Chapter 1
"Get away from me!" I thrash and kick, desperately trying to break free from the grip of the three men holding me down. My arms flail wildly, my fingertips resembling sharp claws as I attempt to summon my inner wolf for self-defense. But it's no use. I've only recently turned eighteen, and mastering the art of shifting on my own is still beyond my reach. The moon is nowhere near full, and instinct alone won't be enough to save me. "Aaliyah?" I call out within the depths of my mind, hoping to awaken my dormant wolf. "Aaliyah, wake up!" But there's no response. One man holds my arms firmly above my head while the other two restrain my legs. I struggle against their overpowering strength, but without my wolf's aid, I'm just a small, helpless target. They outnumber and outweigh me. Suddenly, a fourth man enters my line of sight, a clear glass in his hand. It's filled with a dark-colored liquid, its scent piercing my nostrils. Is it wine? No, it can't be blood, can it? Tears well up in my eyes, and I despise myself for them. What good are tears in this situation? "You do have spirit! I admire that in a girl," the man taunts. "Now, drink this. Trust me, you'll like me better after our magic potion." I have no idea what he means, but I know I don't want anything to do with whatever is in that glass. I resolve to keep my mouth shut, to spit it out, to refuse to swallow. But my intentions crumble as he cruelly pinches my nose shut, depriving me of air. I hold out as long as I can, until my head pounds and flashes of light dance before my eyes. When I finally open my mouth to gasp for air, he pours the liquid into me, forcing it down my throat. It floods my mouth, chokes me, and I gag, desperate to expel the rusty-tasting concoction. "That's a good girl! Just give it a few minutes. You'll see how much better everything becomes," he smirks. I struggle against the men's hold, but it's futile. The heat intensifies, engulfing my body. Why is it getting so hot? I recall being snatched off the sidewalk on my way home from school, thrown into the back of a white van. "Your daddy wasn't lying when he said you had fight in you," the man sneers. "He owes me a hefty sum. Depending on how tonight goes, I might even let him have some credit left to gamble away. After all, he's no threat to the house. Even if we rigged every game in his favor, he wouldn't stand a chance." As his hands creep up my legs, lifting my uniform skirt, I want to scream for help. But my tongue feels thick and useless, and my limbs grow heavy, as if a surge of scorching heat is spreading from my stomach, rendering me helpless and panting.
Chapter 2
"That's a good girl," he murmurs, his hands tugging at my panties, dragging them down my trembling thighs. My mind, usually occupied by the presence of my wolf, is now empty, filled only with screams of protest. "Just lie there. I'll take care of you. I'll give you what you need." Sweat trickles down my forehead, my body aware that I've been drugged. What was in that cup? What did I unknowingly consume? A thick finger invades me, and I fight against the violation. "Nnnn---" I continue to struggle, attempting to utter a futile 'no.' But it falls on deaf ears. No one in this room cares about my words. "Un-fucking-believable. She's pure." I have no clue what he means. I've only been with one boy, and all we ever did was kiss, even though we were in love. I'm saving myself for my mate. His face fills my vision as he looms over me. Broken blood vessels mar his reddened skin, his nose bulbous and wide. His cheeks sag like jowls, quivering with each breath he takes through his mouth, reeking of alcohol and cigarettes. He pinches my chin between his thumb and forefinger, leaning down to kiss me. His lips are thick and wet, moving against mine. Nausea churns within me. He removes his finger and traces my most intimate parts, as if he has every right to touch me as he pleases. I'm saving myself for my mate! "I never would have believed you were pure with Jesus Taylor as your old man. I owe him big for you. I can't remember the last time I had a virgin." His flabby belly presses against me as he positions himself between my legs. I know I have to fight harder, or else it won't matter what I want for my first time—because it's about to be stolen from me. His words echo in my mind, and finally, anger replaces the fear. This is happening to me because my father can't resist the allure of gambling. He was supposed to be my protector! And yet, he sold me to this man! Aaliyah stirs within me, her strength blending with my fury, fueling my veins with an unstoppable fire. She's a fierce wolf, with an unyielding spirit. I feel her power surge through me as I transform into my wolf form, shredding my school uniform and making it impossible for them to restrain me. 'Kill him!' Aaliyah growls in my mind, 'He wants to take what belongs to our mate! He wants to dominate us like an unmated bitch in heat.' Aaliyah urges me to go for his throat, but all I manage is a mouthful of his shoulder as I rise up. I bite down hard, tasting blood, and swiftly release him from my fangs before the bloodlust consumes my senses.
