Chapter 1

Every girl at the age of eighteen, if left unmated, is volunteered for the Alphas Hunt. Hazel is no exception and also the only one who sees it not as a chance to find a strong Alpha to take care of her, but rather as a ceremony that strips you of your free will and sends you out into the woods to be hunted like a deer.

If she is claimed she will be his. If she is not, she will return in shame and be shunned from her pack.

Hazel knows the ways of the Alphas, being the daughter of a Beta but what she doesn't count on is the presence of the Lycan King. The leader of all is participating in his first-ever hunt and she is his prey.

***Warning: This book contains a LOT of mature content such as strong language, explicit s*x scenes, BDSM, etc.***

Chapter 1

The angelic music played in the speakers around the pack. The torches were lit along the streets and the moon shone brightly in the center of the sky.

A shadow was cast over the edge as the blood moon began to form and once it was fully merged it would be time, and later on when the the blood moon begun to pull from its form the horn would blow- indicating that the Hunt had begun.

“Are you nervous?” My little sister, Mathilda, asked me.

“Hazel isn’t nervous, sweetheart, this is an honor. One that you too might experience in a few years if you’re lucky.” I shifted on the bed and suppressed the growing anger towards my mother.

I looked into Mathildas hopeful eyes and cupped her tiny chin.

“I hope you never do,” I said and cast a fierce glare at my mother when I turn my head.

If a female didn't have her mate by the time she turned eighteen, she was to be a volunteer for the Hunt. It wasn't her choice but somehow, through the centuries that this tradition had been alive, young girls had been brain washed to see this as an honor.

If we were unmated our names were automatically placed into the Chalice of Choice that the ring leader would later pull from. The name had always boggled me, Chalice of Choice, it was ironic because we had none.

You would never see a parent more proud than when their daughters names were read.

The blinding joy in their eyes when they saw their girls being taken away, thrown into the truck and driven out of the pack. It was rare that they were ever seen again but their absence was taken as a good sign.

“You’re all finished, dear,” my mother stroked her hands gently over my shoulders.

She walked over and grabbed the white under dress. It was barely a dress, it looked like a nightgown but thinner and more exposing.The thin straps were pressing into my shoulders, my skin turned red when my chest was to big for the size my mother had gotten. We also weren't allowed to wear bras, our legs had to show and no shoes or socks were allowed.

We had to be as bare as possible, shamed and belittled to our core before we arrived at the house.

I had witnessed the Chalice ritual more than once in my life and each time there were factors that never deviated; The girls were lined up next to each other, their hands clasped behind them to give a good overview of their bodies, their hair fell in braids-either one or two- down their back but could never cover their chest or their face. When a girls name was called she was to step forward without speaking- not a single word or sound except for the subtle breath exhaled between her scrubbed lips. They were evaluated by the Lady Hale who then ranked the girls from 1 to 10.

It was rare for a girl to ever get below 3.

You see, in order to get below 3 you would have to be a weak-as-hell omega without any redeeming qualities and to be thought of as nothing more than a waste of space. Or you had to be wolf-less; my stomach churned becuase one of the girls tonight didn't have her wolf yet and that hadn't happened in over a century. Those who were given anything three and under were forbidden from participating in the Hunt, they were cast aside and many times shunned by their packs and their families as a result of the shame.

When I tell you that those are the lucky ones…

The others, those who get rated 4s and up, are blindfolded, their hands are bound and they are led to the truck that will later drive them away.

The scary part for me wasn't the ceremony, I knew what happened at the ceremony, what frightened me was what happened after when the truck drove away and the girls were unloaded at the house. How it was to meet the Alpha’s that were meant to hunt them, when they got that first sniff and everything else that they had known their entire lives became obsolete. All for the pleasure of the Alphas. Nobody knew what happened there because you’re never allowed to hear about it, the girls that leave don't come back.

“Let’s go,” my mother reached out her hand. I took one last look in the mirror, my hands slightly trembling at my sides and my toes pressing into the cold floor.

“Sure,” I ignored her hand and walked out of the house.

I stoped on the staircase leading up from the garden and watch the lines of girls marching toward the cliff. The amount of white dresses and bared bodies was almost scary...they looked like gosts haunting the streets but they were happy. I was terrified. I knew it wasn't sunshine and roses that awaited us. It wasn't a fairytale ending with an all powerful alpha; it was hell, where the men ruled and we followed. If you, as the chosen mate, didn't obey...there were no rules for the alphas and their prey after the hunt was over.

I took a step, about to descend the three step staircase and join the girls when I was stoped by a small hand grabbing my arm. I turned around and looked into the doe eyes of my sister. I hunched down in front of her and fixed her floral cardigan before pulling her in.

“I don’t want you to go,” she whispered so only I could hear. It would be seen as disrespect if anyone heard her, she should be happy for me but luckily my sister had listened to me more than my parents in her years.

“I know, baby, but I have too. I promise I will be fine,”

The first tear fell from her eye.

“Will you come back to me?”

I squeezed her shoulders and swallowed the burning lump in my throat. How do I tell her that it isn't up to me anymore?

“Do you remember when I promised that I would never lie to you?” She nodded her little head and wiped her red nose so I continued, “I don't know if I can come back to you but I promise to always think about you and to do everything I can to come and visit. Is that good enough?”

I saw her trying to smile through the tears and it broke my heart that I couldn't take her inside and close the door, to promise her that I would never leave.

Never in my life had I wished for a mate or a man but right now I kind of wished that I had met my mate here, because then I wouldn't have to go.

“Yes,” she whimpered out.

"let's go," Trixy said as she stood in the front of my mind.

***

The spot where the ritual happens had always been the same. It’s the edge of a mountain surrounded by the forest overlooking the pack. The stabbing stones under our feet were said to draw out any impurities before we reached the top of the mountain.

I always used to roll my eyes when the girls bled on the stones as they walked this path- they would smile and look enticed at the blood trail behind them. However, walking the trials myself, I felt every sharp cut stone under my feet and pressed my nails into the palms of my hands to keep from growling.

We walked in the circular pathway, our feet were covered in blood and the more you bled the more sins you had committed that needed to be washed out. Apparently I had managed many sins in this lifetime. I grunted and tried not to think about the pain.

The moss covered rocks around us were damp from last nights rain and the cool breezes sweeping in were piercing my skin like razors. I’m a werewolf and we don't freeze easy but I hadn’t eaten for two days so both my wolf and I were weak and not at all our best selves. They say the two days of fasting is so we look as lean and perky as possible but I say it is to keep us weak, tired and meek for the Alphas.

“Can you believe it’s our turn?” Iliana sang and pulled her braid through her fingers.

“No, i really can’t,” I answered.

I dug my nails into the palms of my hands to redirect the pain that swept through my body. Nobody here could see me shiver or be cold, that too would be seen as a weakness and anything you do to bring shame upon yourself will also be reflected on your family. I couldn't do that to them- especially my sister who would be the one suffering the most from everyone turning their backs on her. All of her friends would be forbidden from ever talking to her again, or even playing with her. No boy would look her way when she became of age and our family would be marred forever.

Chapter 2

“There now! Gather around. Accompanied families you make take your positions around the cliff but please do not interfere once Lady Hale begins her evaluation of the girls.”

