Sold To The Ruthless Werewolf King

13

Emily

“Please!” I finally found my voice, the word tearing out of my raw throat. “Don’t kill me.”

“Ha!” he laughed.

The sound was deep, vibrating through the cavernous room, and it chilled me to the bone. If I died right here, they won. Josh, Anna, Clara, and my father—they all won. How could I face my mother in the afterlife? How could I rest in peace knowing her killers were still breathing, wearing crowns, and celebrating my ruin?

No, I refused to die.

But looking at the giant standing tall in front of me, I knew I couldn’t fight. Even if my wolf, Amy, hadn’t been ripped away from me, I wouldn’t stand a chance against this apex predator. In my current state, I was completely useless.

“You don’t want to die?” the monster asked, tilting his head.

I nodded quickly, my heart hammering against my ribs. “Yes. I don’t want to die.”

“So why are you here?”

“I had no choice,” I choked out, tears mixing with the dried blood on my cheeks. “I was forced to come here.”

“I have seen so many women like you,” he said, his dark eyes suddenly shimmering with a dangerous golden light. “You are no different from the rest.”

“I...”

Before I could finish, the King’s hand shot out. His massive fingers wrapped around my neck, pinning my throat in an iron grip, and he lifted my small body completely off the stone floor until I was eye-level with him.

“Forgiveness is a sin in my land,” he whispered, his hot breath brushing against my face. “Since you set foot here, you are meant to be dead.”

“I...” I clawed desperately at his wrist, my legs kicking empty air as the oxygen was cut off. My lungs burned. “I don’t want to die.”

Low whispers rippled through the massive crowd of giants.

“She is a tough one,” someone muttered in shock. “I have never seen anyone dare to tell our King they want to live when they know they won’t.”

“Kill her!” others shouted, their deep voices demanding blood. “Since her pack dared to disobey you by sending this trash, send their heads back in pieces!”

I thrashed against his grip, fighting with every ounce of strength I had left, but his fingers only tightened. He was choking the remaining life out of me. I looked at his face, and my stomach turned. His lips were curled into a sick, excited smile. He was a psycho. He found my desperate struggle for survival entertaining.

But just as the darkness began to creep into the edges of my eyes, the King did something that made the entire hall gasp.

He let go.

I dropped like a stone, crashing hard onto the unforgiving floor. A low, broken sob escaped my lips as pain exploded through my body. It felt as though every bone in my torso had shattered from the impact.

“My King!” a high-ranking warrior called out from the crowd, his voice tight with confusion. “You...”

“Shut up!” the King roared, his voice booming like thunder. “Who are you to question my actions?”

“We dare not!” the entire hall chorused instantly. In a split second, hundreds of massive werewolves dropped to their knees, bowing their heads low in total submission.

I stayed collapsed on the floor, gasping for air, my chest heaving as I fought to stay conscious.

“Bring the ceremonial bowl,” the King commanded, turning his back on me. “Even if she stains my eyes with her ugliness, I refuse to believe her blood will be as rotten as her face.”

My eyes widened in terror. My blood? For what? Why did a monster like him need my blood?

“Ugly one,” he called out, his golden stripes catching the torchlight as he turned back to me. “Your blood will finally serve a purpose.”

“Please.” I dragged myself onto my knees, burying my forehead against the cold stone. It was shameless. It was humiliating. But I didn’t care. I would crawl through glass and kiss his boots if it meant surviving. I would do anything to live long enough to get my revenge. “I don’t want to die.”

The King bent down slightly. He extended one long, razor-sharp claw, hooking it under my chin and forcing my face up until my terrified eyes locked onto his golden gaze.

“If you survive after I drain your blood,” he murmured, his smile turning wicked, “I won’t kill you.”

“Drain... my blood?” I repeated, the horror sinking in.

“Yes. That is your sole purpose for being here, ugly one.”

“No!” I screamed, pulling my face away from his claw. Draining my blood completely would kill me. I hadn’t survived the betrayal of my family just to be used as a blood bag for a monster! “I won’t stay here and wait for my death!”

“Oh? Do you think you have a choice?” the King scoffed, straightening up to his full, terrifying height. “Running away from this castle means immediate death.”

He turned and accepted a heavy silver bowl from a kneeling servant. He held it out toward me, his voice dropping to a deadly, cold register.

“Be obedient and offer me your blood, or be eaten alive by my people. The choice is yours.”

I trembled violently, my eyes darting around the grand hall. The hundreds of massive wolves were still bowing, but I could feel their hungry, predatory gazes fixed on my exposed skin.

Neither option was a real choice.

If I refused, the pack would tear me apart limb from limb and feast on my flesh.

If I accepted, my veins would be pumped dry, leaving me a hollow corpse on the floor.

No matter which path I chose, it led to the exact same thing.

My death.