Chapter 3
I am a young woman of medium build, my limbs elongated like those of a timber wolf. My appearance suggests that I will grow larger as I age, and I hope to reach full maturity someday. The consequences of what I might do to him remain uncertain. While I have the opportunity to escape, I don't want to become a murderer. My long limbs grant me speed rather than strength; I am exceptionally fast. My wolf senses allow me to discern that the three men who held me captive were mere humans. However, the beast who attacked me was undoubtedly a wolf, though I cannot determine his strength. It's possible that my senses are dulled by the drugs he administered or weakened altogether. Without hesitation, I make a dash for the room's exit. Fortunately, the door handle is easily pressed down, swinging the door open to allow my swift departure into the hallway. My paws skid on the slippery floor, causing me to collide with the opposite wall, leaving me disoriented. From within the room, I can hear the men scrambling to chase after me. If I don't keep running, they might catch me. My connection with Aaliyah, my trusted companion, wavers as my blood boils in my veins. I can sense my wolf's primal desire to bite, claw, and tear into the men pursuing us. Ignoring the pain and disorientation, I push my body to its limits, racing down the hallway. With every leap, I stretch myself out, covering as much ground as possible. I have never run this fast before. As luck would have it, a maid emerges from one of the rooms, her arms laden with linens. She walks towards her cart, and I notice that the door to the room she just exited is still slightly ajar. Without contemplating the consequences or what may lie beyond the door, I squeeze my body through the crack and kick with my hind legs to close it behind me. The poison coursing through my system severs my connection with Aaliyah, forcing me to relinquish control of my wolf form and revert to my human body. I sprawl on the floor of this unfamiliar room, panting heavily. "I requested maid service, but I don't recall asking for your assistance," I manage to say, surveying the room until my eyes land on a man standing in the hallway. He wears nothing more than a loosely wrapped towel around his waist. Remarkably tall, even for a werewolf, he possesses broad shoulders and unruly dark curls that cascade over his forehead, ears, and down his neck. He appears as if he hasn't visited a barber in quite some time. When our eyes meet, I lose all sense of time and place. "Who are you?" he asks, just as the men pursuing me begin pounding on his door, demanding entry. Exhausted, disoriented, and burning from the drugs they injected into me, I find myself naked on a stranger's floor due to my father's decision to sell me to settle his gambling debts. Hot tears trickle down my face as I manage to rasp out, "Please... help me."
Chapter 4
The Next Morning As consciousness flooded my senses, I was jolted awake by a voice demanding to know who I was. My body ached and felt heavy, entwined with the weight of another naked figure beneath the sheet that barely concealed us. Embarrassment flushed my skin crimson as I tried to piece together the events of the previous night, all while desperately attempting to cover myself with the meager fabric at hand. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving my bed partner completely exposed. Heat radiated from my flushed skin as I grappled with the predicament I found myself in. Even as a werewolf, propriety mattered to us, regardless of what humans might think. I recalled the words that had spilled from my lips repeatedly, "I'm your mate!" Silently, I slipped out of bed, determined to find some semblance of clothing. With utmost care, I tiptoed around the room, not wanting to wake the stranger. Leaving the sheet behind, I sacrificed my own modesty, opting to face the potential humiliation of being caught naked rather than confronting a man I had evidently seduced with the subtlety of a desperate animal. His scent lingered, permeating everything around me. It was rich and masculine, each breath engulfing me in a forested embrace, laced with an unfamiliar warmth and spice. I yearned to crawl back into bed beside him and never leave. But Aaliyah, my wolf, growled within me, her voice echoing in my mind, "We can't leave! He's our mate!" My eyes fell upon an open suitcase atop the dresser. I retrieved a white button-down shirt to cover myself, though it swallowed my petite frame, cascading down to my knees. A necktie served as a makeshift belt around my waist. "We have to return home to Cooper! He's only fourteen, Aaliyah! What if Jesusrick's debtors come for him?" I reasoned, my