Our family members, the ones meant to protect us and love us, skiped in joy to stand behind the white marker painted in a circle on the ground.

“Line up!” said captain Tala.

We moved into formation, each girl from tallest to shortest stood in a half-moon inside the circle.

I stood next to Iliana, our height measured the same but she was thin and tight where as I was curvy with a big chest and a round ass. I inherited my curves from my mother, she said it was a gift and would frequently explain to my sister and I ’how boring it would be if every female looked the same with their long legs and symmetric proportions’.

Boring indeed to look like a walking model with the strength and stamina of a werewolf.

I bit back a chuckle looked around the circle.

“I’m so nervous,” Olive said and fixed her bust, she lifted her breast and unbuttoned two buttons on her brasier.

“Not me. Just think about the Alphas, close your eyes and imagine arriving at the house,” Liv said and closed her eyes, “you step inside and see them, big, tall and powerful and they’re all yours. They will chase you and not the other way around,” she said and bit down on her glossy lip seductively.

She shouldn't be wearing lipgloss, it’s against the rules and that was all I could think about now whereas the girls around her were getting giddy thinking about what was waiting for them.

Why couldn't I have been as brainwashed like them? Then I would stand here and dream about big hunky men chasing me, wanting to claim me, instead of panicking over the fact that it wasn't a fairytale we were walking into. We were giving everything up, every ounce of free will is stripped the second they put a number on your head. And just when I thought that I had scared myself to the core, they spoke.

“Lady Hale everyone.” Captain Tala stepped back.

The blood in my veins felt like it froze to ice when I heard the footsteps come at us. Lady Hale walked out from around the covered shed and she held her signature cane in her hand, the eagle head on the top would always be stained in blood after the ritual but it was spotlessly polished in the begining.

“Hello girls,” He voice was smooth and spoken through a smirk on her red lips. Her long black hair sat high on her head and fell in a braid to her lower back.

She’s wearing a black leather corset and black jeans that cling to her body like a second skin.

“We shall begin right away, I hear the Alpha’s are more than eager to meet this years selection of girls,” she purred.

Like we’re priced cattle up for auction.

The girls smiled but kept their eyes stuck on their feet. We obey the rules or we get punished and we have seen this happen to many times to mess up now that it’s our turn and we’re the ones who can get in trouble.

The small notes with each girls name on it was being sifted in the chalice. They took their sweet time choosing, wanting each girl desperate and sweating before the first name was called.

“Anna Winston,” Lady Hale walked up to her and scanned her from top to bottom. Anna was nervously pressing her toes into the dirt and pulling them in. She was fidgeting, something that was seen as a sign of weak nerves. Everyone stiffened when Lady Hale stabbed her cane down next to Annas foto and she froze. We all froze from the sound of the sharp tip slicing through the wind.

She lifted the cane and the eagle-head pressed under Anna’s chin and her head was lifted. Only now was Anna allowed to make eye contact.

Lady Hale always watched the body first, evaluating everything she saw and she ranked you on four factors; chest, waist, hips and ass. The face was a whole other factor, one she looked at last. Over the years Lady Hale had made remarks that stuck in our heads, we would recite them later- for me it was mockery but for the other girls it was like reciting a whole scripture.

One of the remarks that stuck was three years ago, one of the girls had a big scar running from her eye to her lips and Lady Hale said ’I can sell an ugly face but not an ugly vessel. You may not bare his children but you will make him happy’

“Turn for me,” she said. I shivered and returned from the memories that plagued me.

Anna turned, her hands fell to her sides when she did a full spin before stopping in front of Lady Hale.

“Hm,” the eagle head landed roughly on her colors bone and pulled down over Anna’s chest, the wings pressed down over her nipple and Anna gulped while looking for a sign on Lady Hales face to see what she though.

“Lovely,” Lucy Hale watched with contentment and scribbled something on her board.

She raised the cane and stabbed the sharp beak of the eagle into Anna’s side. The pain had her bending over, she was weaker due to the lack of nutrition- that wouldn't have hurt her otherwise. Her eyes glowed when her wolf stepped forward, agitated by the pain and Lady Hale was watching with pride. Her eyes glimmered and she smiled as she turned the beak and the drew the first drop of blood from her first victim.

“Very well, seven,” she declared. Anna gasped and shifted her head, her mother was clapping from the sidelines as Anna’s hands were tied behind her back by captain Tala.

The fear in her eyes twinkled when she looked at her mom and her dad stood behind smiling proudly. It wasn't fear of being taken from her family, it was fear of disappointing them.

*Only if a girl wasn't chosen by an Alpha would she return home. They would be taken back as soon as the Hunt was over and would forever live as castaways. Unwanted by any pack, even their own. It was unfathomable the shame that would be brought upon the whole family if a girl returned unmarked. Many parents hoped to never see their girls again after the ritual.

Anna looked down at her feet as Lady Hale continued the rounds with the girls.

She stood in front of Jess, a girl i’ve been close to since we were kids and also the one I’ve feared for the most the whole of last year. Jess was the kindest girl you’ll ever meet but the fear in her eyes wasn't a reflection of her ranking but rather the fact that she won't get one- Jess doesn't have a wolf. She was the first pack member in a century to be born without a wolf and I felt my heart beating faster the longer Lade Hale stood with her.

Just one glance was all it took.

Lady Hale stepped back and tilted her head.

“Shift,” she gave the order.

I could see Jess fighting to tell her, I told her to be honest immediately and be grateful that she didn’t have her wolf. She’ll get to stay, her parents would never shun her, they were good people, and if the Alpha did then they would go with her. She would never be alone. The silence was deafening as everyone waited for the inevitable. I watched her parents press up abasing each other with tears pooling in their eyes in fear of how Lady Hale would handle their daughter.

Jess gulped and called on all of her courage.

“I can’t,” she whispered.

Lady Hale stepped aside with a scowl.

It went to fast for anyone to see but the eagle ornament strikes Jess’s face and she fell to the ground.

“Such a waste of a pretty face.” All she had to do was flick her head and two warioirs were by her feet in a second. "Dispose of her."

"Yes, Lady Hale."

I heard her cries as the warriors dragged her away into the woods. They would leave her there and after the ceremony her parents would be able to go and get her; I saw them in the corner of my eyes, they wanted to run after her but there were rules and certain ones couldn't be broken without causing further consequents. I could still hear Jess’s screams and only when she was far enough away did it stop.

Chapter 3

One by one they were ranked and rated and now Lady Hale stood in front of me. I look down at my feet, refusing to disobey even though it’s taking every one of restraint I have not to raise my head and meet her contending gaze.

I hear the faint sound of a chuckle and even then I still don't look up.

“They will most certainly have fun with you,” she said. The cold of the metal abasing my skin made me shiver as she slid the cane up my leg, lifting the dress as she went. The beak would occasionally made slits on my leg and my hip, drops of blood made a cooling path down my leg.

“Spin.” she ordered and the change in her voice was instant. The gruff change and demanding tone had me sucking my teeth and focusing on the pain to stay obedient.

I turned on the spot, the dress rode up further and she watched every angle of my body. I felt the hairs rise on my thighs as the wind blew in and brushed against my bare skin.

