Chapter 9-

Lucas wanted to know all about my life before I was captured. How I had felt about teaching, the farm I was raised on and my family. He was naturally very curious about my relationship with the man I had been engaged to. Lucas was obviously happy, and relieved when I told him that I had felt nothing for Thomas, and had only agreed to marry him because that was what my family had expected of me. I loved how interested he was in my life, and about that things that I wanted in the future and things that captivated my attention.

He heard the sadness in my voice when I spoke about my older brother. “Do you wish you could go back?” He looked sad asking me that. I thought about it for a few minutes.

“I had a whole life back home. Some of it was good, like my family and teaching, but most of it was boring and planned out for me. I didn’t really have my own voice at home, I was just told what I should do and want. I have to say it's exciting to be here, even if the future is uncertain. With you I feel safe and cared for. If you would have asked me yesterday, I would have definitely said yes, but now I don’t know. If I knew it could have saved my brother, then I would go back, but we can’t change the past.” “What happened to him?” Tears filled my eyes. Thinking about Jonas was still so painful and I felt so much guilt over his death.

“Before I was captured my brother was going out to check the traps we had set the day before, and I wanted to go with him. He told me to stay home, that there had been reports of women going missing from around our village. I followed him anyway being stubborn. I was just feeling so out of control about everything else in my life that I wanted to be defiant in some small way. Then the men found us, and saw me in the woods by our home. Jonas told me to run, but I wasn’t fast enough. The men were so big and fast that I was no match for them. He tried to fight them off, but there were so many, he shot one of the men, but then they killed him.” “I’m so sorry that happened Ember. It was our goal to bring women here, but killing anyone wasn’t part of the plan. I wish that wouldn’t have happened.” Tears flowed freely from my eyes now. “If I would have just listened and stayed home he would still be alive. If I hadn't been so dissatisfied with everything then maybe I wouldn't have felt the need to be obstinate. He fought them trying to save me, they probably wouldn't have given him a second glance if I hadn't went with him.”

Lucas pulled me back into his chest letting me cry out the pain until I fell asleep in his arms. When I woke up, I was back in my bed in the women’s dorms. The soreness of my body let me know that the day before hadn’t been a dream. I saw the medicine, and a glass of water next to my bed with a note. The note said “Tomorrow you will wake up in my arms, and we will start our new life. I can’t take away the pain of your loss, but I can cherish you every day, and make sure the sacrifice your brother made wasn’t in vain. Knowing I get to sink back into your tight cunt tonight will get me through today. I love you Ember.” Reading his crude and beautiful words gave me butterflies, and filled me with anticipation. Ava was lying next to me and woke when I stood up and took the pills, Lucas had left for me.

“Ember I thought something horrible happened to you yesterday after the men…I was so worried about you. I almost screamed when the man with the scar brought you back in late last night. What happened!? Did he hurt you?” I hugged Ava knowing yesterday must have traumatized her. “I’m ok, one of the men did hurt me yesterday, but Lucas saved me; he’s the one with the scar. He also took care of me after the attack, and I must have fallen asleep.” I didn’t want to divulge my personal relationship yet even with Ava. Everything was so new, and still a bit confusing. I had a few clues and guesses about what would happen next, but couldn’t say for sure. “He told me that the Alpha would tell us today what’s going on and why we're here.” I looked around the room to see the other women still sleeping it must not be morning yet. After yesterday’s events I could definitely do with a bit more sleep. My body was sore and my mind a giant jumble of mixed feelings. “We should go back to sleep Ava it will be morning soon, and we don’t know what tomorrow holds.” Ava nodded with tears in her eyes “I’m just glad you're back and okay.” "Me too, I'm sorry I wasn't here for you after the interveiw." "It's okay. I'm just glad you're back."

We snuggled up in the bed, and fell asleep again the truth was I am excited to see what was going to happen, and anxious for Lucas to claim me. The women moving around the room woke me up. I hated how sore I was, breathing and moving was excruciating. “Why do you think they have given us these?” Amber one of the other women asked the group, holding up a lacey floor length long sleeved off the shoulder dress. They all had the same white dress and red velvet shawl hanging by their beds. We heard a knock, and then the door opening startled all of us. I think the "interview" has taken it's toll on us.

“Good morning ladies, the Alpha asks for you to all dress in your new clothes, and ready yourselves for breakfast. He expects you downstairs in twenty minutes.” Delta Shane nodded at the women, and then left closing the door behind him. “I don’t want to go.” Ava almost whispered. “I think they want us to be their whores. After yesterday…” Ava shuddered. “They asked me questions, and then looked at my body. It made me feel so…powerless.” I rubbed her back, trying to soothe her fears. Ava breathed out a few shuddering breaths and it seemed to have calmed her back down. “Ava, I’m so sorry that happened. I don’t think that they want us as whores. If they did, they probably would have used us that way by now. I think it's something more, obviously I can't know for sure. At least we will know soon. After spending time with Lucas, I think they have another purpose for us. I rubbed her back again trying to comfort her.

“I don’t want any of them to touch me.” “I will do everything I can to protect you. For now, we need to do what they say.” We both dressed, and Ava helped me lace up the back of my dress horrified by the bandages and bruises that covered my body. The red marks that were on my neck yesterday are now an angry black and purple, and my side is swollen the color matching my neck. We both wore our hair in long loose braids, Ava’s hair is a lovely raven black while mine is a vibrant red. That’s why my mother named me for fire, that and my mother said I had a brightness about me even as an infant. My eyes were a light blue almost grey color, and my stature is smaller, but strong from the years growing up on a farm. While Ava was thin and willowy I was stocky and curvy. She is about three years younger than me, but she is about a head taller than me. I have ivory skin, my face kissed with light freckles. I looked stunning in the white gown which I know is vain, but this dress looks like it was made for me. The other women were lovely as well though none had my wild, curly red hair, that and my eyes made me stand out. Right now, I’m not sure standing out is a good thing. Today I thought being beautiful might be dangerous. What could they possibly want with us dressed up so feminie and sexy. I had felt safe wrapped up in Lucas’s arms, but in this dress with the other women I echoed Ava’s feeling- powerless. Maybe we needed to try to escape, was I wrong to tell Ava that we should go along with things. Lucas wouldn't let anyone hurt me, would he? Would he hurt my firends?