Scarlett’s POV
I followed the man silently through the dense forest, my boots sinking into the damp mud. Every step felt like I was tearing a piece of my soul away from the land I had always called ho. My heart ached so deeply that it was difficult to breathe, but I kept moving. I had to. The silence of the forest was heavy, broken only by the snapping of twigs and the distant sound of the river.
Suddenly, the air changed. The familiar scent of pine was replaced by sothing foul and rotten.
Before the man leading could even gasp, three shadows lunged from the trees. They were fast—far faster than any normal wolf. They slamd into him before he could even begin to shift. I heard the sickening thud of a fist eting bone, and he collapsed into the leaves, unconscious before he hit the ground.
"Well, well," a gravelly voice hissed.
I turned to run, but a large hand grabbed the back of my coat, jerking off my feet. I opened my mouth to scream, but a cold, heavy tal band was snapped around my throat.
The mont the magical choker locked into place, I felt a sickening pull in my chest. My connection to Zoe, my wolf, was severed. I tried to reach for her, to shift and fight back, but there was nothing but a cold, empty void.
"Don’t bother, little wolf," a rogue snarled, his face covered in scars. "That collar keeps your beast locked in a cage. You’re just a girl now."
He turned around, his eyes traveling over my face with a disgusting hunger. "Woah. Look at her. She looks clean... beautiful. Not like the usual trash we find out here. She will make a very good sale."
"Please," I pleaded, my voice trembling as they began pulling through the trees. "Please, just let go. I have nothing!"
They didn’t listen. They dragged through the brush until we reached a clearing filled with makeshift huts and the sll of stale smoke. As we entered the camp, dozens of n stood up, their eyes glowing with desire. They stared at , so of them licking their lips, others laughing as they saw the fear in my eyes.
A tall, muscular man stepped out from the largest hut. He wore a crown of jagged bones tied into his hair—the Rogue King.
"What have we here?" he asked, his eyes filled with satisfaction.
"Found her near the border, Boss," one of the rogues said, shoving forward so I fell to my knees. "She was being escorted, but we took care of him."
The King walked around , leaning down to sniff the crook of my neck. I recoiled, tears of terror stinging my eyes.
"She is pure," he announced, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Unmarked. Untouched. She will make a fortune."
He looked up at his n, his voice echoing through the camp. "Go spread the word to our buyers! We have a special auction for tonight. Tell them the bidding starts at 7:00 PM. We have a prize that won’t stay on the market for long."
Then the Rogue King leaned down, his face inches from mine. "Thank you, dear," he whispered with a devilish grin. "You are just going to make a hundred thousand pounds richer tonight."
He stood up and barked an order to his n. "Go! Lock her up. I don’t want a single scratch on her before the buyers see the goods."
Rough hands grabbed my arms and dragged across the dirt. I tried to dig my heels into the mud, but without Zoe, I was powerless. They threw into a small, windowless hut and slamd the door. I heard the heavy click of a padlock and the fading laughter of the guards outside.
I collapsed on the floor, the cold dirt pressing against my skin. I couldn’t stop crying. The sobs racked my body until my chest felt like it was breaking. I had thought I was starting a new life—a life where I could finally breathe and be free. But it seed my life was only getting worse.
I knew who these buyers were. I had heard the terrifying rumors whispered in the pack kitchens. These weren’t just random wolves; they were monsters who bought won to turn them into sex slaves. They would break my spirit, use , and I would never see the sun again as a free woman.
I reached up to the tal choker, my fingers desperately searching for a latch or a seam, but it was smooth and freezing. The magic was like a heavy weight sitting on my soul.
"Zoe?" I whispered into the darkness of my mind. "Please, can you hear ?"
Silence.
The silence was the scariest part. For the first ti in my life, I was truly alone. No parents, no pack, no wolf, and no mates. My mind flashed back to Liam’s worried face earlier today, to Leo’s protective rage in the shed, and to the sadness in Leon’s eyes. Even their hatred seed like a dream compared to this nightmare.
I looked at the small gaps in the wooden walls of the hut. The light was changing. The shadows were getting longer. It was almost 7:00 PM.
"Please," I sobbed, burying my face in my knees. "Soone... anyone... help ."
An hour later, the heavy padlock clicked. The door swung open, and the dim evening light entered the room. Two guards reached in, grabbing my arms with a tight grip, and hauled out of the dirt.
"Ti to go, sweetheart," one hissed, his breath slling of stale at. "The big spenders are waiting."
I stumbled as they dragged toward the center of the camp. The clearing had transford into a nightmare. Torches were lit, a large wooden platform had been erected in the middle of the camp, and gathered around it were n and won wearing masks who didn’t look like the typical scruffy rogues. These people wore expensive suits and heavy jewelry.
User Comments
0 comments from readers