“Very nice. Eight” she cooed.

Capitan Tala came up behind me and my hands were pulled behind my back and bound with rope dipped in wolfsbane.

I ground my teeth to dust when I felt the poison seep into my skin.

Once everyone was ranked, Lady Hale ordered for the blindfolds to be put on and complete darkness followed when I was being led to the truck.

This was it, this was the end. My parents were probably waving, my sister pressing back against my fathers legs in fear and I couldn't say goodbye to any of them.

It happened quickly, the grading and grabbing, I was already in the truck sitting on a damp wooden bench with splinters poking into my thighs.

Sweat and fear filled the air, it was a scent unlike any other and one we had grown accustomed to acknowledging.

The truck was driving over a bumpy road and with each bump I felt my body lifting from the seat and the taller girls slammed their heads against the low ceiling.

We continued for what felt like forever and not a single source of light manage to penetrate the truck walls.

The car eventually stoped and I listened in, trying to hear something that could give me a hint of where we were but all I heard was the footsteps on moist ground. The feet that pressed into the water filled grassed, like stomping on wet moss.

Someone opened the doors and small rays of light danced on top of the blindfold.

I smelt the damp grass, bark and the oak. We had to be in the woods, it made sense considering that’s where the hunt took place. I never knew where the house was though. Any time someone returned for the briefest moment they were forbidden from ever discussing what went on after the ritual.

We were all pulled from the truck one by one and led over the grounds to a smoother surface.

I felt myself being jerked to a stop and my arm brushing against another. For some reason I still heard the gleeful squeals of the girls around me.

Don’t they realize that we were on the threshold of the beginning of the rest of our lives? This wasn’t a fairytale where we meet a prince that would take us to his castle and love us forever. This was more like Shrek where Fiona was locked in the tower and no prince ever came to save her. She saved herself but the analogy ends there because there was no saving of any sorts. There was no prince charming in that house. There were however Alphas, some of our worlds strongest and most fear leaders who take pleasure in the hunting of young girls to later groom and use. Some marry and actually fall in love but it’s rare. And then there is the leader, the Lycan king. He’s not known for his loving tenderness or his wonderful leadership, he’s known for the tyranny he reins on his people and the iron fist with which he leads.

The shiver going through me right now was no joke, my shoulders spasmed and my spine did a slithering shake.

“Bring them in.” A dark voice tossed the order behind me. He was elevated from the ground, that much was clear.

My body jerked when someones hands came around my head and undid the blindfold. It was like every nerve in my body was on high alert, all because they took away my ability to see. Normal it wouldn't bother me but I was weak right now and so was my wolf so to remove a sense was not optimal.

The light from the sun immediately blinded me and I closed my eyes to allow them some time before they adjusted.

“Move!” Ordered Captain Tala and pushed my shoulder to get me going.

The other girls were looking excitedly at the surroundings. We were deep in the woods, I saw the goblin moss that covered the rocks as far as I could see.

The crowns on the trees were thick and bushy, preventing the sun from reaching the ground most hors of the day. I was too busy looking around at the trees and the plants to notice where I stepped. I stubbed my toe on the widened stone staircase and cursed as I fell against the steps. Captain grabbed my arm and forced me up to my feet. She glared with a fierce frustration when I slowly stood in pain and bit back a wailing whine.

“That bitch needs to be put in her place” Trixy said and my eyes widened for a fraction of a second out of fear of captain Tala overhearing. That was until I remembered that she couldn't hear my wolf though the fear was very much visible.

“Don’t say that,” I bit back.

“Why? It’s not like she can hear me,”

No she couldn't but it frightened me still. Words like that could get you killed. Captain Tala was respected, high up in rank with the council and a true force. Rumor has it she used to work with the Dark Guard, they were the councils last line of defense and the last people you wanted to see on your doorstep. If the Dark Guard showed up, you knew that your minutes were numbered.

Captain Tala was one of their enforcers, she was their most skilled killer and had taken down more creatures than anyone could count.

The door to the house closed behind us and the sound of the lock being turned echoed in my head.

We were led through the rundown rickety house which was not at all how I had envisioned the meetup spot to look like.

There was a giant hole in the roof and through it I could see the sky as clear as if I were outside. It was the only spot where trees didn't cover the view.

Layers of dust were gathering on the surfaces of the broken wooden boards and the decaying bureaus. A big closet in the corner of the first room had a door that hung of its hinges and inside hung clothes that seemed to have been eaten on by something.

I dragged a deep breath and held it when the smell of rotting flesh seeped up my nose.

The girls all covered their noses and its moments like these that being a werewolf was a curse.

Our heightened smell unfortunately allowed us to smell the scents of everything, including sweat, blood and sex. All of which were mixing in my nose right now.

Captain Tala held open a door and we all piled through it into a cold room. The windows were broken and faced the leafy forest, no light came in and the chilly breeze swept around from the vent.

“Face the wall.” She said without stepping inside with the rest of us.

We lined up and faced the wall as ordered.

There was s a white linen sheet that hung in the ceiling, blowing subtly by the breeze around the room.

Pieces of lace were stuck to the wooden boards and if I stared at them long enough I could se them dancing in shapes of a woman in heels swigging in the wind.

It was beautiful and cut short by the sound of heavy steps pressing against the squealing floor boards. No one spoke as they shifted position and I heard someone leaving as another one entered.

The door behind us slammed shut but us girls weren't alone, someone was inside the room with us.

He held a high rank, our wolves felt it in their core and Trixy reluctantly fell in a submissive bow and bared her neck.

His eyes warmed the back of my neck as he scanned me from where he stood. He walked behind each girl, taking her in and undressing her with his eyes. The white linens we wore did little to hide our bodies and I felt on my skin where his eyes were wandering as they left behind a heated trail. There was only one male in our world that would be allowed a peak before the others but I had never heard of him participating in the Hunt. He stepped back and I could hear how everyone in the room held their breath, myself included.

“Turn.” His voice was dark and low with a controlled calm I had never heard before.

I spun slowly until I face him. We got a good look for a second but Trixy forced my head down and I could feel her backing away instantly with her tale between her legs.

My breath was caught in my throat and my legs were shaking, fighting to hold me up. My head was still down but I managed to peak at the girls to see how they were holding up.

Some were holding their breaths, others were happily waiting for a formal introduction but me? I was terrified, replaying the rumors I'd heard about the Lycan King and dreading finding out wether or not they were true.

He clapped his hands behind his back and ran his eyes over each and everyone of us. We were all pinned to the spot without anyone keeping us here. Our feet pressed heavy as if glued to the floor and our heads were down, almost impossible to raise unless we were told too. I flickered my gaze for a split second and him stand there stoically. He raised his head and I was met with eyes colder than a glacier.

Chapter 4

When I was ten my mother sat me down, looked into my innocently naive eyes and proudly said, ’Hazel, in a few years you will be apart of our worlds most grandest tradition and be chosen by an Alpha.’

My response was always ’no thanks, mama’. I was happy gliding through life in school, with my friends, chasing and hunting in the woods.

My only dream was gaining my wolf and going on real hunts and maybe one day, if I were lucky, join the Shadow Guard and work for the council.

