His messy dark hair falls into his piercing blue eyes, and for just a moment, I almost forget that he’s a wolf. There’s mischief dancing across his face as he stares down at me. Almost like he’s just as impressed with my attack as I am.
I come to my senses just as the man I attacked moves toward us.
“Fine, put her with the others. At least adding her to the mix will get us out of here that much faster.”
I have to blink back my own surprise as the man holding me grunts in acknowledgement of the order and turns to lead me away.
“Wait,” I finally say, my mouth dry and heart racing as the word squeaks from my mouth. “Please, you don’t want me.”
My voice falls on deaf ears as the man gripping me pulls me away from the others and toward the center of the city.
I dig my heels in, but it does nothing. He’s easily twice my height and probably three times as strong as I am. He barely even blinks as I try to pry his fingers off of me.
“Please,” I try again, “I’m too old. The prince will want nothing to do with me. I … I haven’t bled in months. Please, this is a terrible mistake!”
Again, nothing as the man doesn’t even seem to register my whispered words.
Is it possible that he doesn’t care? Could the wolves be so desperate for human women that they’ll even take broken ones like me?
This thought chills my blood as I double down on my efforts to free myself.
Just as we round a corner, stepping out of view from the others, the man stops to turn and look down at me.
“Look, I would make a terrible mate,” I say, not wasting a moment. “I won’t obey, and I bite. And claw. I’ll make whoever touches me bleed.”
He cocks his head to the side, his mouth opening as if to say something just as another of man steps into view.
“Pierce, sir, the carts are over here,” he says, his eyes darting to me before nervously returning to the face of my captor.
“Ah, of course,” Pierce says with a nod as the other man motions for us to follow.
Stepping into the main city square, my heart sinks.
Ahead are several sizeable wooden carts with shining iron cages set atop them … each one full of women. Most of the women have tears staining their cheeks as they peer out between the metal slots, and still others look like they’ve already succumbed to their fate.
Several giant men guard each of the carts. As if the women would be able to get out of the cages, let alone fend off a single one of their captors.
But I guess they mean to make even the hope of escape impossible.
“No,” I gasp, trying one last time to change my own fate. “You don’t understand. You have it all wrong. I’m not what you’re looking for. I can’t be. I’m used and old and ugly and—”
His eyes drop to meet mine, and the words die on my lips. I swear, if I didn’t know any better, I see pain flicker behind his eyes. Whether it’s real or imagined, it’s enough to shock me.
The door to one of the carts is yanked open, and Pierce is forced to scoop me up and deposits me in amongst the other women.
6
Pierce
Imay not have heard a word from the woman’s mouth, but it is clear as day that she has guts.
A spirit to match the fire of her hair.
And I like that … more than I should.
I can’t help but grin as I watch her bright red hair disappears into the cart with the others.
Then I realize what I’ve just done and the familiar guilt hits me, the grin slipping from my face. I turn my back on the cart. It’s easy to forget the fate that awaits these women. Most of the time. But I can’t deny the role I’m playing in their deaths. Well, most of their deaths.