CELESTE’S POV.
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My steps felt heavy as I was led further down the dark halls, and my guts twisted as my nerves ate at me.
Even though I wasn’t fully bonded to my wolf yet, I could feel her agitation.
Cross Vale Wolves were given a shifting initiation in our twentieth birthday , but I guessed I would never learn, not when I'd been captured by Syzar.
In no way would I be allowed my shift; it would be seen as a threat more than a request.
But it would be a growing pain I would have to live with before it killed me. Yes, trapping your wolf with no shift is a practical death sentence, but that wasn't what I should be most worried about right now.
My dreaded thoughts were cut short as large doors swung open and we were pushed in. My brother, Derek, was by my side, taking the seat opposite mine.
"Don't worry Celeste if he comes in here, I will protect you, trust me" Derek says as I nod looking around the space.
The dining room had a twelve-seater table, with chairs kept at the end of the left side, while the rest stood empty.
A mighty chair, clearly meant for the King, Syzar, was positioned in the middle.
Just the thought of his name sent shivers and fear thundering through my chest.
I had heard of the ruthless reaper King, one who seized back rogue packs and territory , one I would never have thought of as my past lover.
And right now, even with the table filled, my guts felt all the more queasy as I turned to Derek.
He was already helping himself to servings, and though I could see it pained him with each bite he took, he ate with a vigorous appetite after being starved.
I waited; I just didn't feel right touching this food. In my silence, I heard footsteps approach and then the creaking of the door.
This time, my heart stumbled a beat from his presence—the Blood Alpha and Supreme King.
His dark eyes scanned over us, then settled on Derek, who had stopped eating but sipped on the wine greedily. I, on the other hand, stood stiff as I witnessed his tall, towering, and staggering height above me.
Behind him stood two figures in framed masks that that I've like their nose and mouth leaving only their eyes visible.
Danger was the only thing the pair screamed as they walked forward, with Syzar’s eyes fixed on me.
I didn’t dare look at him, instead pinching the flesh of my arms till blood drew. I heard the shift of the chair beside me,
his behavior also threw the two masked guards off as he did not sit in his assigned seat next to mine.
The seat opposite me was occupied by Derek, who sat as stiff as a board, watching Syzar. I didn't move, didn’t dare breathe, even with his deep scent pushing at my senses.
“Not to your liking, fallen star? I guess your packs barbaric egos are shocked by my kindness.
The Cross Vale had no reason for hospitality to their prisoner,” he said, taking a sip from my own cup.
But he was right; not once did my father show him kindness. He was whipped brutally daily, kept broken and weak, unable to escape.
The memory sent a shudder down my back. I felt a heavy hand on my jaw, pulling my face up to meet his piercing gaze.
He was like a predator slowly watching his prey, waiting for it to take the bait. I swallowed a breath that hurt my throat.
“Speak,” he commanded.
“I…I am not hungry.” I answered just as his dark eyes held something dark, almost akin to amusement, for a split second before he turned to Derek, who watched him with greedy eyes hovering over Syzar’s hands that touched me.
“What…do you want…” Derek forced himself to say through his barraged jaw. I could hear the struggle, yet defiance, in his tone.
Silence loomed once more just as Syzar snapped his fingers, and one of the males walked forward.
I took that time to see the weapons by the masked male's side—variant daggers—while the other male held a sword on his back.
The male with a dagger dropped a scroll in front of Derek. With one careful glance from my brother, he took the scroll, slowly opening it, his eyes widening as he read the contents.
“Your eyes do not deceive you. It is a contract… I will free you and make you the heir to the Cross Vale pack if you fully relinquish her to me as my slave.” He called, and my heart plummeted.
My hands drew into fists on my lap as I watched Derek. The crazy seedlings sprang in his eyes; I could practically see the wheels of turning in his head about giving me up.
I shake my head, looking at Derek, he would never do that, he was my brother.
A stupid part of me prayed and still hoped he wouldn’t, still hoped that he wouldn’t sell and betray the trust I had in him,
and at least feel a guilty conscience for what Father was about to do to me. He couldn't subject me to another cage would he?
But it didn't take long for him to look at me "sorry Celeste , but getting the throne is what I want" my stomach plummets.
He signs his blood signature on the paper, leaving my face hot with mortification to see that I meant nothing to him.
So all his promises were for nothing? All the lies I had believed my brother would help me was nothing?
“Good…very good.” Syzar’s deep voice echoed.
I sat flush with embarrassment as my skin grew cold and my palms lay flat on the table, my tongue heavy as I couldn’t call Derek’s name, not when that painful lodge of betrayal lodged in my throat.
Time and time again, I am just a pawn in their games—a breeder when they prefer, and a game when they are bored. It hurts; it really does.
I was tired of the schemes, the games and in this moment I truly didn't want to exist so I turn to Syzar with cruel words when I feel his gaze on me.
I take in lungfuls of air, ready for the heart and death that will come after my wicked words to rile him up.
"You think buying me out would make me want you? Me being your slave will make me love you? I rejected you..I rather die than be with you." I called hiding the tremble of my hands under the table,
Please kill me, please kill me. I repeat those words in my head like a mantra, biting my lips to hold back my tears.
I could see the rage in his eyes, if I had begged enough he might have let me go, but I had awoken the sleeping beast.
But the next scene happened in a second, before I could even fathom it, just as I heard Derek’s screams.
I looked over to see that his hand on the table was now pinned with daggers through it.
“Do you really think that I need your full rights to claim my property?” He called as my heart pounded from the blood that spilled over the table.
Showing he was just played by Syzar's scheme.
“I just wanted to see how deep your loyalties lay with your own blood, but I guess it wasn’t worth much, because you are worth nothing to him” he said with cold indifference.
But I knew what he clearly meant; Syzar wanted to show me that it meant nothing, that no one was on my side, that no one cared, and that I was nothing.
I need to run! I needed to get away from him.
But just as I stood, I felt a heavy hand on my nape. My body was thrown to the side, and I landed on the table.
All the food was thrown to the floor, and no matter how I struggled, my hands were pinned above my head by Syzar’s monstrous strength.
“Let me go. Please…please.” I whimpered, but the eyes that stared back were those of a predator as I watched his buckle come undone.
By my side, I saw Derek unable to move; his eyes were set on my body just as my legs were pushed open,
my face flushed with mortification, knowing this was the reason I wasn’t given any underwear.
He was a ruthless devil, a beast who didn't care to defile me in front of others. Just before another plea could form on my lips, I felt the heavy head of his member probe my entrance. “No...stop Syz—”
My words were flung out of my body as he fully sheathed himself inside me in one full slam that crushed my screams to echoes, just as I felt a painful thrust past my untouched walls.
I looked down between us just as he pulled halfway out, to see my purity coating my thighs and his member.
His eyes darkened as a finger traced up that blood to his lips, and he tasted me.
“Untouched, and f*****g mine,” he growled as my virginity was broken, and my trembling body lay under his as a slow thrust picked up.
That was just the beginning of my devastation, as he was set to ruin me entirely.