That all chipped away slowly as I grew up and before I knew it I was eighteen with no mate being told it was time I partake in the Hunt. Not as a hunter, no, girls couldn't be hunters. Us girls were the prey, hunted like a deer in the woods until caught by an Alpha and becoming his claim.

I shiver as I stand thinking about this tradition, the one I had been told was an honor and that I now was part of.

There wasn't much time to ponder on the past when the Lycan King suddenly moved toward us. He had been watching for minutes now and I thought that maybe he was just getting a glimpse and then he would go.

He walked closer and started at the end of the line.

Her head was forced back with a rough pull of her chin, a quiet gasp left her lips and his chilling cold eyes circle down her chest.

“Turn.”

His voice sent my nerves into overdrive and they tingled in my arms as I pressed my hands tighter together like it was an order for us all.

Lily start turning.

“Slower.” He said calmly but it was the darkness in his voice that had us all covering.

She gulped and slowed down, each step thought out with a small pause to allow him time to see her.

Lily was the epitome of a healthy female werewolf. She’s tall, the tallest of us all, with model-like legs that were tight and firm. Her hips were narrow and her stomach flat with visible muscle and her chest were perky and filled out her clothes nicely. He moved closer and grabbed her shoulders to stop her from spinning any further. His lips hovered close to her skin and he pushed her down.

“Kneel.”

I saw something moving on her face, a smirk that shadowed her lips. Her eyes sparkled now and she did as she was told. She was in a squatting position when he told her to stop and he raised her dress. He told her to continue down on her knees.

The dress fell around her like a flower and her back was facing him.

Darian moves to the next girl and I lowered my head further. He was five girls away and then it was my turn.

“Kneel.” He orders without sparing her a second glance.

The girl kneeled and he moved to the next.

My nerves were tensing the closer that he got and I felt my wolf trembling with her body so close to the floor that she almost laid down.

I lifted my gaze an inch when I heard his groan and watched as he reached out his fingers and snapped her brazier open to expose her chest. The chill in the room bushed over her skin and he watched her nipples stiffened. I wasn't thinking as I shot out my arm to to over her but luckily I'm stopped before it reaches anywhere.

Iliana holds my arm and her eyes bore into mine with a loud warning.

But it was to late and Darian turned his head and glared at me. His eyes gently lower to where Iliana was holding me and she slowly let go of me and folded her hands behind her back.

Many say as a joke that certain animals can smell fear, it is very true that fear has a scent and at that moment I was reeking of it.

“Do you oppose me undressing her?” Everyone looked up as subtly as possible and stared with widened eyes at me.

I shook my head and lowered my gaze, “No, sir,” it came out no louder than a whisper.

Darian moved closer to me, with each step his eyes took in more of my body because in the end it was how we look that determined our chances in the Hunt. Nothing else mattered to them but what he saw and it appealed to him.

“You stoped her.” He said and moved to Iliana.

Panic was slowly starting to creep up on me.

“I-i’m sorry.” She stuttered.

“Why did you stop her?” He moved like a predator and his words were calm but it wasn't like a calm breeze, no it was a lethal poison that was calm until ingested after which it would kill you with ease.

“Because i- i didn’t want her to get hurt.”

“Smart girl.” He’s standing in front of her, his eyes cast glances at me and the ones I meet sent chills down my spine. How could a person seem so cold? It was as though his heart didn’t beat as ours. I didn’t feel any warmth from him.

“And what if you were to get hurt because you protected her?”

My eyes were now as wide as saucers and my breast are rising high as I'm getting choked by the dress.

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly.

I pressed my nails as hard into my skin as I could to stop my legs from shaking. Maybe if one part of me is hurting it will draw attention from the others and I won't think about how my legs are nearly folding underneath me.

Darian stands staring soullessly at Iliana and it’s all because she looked out for me.

He leaned in and whispered in her ear something inaudible. I feel my brows pressing down when I realize that I can't listen in on his words.

Iliana’s head shot up and she stared in fear, frozen in her spot and doesn't move a single muscle.

Darian makes a quick move and I look up to see his hand wrapped around her throat and Iliana was up on her toes.

He pulled her in and I see his eyes changing color.

“Now.” He barked by her ear and turned to face us, “stay, don’t move until I get back and do not make a sound.” He ordered.

Iliana fell to the floor and coughed as she scurried across the room to a craggily door that opened with a force.

She walked inside and disappeared in the darkness that lurked in there. I heard a squeal and then noticed Darian turning to walk after her. His fingers worked his belt and slipped it out from its loops.

The leather was snapped in his hands and stretched as he walked into the room. My head snapped to the side and I see the girls looking as confused as myself.

The door slammed shut and I jump from the sound.

Every bone in my body was telling me that something bad was going to happen and if it did, it would be my fault because she protected me.

We had no choice but to wait because that’s what we were told.

The orders were clear and Trixy couldn't disobey them even if she tried.

Our faces contorted in fear when we heard the sounds. The sound of leather landing on her skin with a whipping sound that bounced against the walls and made me clench my eyes.

She screamed, one quick scream that filtered over to a choking sob. I wanted to move, to run in there and knock him to the ground- just long enough for Iliana to run away.

“He’ll kill us”

“I know but he’s hurting her.” I said and try to reason but I knew it wasn't her fault that I couldn't move. The kings orders were different than an Alpha’s. Our Alpha’s orders were strong but could in certain situations still be disobeyed. Darians orders were different, it was physically impossible for us to defy them.

It was quiet for a while before Ilianas choked screams filled the room and seeped out through the cracks of the the broken boards, cutting into my ears like razorblades.

Chapter 5

If a shattered soul had a face to it with eyes and a mouth and looked like us, it would be what I was looking at. Iliana walked out different from when she walked in.

Her dress strap hung on her shoulder and she sniffled and wiped her red nose as she walked back to the line. I gulped and tried not to stare but it was hard, her face was bright red and her eyes watery after the twenty minutes that had passed. I wanted to say ’I'm sorry’ but I doubted it’d make a difference or be close to enough for what she endured.

My stomach turned and I had been on the verge of throwing up since the door closed with Illiana the king alone in that room. The other girls were staring down at their feet, nobody had even a glimpse of joy on their faces anymore.

“Hazel, is it not?” Darian asked as he walked out from the room. Whilst he’d walking over my eyes immidietly go to the black leather belt wrapped tightly around his large hand, covering knuckles and folding as he closed his fingers. He rolled down the sleeves on his black dress shirt and the leather belt, rolled around his hand, reflected something under the light. I looked closer and noticed something on the golden clasp, something was smeared on metal and I saw the same splatter on his chest. The little that I could see from the two buttons he had left undone.

Holy shit.

I looked down when I placed the crimson liquid, swallowed the bile that was on its way up and forced out a, “yes, my king.”

He stood in front of me and buttoned his shirt. He slowly undid the belt from his hand and as he did I noticed the blood drying in the creases of his hand. I was careful, as careful as I could've been to not be caught staring but Darian noticed my eyes taking in the splatter for less than a second and I thought my heart would drop. I couldn't see his face but I saw Darian drag his finger over the dried splatter and bring the finger to his mouth where his lips closed above the ring and he sucked the blood clean from his skin.

