Chapter 10-

The women quietly sat down to breakfast looking around the lodge full of powerful men with fear in their eyes. I feel like I've been transported back to the ship, back to the fear and the unknown. The tension is thick in the air as the men openly stare and the women cower behind their bowls of porridge. Shortly after the meal was served Alpha James stood at the front of the room. I am amazed by the way his presence commands the attention of everyone in the room, including me. He stands tall and confident. “You must all be curious why we have brought you here. I will ease some of your fear now, we did not take you from your homes to kill you or harm you.” He began locking his eyes on me, making me squirm remembering his hands on me during the interview. My nipples pebble in response to his his voice. “We brought you here to join our community and help us rebuild as wives to our strong warriors.”
My eyes go straight to Lucas who is smiling and looking right at me. We share a sly glance, and I am thinking about how he claimed me and how much I love the thought of being his. I am distracted from Lucas's possesive smiles when I see my sweet friend Ava trembling, I grab her shaking hand and squeeze offering her my comfort. James continues his explanation. “As you may have noticed we don’t have any females or children in our village. It was not always that way. Before our pack was full of our mates and the sounds of our young playing.” I saw the men’s faces drop and the mood shifts in the room, with mention of the women and children the once curious men grow dark. Alpha James closed his eyes for a minute as if he was re-collecting himself. I hold tighter onto Ava seeing the dark look on the Alpha's face. His fierceness scares me but also leaves me in a strange state of awe. “Many of us had families before the hunters came. They laid a trap for us luring most of the men away from our homes. While we were gone, they slaughtered our females and children.”
My eyes began to water hearing the brutality that they had endured. I also was curious as to why hunters would kill the people from their village, especially the women and children. “By the time we had made it back to the village, our homes were burnt down, and our families murdered. After we saw what they had done we tore them and their friends to pieces, but not without great loss to our number of warriors as well. They tried to wipe us out, but they underestimated us. They thought we would go mad with grief and be brought down quickly, grief only fueled our anger and need for revenge. That was eight years ago, since then we have rebuilt and made ourselves strong again.”
James looks around at his men with pride and his chest puffs out. “We have everything we need to start again now that you are here. You will all be safe here and well provided for. Our women are treasures and add value to the entire pack. All of the men that will compete for a wife has proven himself both in battle and virtue.” Alpha James looked around the room and his eyes locked on mine again. I feel the heavy weight of his stare and my body remembers his big strong hands stroking my bare skin. “Each of you will be given a husband or mate in our terms. Depending on how the men place in the game will determine his choice of bride. The victor gets first pick of the women. You, my men have toiled long and bore the weight of broken hearts, we will not delay any longer. The games begin today.”
Alpha James took one last look around the room before exiting out the front door followed by most of the men. With his departure some of the women began to weep, some were in silent shock, and others sat in quiet contemplation. Delta Shane stepped into the middle of the room. “After your meal you will be led to the fighting arena to watch the bride games unfold.” One of the women named Rachel stood up, she was tall and sturdy probably in her early twenties. She had lovely golden hair and bright blue eyes her voice was strong, and I remember her comforting the other women on the ship. “Are we able to decline joining the games? Can we go home?” Shane closed his eyes for a second and replied strongly. “No. You belong to this pack now. This is your home. We take care of our women; it is a privilege to bear the mark of a warrior from the black moon pack.” Rachel sat back down staring at Shane a few tears escaping her before she wiped them away. Understanding takes over the room and a quiet settles over us. We now know why we were brought here from our homes, to be auctioned off as property with the title of wife.
I held Ava stroking her hair as she sobbed. I hoped then for a gentle man to choose her and wished I could save her from this whole thing. With Shane's strong dismissal of Rachel though, hope seems lost for remaining "unclaimed". Most of the men had left the lodge probably preparing for this competition, but Lucas stayed back studying the room and me.
He walked over to me and grabbed my arm gently saying, “I'll take you to the restroom to freshen up.” As I stood Ava clung onto me and I knew I couldn’t leave her, so I brought her with us to the bathroom. Lucas pushed me up against the wall and cupped my face. “I will win the honor of having you today. I love you Ember.” Ava looked at us and blushed excusing herself to the other side of the room. “I’m worried about her Lucas. She’s so young and not ready to be taken as a wife. Can you talk to your brother and ask him to wait before he marries her off?” “The council has deemed from the interveiws that all the women are within the age and capabilities to be mated. I’m sorry Ember. I will make sure whatever man claims her will take good care of her. No harm will come to her this I promise.” “What if…you don’t win. I only want to belong to you. I’m scared.”

Lucas grabbed my waist and pulled me into him, holding me tightly and laid sweet kisses all over my face. “Oh, Ember, the only wolf that could defeat my own is possibly my brother's. I'll tell him that I want you, no that I need to have you, and I’m sure he will pick another.” “Wait what do you mean wolf?” “We are not like other men Ember; I told you that. You will see when we change during the games. Its hard to explain but we are wolf shifters. Listen I can’t stay much longer I have to go see my brother and talk with him about us, I’m sure he will understand. I believe he has a woman he wants too I’m just not sure who. Even if he did set his eyes on you, I’ll tell him how I feel and I’m sure he will relent. We haven’t had much time to talk since you guys have arrived, but he told me he picked his bride already so someone else must have caught his eye. I didn’t think these games would mean anything to me but now they mean everything. It means I can have you by my side forever. There is nothing I have ever wanted more.” Lucas reached down and stroked my cheek sweetly, latching his lips to my own.
Although fear of the unknown scared me, I knew I wanted him. I loved him. “I love you Lucas, be safe today.” “Just be ready for me to claim you, I have to go my love.” With that he led us back to the main hall and disappeared. Ava looked at me with confusion. “Did you just tell that man you loved him?” “Yes, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but it all happened so fast. He is a good man and even if we were set free, I would stay to be with him. I hope that whatever man claims you today will be kind and Lucas and I will look after you. I promise I will do anything I can to protect you.” “And I’ll protect you too.” Ava smiled sweetly, wiped her tears away and grabbed my hand. “I'll be okay if I have you.”