Chapter 1

Erina

My family encircled me, the hunger in their eyes like a pack of wolves desperate for prey. Their need radiated off them like fire, ready to consume me in one fell swoop.

“What?” I whispered, staring at my father.

He glowered back, his eyes like two pebbles of coal. “You heard me, Erina. Your new owner will be here for you any minute now.”

“But why?” I blurted. How could my father sell his own child? This made no sense! “Mother,” I complained, turning on my heel to look at the woman who mirrored me so closely.

But just as she always did, she ducked her head away from me, her dark eyes stayed glued to the floor. “It’s for the best, Erina. The money we’re getting is going to be enough for the rest of the family to live on. You should be grateful.”

My brother chuckled. I wanted to punch him but knew that if I did, I’d be tied to a pole and lashed. He was the one that could do no wrong and I was always the fuck up of the family. “Is your own happiness that much more important than the rest of us? You’re lucky that someone even wanted you.”

The heavy cedar door leading outside swung open and five men strode in. Each one emitted an aura more dangerous than the last, until finally, the last one entered and his eyes met mine. He had an air of superiority about him that made my skin crawl.

He stepped forward and examined me from head to toe as if I were a piece of livestock he was about to purchase. My family members kept their heads bowed low, as if they were afraid of this man, which only made me more nervous. I couldn’t help but feel like something sinister was about to happen.

My mouth grew dry and my knees weak as he stared at me with only the slightest of smirks. I wasn’t a person to this man.

No, there was another light in his eyes.

Lust.

“You didn’t prepare her like we agreed,” He snapped. “You really expect her to wear something like that?” he gestured to the cotton nightgown that I clenched to my body.

My father had brought me a beautiful white dress that hugged all my curves, but I had refused to wear it. I had refused this deal of his with my entire spirit. Why should I have to be the sacrificial lamb led to the slaughter for the rest of them?

But now, as this stranger glowered at me, I regretted not doing what I was told. His eyes glittered in the sputtering light from above.

He was a predator, and I was his prey.

“I’m sorry, Nicholas. I gave her explicit instructions-”

The man, Nicholas, did not let my father finish speaking. Moving at the speed of light, I heard the crack as the back of his hand smacked into my father’s face.

The force sent the old man spinning as he was driven onto the dirty floor. “Don’t worry, I still will pay for my,” he paused, his eyes moved over me. I held my nightgown closer and a wicked smile split his lips. “Treat.” He took out a slick wallet from his coat and pulled out numerous bills before throwing them on my father’s bleeding body.

I cannot say it surprised me when my family descended on the bills like a pack of jackals, loading their pockets. They grabbed handfuls of them and stuffed them into every conceivable crevice in their clothing. My father rolled himself onto his back and shoveled several into his pocket.

Nicholas grabbed me by the wrist, and the surrounding men grinned. “Are you going to come peacefully, or will you make me punish you?” he questioned.

“Please, disobey,” whined the smallest of the men. His golden hair was tied behind him in a braid traveling all the way down his back. His golden eyes were glazed as he licked his lips.

“Lucas,” Nicholas growled. His voice was low and filled with danger. “You’ll get your turn. We all will, one way or another.” His eyes darkened, a warning if he didn’t get what he wanted

I shook at his words, fear moved through me. I didn’t like the sound of that. His grip on my wrist tightened and the bones inside rubbed against each other. It was now or never. Would I just meekly follow or would I fight? I didn’t know what he meant by punishment, and I didn’t want to find out. I couldn’t just walk after him like a trained puppy. “I’m not going anywhere,” I argued with a glare.

Nicholas’s lips curled into a sinister smirk as he pressed his finger onto my skin, holding it there for just a little longer than necessary. His light blue eyes seemed to glow with raw power, hinting of emotions that threatened to spill out any second. Before I had time to react, Nicholas yanked me up by my wrist and threw me against the wall with brutal force. My head cracked against the brick, sending shockwaves of pain through my body. He pinned me against the wall with a vice-like grip around my throat, so tight that I could barely take a breath.