It wasn't any anger I saw on his face nor was there lust or contempt. It was just…emptiness. A hallow black hole with nothingness as a core.

“Hazel,” he didn't say it as a question or an opening. There was nothing that followed my name but how he said it- to hear my name spoken with a darkness so deep- had my blood freezing sending cold shocks trough my veins.

He moved to the girl who stood with her chest bare still and he watched her.

She did as she was told and then stood back.

It didn't make sense to me why some where kneeling and others were not. Was this some sort of screening where the King chose who would continue to the Hunt?

My nerves needed answers but it didn’t seem like I am going to get any from him. King Darian walked to the door located behind us. The screening seemed to be done and I was standing along with three other girls; Iliana, Liv and Caitlyn.

King Darian left and Liv quickly took out the gloss she has hidden between her breast; puffing a breath and thanking the gods that it wasn't her dress he ripped.

A natural cherry pink sparkled on her lips as she dragged the brush across in a haste. She hurried to put it away but I knew that if anyone noticed- wether it be an Alpha or Lady Hale- Liv would be in trouble.

Everything was planed to t when it came to the control they held over the people.

Humans and werewolves were believed to be vastly different where the humans were inferior to us. But one thing we all agreed on was that the Council was not to be messed with. It was them and the Lycan King, the only two entities that could cause fear in the bravest soldier.

There was a tale we were told when we were young about the castle that the Lycan King and his ancestors before him resided in- the tale spoke of the castle growing on top of the bones and ashes of the burnt villagers that once occupied the land. The villagers- the humans.

The door opened with a shriek and a gust of wind pulled in and swept around our barely covered bodies. Lady Hale stepped inside with captain Tala- stiff like a soldier but swifter than a fly- by her side. They walked across the room, their eyes scanning us girls carefully before landing on Iliana who was shivering as she stood staring at the floor. Her body was weak and trembling and her skin had red patches that were loosely covered by the sheer fabric of her white dress.

The raggedy door screeched painfully as it opened and behind it was yet another- thicker and steadier- door in metal. The key entered into the three different locks and with each was a new sound that made me flinch when Lady Hale turned it each time.

Rotting flesh and tear inducing odors were left behind when the door slowly pushed open to reveal the rest of the house. The part where the men gathered.

Red colored walls and golden linings that painted on the candelabras while the fire roared in the pit. The ambrosial smell nearly had me falling voer, it wasn’t at all the smells we had been forced to suffer through for the past hours.

Wasn’t this the perfect depiction of our societal norms though? Our Alphas, leaders, with a drink in hand sitting by the fire or watching through the panorama window while we’re stuck in sweat and decay waiting to be judged and hunted.

I gritted my teeth to dust and tried- I really did- to remain calm.

Chapter 6

We were all instructed to move through the door and the girls who were kneeling slowly stood up on Talas orders.

We were given no further instructions other than the subtle gesture to move into the adjoining room. I felt the warmth of being watch instantly, a pair of yellow eyes followed me from the corner in the room, making me stand back and hold up the line- not something you want to do in a room full of teatestorne-filled male wolves. They were like starving animals who saw meat hanging on a stick in a tree, if you got in their way you could be their next meal.

Clenched jaws and grunts had me speed up and I saw one of the alphas glaring at Liv while she made eyes at the Alpha behind him. He fixed himself on the sofa, the leather scrunched under the wright of an alpha who joined them on the couch.

The trembles from my wolf indicated the massive power of dominance we had been plucked down in. This was was the honorable tradition- the many years we spent being groomed to partake in the Hunt and I see now that it was all overly romanized for the sole purpose of making us listen and obey.

Lady Hale stood by the door and her black leather pants rubbed against each other.

I saw the hunger in their eyes when they saw her, some were salivating at the thought of what Lady Hale could do with them and it wouldn't surprise me if some of them already knew. She obviously noticed the gazes, it was clear as the glimmer in her eyes sparkled with something dark and devious. Her claw-like nails tapped against the silver handle on the door and her smirk deepened as she lifted her head and looked out over the massive game board.

“The rules are as followed; there will be no touching the girls in any way before the clock hits. Watch them, sense them and smell them- perhaps you catch that special whiff that makes your senses set aflame and that will be the scent that you hunt. After the Hunt, once a girl is claimed and marked, she is all yours. Girls, remember, only one Alpha can claim you- If more than one catches you in the woods they themselves must fight till one prevails and can claim his prize. There can never be two marks on one girl, this is a show of power as much as it is of lust,” Her stone cold expression shifted and she continued, “Girls, you have the power in this first half. You may touch, feel and move on our Alpha’s however you please. Give more attention to the ones you fancy and maybe- if you are lucky- he will be the one that stands over you later on. If you’re one of the lucky ones then maybe his mark will adorn your neck- a promise for tomorrow.” Lady Hale walked away with those last words and then it was just us and them.

The sheer pulling of the dresses to make their boobs more visible was astonishing. Did the girls not see what was going on? We were dolls for these men, nothing more than the tools they would use for their own sick amusement.

The only lucky ones would be the girls who left unmarked. They were the only ones who could continue their lives outside of this cult, maybe find a mate and get the happily ever after that was promised to us all.

I looked to the side and saw the alphas on the couch in a stare off with Liv. He sat back and folded his finger in a beckoning call before putting his hand on his lap, showing her where to go.

Liv bated her lashes and dragged her fingers seductively over her chest but I saw no flutter in his eyes, noting that told me he fancied her- as Lady Hale put it. They weren't allowed to touch so why was he edging her on?

Liv didn’t seem to see what I saw in them, on their faces and especially his; the one who called her over. She walked like they were the first steps to a glorious future and she swayed her hips softly on the way. Liv casually pulled on her dress to showcase her breast and I watched as he touched on the edge of her dress, gently pulling the fabric between his fingers before he pulled her down on his lap.

A squeal left her lips and my head whipped to the side when I looked at the girls in wonderment.

They men weren't allowed to touch but they sure were eager to. All of the girls walked out, slowly surveilling the Alphas and their choices, everyone took their time and kept their distance but Liv caught our attention and we all looked to the loungeing area by the fire. He hugged her waist with one hand and the other came around her head and pulled so hard that I flinched from the pain it must've caused her.

“What is that on your lips?”

My heart stopped.

Her legs were straddling his waist, one of his hands was in her hair and the other was slipping down her waist and disappeared under her dress.

“Nothing,” she lied in a grin.

“It looks like gloss,” another Alpha chimed and leaned in to asses her closer.

He pressed his thumb against her mouth and slid it across her lips; he rubbed his thumb with his index finger and the lurching darkness in his eyes doubled.

“Yup, gloss.”

They grinned and watched with dangerous glares as she writhed on top of his lap.

“Gloss- that is a breach isn't it?” The one under her asked. His head cocked and he slowly moved her dress up her back.

“Such a little rule breaker.”

He pulled her in and I gasped, my eyed widened and I furrowed my brows in disgust we he spat onto her lips and he wiped his thick fingers across her mouth to remove any remanence of the gloss. “In case you didn't know- a breach of rules on your part, immediately extirpate any and all rules on our part.” He pinched her lips between his fingers and leaned in, “nod if you understand,”

Even I, from where I stood safe by the window, shivered from the dark, rumbling, evil in his voice.