voice a mere whisper. "Our mate is more important! Can't you sense it? His scent is intoxicating! He's the strongest Alpha we've ever encountered." Shock coursed through me, causing me to turn and gaze at the slumbering figure behind me. He was an Alpha? Aaliyah grumbled insistently, "Of course he is! Take a deep breath! No one would dare harm us when his scent marks us as his own." Was he the Alpha of an entire pack? My eyes drifted towards the scattered personal belongings atop the dresser. I resisted the urge to pilfer his wallet, keys, or money clip. I wasn't a thief. However, a gold card case caught my attention. Engraved with the initials "TW," it contained business cards belonging to Ronald Evans of Moonrise Entertainment. House Evans, the Alpha House of Moonrise Pack. They were renowned as the largest werewolf pack in the USA, boasting both vast resources and a substantial membership. They could buy and sell any other pack without making a dent in their bank accounts. Every wolf knew of them, their Alpha considered one of the oldest in existence, surpassing even my father's age. I surmised that the man lying in the bed must be somehow related to them, but he wasn't their leader. Relief washed over me at the thought.
Chapter 5
Although I had some inkling of who he was, it did little to assuage my fear. My trembling hands betrayed my nerves as I fervently prayed for a chance to escape before he woke up. Aaliyah, on the other hand, insisted that we stay with our mate, her unwavering determination evident. Reluctantly, I took one of his cards, knowing we could contact him later. But our priority was our brother, Cooper. He was just a child, vulnerable and in need of our protection. The thought of my fated mate being a powerful Alpha, perhaps even the leader of a sister pack to House Evans, filled me with unease. I knew too little about the Moonrise Pack and their lower houses. Leaving before he woke up was imperative. Alphas, driven by their wolf instincts, would never allow me to leave until we were properly marked as each other's mates. No matter how much I worried about my baby brother, an Alpha's hold would be unyielding. Cooper was too young to fend for himself, and I had no trust in our father to keep him safe. Jesusrick, or rather, 'Steven' as he preferred to be called, had shown his true colors when he callously sold his daughter to settle a gambling debt. The room offered no means of communication, except for the man's locked personal cell phone. I left, making sure the hallway was clear, and descended in the elevator to the lobby level. As I stepped out, my eyes were drawn to the word 'LUST' scrawled across the wall, causing a blush to creep onto my cheeks. It dawned on me then that I found myself in a place known for its indulgences. Before I could dwell further on the implications, a woman approached me. Clad in a form-fitting black dress, she held a tablet in her hands. "May I be of service?" she asked, her voice smooth and inviting. I staunchly ignored the insinuations of the services she might offer. "Yes, please. Can you call me a ride?" I requested, hoping to distance myself from this place. "Of course," she replied effortlessly, pulling up a rideshare app on her screen. "What's the address?" Initially, I was about to give her my home address, but caution prevailed. It wouldn't be wise to go there. Instead, I provided Octavia's address, knowing that her family would provide a safe haven. Octavia had been my best friend since freshman year of high school, and she felt more like a sister than a mere friend. During the ride to Octavia's, Aaliyah fretted, her concern palpable. "I want to go back! We left our mate without either of us marked. What if he believes we're rejecting him? What if he thinks we're not proud to be his?" "What if he thinks the laws of nature have ceased to exist?" I retorted, trying to reason with her. "He'll get over it. Cooper is just a boy, and he needs us to ensure his safety because Jesusrick won't lift a finger to protect him." Aaliyah would eventually come to terms with leaving our mate behind. We had a lifetime ahead of us to be together. But Cooper's life depended on us, and that was a responsibility we couldn't ignore. Upon arriving at Octavia's house, I was taken aback when she handed me my cell phone. "I found it with your backpack outside school," she explained. "I went to my parents, but we didn't know what to do except call Jesusrick. He told us..." Her voice trailed off, and she averted her gaze, the pain evident on her face. It was clear that Jesusrick hadn't been kind to her family when they reached out, worried about my well-being.
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