The Lycan King Saved Me

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Kinsley

“Wake up, Kinsley,” Craig Bowen’s raspy voice rouses me from a pleasant dream.

I open my eyes and am back lying on my hard cot in the shed. I only vaguely remember being released from the cells last night. I try to move, but my entire body protests.

“Get your lazy ass out of bed, girl,” He growls. “We have a lot of work to do today. There is a king coming.”

Tears fall from my eyes as I sit up on the bed. I look at my bruised arms and legs.

“Hurry up,” Craig growls. “You are as useless as your father says.”

I lick the tears off my lips, grab a change of clothes, and limp my way to the outdoor toilets. I look at my swollen face in the dirty mirror. I don’t even know what I am anymore. Nothing is staring back at me.

“Why won’t you kill me?” I whisper to the Goddess. “You obviously hate me.” I freshen up quickly, then drag myself to where Craig is barking at Charlie and Hank.

“We have only a few hours until the king arrives, and we want to look our best,” he tells them and turns to me. “You come with me.” I follow the old man to the shed, and he hands me a grasper and a garbage bag. “Go around the packhouse and pick up every bit of trash. Leave nothing, or you will get a beating.”

I sigh and walk away from him. I start by the front door and work quietly, ignoring the sneers and stares from passing pack members.

“Kinsley?” Madeline runs up to me with Tommy Kirk behind her.

I look up at her beaming face. It’s nice to see her looking so happy. “Oh, s**t, it’s your birthday,” I mutter.

“It’s okay,” Madeline smiles. “Look,” She nods at Tommy. “He is my mate,” she hugs the warrior who looks at her with such love.

My heart aches, thinking that it will never be me. “Oh, I am so happy for you, Maddie,” I say. I smile at Tommy, “Take good care of my friend.”

“Oh, I will,” Tommy puts his arm around Madeline and kisses her cheek.

I take a deep breath.

“I wish you could come to the club tonight with us,” Madeline frowns.

Shrugging, I look away from her, “I have to get back to work.”

“Kinsley,” Madeline touches my arm, and I hiss from the pain. “I miss you.”

“It’s better you forget about me, Madeline,” I say.

“I can’t,” Madeline sighs. “You are my best friend; hell, you are my sister.”

I look her in the eyes, “I love you too,” I say and flick my eyes to Tommy, “as a sister.”

He shrugs, “Hey, I get it.”

“Kinsley!” Craig Bowen limps over to me. “You need to go. She is working,” He grumbles at Madeline.

“Bye,” Madeline touches my arm again.

I smile slightly as she walks away with her mate. Sighing, I get back to work. The bag fills up, and I walk it to the dumpsters, then start another. While I am almost down the drive, I hear snickering and watch as several crumpled pieces of paper tumble by me on the breeze, and of course, Esmae is standing nearby with Junie and another friend of hers, Jessica.

“Pick up the trash, Trash,” My stepsister mocks me. “Come on,” She throws more trash on the ground.

I sigh and pick up the trash she keeps dropping.

“Esmae,” Sydney calls out. “What are you doing?”

“I am making sure the Trash keeps working, Mother,” Esmae responds.

“Quit doing that,” Sydney says, and for once, I wonder if she is standing up for me.

I looked towards her, but she just sneered.

“Get back to work, Murderer,” Sydney grunts.

I press my lips together and concentrate on the trash. I fill up the second bag and drag it to the dumpster.

“Kinsley,” Deb walks up behind me. “I need you to come with me.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “Huh?” I huff.

“Come with me, girl,” she looks me up and down with a shake of her head.

“But- “

“Kinsley,” she used her more authoritative tone and beckoned me towards the house.

I say nothing more and follow her. She leads me into the packhouse, and I become confused. She took me into the shared bathroom and set a towel and toiletries on the counter.

“I need you to take a shower,” she says with her nose wrinkled. “Then, come down to my room when you are done.”

I narrow my eyes at her, “What is going on?”

“Just do it,” She grumbles and walks out of the bathroom.

I shake my head and do as I was told.

‘Hope is coming,’ Genesis speaks up.

I step into the shower and almost scream when the water hits my soar, achy body. It stings my wounds and bruises. “Gods,” I cry as I wash myself. The water turns black as I haven’t bathed in days. It takes me a long time to get clean, but it feels good. I am happy that Deb or someone has set fresh clothes in the bathroom, so I put them on. It’s just a pair of linen shorts and a T-shirt.