Chapter 7

The lust in their eyes was deeper than the depths of the Atlantic and they made no attempt to hide it. Dark eyes swirling with blackened strings portraying love when in actuality they all wanted the flesh and not the feelings.

His hand came down hard on her ass and the yelp that left her lips had my jaw clenching tighter.

“You have to meet them,” Iliana rasped out. Her hoarse voice was shaking and she took careful steps out into the large room; she was limping as though each step hurt her.

I had to meet the alphas. I shouldn't be staring- I knew that was what she meant. But I couldn't stop looking at Liv and wondering if I should intervene.

“And do what? You alone up against a room full of alphas?” Trixy spat.

“They’re gonna- they’re using her,”

“Look around, Hazel. You’re all being used! it’s the fait of the game, you’re nothin more than puppets to them and us wolves your faithful servants who in the minds of these alphas are no match to their power,”

The alphas looked at Iliana and practically salivated. They could smell it on her; that another wolf of power had been with her and it only made her more attractive to them for the simple reason of dominance. If a girl is craved by a male then she must be something special and of course if others want her then she must be worthy to fight for. When that male was an alpha…or a king, they needed to assert their dominance over said male by taking the girl. I hated the way they were looking at her. She was hurt, voulnarble, and they enjoyed the weakened girl that strutted in front of them- holding her head high through the pain.

Come on, Hazel, you have to partake.

“If they touch her I will kill them!”

“They won’t, they respect the rules.”

Determined- and fearful of going home without a claim- I stepped out into the room and walked closer to the Alphas who stood separated in different corners. The girls were gently dragging their hands gracefully over their arms, some even went as far as to lick a part of the alphas skin to leave her scent.

There was no other way out but with one of them on my arm and seeing what I had to choose between I could tell immediately that I would be better of alone.

Despite my better judgment telling me to not to- I turned and look at Liv. Her hips were swaying over his lap, his hand still entangled in her curly hair pulling her head back. I squeezed my eyes shut and turned away. Hide the fear, quench it quickly.

Some of the Alpha’s were playing cards, one had a cigar in his mouth and blew out tiny clouds as he bet against the other alpha. The smell of smoke and gin mixed in the air of this sophisticated establishment but if I looked closer- if I really tried and see this for what it was- it was no more fancy than a whore house where the girls begged for a touch to gain a decent dime. The men knew that they held the power even if there were rules set in place that they were obliged to follow. They knew what this night meant to us girls and how they would need no physical advantage to get our attention. No girl wanted to go home alone, un-claimed and ashamed- the men knew this, they knew they didn't have to try until the Hunt and that was when they would shine.

It was like the metaphor of ’falling in love’ only there was no love involved and it was more of a tackle to the ground with a big sweaty wolf hovering over you with pride.

Pride.

Was there anything less sexy on a man then when he was so full of himself that he left no room for another name to be uttered?

But this was the dream, the joy and the hope that we had to look forward to.

A gust of wind blew in and lifted my dress, I could pull it down and keep it plastered to my skin but I saw the lust in their shadowing eyes when my flesh was exposed to them. It was fun, to have power, us girls don't usually get to experience it and I felt my stomach clenching at the realization that this would probably be the first and last time that any of us did.

One of the girls jumped up on the edge of the table, she took the cigar from his mouth and wrapped her lips around it. I was fascinated by the way he watched her, how his eyes cast a subtle glance on tip of her foot before gliding up her legs and then passing for a moment at her chest and watching it rise- and fall.

He watched her cheeks pull in when she took a drag- he dragged his tongue over his lips when the smoke left and her tongue gracefully moved over the mouthpiece on the cigar.

Men, they were such simple creatures at the core and still we bowed to them for some reason. I heard that the most powerful of our kind have many times sought to be advised by their wives but they would never admit it themselves. God forbid an Alpha ever seek consult from the Luna.

My lips pressed together as the edges pull up in a laugh but I would look crazy if I started laughing all by my lonesome- and this wasn't a time for a giggle. Besides, my prospects would severely decrease if they thought I was a mental case.

One of the Alphas by the wall caught my eye, I recognized him, he’s watching the girls pass by but wasn’t showing interest in any of them. What was his name again? It’s right there, on the tip of my tongue- come on Hazel, think…

“Alpha Emmanuel,” i greeted and grabbed a champagne flout from the table. His eyes glimmered and the side of his mouth pulled up.

“Hazel —“

I smiled and raised the glass to my lips. I remembered my teachers words when I turned sixteen and was forced to join the diligence class with the other girls my age.

’A girl with poise and class walks gently into the room, she lets her eyes glaze over the men and subtly, but importantly, ignores the women. She never moves faster than him, she sips- not gulps- and she always smiles’- ugh, it’s like I was back in the classroom and it was all just coming back to me like ptsd. My teachers awfully calm voice burning those words into our heads and I was hearing her voice louder than ever right now. But there he was, like a fresh breath and a mute button to my thoughts.

“You remember,” I said with the hint of a smile but let my eyes do most of the talking. I looked into his eyes, then down at his lips, and up back up to his eyes- alternating between the two and then down at the sparkling drink in my glass and I smiled like I’d seen something beautiful in the bubble filled liquid.

If Mrs. Smith were here she would’ve be proud of me. But honestly I just don't want to go back empty handed. Even though there aren’t any severe consequents for coming back unmated, it wasn't exactly optimal either. I didn't want to be an embarrassment and I sure didn’t want to bring shame upon my family.

Just as the rim moves from my lips and I'm about to lower the glass I felt the pressure from underneath it- Emanuel pressed two fingers under the foot of the glass, rising it and pressing it against my lips. The bubbles tickled my throat but the alcohol soothed my senses. Perhaps I should try to have at least ten more glasses before the Hunt.

“You’re a hard one to forget,”

My braid fell over my shoulder and I caught his eyes with a deep gaze.

“Is it my eyes? I've heard a lot about my eyes,” I mused. My almond shape was said to be a mirror to the soul- not mine but the person looking into them. Some have even said they look like the eyes of a siren, the kind you drown in and eventually loose yourself to because you looked for to long.

“Not your eyes,” he bit down on his lip and pulled my braid between his fingers.

“My lips then?” I asked. He stepped closer and moved his head from side to side. He put my braid behind my back and I decided to try again because he stumped me. “If it isn't my eyes or my lips, it has to be my breast.” I dragged my fingers across my chest and watched as his desiring eyes followed. I narrowed my eyes and playfully scowled but he laughed and his hand lowered to my waist.

“It’s your personality, Hazel, the one you've hid away to deal with this…Hunt.”

No, don't say things like that- we’re supposed to be detached and he's pulling on real strings.

I giggled and shrugged a shoulder.

“That isn’t an answer I'm used to hearing.”

“Drop your head,” his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. I stared in confusion and noticed the small hangs to his face when his muscles moved in a grimace.

“I'm sorry?”

My eyes flickered behind him for a second when I heard the struggling groans and I saw Liv- her dress had been torn open and he’s pulling down his pants and positioning her on top of him. I gasped, my feet moved but before I got anywhere two arms grabbed my shoulders and spun me around.

