pounded frantically. She groaned, a weak sound barely escaping her sore throat. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open, heavy and hesi

wasn't over. The image of the shadowy figure, the shattered glass, the blinding pain-it all crashed back in. She looked around. N

straining against the leather. It clung to her skin, causing raw bruises, but she pulled harder. The wooden p

ish h

er her. She slowly lifted her head. The silhouette was standing over her at the entrance of the tent. It was the

work?" he sneered, his voice mock

bother to loosen the thong on her arm. With a single, brutal pull, he ripped the post from the ground, causing Issa to fall backward onto the ground

re wide with horror now as she looked at him, truly seeing the golden light in his inhuman gaze, the rough, animalistic

! Please,

iating cramp, followed by a sudden gush of something warm between her legs. No. Not this. Not now. Not my baby.

w the tremor that ran through her, the sudden clenching of her body. An

alf end of the broken post still dangling from her wri

tears streamin

amed, a raw, g

m fear of the creature standing over her. The tears now we

a whisper against the growing misery. Her hand subconsciously went between her

ease... m

reality of this place and the violence of this monster and his kind. Her last ho

-

weeks

ary step carrying timber, every bite of tasteless gruel, was shadowed by the relentless questions: Did Marcus loo

ing day. A child she had sought for all her married life, lost, like some carelessly dr

eemed specialized in kidnapping. Over the weeks she had learned that the

This nightm

ey rarely spoke to each other. Issa learned to be invisible, to keep her head down, to never draw attention. Especially

me get throu

ladies!" a voice gr

dropped. No. No

ough their huddled forms. They were led into a large, open clearing. The air reeked of raw

avy scar on his face and golde

his is a great honor for you little ones. Tonight, you serve the Alphas. Do not speak. Do not resist. Do not make any sound

red to speak, but Issa saw the fear in their widened eyes, the tr

han any rain, see

a cruel smile twisting his