The Wife He Fed to the Wolves

Lucy The night my husband sold me, I was worried about burning the potatoes. It seems ridiculous now, considering everything that happened afterward, but at the time, the potatoes were my biggest concern. Joshua hated lumpy mashed potatoes. He also hated cold dinners, overcooked vegetables, and being asked what time he planned to come home. Unfortunately, he rarely told me when to expect him, which made preparing dinner something of a guessing game. Tonight, I’d made rosemary chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, honey glazed carrots, and homemade dinner rolls. Everything had been ready at six. I carefully stirred another tablespoon of butter into the potatoes, hoping they wouldn’t become too dry from sitting on the stove. The chicken was probably ruined already. I glanced toward the clock. 9:47 p.m. My phone sat beside the cutting board, its screen dark. I’d called Joshua three times and sent two messages. He hadn’t answered either. I considered calling again, but the last time I’d interrupted an important meeting, he’d thrown my phone against the kitchen wall. The replacement had cost nearly two hundred dollars. He’d taken that money out of the grocery budget. I looked down at the chicken resting beneath its aluminum foil. “Please don’t be dry,” I whispered. The absurdity of begging a dead chicken for cooperation almost made me laugh. My phone vibrated. I grabbed it immediately, hoping Joshua had finally responded. Instead, another notification appeared from our bank. Transaction declined. Insufficient funds. My stomach tightened. That was the fourth notification this week. I’d tried mentioning the account balance to Joshua yesterday, but he’d told me to mind my own business. Apparently, his money was none of my business, even when I needed his permission to buy milk. I set the phone down and returned to the stove. Cooking had always been the one thing I loved. Before Joshua, I’d dreamed of becoming a professional chef. I wanted a restaurant with mismatched wooden tables, fresh flowers by the windows, and a menu that changed with the seasons. I’d even made it halfway through culinary school. The memory made my chest ache. I was nineteen when I met Joshua Miller. He’d been charming, handsome, and genuinely interested in everything I wanted to accomplish. He used to bring me flowers after my practical examinations. He’d tell me how proud he was. Then we got married. And somehow, the man who promised to help me open my own restaurant became the man who wouldn’t let me leave the house to work in one. I shook the memories away. There was no point thinking about things I couldn’t change. The sound of tires crunching against the gravel driveway made my shoulders stiffen. Joshua was home. I quickly turned off the stove, straightened the dish towel hanging from the oven, and checked the dining table. His silverware was arranged correctly. His glass was clean. The house was spotless. Everything was fine. I just needed everything to stay fine. The front door slammed. “Lucy!” I flinched. “In the kitchen!” Heavy footsteps followed. Joshua appeared in the doorway wearing the charcoal button down shirt I’d ironed that morning. His dark hair was disheveled, his jaw was clenched, and there was an angry red mark across his knuckles. I noticed the smell of whiskey before he even reached the table. “Why the f**k didn’t you answer your phone?” I blinked. “I did. I called you three times, but you didn’t...” “Don’t start.” I closed my mouth. He pulled out a chair and sat heavily. “Is dinner ready?” “Yes. I kept everything warm.” “Then where the hell is it?” I hurried toward the stove. “Would you like something to drink?” “Whiskey.” “Okay.” I poured his drink and placed it beside his plate. He didn’t thank me. He never did anymore. I watched him cut into the chicken. He took one bite, then dropped his fork. “Cold.” My stomach sank. “I’m sorry. I can heat it up.” “What the f**k have you been doing all evening?” “Waiting for you.” He looked up sharply. I immediately regretted my answer. “Excuse me?” “I just meant dinner was ready earlier. I didn’t know when you’d be home.” Joshua leaned back. “So now it’s my fault?” “No.” “Because I have been out all f*****g day trying to keep a roof over our heads while you’ve been sitting here doing what, exactly?” I glanced at the spotless kitchen. “Cleaning. And cooking.” He laughed without