Emanuels hand moved to the back of my head- he pulled me down and pressed my face against his chest but the sounds still rang loud in my ears.

“Don’t interfere,” he warned in a seething whisper.

Chapter 8

The warning from alpha Emanuel was loud and mixing with the sound of her ass slapping down on the Alpha’s lap and her moans which fell into mewing when he twisted her nipple between his fingers.

The other Alphas line up and get ready for the turn with her, relishing in the fact that she had broken a rule and they now get to reap the consequents.

I moved away from Emanuel and chugged what is left in the glass.

Iliana was rubbing up against another Alpha, she seemed to be doing much better or maybe she’s faking it like I am. Emmanuel brings the bottle, his face void of emotion as he filled my glass and took a gulp from the bottle before quelling into his hand.

The smell of sex filled the air and I could tell it set all of the Alphas on edge. I looked around for the those yellow eyes that watched me when I came in but they were gone. I saw them in that corner under the old clock. It was the only corner where the light from the fire and the lamp didn't reach. If I touched my face I could've sworn I felt where his gaze left burn marks but whoever that heated gaze belonged too wasn't here.

White dresses were lifted to expose the girls smooth legs and they dragged themselves across the Alpha they found must desirable. It all boiled down to three factors; Looks, power and status.

I looked out the window that covered an entire wall and saw that the Hunt would soon begin.

My mind was already in the woods and Trixy was sniffing out the surroundings but she’s too weak to tell any clear markings of where we were or what we had around us.

In the reflection on the window I saw Liv, her eyes rolled back and she fisted the couch when another took his turn with her.

These were the Alphas, the leaders of our packs and the ones we were meant to adore and trust.

The Alpha that first took Liv stood up and fixed his clothes. He watched her with a distaste in his narrowly judging eyes and he reached down and pulled her nipple between his fingers, twisting it until she fell forward in pain while the man behind her continued to thrust into her.

“Stop staring” Trixy warned me and my eyes widened when I realized that I was staring at a group of Alphas.

But it was too late, his eyes met mine through the reflection he moved away from the couch and walked with determination over to the window.

He ran his hand through his hair and wiped the sweat from his red forehead as he stood beside me.

“Dom,”

Alpha Dom- last i heard he had three wives and more misstresses than anyone could keep track of.

“Pleasure,” I said, remembering that I was the one with power right now. He dragged his nose down my neck and my breath hitched. He stepped closer, pressing at me from behind- his hands still contained at his sides.

The door opened up behind us and Dom smirked as he turned to face Lady Hale. His eyes flickered to mine ever so subtly and I saw a fire in his eyes that looked far too determined for my liking. A sinister scowl on his face grew when he saw my hesitation that lasted for only a second before I wiped any proof of it. These men did not take kindly on being rejected and even less so on being disrespected.

My eyes went to Iliana again, I needed to make sure that she was alright and I saw her smile happily- her eyes playing perfectly as the flirt with her chosen Alpha.

Liv was lifted of the couch, she was put down on her feet and the Alpha grabbed a dress from Captain Talas hands and slid it over her head to cover her naked body. Her face is red and her chest falls in a sigh as she looked up at the alpha with round eyes. He placed her hair behind her ear and smiled- Liv leaned on him and her lips pulled up in contentment.

What? Why the hell was she smiling?

“Did you think she hated it?” My head snapped to the side and I looked at Dom. He clicked his tongue and put a grape in his mouth before he moved around me. “Nobody hates it.” He whispered with a wink as he walked away.

Nobody hates it.

Liv was leaning on her toes and her lips were moving by his ear- Dom walked behind her and licked his lips when Liv talked to the other Alpha. Whatever she was saying, he liked it, he nodded his head and his dark eyes narrowed dangerously on her face.

She came to stand beside me- the baby blue dress fell to her feet and left little to the imagination when the sheer fabric exposed her entire body but still she stood straight with confidence and clasped her hands behind her back.

Her eyes slowly turned in a side eye and she watched me,“how’s my braid?” She asked timidly.

I sighed, my shoulders fell and I looked at her braid but I had to move around her to really get a good glimpse of how it fell down her back. All I saw from here was the messy locks that had fallen and the blonde strands against her skin only made her red face all that brighter,

I saw the hope in her eyes, she wanted me to fix it so I bit down.

Lady Hale seemed occupied with the Alphas, they were signing their names on a scripture that would be rolled up and later unraveled to see if they got the girl they wanted. All of this was like a god damn poker game- a game of luck and cunning.

Liv groaned and her eyes grew twice the size as she impatiently stomped her foot. I rolled my eyes and stepped behind her.

“Calm down.” I said and grabbed her braid in my hands. Liv was taller by a good amount so I had to tip on my toes to reach the upper part of her hair that had landed in tussles on top of her head.

“Stand still,” I seethe when Liv pulled her head to the side. I got that it stung but those pieces of hair had tangled in the loops and I had to pull them out and redo her braid- constantly looking over her shoulder at Lady Hale.

I saw the last Alpha signing his name and the pen lifting from the sheet- just as I tightened Liv’s braid, tucked the last pieces in and hurriedly tied the hair tie.

I heard the breath seep between her clenched teeth and felt her fingers gripped my arm tightly and I fell to her side just as Lady Hale looked at us.

Liv was that beautiful girl that you compared yourself to when you stood in the mirror and touched at your face or moved your hand through your hair. The one you expect will be a bitch but who in reality is one the kindest girls in our pack, always helping out and making sure everyone feels included.

She would go down for anyone in her pack, she was a hell of a fighter and deserved someone much better than the slim pickings we had here. If I had to choose then maybe Emmanuel was a good fit for her, he had a kind heart and not even one wife- which trust you me- was a rarity.

“The moon is nearly red,” I saw her lip pull up in a mocking grin. Was it mocking or was it just me? “are we ready?” Her brows raised, her chest pushed out and her braid fell over her shoulder down to her hip.

“Yes Lady Hale.” We say in unison.

She looked over each of us and turned halfway. No, not mocking, just wildly enjoying this twisted game of power. Lady Hale enjoyed being game master, that much was clear and it was enough for me to lose all respect for her.

“I must say, Alpha’s, this years choices are something else. I understand you’ve had a hard time narrowing your preys.” She walked to the wall and stood by a low handing tassel to which a long rope was attached. The golden strings strung tightly and reached all the way up to the ceiling where it disappeared through a hole.

She wrapped her fingers around the tassel, her face changed into a cold calm- as though this was what she lived for- and then her eyes turned yellow.

“You have ten minutes, girls, make the most of them.” Throughout this whole evening I had heard hints of pleasure and joy in ever word that Lady Hale spoke. Until now. This was the first time that her voice was absolutely, undoubtably serious.

Some of the Alpha’s were standing, some were sitting but all were waiting for the Hunt. They were prepared, they would outrun each and every girl here but I wasn't planning on outrunning them- the run was for them- I just didn't want to be chosen by one of the ones who had a wicked mind.

We turned around and faced the glass wall. I try to see him through the reflection, I try to spot Emanuel and lock gazes.

