she is about to drop down dead at any moment.”“Yeah well, she’s the best we can do at short notice.” No-name spoke up, his voice clearly mocking Marcus’s earlier words.“Shut it, Mason.” Marcus growled.Thalia felt her pulse jump. Confusion had settled in a long time ago but now dread poured into her veins like ice as it dawned on her that they were talking about her as if she was an object to be traded. Lars had never made any efforts to rid himself of Thalia even though she was really no use to him except for money. So why now? Why was he palming her off now? And also, to who?“Our mutual friend was very clear about his requirements.” Ms Thorton spoke up, giving nothing away with her expression but her eyes were sharp, digging into the old wolf. “Surely men of your experience wouldn’t have struggled with meeting those expectations.”“Yeah well, perhaps your client should lower his expectations a little.” Marcus sneered.The silence felt intense, and Thalia could practically taste the animosity between the male and female before her. Perhaps this was some cruel joke or perhaps Lars made a mistake.“Unfortunately, the deal is off gentlemen.” Ms Thorton was the first to speak. “We will have to take our business elsewhere.”“She’s untouched.” Marcus countered.“Maybe so but that isn’t the point…”“And she has Alpha’s blood.” Marcus blurted out.This time, the silence that stretched out between the four of them was filled with desperation and even surprise. Thalia felt eyes boring into her and glanced subtly to the side to see the male called Mason staring at her curiously as if now seeing something that he hadn't noticed before. Thalia wasn't sure why her being from an Alpha background was so surprising and so important. It wasn't like it could help her in any way. It had been so long since she had last been allowed to shift or be trained like other young wolves were. Couple that with exhaustion and having lost a lot of weight from the poor diet she was subjected to, it was any wonder Thalia had the strength to lift her head let alone defend herself."Wait here." Ms Thorton's clipped voice warned before she turned on her heel and stalked back to the car."An Alpha's daughter?" Mason directed his question to Marcus who had lit another cigarette. "Lars kept that quiet.""He kept her just in case a situation like this cropped up." Marcus replied, shifting from foot to foot.Ms Thorton was back only a few minutes later however this time she wasn't alone as a giant hulk of a male followed behind her, serious dark eyes glaring at Marcus and Mason and a black suit stretched over thick muscles.In the back of Thalia's mind, Maeve, her wolf, stirred. She hardly felt the wolf's presence anymore, but the sense of impending danger had Maeve pushing forward, preparing to fight if she needed to."Today is your lucky day, gentlemen." Ms Thorton spoke. "Rafi, take the girl to the car while I pay the gentlemen."Fear spiked in Thalia’s veins like hot lava, her dark eyes widening in horror as the goliath of a man stalked towards her. She tried to duck away but, despite the man’s size, he was surprisingly nimble and grabbed her arm easily. A terrified scream burst past Thalia’s lips as thick muscled arms wrapped around her arms, pinning them to her waist as she was dragged towards the waiting sedan. Her struggling was futile like a kitten fighting a lion and she found herself practically thrown into the back of the car, her face making contact with the cool black leather seats as the door was slammed shut. Thalia’s natural instinct was to try and open the door which is exactly what she did only to find it locked.“Let me out!” She screamed as she banged on the window, her body trembling.She was aware that sticking with the rogues was hardly ideal but at least she knew her place. The foreboding sense of terror she was getting from this situation was a million times worse and she couldn’t help but feel that wherever it was she was going now was just another level of fear and hardship.The car door opening on the opposite side of her had Thalia jumping and she quickly spun around to watch with tear-stained cheeks as the blonde woman climbed in elegantly, as if completely oblivious to the fact she was kidnapping someone.“You have to let me go.” Thalia begged.“I don’t have to do anything.” Ms Thorton replied with a hard tone. “Except deliver you to my employer. Now you can sit there and be good or we can do this the hard way but either way, you are coming with me.”“You can’t do this!” Thalia yelled, lunging at the older woman only to find herself stopped by a hand around her throat, manicured nails digging into her skin.“The hard way it is then.” Ms Thorton sighed and reached into the breast pocket of her jacket with her free hand.Thalia wanted to scream but she couldn’t get any air in, much less than any air out. The sharp pinch on her thigh made her look down, watching in horror as Ms Thorton pressed the plunger down on the syringe with clinical precision. With the syringe empty, Thorton released her hold on Thalia's neck, depositing the used needle in a small plastic bag marked 'medical waste' and tucked it into the depths of her bag. Thalia watched the entire scene with her heart going like a jackhammer and espresso eyes wide."What did you just inject me with?" Thalia's voice trembled."A sedative." Ms Thorton replied, her icy eyes now scanning her phone as if it was just another day in the office. "It should be kicking in right about now."As if on cue, Thalia felt her limbs begin to feel heavy and her sight blurred. Her racing heart had no doubt pumped the sedative around her system quickly and now she was beginning to feel the medication drag her down into the deep abyss. Whimpering, she tried to move in a futile attempt at trying the car door once more, but her fingers wouldn't grip the handle nor hold the strength to pull it.Just as the car engine started Thalia slumped in her seat, her last memory being Ms Thorton leaning over to pull the seat belt over Thalia's body before the darkness consumed her.It was the light filtering through her eyelids that eventually roused Thalia from the thick molasses of sleep that held her tight. Trying to crawl out of that safe and comforting darkness was like crawling through glue and there were a few times she succumbed to that protective embrace and sunk back under its waves. Eventually, pushing through became easier and Thalia felt the world around slowly slip back into place. For a few moments the young woman thought she was still in her cell, tucked away underground like a condemned criminal only to see the light of day when she was required to serve. Then the memories started to return to her.The car journey. Marcus negotiating with the blonde haired woman. Rafi throwing her into the back of the car. Ms Thorton drugging her.The events of that morning crashed down like ice cold water, sobering her immediately. She gasped as if breathing for the first time and shot up, espresso brown eyes wide and frantically taking in the room around her,
