24 tallow candles

***Authors Note:- Apologies for the hiatus my husband has been hospitalised for the last 2 weeks***

Emma’s POV
I follow them to the dining hall, surprised to find that there are additional guests this evening. My master gestures me to a seat rather than my usual position at his feet. I don’t look up or catch the eye of the guests, however from the clothing I can tell all four are women. One has a collar round her neck, clearly a prisoner or slave like me, the others lord it over her.

‘Sit ma cherie,’ he commands, so I sit. ‘Do you like my dog, ladies?’ he continues. ‘She is quite well trained now. I had her visit with your acquisitions earlier, and I see you have my payment.’

I phase out a bit. Acquisitions, what does he mean? That he is selling the children? My skin is starting to burn and itch. I scratch at my thighs. I know he will see and smell the injuries but it is the only way I can control my growing anxiety and discomfort.

Food is placed in front of me, I keep my eyes on my plate, pushing the food around with my fork. I am a little surprised I have been given a fork. I wonder what it will feel like if I stab the tines into my leg, or my hand; I wonder if I can plunge it into Jorge, and what would happen.

Someone comes to take my plate, I grip the fork, my knuckles turning white. Then Jorge is there peeling my fingers from the implement.

‘Now, now, cherie,’ he says. ‘Don’t show me up in front of these lovely ladies.’

I look up at the guests for the first time.

The three ladies are all brunettes and look to be in their thirties, although I have always found it difficult to judge age. They are dressed in long dresses, giving it a very mediaeval feel, as if I am on the set of a period drama.

Their faces are pinched and they have sallow complexions, as if what is on the inside is leaking out, and disfiguring what should be perfect beauty.

The slave is a platinum blonde, ethereal looking individual, not much more than a child late teens early twenties. She is dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, and if it wasn’t for the heavy collar she wouldn’t look out of place in any bar or club.

Coffee is served, and Jorge turns to his guests, ‘So Tabitha, the pups are fattened per your instructions, and ready for you to collect, I think my pet will find it illuminating to understand why you want them.’

Tabitha gives me a malicious look. ‘So, you are the dog’s bitch huh? Not much to look at,’ she sniffs. ‘And fully human too.’

A laugh like silver bells echoes, I hadn’t realised that they could sound so ominous.

‘Well little pathetic Luna, at least I know the curse hadn’t fully broken, it had been a worry. But if it had he would have had a strong Luna not a wretch like you.’

She can see the confusion in my eyes. ‘Shall I tell her the story, sisters?’ she asks the others with her.

‘Oh yes,’ they chorus. ‘We love this tale, and you tell it so well.’

Tabitha takes a sip of her coffee. ‘This all starts over 200 years ago, when I was a young witch, foolish and carefree. I was travelling the realm, learning about our home and the various species who live here.
I came to the lands of Whitewater pack, and settled a while with them, learning and studying. Then like many young women, I found myself falling for a young man. Zeke Bilavoda, son of the Alpha of the pack and next in line to be Alpha.
I tarried in Whitewater, believing that Zeke loved me as deeply as I loved him. I gave him my everything, my all.
For three years I stayed with the pack, living with Zeke in his chambers, interacting with them, convinced that when he became Alpha, he would make it official and I would be his Luna.
Three months before the Alpha ceremony there was a grand ball held at the packhouse. Single wolves from across the realm were invited, an opportunity to mingle and maybe find their mate. I wasn’t worried, clearly Zeke was mine.
We were stood receiving guests when a young slip of a lass, barely eighteen, in a disgusting green ball gown walked in. Zeke left my side, he walked straight to her, kissed her deeply and roared MATE to the whole room.
In that moment my world collapsed.’

‘For shame,’ her sisters murmur. ‘Go on.’

‘I tried to talk to him, to reason, but to no avail. In that one moment he cut me and three years out of his life, my possessions were dumped out of the pack house, I was left with nowhere to live and my heart was torn out and trampled.
Not a single wolf cared enough to see if I was okay, they were all too busy celebrating their Alpha-to-be’s fated mate. So, I swore I would get even.
I continued my travels of the realm and became an expert on fated mates and how to break the mate bond, both painful and not. And then I discovered that I could make sure that none of those mutts would ever find their fated mate again. All it would take was a little curse, and they would be destined never to find their mates. Unable to feel the bond even if in the same room.
It was surprisingly simple really. The most difficult part is collecting the candles that are positioned round the pack and burnt mid-summers day night.
The reason the candles are difficult is because they are made from a very rare tallow. The tallow produced from rendering fat from a mutt who has only just gained their wolf.’

She grins, looking so proud of herself, while I am trying to process the words. Did she just tell me that she is going to turn children into candles?

‘The first time was hard, I captured each one separately, and hand crafted the candles. It took me nearly a decade to create all twenty-four, the piece-de-resistance was the one made from the youngest daughter of Zeke. It gave a power boost to the curse. None of that generation found their mates. They all had to settle for chosen ones or die alone.
Every generation I renew the curse, ensuring that a Bilavoda is amongst the candles. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to secure one last time round, the stupid son interrupted the collection, and of course you and he haven’t had pups for this time, so I will need to renew it earlier, don’t want anymore mutts finding their true mates.
So as long as I renew the curse the wolves can’t find their mates, weakening both them and their pathetic patron.’ She looks venomously at me then turns to my master.

‘Lord Jorge,’ she continues. ‘Thank you for your assistance in procuring the pups and holding them for me. As agreed, a virgin fae for you. The collar will release when we leave the castle with the candles in three days’ time. I assume you have the candle factory set up for us close to where the ingredients are.’

‘Indeed, lady Tabitha,’ my master agrees. ‘Moving that many could alert the mutts, so the factory is set up in the adjoining cells.’

I am stunned, I have fucked up everything, the children are going to die, and I can’t do anything. The Need is spiralling out of control, and I am crashing lost through my own thoughts. Trying to workout what I could have done differently, done better.

I am led back to my cell, and he feeds on my shoving my body into Blissed Out. My legs give out and I collapse to the floor.

Tears spill down my face. I am collapsed and crumpled watching my hated master walk to the door and pass beyond.

If my body worked, I would have said I had gone straight into Self Loathing. I am trapped in my body reliving everything when again a snatch of lyrics come through.

*It's time to rise up, man up, get back up,
Never bend and won't be broken
Dust off and then come back for more
You've gotta reach down, dig deep, and break ground,
Show them all you won't be beaten
Brush it off and then come back for more!*

Fuck it all. I will not be broken; I am going to rescue those kids even if he kills me or tortures me. It doesn’t really matter anymore. Okay first things first I need to get up and get out of this cell.

I focus all my strength on moving my arm. It takes a while, but I get there. Then the other arm. I use the cot to help me get to my feet; I stand there swaying like Bambi. I have endured, now it is time to act.

And you know what, no one is going to expect this.