Chapter 1: Taken as Collateral
890 Words
There was the perfume of lavender and rose about her, as she passed her hand over the flowing, soft texture of her gown. A pale silver dress that glowed in the moonlight, an omen of starts. The evening would be perfect.
She had a lost beat in her heart to be looking at Lucas—her destiny, her bond. Soon they would have between them something never to be cut, a sharing of love bestowed by the favor of the Goddess Moon. She smiled at the individual she was gazing at in the mirror, running a curly strand along the side of her head.
"You are beautiful, my love," Lady Eleanor told her over her shoulder, a smile of happiness on her face. "Tonight, your mate will sweep you off. The beginning of a lovely life."
Willow swiveled around, feeling warmth in her chest. "I don't think it's really happening," she gasped. "It's a dream."
Her mother ironed out her face. "It's real, my love. And you can be happy in the world."
The festive holiday mood was broken by a blood-curdling scream out in the back yard.
A howl of raw pain that sent shivers on Willow's arms.
The howling started. Low and menacing, full of fury and hunger. The walls trembled at the splintering crashings that echoed down the corridors. Glass shattered. Burnt wood filled the air with bitter burns.
Willow's heart thudded against her ribcage as her mother clutched her wrist. "Run!"
It was too late already.
The doors slammed open, and huge men in black armor poured in, their eyes aglow like hot coals. Wolves. Not ordinary wolves—Moonlight Pack warriors, a brutal pack notorious for their viciousness.
Her father, Lord Aldric, strode into the room, his face contorted with rage. "You have the temerity to come into my house?"
One of the fighters, a giant of a man with a scarred face, moved forward. His voice was as rough as gravel. "You know why we're here, Aldric. The debt must be paid."
Her father's eyes widened. "Please," he pleaded. "I need a little more time."
The fighter laughed. "Time? Time is over. You made a bargain, and now we're here to collect the price."
Willow's stomach twisted. "What bargain?" she snapped, moving forward.
The warrior gazed into her eyes, a glint of amusement dancing in his own. "Your father borrowed money from our Alpha. He promised to repay us, but he did not. So we take what is owed in the form of payment."
Willow's blood ran cold.
Her father's voice trembled. "No… she—she wasn't supposed to be taken. Take me, I beg of you!"
The warrior sneered. "The Alpha does not desire you, old man. He wants her."
Willow retreated, trembling. "No," she whispered. "This is not happening."
Her mother sprang forward, claws extended, but another warrior had her by the throat, pushing her into the wall. "Stay down, woman, unless you'd prefer your death to be as quick as your husband's will be."
"Mother!" Willow screamed, struggling against the arms that restrained her.
Her father ran towards the warrior with his arms open wide around Eleanor, but was pushed to the ground before he was able to catch up to her. Blood splattered out onto the marble floor as he fell, gagging in pain.
Willow's eyes filled with tears. "Please! Stop!"
The soldier whose arm had held hers into her, his warm breath in her ear. "You're going with us, princess. Your father has betrayed you."
Her universe whirled as she was dragged out of the house, her mother's cries ringing in her head.
The streets were smeared with mayhem. Fire hissed, casting hellish shadows on the charred houses. Villagers ran for their lives, but the Moonlight warriors were merciless.
"Let me go!" Willow thrashed in the iron hold of her captor, her fingernails clawing his arm.
A snarl was her only warning before a sharp pain cracked across her face. The impact sent her stumbling to her knees, stars bursting behind her eyelids.
"You’ll learn to obey, girl," the warrior growled, yanking her up and throwing her onto a waiting carriage.
The cold iron bars slammed shut behind her.
She struggled to remain upright, clenching the bars in shaking hands as she gazed back at the retreating house. Her people's wails, the charred ruins, the bodies-strewn ground—her whole world was lost.
A scream tore her throat wide as she fell to the carriage floor, her shaking fingers.
Hours passed with the carriage jolting on dense forest. There was the howl of the wolf and incessant thudding of hooves on earth road.
Then they stopped.
There was the creaking of metal gates loudly which sent shivers down the spine of Willow. She lifted her head, looking above the bars.
A towering citadel towered above them, its darkness extending up towards heaven, the brutal spires tracing the summit like fiend teeth. The stench of blood clung to the breeze.
Guards standing watch at entrances bowed as he who went forth walked past them.
Impressive. Towering.
He was choking to be close, as if air was bending to him. His black cloak billowed behind him, and where gold eyes met hers, a shiver crept down her spine.
A cold smile clung to his mouth as he advanced.
"Welcome home, breeder."
- Writer
