**Aife pov**
“What?” Dad screamed.
As I still laid on top of the warriors that had once fiercely fought to protect the pack members, I realized just how big of a coward I was. There was nothing I wished for more than the ability for my soul to leave my body and escape the cold-blooded man.
A strange noise left the stranger; I couldn’t tell if it was a snarl or a huff, perhaps both.
He didn’t offer more than the words he already had spoken. “Her. To save the pack, you must give her to me.”
“Have you lost it? I’m not giving up my daughter! I won’t allow it!”
From the corner of my eye, I could see dad’s attempts to fight against the invaders, but I knew it was to no avail. For whatever reason he needed me, the man wouldn’t leave empty-handed, regardless of what decision my dad made.
I knew dad wouldn’t give up on me. He would never give me to someone, even if he had to protect me with his life, but I refused to accept that as an option.
No more blood would be spilled because of me.
Tears filled my eyes as I focused my gaze on the monstrous man before me. I licked my lips and gathered the little courage I had as I cleared my throat and spoke up, “I will go.”
The moment words left me, dad started screaming, thrashing against the men twice as hard while the stranger offered me his hand like some bloody prince charming.
I shook my head as I struggled to get back to my feet. Everything within me screamed to run for my life, but if the future of an entire pack, or what was left of it, was in my hands, as the Alpha’s daughter, I had to take the responsibility for them.
Once I managed to straighten my body, my knees nearly gave out from under me.
“Aife, don’t be stupid, don’t do this! He will kill you if you go with him! If we are meant to die, we will die together, as a pack, as a family!” Dad screamed in the last attempt to change my mind.
I wanted to, but I couldn’t look at him. Not like this.
The once mighty and respected Alpha, forced on the ground by someone unworthy of the air my father breathed. He was a prideful man, a man who would rather die than be forced to live on his knees. The last thing my father needed was for his only child to see him like this.
“Smart girl you have here, Alpha Lucian. It’s a pleasure doing business with you, as always,” the brute laughed as he took a step closer to me.
I wanted to back away, to create more distance between us, but I didn’t dare to move a muscle. For the pack. I was doing this for the pack. For my family. For the warriors who still fought for their lives, for the mothers and children hidden in the packhouse. For them.
As the brute stopped in front of me and bent down, I held my breath. I could feel his disgusting hands on my skin as he hooked an arm under my knees and tossed me over his shoulder like a sack.
“Let’s go, guys, we’re finished here. The drinks are on me tonight,” he laughed as he spun around and started walking towards the forest.
As the murderous men hollered and dropped everything to follow their leader, I stole the last glance at my father, mouthed a weak ‘I’m sorry’ and closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see the hurt and disappointment in his eyes.
One day, he would understand and accept why I made this decision.
As the stranger carried me away from the only home I had known, I realized that in a matter of hours my life had been turned upside down. Future wasn’t as clear as I thought it was, the plans I made with my parents faded like a distant memory, and now I could only guess what was to happen to me.
Nothing good, that was for sure. The only thought that eased my mind was that by sacrificing myself and my freedom, I had saved our surviving pack members.
The further away he carried me, the worse I felt. Deep down, I knew I had no right to cry as it wasn’t me who suffered the most, but I couldn’t stop the tears from escaping my eyes, no matter how hard I squeezed them shut.
There wasn’t a voice inside my head to give me answers or soothe the pain yet, I still had to wait for another three months for the day to come, so I was completely on my own here. If I at least had my wolf, I wouldn’t feel so scared, so alone.
All those thoughts rushed through my mind even as I struggled to erase them. I had no right to feel sorry for myself as the consequences came from the decision I made against my father’s wishes.
“That’s one fine ass you got there. Any plans for it?” Someone laughed, their words encouraged by laughter and shouts.
I heard the sound of the heavy slap before the pain spread through my body. The brute that carried me had slapped my ass and joined his followers in mocking my misery as if someone’s life and future was just a game for them.
“I have a few things planned for this one. You’re all invited to watch. Who knows, if the mood is right, I might invite some to join in on the fun.”
The statement made my blood freeze. I was no stranger to intimacy even though I hadn’t had any with a man yet, but I knew enough about it to understand what he was implying to.
Wasn’t the slaughter enough for these savages? Hadn’t they satisfied their sick, twisted desires with the amount of blood they had spilled? Wasn’t the carnage enough for them?
“I volunteer!” Someone shouted, startling me out of my thoughts.
And again, the words were followed with waves of unpleasant, malicious laughter. Cold shivers ran down my spine, all of my senses went into overdrive as I tried to listen in and ignore the conversations at the same time.
The only thing I could do was beg that the Moon Goddess had a plan for me. Perhaps this was nothing but her test to see where my loyalties were, how far I was willing to go for my pack?
Regardless of what was to happen next, I hoped that if death was in my cards, it would come before the savages got the chance to have their way with me. At this point, I was ready to take my own life before I gave them the satisfaction of doing it for me.
“Shit, I almost forgot the grand finale,” the leader snarled.
He spun around and tossed me off his shoulder so fast, I didn’t realize what was happening until he grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled me up to my feet. Just to add more pain to the misery, he didn’t let go of my hair and kept pulling on it even as I stood straight.
A hiss of pain left my lips as he leaned closer to whisper, “look straight ahead.”
My eyes focused on the packhouse in the distance. At first, I thought he stopped to mock me, but as the sound of an explosion echoed in the forest and the force of it shook the ground, I watched the house disappear behind a massive wall of dust and flames.
“No!” I screamed and tried to run, ignoring his vice-like grip on my hair. Somehow, I managed to spin around and hit him straight in the chest. “You liar! You lied! You said you would let them live!” I screamed at the top of my lungs while all they did was laugh at my pain.
I was ready to claw his heart out, but something hit my head and the last thing I remembered was their mocking laughter as the darkness enveloped me.