CHAPTER 8

Ariana’s POV.

The first thing I felt on my skin was the cold sensation of water on my skin and my long blonde hair fell over to my face as I gasped for air trying to recognize the environment but I couldn't see anything, the space was dark and it was as if they had a spotlight on me. At this point, I wasn't petrified anymore because I knew now that if they wanted to kill me, they would have done that while I was still unconscious.

Nevertheless, I was still discombobulated because I didn't know my fate. My hands and legs were tied to my chair, and I could feel the presence of people in my room even though I couldn't see their faces.

“Tell us your name.”

I began to stutter, I struggled to compose myself but I was distracted because my cloth was wet and my nipples were visible, I couldn't tell if they were looking at it, but it irritated me because I was still pure and I had never laid with any man before so I felt harassed.

“Can I get something to cover my body please, I feel naked” I pleaded in a low and calm tone but this didn’t seem to go well.

“That is not what I asked you.” I was met with a slap and I felt a jolting sensation down my spine because of the weight of the slap, I couldn’t touch my face because my hands were tied but I felt a warm sensation flowing from my nose and when it dropped on my white cloth, that was when I knew it was blood.

“I said, “What is your name?”

“Ariana” I responded mid tears. All the emotions I had been bottling up finally flowed and there was an outburst. The guy who hit me couldn’t tell if I was whaling because of the hit or if it was something else. I heard footsteps in the background and I wasn’t sure who was approaching but his scent caught my attention, it wasn’t the same with when I met Lycus, but this person’s own was unique, it was a mixture of vanilla mint and jasmine with an overpowering scent of sandalwood, he came close to me and leaned toward me, now I could see his face clearly, my heart skipped a beat when I saw him, his eyes were red and I could see through his soul. He leaned forward and wiped off the blood on my face with his white handkerchief.

“My name is Alpha Damien Crow, don’t mind my Beta, he tends to be aggressive most times.” He spoke softly while he gently dabbed out the blood stain on my nose. “You know, I love beautiful ladies like you, but I am a monster when I do not get what I want. Same way I wipe this blood stain off you is the same way I will rip you apart if I don’t get the information I want. Now tell me, what pack are you from?”

I spoke as fast as I could because his eyes became thicker and I could feel the intensity which scared me to my bones.

“I am from the Moon crest pack, we are just a small pack without sovereignty and we rely on protection from the Lucan King Lycus. At the mentions of Lycus’ name, I heard aggressive growls across the room and it seemed like the name triggered something. He held me by my neck and it was as if I was floating in the chair.

“Did he send you here to spy on me?”

“No, no! I am just a wolfless wolf, I ran off because my mate rejected me, I never had intentions of coming to your territory, I swear no one sent me.” He dropped me but his looks didn’t change.

“You ran away because your mate rejected you?”

“Yes” I replied as fast as I could.

“The Moon crest pack is five days away from here, how the hell did you run for five days?” I stared at him in confusion. I still didn’t understand what he was saying.

“No, I didn't run for five days, I only ran out of the house and found myself here.” There were silent murmurs in the background but I didn’t understand what they were saying, it seemed like they were speaking in a strange tongue and at this point I became uncomfortable. Alpha Damien instructed his Beta to bring him something and the Beta came in no time. Damien moved closer to me and used his dagger to cut the rope holding my left hand. “Give me your hand,” he instructed and I dared not resist. I stretched my hand forward and he slit it with his knife and allowed my blood flow into a pot- I screamed in agony but I stopped when I noticed the thick smoke coming out from the pot, everyone gasped in amazement and their murmurs became intense.

“She is the chosen one!“ Alpha Damien announced with a light smirk on his face. He seemed excited but I still didn’t understand what he did with my blood or what he said, I didn’t know if it was some sort of ritual but I knew I was in more danger.

“Please let me go, I want to go back to my family please, I need to leave here now, my stepfather is going to kill me if I do not come back home.”

“You are mine now,” Alpha Damien's voice was unwavering. “I cannot allow this ancient treasure to slip from my grasp. You have what I need, and I have what you need—protection. Let’s make a trade. Stay in my kingdom, and I’ll take care of you, give you everything you need.”

“And in return?” I asked, my voice firm, yet cold with suspicion.

“You’ll give me your powers.”

I froze, utterly confused. What powers was he talking about? I was just a wolfless, cursed child who had been rejected by her mate. “But I don’t have any powers,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t even have my wolf form yet.”

Damien's gaze hardened, his next words cutting through the tension like a blade. “The journey from Moon crest is five days. Yet you ran here in mere minutes. The prophecy has been fulfilled.”