Aria's POV:

“It's a lie!” I yelled, staggering back, as panic clawed at me, but there was nowhere to run. My back was against the sink and the men approached me with strong steps.

My claws itched, and a surge of werewolf strength ready to tear through them, but I knew brute force alone wouldn’t save me. I saw the weakness in my father's eyes. He was saying ‘It was over’, just not using his words.

My father was a gambler, a drunkard, and a man who had squandered nearly everything he worked for after Mother died. He had always been reckless and careless, but even in my worst nightmares, I refuse to believe that he would use me, his own daughter, as collateral.

My hands trembled as I struggled against the man’s grip, my claws itching to tear through them, yet I remained trapped, at the mercy of a stranger. They led me out of the house–defeated.

I wanted to tell myself that it wasn't real, but I had seen his signature countless times when settling his debts, yet never had I imagined it would be here, in the hands of a man who was holding me hostage.

My heart thundered in my chest as I struggled again, pushing at his arms with all my strength. “You… this can’t be real.” I whispered, panic sharp in my voice. “Dad! Do something” my last words cried for help, before I got pushed into their vehicle.

“Your father took a loan from me and then he gambled all day, promising that if he didn’t win and couldn’t pay back, he would offer his most prized possession in return.” The leader of the gang said, just before the vehicle drove off speedingly.

My pulse spiked at the seriousness in his tone as he let the words sink in, watching me carefully as tears streamed down my face. I looked out the window until our little home was out of sight.

I froze, unable to speak at first and my mind raced through every memory, hoping this man was lying, that I had misheard. A part of me was still praying for a miracle, for all of this to be a prank.

“This can’t be true!” I sobbed, when we were finally far enough from my home. My voice broke and I tried to fight against the fear consuming me.

“What if…” I tried to voice my idea, but I had lost every bit of confidence. “What if I paid you back?” I wiped my tears. “I can work extra shifts, pay up the debt.”

“It’s too late already.” The man sitting in front of the vehicle said. He gazed at me from the rear view mirror, while I sat trapped between the other two men.

“The slave traders have already paid me half the money, and once I send you over to them, I will receive the rest. So there’s no bargaining now, Aria.”

“No!” I screamed, fighting and crying all at the same time. “Somebody help me!” I cried, my voice echoing through the forest.

The driver's speed increased. One of the men pressed a handkerchief over my nose and mouth before I could finish my plea. My struggles grew frantic, and my claws dug into his arms, as everything went blank.

When I woke up, the first thing that hit me was the stench of sweat, dirt, and smoke as I opened my eyes slowly, and saw myself in a large, canvas-covered tent.

My head spun as realization dawned on me that this  was the infamous slave camp at the center of the realm where anyone could purchase human property without question.

“No… no, this can’t be my fate!” I whispered to myself, and I scrambled to my feet and bolted for the tent’s entrance, my claws slicing through the fabric.

As expected, a guard was there to block my escape with his wide arms. “Let me go!” I yelled, lunging at him with everything I had.

But he grabbed me by the arms and dragged me back inside. I struggled violently, my claws scratching his armor, and began punching him in desperation. “Let me out! I… I cannot be a slave! I won’t! I’ve spent my whole life working toward becoming a physician. I… I cannot just… just…”

My words dissolved into sobs as frustration and despair coiled tight in my chest. The guard, clearly tired of my tantrums, slapped me across the face and shoved me to the ground. Pain blossomed across my cheek, but I didn’t stop. I scrambled forward, clinging to his legs, begging, crying, and pleading for release.

He kicked me, but I refused to let go even though the pain sharpened with each strike, yet I clung to him tightly with my claws scraping the dirt as his boots laded with force across my back and legs, trying to crush my spirit.

I screamed through the pain, holding on, refusing to surrender. Finally, his patience snapped, then he drew a sword, and my heart froze. The tip gleamed dangerously in the dim light, and I realized how close I had come to death

My breath came in jagged gasps as I stared up at him, trembling but defiant. Then, as if the gods themselves intervened, a man dressed sharply with authority radiating from him entered the tent, and grabbed the guard by the shoulder.