The large doors pushed open slowly, a soft whistle accompanying the movement as soft early spring air raced to escape through the opening. A delicate spicy scent mingled with the light scent of flowers, coming forth to wrap itself around Thalia like a loved one, coaxing her forward on wobbly legs to enter the room after Ms Thorton. Her heart thrummed in her chest like a caged bird making her lungs ache.The room appeared to be much like what Thalia had seen of the property. Pale vanilla sunlight poured in through several tall but narrow windows as navy blue curtains billowed on the breeze that came through the open panes. The patterned marble floor reflected the lazy sunlight softly. The main colour was a soft milky coffee colour with thin rectangles of black bordering strips of cream to create an intricate Rosetta pattern spreading from wall to wall, corner to corner. The room was not lacking in furniture or decor. Cream walls were bordered by patterned trims at the ceiling and floo
Thalia had been expecting to be sent back to her room and confined there until her dinner with Dante Connaught. If not that then at least she would be put to work cleaning or whatever it was that was needed from her as a slave. Yet neither scenario occurred.Instead, Thalia was led to another part of the strange residence where a tall, young woman with sharp features and skin as pale as snow worked silently to cut and tame the young she-wolf's thick dark hair. This and the shaping of Thalia's eyebrows were accompanied by a manicure minus any polish while Ms Thorton looked on, making sure everything was done exactly how she wanted it. Now Thalia's hair no longer sat in a mangled and damaged mess down to her hips. Instead, the colours of obsidian, espresso and molasses felt in silky waves over her shoulders, the ends curling ever so slightly just below her shoulder blades which protruded unhealthily. Thalia watched silently from her perch on the giant bed where her day had started as
At first Thalia thought she had misheard her master, then she thought perhaps she was imagining it. Thalia couldn't remember the last time she was allowed to go outside or shift. Lars either didn't like or didn't care to let Thalia out. Thalia had heard that the less a wolf shifted, the weaker they became but Thalia wasn't sure if that was true. She had endured years of torture and still healed quickly which sadly meant she was subjected to another beating. "A run?" Thalia's voice was shy and hesitant, her eyes flicking up to gage Dante's mood only to find him observing her calmly. “Yes.” Dante nodded with a smile. “Doctor McKinley did mention it in his notes and that it has been sometime since you were last able to let your wolf out. I can only imagine how torturous that must be for you so I would like to rectify it starting tonight.” Thalia was speechless, her eyes wide in shock and mouth agape. The rush of emotions was certainly overwhelming, and she felt the prickling sting i
Thalia only realised now how tired she was, as if Dante mentioning how late it was had drawn Thalia’s exhaustion to the front of her mind. Only a few minutes before she had felt invigorated after finally being able to shift and explore the mystical outside world. Her muscles were sore, but the warm burn wasn’t unpleasant, if anything it felt like home. How long had it been since she had felt that familiar ache from running in her wolven form? Now though, at the mention of going to bed, Thalia’s limbs felt heavy and her eyes scratchy. She caught herself stifling a yawn only for a pink tint to bleed into her cheeks when Dante smiled at her in amusement. “Come, I’ll escort you to your room.” Dante rested a large hand gently between the petite female shoulder blades, guiding her to another door, one she hadn’t noticed before. How many doors did this place have? “Thank you.” Thalia nodded, letting her hospitable master guide her through the door. The hallway that stretched out before t
Thalia felt her heart leap into her mouth as Jennifer continued to stare her down. The lessons she had been taught as a pup came back to her like a reflex. All pups were taught from an early age to be careful not to expose who they were truly to humans. Of course, there were some who knew of the supernatural species that existed but there was an agreement as old as time to keep the humans in the dark as much as possible to protect them from the dangers that came with the supernatural world. "Relax," Jennifer broke the silence first, letting out a humourless laugh. "Mr Connaught tells me everything." "Oh Jesus…" Svetlana rolled her eyes. "Your delusions are getting worse by the day. He told all of us." "But he told me first!" Jennifer argued, long slender fingers coming to play with her ice cream blonde hair before flicking it over her shoulder. “We talk all the time.”
Even though Thalia knew Priyanka wouldn't be at dinner that evening, she couldn't stop the worry gnawing in her gut. The other girls seemed unfazed by the absence of their friend and were happily chatting to each other. Even Jennifer had made an appearance and seemed in a much better mood even if she kept her distance from Thalia.However, when almost a week had passed and Priyanka still hadn't been seen by any of the girls, Thalia knew something was going on. Whenever Thalia questioned Ms Thorton or Dante, they had merely changed the subject or made some vague excuses. Dante was certainly more convincing than his assistant. It seemed that he just had to utter the words don't worry about it. She is fine and Thalia would forget about the matter until late that evening and when there was no one to ask.Thalia was also no closer to working out anything about her master or this strange place he called a home. The more she tried to
Six weeks later Thalia groaned as she pushed her hair out of her face, her mouth still watering as she blindly fumbled for the handle on the toilet. She had heard morning sickness could be a bitch, but she was now learning just how much of a bitch it really could be. It had only been six weeks since the night the small life inside her womb was conceived and yet it still felt like a strange dream. The exact details of that night were hazy in her mind, but Thalia remembered being unable to control herself as she agreed to Dante’s surprising request. In reality it wasn’t that strange. Women all over the world acted as a surrogate for other people all the time but to have six women be surrogates for one person was unheard of. Also, Thalia couldn’t help but shake the feeling that, while she hadn’t been forced to agree, she certainly had been coerced in some way which really wasn’t any better. Sink