River pressed her hand against her ****to stifle a shriek. A chill of dread seeped into her bones. A knot formed in her throat. So this was how Alpha Maxim was going to get rid of her. Offer her to the Lycan and remove her from his son’s life. He would **two birds with a stone.
“I need to escape,” River said, her voice low. Dread pumped inside her, alive and crushing. She dragged her hand on her tangled red hair. “You have to help me, Lena.”
Lena threw her arms around River. If she helped her escape, and if they were found, she was sure not only River, even she would be ***. Her family would be disgraced and become a center of humiliation.
Alpha Maxim would snatch away her little brother to make him a gamma warrior and ***her parents. But her brother would forever live in guilt and stigma for he would be related to someone who helped escape the Alpha’s mate.
Her name would be tainted forever and so would her parents. Her father was very loyal to the Alpha. He was one of the respected warriors in the Crescent Moon pack. She just didn’t know how she would be able to help River without coming. into the eyes of the Alpha. A shaky breath left her lips.
“I will try, River,” she said. “But I won’t promise.”
River removed herself from Lena. “I can understand.”
“I have some money stashed in my piggy bank,” Lena said. “I will break it and give you whatever money I have. Take that and run away.”
She received that piggy bank as a gift from her mother on her tenth birthday. It had grown in size with each birthday. She was going to break it after eight years.
They heard heavy footfalls outside the door.
From her memory of her father’s documents, Lena added quickly, “I will come tonight. Keep your window open. You have to head to the north of the pack. From there, turn north-east after you see a dilapidated building. Keep-”
The door opened and Hazel stepped in.
“What are you doing here?” she yelled at Lena. “Go away!”
Lena gave one last knowing glance to River before picking up her satchel and heading out.
“Alpha will be sending you to the Veil,” Hazel said with a glimmer in her eyes as soon as Lena was out of earshot. “Pack whatever you have. Tomorrow, we will take you to Alpha’s mansion where you will be handed over to the Lycans.” Hazel scoffed and then looked her up and down. She left, closing the door behind her. River heard the click of the lock, River was… exhausted. She slumped on the bed, hating her life, hating her mother and hating her father. But what she hated most was Hector, her mate.
Weren’t the mates supposed to give each other the much needed emotional and physical protection? Was Hector so consumed with his fake prestige that he shunned her in a second? He didn’t even give her one chance. His betrayal was what hurt her the most.
She stayed in that position for a long time until her stomach grumbled. She got up and saw that it was midnight. Still feeling ***on the inside, River dragged herself to the bathroom. She washed her face and came back. She was going to escape, no matter what.
She packed the last set of clothes and tied her bag ********. She looked around wondering if she had left anything behind. She didn’t have too many possessions. Her bag was half empty. She never had too many things because her father would smash her stuff in his fits of rage. She kept most of her documents on her phone anyway.
River had a half-eaten apple left in her satchel. She took that out, ate the fruit, and then waited for Lena. River didn’t have. any money on her. If she escaped, she would be like a beggar when she reaches the human world. So it was important that Lena gave her some cash. She was going to take a bus to the nearest town.
From her memory, she remembered where her mother was from. Her old picture was lying in her bag, at the back of which was written, ‘From Ellie to Kirk. With lots of love.”
River waited for an hour, and then another and then another. Lena didn’t come. It was 3 AM, and she was growing impatient. She peeked outside her window, scanning the backyard through the glass and trying to pierce her vision to see Lena.
All of a sudden, a wolf attacked her through the window, sending true terror down her spine. River screamed and fell on her back. It was her father. He scratched at the glass of the window with his nails, growling and snarling at her. She scrambled back, suppressing her cries. This was a nightmare. They were keeping a watch on her.
River went to sit on her bed, dazed, scared and completely out of her element as a bolt of fear sent shivers through her. She pulled her knees against her chest and hid her face in between her knees. A wail left her. There was no way she was going to escape. If Lena tried to come here, she would run away.
The door of the room opened with a loud bang. River jerked her eyes open and bolted to sit upright. Her mother was standing akimbo near her bed.
“Wake up, dimwit!” she cursed her. “It’s time to dress you up and take you to the Alpha’s house.”
River looked around and realized she had slept for a long time because bright rays of sun filtered through her window. It was past morning.
Hazel made her wear a **dress, like a bridal gown.
This has come from the Alpha’s house for you. It’s customary for the offering to wear it,” Hazel informed.
River caught Brianna’s reflection in the mirror, watching her with pure jealousy and hatred. Throughout her life, Hazel had never once touched River except when it was for beating her, but today she was dressing her up in excitement.
“Good riddance!” she muttered.
“Why me?” River asked her as Hazel applied blue shade over her eyelids.
Hazel chuckled. “Because the sacrifice is supposed to be of someone who is pure and willing.”
“But I’m not willing,” River stated, feeling the crawl of anxiety in her chest.
