Lottery Arena Genesis

Inspection day

HAZE

I hated that she had to see me like this. I’d been present when my father and The Commander had gone through all the files of the shewolves that were housed within the barracks. 

I flipped through a few mindlessly as my father watched me. I was really just looking for her file. I’d finally found it toward the end of the stack. Her name was Sky McKenna and the male I’d seen in the crowd at the pack meeting was indeed her brother. 

He’d raised her since she was just 14 years old when their parents had died in the fallout. My father had seen me staring at her picture when he grabbed her file from my hands and thumbed through it. 

“Her father Maddox was a good wolf. I wasn’t going to put her in this year’s arena but what do you think Haze? Should we?” My father had asked me.

I didn’t want to put her through the arena. But the idea that I could miss out on making her mine was too much to stomach. I found myself nodding my head to my father and The Commander before I could stop. 

She’d had tears in her eyes when I’d gotten backstage. Then the look of pure fear as I picked Amaris up and threw her over my shoulder. I didn’t have the slightest idea what I was going to say to this girl. I just knew my father was one second away from ripping her throat out and I couldn’t let that happen. 

I slammed the bathroom door behind me and went to lower her onto the ground but she was struggling so much she kinda dumped onto the floor. 

“Hey! What the hell is your problem, you asshole!” She shouted at me. 

I scrubbed a hand down my face and reached my hand down to help her up. She swatted it away before quickly righting herself. 

I knew there was no way in hell that my father and the other shewolves hadn’t heard her yell at me the way she did. I needed to diffuse this situation and fast.

“Look, I’m trying to help you.” I told her quietly. 

“Well you sure have a funny way of showing it.” she fired back as she straightened out her hidious f*****g dress. God, in what world did my father think these were attractive garments?

“Your name’s Amaris, right? I’m Haze and whether you want to thank me or not, I just saved you from getting your neck snapped in half.” I told her.

“Thank you? Thank you?” She scuffed at me. “You males have lost your minds, I swear to God. Why on earth would I thank you for any of this?” She asked me, searching my eyes. 

“You never stop being pissed off, do you?” I asked her and held my hand up before she could interrupt me. “My father was going to have this inspection process done at the pack meeting yesterday. He was going to strip you all bare in front of every single pack member you’ve ever known.” I told her softly as the realization of what I was saying sunk in. I could see the anger and disgust on her face. 

“I was able to talk him out of it. This is the alternative. It’s not great, but it’s got to be better than what he had in mind originally.” I added taking a step closer to her. 

“Amaris, you need to think long and hard about what’s going to happen if you step out of this bathroom and don’t comply. He’s either going to strip your clothes off of you against your will and drag you out there or he’s going to kill you. Honestly, he might do both. My father will not be made a fool in front of anyone, trust me, I know.” I told her truthfully. I could tell she was a smart shewolf, and it was just best to let her see what her options truly were.

She surprised me when I saw tears come to her eyes. “God… I f*****g hate it here, and one day all you males are going to get what’s coming to you.” She said as she wiped the tears out of her eyes. 

She huffed out her annoyance and began pulling her dress up and off of her head. 

“Ugh, you don't have to…” I started to say but stopped when she shot me daggers with just one glance. “I’m sorry.” I whispered once I realized what a mistake it was to say that she didn’t have to. 

“You’re gonna see it soon enough anyway.” She said as she stood there awkwardly in her bra and panties. 

“It won’t always be like this, I promise.” I said before turning around to open the bathroom door. 

My father and The Commander were standing there with the group of shewolves and Ms. Anne. 

Amaris walked out behind me with her head lowered. I could hear some of the other shewolves gasp in surprise that Amaris was standing there half undressed. Sky rushed to her side. “Are you ok?” she whispered to Amaris. 

“I’m fine. Lets just get this f*****g over with already.” she said as she walked over to the robes on the hooks.

“Well done, son. Handled like a true Alpha.” My father said, patting my shoulder like I’d done something to be proud of. I shook his hand loose. 

“Let’s go and give the females a chance to prepare themselves, I think that’s only fair.” I said without chancing a glance back at Sky. I was sure if she didn’t hate me before, she would now.

SKY

Haze and Amaris had only been in the bathroom for maybe 2 to 3 minutes. What could he have possibly said or done to her to make her so… compliant? I wanted to ask her but Ms. Anne spoke up, “Well girls, don’t just stand here. Follow Amaris’ lead.”

I walked over to one of the hooks and pulled my dress up and over my head. “Everything?” I asked Ms. Anne as my shaky hand was on the clasp of my bra. She just gave me a sympathetic look and shook her head yes. 

I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest as I stripped bare and quickly slid the red robe on. I could barely hear Ms. Anne telling us to form a line. Amaris walked to the front of the line with her head held high. If she could do this with some dignity, then so could I. I hadn’t realized until this moment just how much I looked to her. I looked around at the other shewolves, they were looking to her as well.

Ms. Anne and Amaris disappeared through the curtain. I heard Amaris being introduced and then there was complete silence followed by a few wolf whistles. After about 1-2 minutes Amaris emerged back onto our side of the curtain. She didn’t look any of us in the eyes as she walked by us and went straight for the bathroom.

The shewolves went one by one. I felt like I was practically hyperventilating by the time I was next. I walked through the curtain and let my eyes focus on the males' faces in the auditorium. Haze was sitting in the front row next to his father and The Commander. 

Ms. Anne introduced me and signaled for me to drop my robe. I brought my shaky hand up and let the tie fall away. 

“Walk this way, deary.” Ms. Anne told me as I stood awkwardly trying to cover my private areas as best as I could. 

I locked eyes with Haze once more and saw that he was intently watching me, as were The Alpha and The Commander. I quickly walked to one end of the stage and back. 

I could hear some light chattering from the males in the auditorium. I even heard one of them comment on my “pink n*****s” making his buddy laugh and a low growl come from somewhere I couldn’t pinpoint. 

Tears sprang to my eyes, “May I go now?” I asked Ms. Anne as I scooped up my robe and held it in front of myself. 

“Yes, dear. You may go.” She said softly as I looked at Haze just one more time. I’d never seen the expression that he had on his face before. What was he thinking? And why did I care so much?