I barely slept, my mind replaying everything that happened the night before. The wounds I got from being clawed had already healed, leaving no bodily trace of the hunt— one of the perks of being me—but the scars in my heart only deepened more.
As much as I dreaded going back to school, I had no choice. They could come dragging me out of my home so I might as well make it easier for us.
Walking through the school halls, I kept my head low, pulling the hood of my sweatshirt over my face. Whispers and snickers echoed as I walked.
The new CrimsongFang slave.
Can't wait to have my fun with her.
A fitting title for the traitor's daughter.
Must be miserable to be her.
No matter how I tried to hide, they'd always find me. It's like I carried a target on my back, signaling everyone of my presence before I even got to a room.
I opened my locker, hastily gathering my books when Mira showed up at my side, her deep coffee curls bouncing around her face as her green eyes lit with worry.
"Hey… you look exhausted and class hasn't even started yet," she said, her tone apologetic. She still harbored guilt for not protecting me, but she did the best she could. Honestly, I was just grateful a soul gave a damn about me.
"That bad, huh?" I sighed as she helped me pull my hoodie down, revealing my face.
"I know this is all hard for you, big keep your head high," She gave my cheek a pinch, a common gesture she did to bring color to my pale face. "Show them how little it all affects you."
She was right. Keeping your head low amid vicious wolves was an invitation to be bullied and beaten around. Despite how bleak my life was, I knew my rights and still had a little fight in me.
"We can grab some drinks at Donald's after lectures to get your mind off it," she said with a smile.
Mira was a ray of sunshine whenever she wanted to be, casting her light on the darkest situations as she did now. We met back in junior high, the day I got shoved and locked into the janitor's closet by my bullies. She found me, wiped my tears, and fought my bullies. From that moment, I knew I'd do anything for her.
"Sure… if I survive today."
"Come on," she nudged me in the arm, "maybe being their slave won't be so bad."
I arched a brow, "Remember what happened to Georgia? The last slave?"
Her story had unnerved us back in high school. She was bullied to the point where she tried to run away from the pack, and ended up getting killed by rogues.
Mira shifted uncomfortably. "That was just a rumor."
"Well, we're about to find out if it was truly a rumor or not," I shut my locker a little too hard. "Let's go. We don't wanna be late for history class."
I stopped talking when I noticed she wasn't focused on me. I followed her gaze and spotted Astrid with her minions strutting towards our direction.
I swore under my breath, scowling as I faced Astrid.
Did I forget to mention Astrid was the bitch who locked me in the Janitor's closet?
"Well, If it isn't the College Slave," She sneered, a devious smirk curling on her lips as she crossed her arms under her enormous tits. "Shouldn't you be serving your masters or something?"
"Don't you have anything better thing to do?" I bit out.
Suddenly her eyes flashed and she leaned in close, grabbing my chin in a tight grasp. I tried trying to pry off her claws digging painfully into my cheek, but she was stronger. Mira tried to fight, but her minions swarmed to her side, locking her arms.
"Let me go!" Mira's protests dulled out as Astrid tethered close, her crazed gaze fixated on me.
"You're nothing but a worthless waste of space. Don't ever talk back at me again. You should be lucky I've not plucked your eyes out for looking me in the eye."
Like I'd want to look at her stupid face.
She released my chin and I stumbled back, flexing my jaw to relieve the tension in my cheek.
"Now, kiss my feet, slave."
My brows furrowed. "What?!"
"Are you fucking deaf or something?"
I stared at her like she was crazy… she clearly was.
"Like hell I'll do that" I snapped, readying myself. If this was going to go down in a fight, we might as well get on with it.
Her face twisted, my rebellion igniting a storm of rage. She raised her hand and extracted her claws, ready to strike. I braced for impact and swore to myself that I'd give her a mark for this. But the hit never came.
Someone grabbed her arm.
I didn't need to look to see who it was. His presence filled the air, knocking the oxygen out of my lungs. My heart raced as my eyes met cold blue ones.
Rhydian.
His didn't spare me a glance, his cold stare fixated on Astrid.
"Don't touch what's mine."
