Mom was right; it was more luxury than I'd ever see again.
We were led into a seating room.
The offerings from the other villages were already there, and after a quick count, there were about thirty of us.
Could werewolves really fuck ten girls in a row? I shuddered.
Mom had said I would go last, and I hoped that was true and my theory about being tired worked out.
We were all in white. All white for purity.
I huddled with the others as the alphas stood in the doorway, the room was warm, with a bright fireplace and multiple plush seating options:
couches, chairs, cushion.
Even the rug looked comfier than my plain old
seats at home that hadn't been repaired in way too long.
I was terrible at sewing. And a little lazy. Hope that was notgoing to be an issue for tonight's festivities.
That had me smirking. The idea of lying there like a dead fish while the alpha tried to get a rise out of me had me almost laughing out loud.
I held it in by some miracle and looked up, my eyes clashing with Defan's.
I hid my threatening smirk to harden my stare.
"Offerings of Wolf Territory," he said, and everyone stepped back in the large room.
I stood my ground, not letting him intimidate me. He was using my body, he wouldn't have my mind or my will.
He noticed.
"One by one you will be taken through the door at the back.
Once you pass through that door, everything you see and do will be private information. Tell no one," he said.
Everyone turned to look at the door, every girl looking paler as the full weight of what we were there for hit us.
"Stay in this room no matter what. The rest of the mansion is off limits. Step foot outside this threshold and you'll regret it," he promised, and it
made me want to put my toe across the line just to see what they would do.
Then I realized that was a stupid get-yourself-killed idea and decided against it.
Cain stepped forward, lining up next to Defan.
"There are drinks on the table there. We suggest you choose the alcoholic punch. You aregoing to
need the liquid courage."
He winked as if he was being charming, and maybe that's what the other offerings saw because not a single one flinched at the hidden threat.
They were prepared to walk blindly into the unknown.
I wanted more answers. But by the glare Defan gave me, I was notgoing to get them until I went through the door.
Edward's turn.
He stepped in line with the other two alphas, all three of them magnificent, feral beasts with muscles and tattoos, but it was the searing darkness in their eyes that got me.
The wise, untamed look that made me think the night was notgoing to be as straightforward as my mom had made it sound.
"There's books and chess if you get bored," Edward said, pointing to the bookshelves and chess table, but I didn't care. I was all about the fireplace, inching closer to the flame, the heat warming my freezing skin.
I gulped as they moved, weaving through the girls, sniffing and scenting the strongest out.
I waited impatiently, holding my arms as I took in the blood moon spilling in from the glass panes in the ceiling.
It covered our white clothes in red shadows and made me smirk at how appropriate that was.
Pillars lined the room, vines, water, and a rock path curving down them in stone.
The three alphas. It was ingrained in every part of the place.
The three families had joined forces, held Werewolf Territory for centuries since the great war. I had to begrudgingly give them props for that.
I sucked in a breath as a coldness wrapped around me.
I spun to the feeling, but there was nothing there.
The corner of the room felt wrong though, the same as it had outside.
I shivered, seeing a shadow kissing the wall that matched nothing in the room.
Dread dropped in my stomach, that same heavy stone from before.
I walked slowly toward it, focused on the feeling, paralyzed by it. I was waiting for the eyes.
I knew they were watching me, but I couldn't see
them.
I wanted to see them.
Before I could reach the corner, strong arms wrapped around my waist and yanked me back, shaking me out of my stupor.
Defan dumped me back by the fireplace. My eyes wide, I looked up at him, his body heating me as much as the fire behind me.
His face dropped as he looked between me and the corner he had snared me from. I backed away slowly, a weakness hitting me. I stumbled, and Defan caught me.
"Kamala?" he asked, his voice softer than I had ever heard it.
It broke through the spinning, and I forced myself to stand strong.
"I'm good," I bit, glancing over at the corner. I was losing my damn mind.
Stupid werewolves.
"Defan. We've got to start," Edward said, standing by his first girl.
Defan hesitated before letting me go and grabbing a random girl from his group, pulling her to the door as Cain picked his.
He looked to me and nodded at the alcohol table.
"Drink the punch. It'll help," he bit, before looking back at the others. "Wait here."
Then the wolves disappeared.
Most of the girls huddled together, keeping to their respective villages, but I was winter born.
Nobody cared where I went.
So, I found the alcohol. It was made up in a punch that swirled in my plastic cup, had a little fizz, and was a pinkish-orange color.
I gulped it back before grabbing another one to sip.
The bittersweet taste coated my throat, and I went to the fireplace, sinking into the closest plush chair to wait my turn.
I had just started to relax into the warmth with the help of whatever I was drinking when the screams started.