My hands clawed at his. I kicked and tried to get away. Spots blurred my vision, but this man didn’t care. He leaned close, his teeth grazing my neck before he bit me, hard! I gasped, or I would have. Not just from the pain, but from how much he seemed to not care.

He pulled away and licked at the bite as blood dripped from my new wound.

I stopped struggling.

“Good girl,” he praised, his tongue flat against the bite mark as he cleaned the blood off. “Learn your place, and we’ll all have fun. Deny me and I’ll be the only one getting release.”

“Nicholas,” Lucas all but moaned. “Please, let me touch her while she’s pinned like that. She looks like a butterfly. That’s how I want her, pinned for me.”

“Not yet,” Nicholas scolded, finally pulling his hand away. Sucking in a breath, I struggled to not break down. I wanted to cry. I could breathe, but it didn’t seem to matter. I fell to the ground and curled up in a ball, shivering. Nicholas raised an eyebrow at the sight of me. “We’re not close to through with you,” he promised, biting his bottom lip. “But it’s time we take you home. I’m not in the mood for others watching me dine.”

My hand went back to my neck, and I held it against the blood flow. What did he mean by that? I wanted to ask, but I was too scared.

Each of the men staring down at me was a monster.

There was no hope for any of them to save me from whatever my family had caused.

Scrambling to my feet, I leaned against the brick wall. I wanted no more punishments. I turned my attention to my family that were still picking up the bills that had soaked up the blood from my father’s injury.

How much had Nicholas given them? I wanted to ask, but again I couldn’t bring myself to talk. Not with the way another of the brothers was leering at me. The man had his hand inside his pocket, but even I could tell that he was touching himself while staring at me.

“I hope you’re satisfied,” I sneered at the ones that were supposed to have protected me from this fate. “And I will pray that all of you suffer worse than I’m about to.”

“Oh?” the leering brother crooned as he came closer to me. His fingertips brushed across my back and I shivered. The bastard still had one hand inside his pants. “Do you want me to punish them right here?” He grinned at me, his canines extra sharp. “I’ll rip them apart if you say the word.”

Rip them apart? I didn’t know if he meant it figuratively or literally, and I didn’t care.

I would not forgive them, any of them. I glanced back at him and his hands dipped lower, cupping my ass. “I-” I whispered.

“Just say, please Master Jack,” his dark blue hair hung in front of those golden piercing eyes of his.

I didn’t know my fate exactly, but I’d got enough of an idea to know that I would never forgive these people. His hand dipped lower, grabbing my thigh and slowly creeping up. “Please, Master Jack,” I whispered breathlessly.

He was gone from my side in an instant and the men around me growled almost in unison. Nicholas smirked at me. “Remember, this is what you asked for,” he whispered before all five of the men transformed into giant wolves and ripped my family apart.

As the blood pooled at my feet, a part of me thought about how I should feel ashamed or guilty. But that’s not what coursed through me.

No, I was happy. I laughed as the last of the selfish bastards lost their lives and their bodies fell to the side.

The wolves turned to me, and in their eyes, I saw what was to become of me.

When they were tired of my body, for there was no doubt in my mind that’s what they planned to use me for, I would become like my family and be ripped apart.

When Jack came back to me, his muzzle was stained with the blood of my father. I hugged him close as I whispered a thank you into his ear.

“Now that we’ve taken care of that,” Nicholas announced, shifting back into human form. “I hope you’re aware that we have no plans on going easy on you. We bought you and we will have our way. It’s my belief that you realize it’s hopeless to resist us. If not, we’ll be more than happy to remind you just how blessed pain can feel.” He snapped his fingers at me and with my head low, I moved to his side where he grabbed my chin, tilting my head up before his lips crashed into mine hard and bruising.

No matter what happened next, the answer was clear. From now on, I belonged to this pack.