His deep, hoarse voice sent shivers down my spine. I got a closer look at him and my breath hitched.
He towered over every one of us, casting a dark shadow that commanded dominance. He was a giant compared to us, with sculpted muscles peeking from his clothes. Midnight, tousled hair framed his sharp angular face—the moon goddess definitely created his face by carving diamonds. Thick eyebrows overlined his hooded blue eyes, followed by a defined straight nose and blood-red lips pressed into a thin line. He was deathly handsome like a fallen angel.
I was too busy googling at him that his words barely registered.
Don't touch what's mine.
Now that I came back to my senses, I took that as my cue to flee, only to slam into something solid. I looked up to see it was a rock-hard chest.
"Running away already… pet?" I realized it was Kayden, with his raspy voice dripped with mockery sent an uneasy feeling in my stomach.
"What a dumb move," a calm cold voice rasped behind me, dangerously close to my ear as my breath hitched in my throat.
Tavian.
They were all here. Three of them.
Rhydian, Kayden, and Tavian.
My blood ran cold.
I met Mira's eyes, pleading for her to get me out of this mess somehow, but even her optimistic ass knew I was dead meat.
Steel-like hands gripped my wrist and waist. Despite my thick hoodie, I felt the heat from their palms burning through my skin.
My body grew stiff as I was dragged through the hallway, with Rhydian leading the way.
They stopped when we got to an empty classroom. When I heard the door lock, my heart went into overdrive. They surrounded me, like predators stalling their prey.
I swallowed hard, recalling Mira's words.
Don't show them you're afraid, Dahlia.
Tipping my chin high, I steadied my voice. "I have lectures going on right now."
I eyed Tavian. He had an athletic build compared to Rhydian's sheer mass of muscle. He was tall with shoulder-length ash brown hair tied into a low loose ponytail, while few strands crowned his forehead. His lips were full as if begging to be missed, with grey eyes as bright as metal.
He was boyishly handsome but you just know he's the kind of man with deceiving looks.
Kayden was muscular, lean frame, and had the most unhinged look of the three. His buzzcut was a sharp shade of coal black, with a hooked nose and full lips with a faint scar running down his upper lip. Black-inked tattoos sprawled around his arms like the chaotic scribbles at the back of my notebook.
He had the typical sexy bad boy look, just the type of guy you wouldn't want your daughter to go on a date with. His mismatched eyes— one gray and one blue— only added to his unhinged aura.
I felt like I was standing in the midst of demigods.
Kayden leaned closer and I retreated slowly. He draped an arm around my shoulder, his proximity setting every nerve in my body on edge.
"You haven't recited your pledge, pet," his raspy voice did something to my insides.
"I have a name... and it's Dahlia," I retorted back, without thinking and I mentally smacked myself.
"We'll call you whatever we want, you don't get an opinion" Tavian cut in, his eyes raking over me with an intensity that made me feel exposed.
Rhydian, impatient and done with games walked up to me and held my gaze. I felt so intimidated that I almost looked away.
"Kneel."
My eyes widened as shock surged through me.
Did I hear correctly?
"Don't make me repeat myself… Dahlia." My name rolled off his tongue like honey, sinister and promising… you'd think we were fucking.
A nasty thought flashed through my mind but I shove it away immediately.
"I can't do that."
Slave or not, there was no way I was getting on my knees for these men.
Kayden released a dark chuckle and in a heartbeat, he shoved me backward, my ass crashing into the table behind me with a thud. His hand closed around my throat, his hot breath fanning my face as my heart plummeted.
"Disobey us," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "and you'll wish you never existed."
"That's enough, Kayden."
Rhydian's order rang through my mind.
I got the memo and knelt the moment Kayden released his iron grip on my neck. Tears threatened to pour out of my eyes, but I held them back. This was degrading… being forced to kneel like a slave and threatened because I dared to have a sense of will.
"Never dress like that again … we're not running a retirement home here, Rhydian added, a dark amusing look swirling in his eyes. Draven passed him something and I recognized it: a collar, and a piece of fabric.
"Take that ugly shit off, and put this on."