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922 Words
I stand in front of the cracked mirror in my tiny bedroom, smoothing down the wrinkles in my secondhand dress. Today is my 18th birthday, but there's no joy in my heart. Something feels off, like a storm brewing on the horizon.
"Rebecca! Get down here, now!" My stepfather's gruff voice echoes up the stairs.
I sigh, giving my reflection one last glance. My long brown hair is a mess, and dark circles shadow my eyes. Sleep hasn't come easy lately, not with the strange noises I've been hearing at night – howls that seem too close for comfort.
As I descend the creaky stairs, I spot two men standing with my stepfather in our shabby living room. One is tall and lean, with sharp features and cold eyes. The other is built like a mountain, his muscular arms crossed over his chest. Both radiate an aura of danger that makes my skin prickle.
"There she is," my stepfather says, his voice oddly strained. "Rebecca, come meet our... guests."
I step forward cautiously. "Hello," I manage, my voice barely above a whisper.
The tall man's eyes rake over me, and I fight the urge to shrink back. "So this is the girl," he says, his tone flat. "She'll do."
"I'm sorry," I say, confusion and fear battling inside me. "What's going on?"
My stepfather won't meet my eyes. "Rebecca, this is Alpha King Dwayne and his beta, Brown. They've come to... to take you with them."
The world seems to tilt on its axis. "Take me? What do you mean?"
Dwayne steps forward, his presence overwhelming. "Your stepfather owes a considerable debt to my pack. We've come to collect."
I shake my head, not understanding. "But what does that have to do with me?"
"Everything," Dwayne says coldly. "You're the payment."
The words hit me like a physical blow. I turn to my stepfather, silently pleading for him to deny it, to say it's all a cruel joke. But he just stares at the floor, shame etched into every line of his face.
"No," I whisper. "You can't... you can't just sell me!"
"I'm afraid he can," Dwayne says. "And he has. You belong to me now, Rebecca."
Anger flares hot in my chest. "I don't belong to anyone! I won't go with you!"
I turn to run, but the big man – Brown – moves with inhuman speed, blocking my path. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, little one," he rumbles.
Dwayne's cold laugh sends chills down my spine. "Spirited. Good. You'll need that fire where you're going."
"Please," I beg, turning back to my stepfather. "Don't do this. There must be another way!"
He finally looks at me, his eyes red-rimmed and hollow. "I'm sorry, Rebecca. I had no choice. The debt... it's too much. They would have killed me."
"So you're sacrificing me instead?" I cry, tears of betrayal stinging my eyes.
"Enough," Dwayne snaps. "The deal is done. You're coming with us, willingly or not. But I'll make you a bargain of your own, girl."
I glare at him through my tears. "What kind of bargain?"
His lips curl into a cruel smile. "Bear me a son within two years, and I'll set you free. Fail, and you'll remain mine forever."
The room spins around me. "A... a son? But I'm only eighteen! I can't... I won't..."
"You will," Dwayne says firmly. "Unless you'd prefer I take your stepfather's life as payment instead?"
I look at the man who raised me, the only family I have left. Despite his betrayal, I can't bear the thought of his death. "I... I'll do it," I whisper, defeated.
"Wise choice," Dwayne nods. "Brown, gather her things. We leave immediately."
As Brown heads upstairs, I sink onto the threadbare couch, my legs too weak to hold me. "Why me?" I ask quietly. "Why not just take money or... or something else?"
Dwayne regards me with those cold, calculating eyes. "You're special, Rebecca. More than you know. I have my reasons for choosing you."
His words send a chill through me. What could he mean? What could possibly make me special to the Alpha King of werewolves?
Brown returns with a small bag of my belongings. "That's all she has, my King."
Dwayne nods. "It's time. Say your goodbyes, Rebecca. You won't be seeing this place again."
I stand on shaky legs, looking at my stepfather one last time. Part of me wants to scream at him, to curse him for this betrayal. But another part sees the broken man before me and feels only pity.
"Goodbye," I say softly. "I hope your freedom was worth the price."
He flinches as if I'd struck him. "Rebecca, I—"
But I turn away, unable to bear any more. "I'm ready," I tell Dwayne, squaring my shoulders.
As we step outside, I gasp. A sleek black limousine waits in front of our run-down house, looking absurdly out of place. Brown opens the door, and Dwayne gestures for me to enter.
I hesitate at the threshold, taking one last look at the only home I've ever known. The peeling paint, the overgrown yard, the crooked mailbox – all of it suddenly precious now that I'm leaving it behind.
"Second thoughts?" Dwayne's voice is laced with warning.
I shake my head and climb into the car. The leather seat is soft and cool against my skin, a stark contrast to the turmoil inside me. Dwayne slides in beside me, his presence filling the space.
- Writer
