The Beta Who Bought Me

Chapter 5 - For Sale

What seemed like several hours passed by with Laurel just sitting in stunned silence after Luna Grace left. She had gleaned only minimal information from her. She was in the territory of the High Moon Pack, one of the biggest, richest, and most dangerous packs in the country - that much she knew. What she was still unsure about was the reason she was brought to this place.

Why would such an influential pack need to kidnap someone? And why me? She wondered. There was nothing special about her in her mind, other than the unusual color of her eyes. That’s not something to kidnap someone over though... she thought to herself.

The lock clicking open again brought her out of her rumination. This time, a couple of men entered. They were burly and covered in tattoos with another person thrown over one of their shoulders. She was dressed in the same white silk gown as Laurel. Her head flopped about loosely, her black waves hanging over her face. She looked completely lifeless as they unceremoniously deposited her on the bed next to Laurel. Laurel gasped in horror at the paleness in her features. The two men only looked at her blankly and said nothing. As quickly as they had entered, they turned and exited the room just as they came, again locking the door firmly behind them.

Laurel remained frozen in place for a moment more while she listened to the receding sounds of their footsteps. When she was certain that the threatening men were gone, Laurel jumped out of her bed to check on the person beside her. Her skin was cool to the touch, so she quickly covered her with the available thin white sheets to try to warm her body. The girl furrowed her brow and groaned slightly then, much to Laurel’s relief. At least she isn’t dead, she thought as she stroked the beautiful coils of black hair on the girl’s head.

Her eyes soon fluttered open, and she took in a sharp breath. The girl had lovely amber eyes, but they looked weary and bloodshot. She tried to lift her head off of the pillow and opened her mouth to form words, but no sound escaped. Her head fell back, and she closed her eyes again. She fell asleep almost instantly after expending what little energy she had.

Laurel remained by the girl’s bedside until she started to stir again. She pushed herself up on her elbows and moved her gaze about the room. She took a deep look at Laurel, honing in on her amethyst eyes. She eyed her curiously without a word for a minute or two.

The lock to the room opened again, and the two huge men from before entered silently. The girl took one look at them, and she let out a blood-curdling scream, eyes blown wide open with a look of terror on her face. One of the men dashed forward to her bedside while pulling a syringe full of a mysterious substance out of his back pocket. Laurel found her body moving on its own, throwing herself over the screaming girl like a protective mother.

“Stop! Please don’t give that to her!” She begged the man who hovered menacingly over them with the needle. She didn’t know what was in the syringe, but she surely didn’t want the poor girl to be knocked out again, which she was sure this drug was designed to do. The man c****d his brow at her but took a step back.

Laurel brought her hands to the other girl’s frightened face, bringing her gaze to meet hers. “Hey... hey... it’s okay, sweetness,” she cooed at her, while stroking her waves of hair and the side of her face to try to calm her. She was no longer screaming, but her brow was sparkling with sweat, and she still trembled under her touch. She opened her quivering lips to speak but only a dry creak came out. Laurel shushed her again and then looked back at the man who had a discerning expression on his face.

“Keep her calm, or I’ll be back with the medicine,” the man warned her darkly. She quickly nodded in response, and the man backed out of the room with the second guy close behind.

With the lock back in place, Laurel sighed in relief and began trying to comfort the girl again. “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you,” she said to her softly, still stroking her hair. The girl took a dry gulp and nodded slowly.

“What is your name?” Laurel asked her.

“Wen…dy,” she replied hoarsely, barely able to get her name out.

“That’s a lovely name,” she smiled kindly at her. “I’m Laurel.”

“Lau…” she started to repeat, but was inundated with a deep scratching in her throat. Wendy tried to cover her mouth as a succession of dry coughs overcame her. Laurel swiftly turned around to grab a white porcelain water pitcher that was sitting on the nightstand next to her bed. She poured a glass and handed it to Wendy, who gladly gulped it down.

“Thank you,” she said breathily, immensely appreciative of the simple act. It had certainly been the kindest she had been treated since she was taken from her home territory.

“How did I get here?” Wendy looked around the room in bewilderment. Laurel shrugged her shoulders helplessly and shook her head. “I'm not sure how I got here either. I was taken from my room in the middle of the night. By three black wolves. We’re at High Moon Pack, but I’m not exactly sure where. That’s all I know. What about you?”

“I was hiking and got separated from my friends. Then someone grabbed me from behind and must have knocked me out. I didn’t even see who did it, but I am sure they had to be wolves. I could smell them...” Wendy looked straight ahead at the wall, replaying the moment she was captured in her head. She had been on one of her usual outings with her friends in her pack. They knew the trails well and were all accomplished hikers and climbers. Oddly, her friends had suddenly shifted to their wolf forms, without even removing their clothes, and they ran off at break-neck speed, leaving her behind. Before she could even start to run to catch up with them, she was caught.

“Did they say anything to you about why they took you?” Laurel brought her hand to Wendy’s shoulder and looked into her amber eyes. They quivered a little in fear, and her gaze shifted down to the hands she had folded in her lap. “They didn’t tell me anything directly, but I woke briefly as they were carrying me back here. I heard them say something about us ‘making pups’ for them.”

Laurel paled and felt a cold shiver come over her. “You’ve got to be kidding,” she stared at her companion in disbelief, her mouth agape. What kind of “Handmaid’s Tale” kind of b***s*** is this?! She hadn’t even had a real relationship with anyone, let alone think that far ahead. She was not sure she ever wanted children, but she was definitely sure it should not be with a random man keeping her hostage.

And what if I refused? Would they force it on me? The thought of someone touching her body so intimately without her consent made her sick to her stomach. She laid back on her own bed and stared blankly at the ceiling. Her insides were panicking but she tried to appear calm for her companion. All she could do now was hope that Wendy had heard wrong - very wrong.