humor. “Congratulations, Lucy. You managed to accomplish the bare minimum.” I lowered my eyes. “I’m sorry.” “You’re always f*****g sorry.” I picked up his plate. “I’ll warm it up.” “Leave it.” I stopped. “Come here.” My fingers tightened around the plate. I put it down and walked toward him. He pulled a thick envelope from inside his jacket and dropped it onto the table. “Open that.” I stared at it. “What is it?” “Do I need to repeat myself?” I shook my head and picked it up. Inside was a stack of documents held together with a black binder clip. The first page contained several paragraphs of legal language and a formal looking seal. I didn’t understand most of it. But I understood the number printed near the bottom. My breath caught. “Joshua?” He reached for his whiskey. “What?” “Why does this say three hundred thousand dollars?” He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he took a long drink. “Because that’s what I owe.” I looked at him. Three hundred thousand dollars. I couldn’t imagine that much money. We could barely afford groceries. “How?” I whispered. “Business.” “What kind of business?” “That’s not important.” “Josh, that’s more than the house is worth.” His expression hardened. “Do you think I don’t f*****g know that?” I stepped backward. “I’m sorry.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “I’ve had a very long day, Lucy. I don’t need you making it worse.” I looked down at the documents. There were names I didn’t recognize. Company numbers. Transfer codes. A territorial authority seal. Then I noticed two words printed across the top. BLACK HOLLOW. My fingers went cold. Everyone knew about Black Hollow. It was one of the largest werewolf territories in the region, ruled by four Alphas who had combined their packs after a brutal war. Even other werewolves were frightened of them. I’d heard stories about what happened to people who crossed their borders without permission. “Why are you dealing with Black Hollow?” I asked. Joshua sighed. “Because they can afford to help me.” I looked up. “Help you how?” “They’re taking care of the debt.” Relief flickered through me. “All of it?” “Every f*****g dollar.” I stared at him. “Why would they do that?” He gave me a strange look. For a moment, I thought he was going to explain. Instead, he said, “You’ve always wanted to feel useful, haven’t you?” Something about his tone made me uneasy. “What?” “You’re constantly complaining that I won’t let you work. That you don’t have your own money. That you’ve given up everything for this marriage.” I swallowed. “I don’t complain.” “Well, congratulations. You’re finally going to contribute something worthwhile.” I slowly lowered my eyes to the next page. A sentence halfway down caught my attention. Human Female Transfer Agreement. I read it twice. Then I looked at Joshua. “What does that mean?” He didn’t answer. “Josh?” He finished his whiskey. “Black Hollow has certain requirements. They’re looking for human women.” My heart began pounding. “For what?” “Don’t make this difficult.” I shook my head. “I don’t understand.” Joshua stood. I instinctively stepped backward. He noticed, and his mouth tightened. “Jesus Christ, Lucy. Stop acting like I’m going to hit you.” I said nothing. He walked around the table and took the documents from my trembling hands. “The Alphas have agreed to clear my debt in exchange for an arrangement.” “What arrangement?” He looked directly at me. “You.” The room seemed to go silent. I stared at him, waiting for the explanation that would make his answer something other than what it sounded like. He continued. “You’re young. You’re healthy. And human women are valuable to werewolf packs for obvious reasons.” My mouth went dry. “Joshua...” “They’ve already agreed to the terms.” I shook my head. “No.” “Lucy.” “No, you can’t...” “Everything’s been handled.” I could barely breathe. “I’m your wife.” He looked almost irritated by the reminder. “Exactly.” I stared at the man I’d promised to love for the rest of my life. The man who’d taken my education, my independence, and nearly every shred of confidence I possessed. And now he was standing in our dining room, explaining that he’d found one final use for me. “Please,” I whispered. “Tell me you didn’t.” Joshua folded the documents and pushed them toward me. “It’s done, Lucy.” Tears blurred my vision. “What have you done?” He looked me straight in the eyes. “I sold you to the four Alphas of Black Hollow.”