Alpha’s Reluctant Human Slave Mate, Now Untouchable

L E I L A N I Living in a wolf pack as a human had to be the biggest challenge of my life, a plot twist I never imagined would become my reality. And it all started with a bite. That bite was supposed to have turned me, to have made me a werewolf like them, but something went wrong. Or perhaps, something went right. I hadn't decided which yet. I was a failed experiment. All my life, I thought the stories about werewolves were nonsense. I thought they were myths used to sell books and movies. Until that fateful night. I'd been camping in the mountains for a week, backpacking and attempting to 'find myself,' after tragically losing my parents, when a pack of them swarmed my tent. I thought I was dead. I really, truly did. I can still recall the feeling of the rough canvas against my cheek as I curled into a ball, the fabric tearing as claws sliced through it. The scent of damp earth and pine filled my nostrils, mingled with something wilder, something primal. The bite wasn't the worst part. It was the moment I saw those wild animals morphing into humans, their bones cracking and reshaping in the moonlight. That was the true horror. That was when my world shattered. Their population was slowly dying out. Their females were becoming sterile, and their young weren't surviving the change. They were desperate for their kind to not go extinct, so they abducted as many humans as they could. And they bit each and every one of us after performing a turning ritual, hoping we would be their miracle. And it was a success. Thousands of humans survived, turning into werewolves. But I didn't. My body fought the curse, fought the change with every fiber of its being. And here I was, the lone human in a pack of werewolves. A mistake. A mistake they'd kept alive for one year. One year of hell. Living in the shadows. I became a slave, cast into a role of servitude. I was the one they pushed around, the one they ordered about, the one who had to clean up their messes and cook their meals. The only one who had to endure their full moons in their raw, powerful forms. Every full moon was a nightmare. The air would grow thick, charged with a restless energy that made my skin prickle. They'd all shift, their human forms giving way to the beasts within. I'd lock myself in the reinforced cabin, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. I'd spend the night huddled in a corner, hands clamped over my ears, trying to block out the sounds of their howls, their hunting, their raw, untamed power. As much as I had hated their kind, I wished I had just turned into one when they bit me. The humans that were abducted with me, who were successfully turned, were living normal-ish lives amongst the pack. They were part of something. They had a place. And me? I was an outcast. They had easily synced into being their true selves, living as werewolves. They'd embraced their new lives, found mates, and were building futures. They were the lucky ones. They were the ones who weren't stuck in purgatory. Or was it the other way around? Were they the ones trapped in this world, and I was the only one who was still truly free? The thought was a small, flickering flame of hope in my chest, something I tried not to think about too often. "Hurry up, bitch." The barked command startled me out of my reverie, and I flinched, my grip tightening on the wooden handle. I glanced down at the scrubbing brush, surprised to see blood pooling at my feet. I'd scrubbed too hard, and the brush had sliced open the tip of my index finger. Blood beaded, welling, and then slid down my finger, dripping to the ground. I was bleeding. But thankfully, they weren’t vampires who could smell my blood and hunt me down, as if I was a piece of meat. "Hurry up!" The voice was impatient, and I glanced up to see one of the guards glaring at me. "I'm bleeding," I replied softly. He didn't respond. He didn't care. He had the face of someone who didn't have a single ounce of compassion. The type of person who didn't feel guilt, or regret. His eyes were dark, void of anything but cruelty. "If you don't clean this mess, the rest of the pack won't eat. We're expecting guests tonight. " My breath hitched. "Guests?" "You heard me. You don't want the whole pack to be mad at you, do you? Because if you don't, I'll gladly finish the job myself. You can go and sit in the corner like a little b***h while the rest of us feast." I shuddered. The last time I'd displeased the pack, I'd been kicked and spat on. Food had been thrown at me. I'd been treated like garbage. "Fine." He stepped back, satisfied with my answer. "Make sure you do a thorough job. If not, I'll beat you." I bit back a retort. He'd beat me, anyway. No matter what I did. With trembling hands, I dipped the brush back into the murky water, ignoring the way the water burned against the gash. This was the price of freedom. Freedom had a cost, and the price was steep. *** The guests were Alphas from other packs. The werewolves had gathered together to celebrate our Alpha’s birthday. They were dining in the huge hall, and I could hear the sound of laughter and music. I had prepared all the food for their feast, and the pack was enjoying themselves, drinking, talking, and eating. I sat in the corner, watching the party from afar. My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten. Not today, not yesterday, not the day before. "What are you doing sitting here? Go clean up their mess!" One of the guards barked the command at me. He'd been drinking, and his eyes were hazy. "But..." "Go clean, and then bring us more booze. Don't make me tell you twice." "Okay," I whispered. I grabbed a tray and made my way to the dining hall. Fear gripped my throat as I stood outside the room, wondering how I was going to handle being in the room with the strongest werewolves. They could easily snap me in two. I took a deep breath and opened the door. The room fell silent. Every pair of eyes were on me. I swallowed hard, and forced a smile onto my lips. "I'm just here to collect the dishes," I said softly. "What did I say about you slaves disturbing us during feasts?" Alpha Barron's voice boomed throughout the room. He was a short scrappy man. He had a thick beard, and bald head. "I’m sorry, Alpha. I’ll be out in a second." He grunted and returned to his conversation. "The mating season comes up in two weeks. We will start growing our lineage and bearing heirs soon!" They discussed and the others nodded in approval, seemingly excited about the day. I moved swiftly around the room, gathering the plates and stacking them onto the tray. I felt a strong gaze on me, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I glanced around the room, trying to find the source. My eyes fell on a man, and my breath caught in my throat. He was beautiful. His hair was midnight black, his eyes the color of amber. His face was angular, his jawline sharp. He was tall, and his shoulders were broad. His shirt strained against his muscles, the buttons straining to stay closed. But his beauty didn't hide the fact that he was terrifying. There was something dark about him, something wild. And nothing prepared me for how good his voice sounded, but that feeling immediately died as soon as I heard his words. "How much do I owe you to spend the night with her?" His question was directed at Alpha Barron, but he kept his eyes on me. I froze, and my heart hammered against my ribs. He was referring to me. "She isn't for sale. I have other sweet voluptuous women waiting to service you. Pick one of them." Alpha Barron's tone was dismissive, but the man wasn't having it. "You do not get to question my needs, or desires, Barron. You should be honored that I asked for permission to take her, and not just simply claim her." For the first time, I saw genuine fear flicker across Alpha Barron's face, and my stomach twisted in dread. "She’s human. I'm sure the other girls can service your needs. You're welcome to pick anyone you want." "I don't want anyone else. I want her. Name your price." The man's eyes bore into me, and a shudder ran through me. Alpha Barron turned and looked at me with disgust. "She isn’t worth a penny. I could give her to you for the night. But you return her back to me, because we can't afford to lose a working human slave." "Very well. She'll be back in the morning. Unscathed." "Deal." My legs shook, and I knew that I had no choice. No one stood up to the alpha. Especially not a human like me. And just like that, I was handed over to the beautiful man, who could easily end my life. I was going to spend the night with a werewolf, and the fear was like ice in my veins.