Refreshed, I walk down the hall to Deb’s room and am surprised to see Sydney sitting on her bed. My stepmother gives me a long look, “You look like your mother,” she says.

I say nothing as she rises and steps towards me.

“Get her cleaned up and dressed in those,” she points to a pile of clothes sitting on a chair. “Then bring her to Alpha Leighton’s office.”

“What’s going on?” I ask.

Sydney smirks and pinches my cheek, “Leighton found someone willing to take you off our hands.”

“Who?” I ask.

“Don’t worry about it,” She growls and exits Deb’s room.

I look at Deb, “Do you know who?”

Deb shakes her head, “No. I just know the Luna asked me and Ina to clean you up.”Ina steps into the room with a makeup case.

“Sit,” Deb takes the clothes off the chair, and I sit.

Sitting while Ina and Deb do my hair and makeup feels nice. Then I put on a simple white linen dress. I like how I look, staring at myself in the mirror. The eyes staring back at me are my mother’s. “Hi, Mom,” I say.

“Come on,” Deb tugs on my arm. “We have to go to your father’s office.”

The moment of joy I felt deflates. I sigh and follow Deb out of her room. I wish I knew what was going on. Genesis becomes a little restless. The walk to my father’s office felt long, and I started to breathe heavily as I didn’t want to know why I was being taken there.

We reached the door I had only seen a few times in my life. Deb knocks.

“Come in,” My father’s deep voice calls.

We step into the office, and Father is behind his giant desk while Beta Evan and Gamma Matthew are standing behind him. Jaxson, Devin, and Milo are also in the office.

I look around nervously as Father rises from the desk and walks towards me. A strange look flashes in his eyes as he stares at me.

“Leave us,” He orders Deb. “Kinsley,” He reaches his hand out to me, and I flinch away. “Look at me,” he says in a gentle tone I have only heard him use for my siblings.

I look up into his face, something I have rarely ever done.

He takes a deep breath, “You look just like Flora.”

I want to smile but refrain.

“You can’t smile?” He asks.

I say nothing as he turns away from me.

“Come,” He beckons his hand to follow.

I follow him around the desk, and he stops me in front of a large computer monitor.

“Alpha Norwood, this is my daughter, Kinsley,” he says to a man on the screen.

“Lovely,” The man with no hair and a sharp, pointed nose responds. “And she is of your first mate’s bloodline?” He asks.

“Yes, Heath,” Father nods.

“Excellent,” Alpha Norwood says. “I will be there for her in two days.”

“Great,” Father smiles and nods at Beta Evan, who drags me away from the screen. He makes me stand by the boys while Father continues talking to the Alpha.

“We are getting rid of you,” Jaxson grins.

Milo gives me a sympathetic look but says nothing.

“So, we agree on the terms, Alpha Norwood?” Father asks.

“Yes, yes, a million dollars in exchange for your daughter,” the other alpha says, and chills run down my spine.

‘Where are they sending me?’ I wonder to myself.

“Make sure she looks her best. I only want the best for my heir,” Alpha Norwood hisses. “Goodbye.”

Father looks towards me with an evil smile. “Matthew takes her back to her room.”

Gamma Matthew nods and ushers me out of the office.

“He sold me?” I whisper.

Matthew nods. “To Alpha Heath Norwood of the Nightshade Pack,” He sighs.

“Is that bad?”

“It’s bad,” Milo says from behind us.

“Alpha Norwood sees females only as chattel needed for breeding and nothing else,” Matthew explains.

Figures Father would sell me. I am worth nothing else to him. Maybe it won’t be so bad. But I was a little surprised he asked about my mother’s bloodline. Matthew takes me to the broom closet.

“Alpha wants you to stay here,” he tells me.

“No work?” I ask.

“No,” Matthew shakes his head. “But- “He leans in. “Avery and I are going to get you out of here tonight. She will take you to Midnight Dawn, where you can stay with her brother Jeffery’s family.”

“Really?” I ask.

“Yeah,” Matthew smiles. “It’s your best chance, Kinsley,” He smiles. “You can go to Midnight Dawn and finish school, and then the world is yours.”

“Thanks,” I say with a slight smile. “Thank you so much.”

“Just wait here until I come back for you, alright?” Matthew tells me.