Holy heavens, please don't let anyone else catch me…he is the lesser of the evils here.

I watched as the wall slowly parted and once it reached into the hinges on each side was when the clock started.

The loud thud with a click that locked it into place made us jump and the timer started counting down.

Chapter 9

I ran- I ran as fast and as far as I could without shifting and letting Trixy take over. I was still faster than a human but slower than an Alpha and by my counting I only had three minutes of running before they were unleashed and sent after us.

All of the girls scattered, running in different directions and exploring various edges of the forest. I tried to see what was in front of me or hear anything that would take me to the nearest road but I couldn't- I couldn't even hear the other girls so I just ran. My bare feet were cut on rocks and sticks poked into my heel but the worst was the thorns from the veining branches that stabbed into the soles of my feet and wraped around my ankles; I hissed as part of my skin was cut off and left behind. Branches on trees and wild grown bushes slapped me in the face when I ran through them.

The moon was my only source of light but covered by the red shadow it did little to help show me a path through the forest. With every drop of blood that stained the leaves, I left more for the alphas to smell. It would be child’s play for them to find us when we left so much of our scent behind. The earthy aroma and damp smell of the grass from rain that had poured before we arrived would normally calm me. My soul would heal from a walk or a run in these woods if I wasn't about to be chased and stripped of my freedom. It wasn't exactly a serene promenade.

I froze for a second- one second to long- when one loud slam against the gong let us know that it was time and the Alpha’s had officially been released. They would walk at first, laugh to themselves as they sniffed us out and once they caught the scent of the girl they wanted, they would go for the attack and they would run until they caught her.

I was trying to touch as little as possible to leave behind less of a scent but the blood trail from my feet would more than give me away. If an alpha caught my scent and I was the girl he wanted to claim, there was little I could do to sway him.

I groaned when I missed to duck for a branch and it nicked my lip.

“Fuck,” i touched the blood with my fingers and saw the perfect crimson color melting into the creases on my finger.

I should've left when I had the chance. It was an idea I'd had for a year leading up to today; I would go to the chalice ritual, let them rank me and degrade me and then, when they put the blindfold on and loaded me into the truck I was going to wait until they’d driven for a while before I jumped out. They wouldn't care that they were one girl down, they probably wouldn't even have noticed my absence. I should've made a run for it, it was too late now and all I could do in this moment was hope that the Alpha’s hunted the other girls and left me be.

“Trixy, come on!”

I could feel her getting tired and it was understandable, the timing just sucked.

“I need a break, and food” she growled.

Food, I can find you food. I ran down the declining leaf covered grass and continued to a clearing. My feet were now mostly covered in blood and left traces the size of footsteps but if I could find a doe for Trixy then she could eat and we could continue. Maybe if she had the strength, we could run away from here before we were caught.

“You dream to big” she snidely remarked but I rolled my eyes and ignored her.

I stoped and I waited, knowing that this was the last thing one wanted to do during the Hunt. The alpha’s wouldn't stop, they wouldn't sympathize with your starving wolf or your injured body. They would see prey and jump, and I would be finished. But it wasn't over until they found me; until then I had a shot. Until then, I could still win. Seeing what they did to Liv simply becuase the could was motivation enough to keep running. If they could do that in a room full of people, what could they do in a room with one of us alone? I wondered what had happened with illiana and the king. They had been alone, no witnesses or specattors. Just them. And she walked out...different.

“Keep running” Trixy said but I heard on her voice how she was getting weaker.

“No you need to eat,”

“I can’t” I heard the snap of a branch not to far away and felt how every muscle in my body froze. It should come around those trees and the wild berry bushes- they love those berries.

“Why not?” I asked while keeping full focus on the hooves moving closer.

“We can't shift, it’s the chalice, Hazel. I'm not of any use to you until the Hunt is over”

I watched the doe step out with the big eyes on alert darting around the clearing to make sure it was safe.

“So even if you eat-“

“I still won't be able to take over” she said.

The ears on the doe fluttered and she saw the wild berries. I narrowed in on her chest, saw the beat of her heart and tasted the bloody meat on my lips as though I had already sunk my teeth into her.

My stomach growled, she turned her head and looked at me- straight into my eyes as though she could my mind- and I knew she could sense that she wasn't alone. I didn’t have a knife to use on her and if I couldn't shift and let Trixy go for the kill then this was all futile.

I pressed my hands against the tree and pushed back. I needed to keep running before they caught up but just when I turned to run I heard a scream that filled the air. Birds flew from their trees leaving behind a single feather that glided in the wind until it landed at my feet. A loud howl followed the silence of the girl and I knew that someone had just been claimed and marked.

One girl down.

I hadn't experienced it myself but I had heard about the pain that accompanied being marked. When an Alpha took his chosen mate and sank his teeth into her, marking her flesh for all eternity and tying them together through a soul string- it’s an unimaginable pain. I once heard from a wanderer, a human, about a form of torture that they used on those who had committed crimes- extract information or simply because they had done something unforgivable. I could imagine the torture of which he spoke was equivalent to the pain of being marked.

Us wolves have high tolerance for pain, so I could only imagine how much it had to hurt to be marked if even we cower at the impact. The pain wasn't for the fated mates, they would experience euphoric highs. It was for the chosen mates alone, when the male sent his venom into our veins.

I shivered at the thought and preyed to the gods that I wouldn't have to go through it.

The doe behind me she saw me stagger back and we both stoped and stared at each other. She backed up, one step and then two and I stayed put- she jumped up on her hind legs and spun around like in a dance before she took of running into the woods. I watched her disappear between the trees and decided to turn the other way, no need to frighten the poor animal further by running after her.

Running far and fast was my only option so I took one step ready to surge through the woods when I saw the shadow of a beast for a single second before he slammed me into the ground.

No. Shit.

His yellow eyes bored into mine and his lips curled displaying his white teeth, including the canines he so shamelessly let show.

The leaves covered my face and my body brushed against the rough ground when he pulled my ankles, dragging me across the dirt.

I looked around to find something- anything- that could be used as a weapon. I couldn't be marked if I was not caught.

As though the gods heard my pleads I saw the phallic shaped rock by the pile of degree to my right. I gasped, my nails dug into the damp ground and I couldn't turn to see what was happening but I could feel it; his claws pressing into my skin, cutting through my flesh layer by layer.

I reached out, my fingers graced the stone as I saw it passing in my vision and I tossed my body with the little strength I had and grab it as I was being dragged.

Trixy pushed through for her last will and we kicked one time- one hard time- enough to free one foot and feel his claws dragging down until he lost his grip. A low vibration growl rumbled form his chest and I knew he enjoyed that I put up a fight but I didn't recognize the sound.

Panting and heaving I turned on my back and watched his shadowed face under the branches of the trees.

“Dom.”

He growled, his lip curled exposing his teeth and a dark chuckle rumbled from him.

“Did you think I wanted the one I fucked?” He asked.

He pulled my ankle, leaned down and grabbed my arms. He lifted me into a standing position and his whiskey covered breath was fanning my face and the bastard was laughing at me. His entire face shifted in amusement.

He leaned in closer and his lips pulled back over his canines, “I prefer mine untouched.” He said in a sneer laced with promise.