Prologue
Xianna’s POV
“Will you sell them for two hundred dollars each? You know I’m buying three of your girls?” I heard the man standing outside with dad asking. My palms began to sweat, my legs and face.
“Which of my daughters are you talking of in particular?” Dad asked. I couldn’t just believe he was doing this, selling us to a stranger. The first three oldest children he had as he had no male.
“The eldest, she’s eighteen right?”
“No, twenty years of age.” My dad corrected. “Bella, the second is eighteen and the third, Louise, is seventeen. The remaining two are under fifteen.”
“No, we don’t need those.” The man snapped.
“Are you willing to sell the three of them for two hundred dollars each? Then I’ll buy. Look at the war, there’s no hope of it ending soon and the source of livelihood is all cut short, you should think of survival and the safety of your daughters first.”
I stamped my foot to the ground hearing his last phrase. My dad would be so unwise to believe these words.
From a far distance was the blast of bombs and bombs of gunshots. The war in the Belial Pack has lasted for three years now, the Venyl Pack have refused to surrender even when the cause is just a few hectares of land at the borders of either pack. The Regal City Pack, the seat of government of the Alpha President is said to be the cause of all these wars, while the war is going on, they are secretly exploiting our resources. It was a secret but no one dared to say it out openly.
Alpha Ruiz is the President of all Alphas, if the world were to be a kingdom he would be the Alpha king and his quadruplet sons, his heirs. Being so powerful and authoritative, all packs were either directly or indirectly submerged under his rule.
I gnashed my teeth, breathing heavily. His tone got me deeply pissed. If not for the ongoing war, he would be committing a hideous crime, buying girls. It could even land him in jail but here he was, sounding as though he was doing us good.
My sisters and I were called out and lined up for him to have a proper view of us but I looked down, face tight with a deep frown and my heart ripping with anger. I was angry at my dad and hateful at the stranger coming to buy us. Being girls, society had already labeled us to be mute. We didn’t really have a say. I turned back, my mom was inside our house with my younger sisters cradled around her, sobbing. She would never want this but she had no say.
The war had left us drained of all money and food resources, yet if I were my dad, I would never do this. I would prefer to die.
Since no one was coming to save us, my wolf pushed me. She tumbled over my inner self, I wasn’t set to know peace unless I speak.
“Where are you coming from?” I shot my question directly at the buyer, looking him eyeball to eyeball for the first time, then to dad. “Why will you decide to sell your daughters to a stranger you know nothing of? Where is he gonna take us to, to whom?” My voice cracked, almost in tears.
Pain thrust through my heart, hot tears formed in my eyes as I looked at these two men. My dad and the stranger. I couldn’t take in the horrifying reality that my dad doesn’t value us. I bit my lower lips, folding my fists in anger. I wished I had superpower, I would knock them down, not caring, just to save my sisters and myself.
I hated crying, I didn’t want to be seen as weak but here I was, fighting hard with it. I couldn’t help it. Inside of me, the thorns of betrayal were tearing me apart. Never in my wildest dream did I expect a day like this would come, where I would have to leave my beloved family, not in marriage but as a sold slave.
Silence pulled over for the next few minutes, dad and the man, supposed in his forties, glared at me, shocked I managed to speak up. Punishment was sure but I didn’t care. I turned towards my sisters, they were mute and shaking. Even without letting it out, I knew they were afraid for me.
“Are you the one in need of girls to marry?” I lashed out further.
“No, but the most powerful Alpha in the world. Alpha Ruiz.” His cold voice rang out, eyes darkened.
Alpha Ruiz?
His name alone made me sick. It’s just getting out of hand. My jaw muscles worked as I grounded my teeth together.
“The Alpha who’s the cause of this war and now he wants to buy our girls as his slaves, I mean s*x slaves?” If no one was going to speak up, then I will. “You can go tell him.”
“Will you shut up?” Dad thundered at me, wiping a hard slap over my cheeks. “You’ve become so rebellious, perhaps I’ll have to sell only you. If you remain here, you will put me in trouble.”
“I’ve changed my mind,” he said. “I’ll keep these two. You can take her. Perhaps the shackles of slavery will tame her. I never even liked her from the beginning.”
My jaw dropped. “Dad?” I’d thought I was just thinking up things. He never liked me. It was hard to believe. My sisters cried, grabbing my hands.
“Will you leave her alone before I change my mind again?” He thundered at them, making them release me quickly. The tears continued. Tears streamed down my face, clouding my eyes. Despair lurked around me.
Didn’t you want to save your sisters?
The voice whispered to me. I’ve been selfless for long, here it was costing my freedom, my dreams of growing up to marry the man of my dreams, my fated mate. I would now have to spend the rest of my life with someone I’d never like.
It seemed like a dream. Then he pulled out dollar notes, it was real. I was being sold. Before I had the time to process my thoughts, a truck pulled over by the roadside, three soldiers jumped down from the back, looking huge and fierce, they came over to me. Their aura made me tremble, I shook without being pushed. They grabbed me, about to lead me away.
My mom rushed out crying with my little sisters, Bella and Louise couldn’t control their tears. I, myself couldn’t. So many thoughts ran across my mind.
What if they don’t survive the war?
What if I can’t meet up with the life over there? I'll be dead and still not get my family?
I shook my head, trying to push off the thoughts. My heart was getting heavier thinking about it, more than I could bear. Now I wanted to hug my mom and sisters goodbye, my spirit was weakened. I was forcefully made to believe girls and women had no say, I was bargained on and sold by a man to a man. My worth trampled on.
I struggled with the shoulders. “Let me greet my mom and sisters goodbye.” I cried out aloud but they sneered in mockery.
“Take!” The stranger who came to buy me stuffed a dollar note into my dad’s hand. “Here to buy her desire to greet her family goodbye, we are in a hurry to return back and your home was the last to stop by.”
I had no say. Even my will was bought. I’d never forget this!
I was led away in tears. Watching my mom and sisters cry for me with none of them being able to save me pierced my heart a zillion times. Xianna changed. This moment turned me into a villain.
I vowed.
I would never remain silent seeing a girl like me especially suffering in the hands of a man without lending out my voice, even if it costs me my life. I’ve been sold, perhaps my life doesn’t matter after all. But even before death, I’ll lend out my voice.
Getting to the truck by the road, I was jacked into the back, there I realised there were over thirty girls stuffed in the back, heads lowered and most crying. My wolf wept. Sorrow pricked deeply. I could see through the agony of the girls. My journey to the Regal Clan Pack was destined to be made in misery. As we drove off, the image of my mom and sisters crying for me haunting me so badly. Worst of all, my dad showed no remorse.