“This girl?” He said, voice calm yet commanding. “She is the most beautiful here, is she not?”

The guard blinked, some of his aggression leaving his eyes. Then he glanced around, nodded, and lowered his sword. “Yes, sir.” He said, stepping back, releasing me.

The man’s gaze swept over me, and then he gestured toward four other girls in the corner. “All five of you will be taken to the stream.” He said, tapping the guard’s shoulders.

“There you will have your bath and put on the new clothing I have prepared for each of you because someone will be arriving shortly to transport you to the Hellbound Pack. There, you will assume your duties as Alpha Draven's personal breeders.”

On hearing his words, my hands shook, and my claws flexed instinctively as I sank to the ground, tears spilling freely on realizing that everything I had worked hard for was slipping through my fingers.

Will I really become the breeder of a man rumored to be notorious for his cruelty, and for bending lives to his will?

Aria's POV:

I lived my entire life under a father who made every day a battle. He drank, he gambled, and somehow, I bore the weight of it all. I scrubbed his debts clean, nursed him through hangovers, cleaned up the messes he left behind.

'And now... now I was here, on my knees in a slave camp, being told I would become the breeder of an Alpha the entire realm whispered about with fear and disgust.'

The thought made bile rise in my throat and I fell forward, sobbing, and shaking violently as I pressed my forehead to the ground. "I... I don't want this! I... I don't want to end up being a breeder!" I cried, my voice trembling. "Please... please, don't let this happen to me!"

I reached out instinctively, my hands moving toward the neatly dressed man who had orchestrated this nightmare, trying to plead with him, to touch him and make him see my desperation.

The sharp crack of his boot against my chest cut me off and bain exploded through my ribs, but it wasn't enough to silence my screams.

So he leaned in and said. "You can choose between going to Alpha Draven and becoming his breeder, or getting sold to a harem or a brothel, where the physical abuse will be far worse."

I froze, my mind spinning. "No... Please!" I whispered, tears streaming freely because the idea of being subjected to the horrors of a brothel or the dominance of an Alpha with a cursed lineage was something I will fight against even if it kills me.

The man didn't respond immediately, he merely gestured for the five of us to rise, stating we were to be led to the stream. But I refused, collapsing to the ground again, shaking violently, refusing to move.

"Take me back home, please. Just let me go!" I wailed, chest aching with sobs.

His dark eyes locked onto mine, and he asked quietly but firmly. "What home? Your family has sold you, just as others were sold, so what home do you wish to return to when you are unwanted there?"

I swallowed hard, biting back my fear, forcing myself to think beyond the word "home." It's not about going back to him... it's about not wanting to end up as a slave.

My tears continued to fall as my body jerked with each desperate sob. "I don't care about home! I just... I cannot accept this!" I shouted, voice cracking, chest heaving with grief and rage.

The man's patience remained, though his lips twitched ever so slightly while the guard from earlier grew impatient and angry at my continued defiance, so stepped forward and began stomping on me violently.

Each blow made me scream, but I didn't release my hold on him. "Enough!" The neatly dressed man's voice rang out, stopping the guard before he could crush me completely.

"Do you understand, fool? These girls are to be the best and the most beautiful for Alpha Draven. You will stop before you ruin her face."

I gasped, bruised and trembling, as he crouched down in front of me. His eyes held an intensity I couldn't comprehend, and he said softly, almost unnervingly calm. "I stopped him from hurting you because you are important. But listen carefully... if you throw another tantrum, I will not even let you live. I would rather you died than risk losing my sanity."

My sobs caught in my throat as his words sank in and he added.  "When you arrive at Hellbound Pack, you have the right to throw as many tantrums as you want. But I advise you to behave reasonably, because Alpha Draven is not as merciful as I am."

He rose and called for another guard, instructing him to lead us to the stream before the first guard lost control again. Before leaving, he gave me a final kick, hard enough to drive the pain through my chest, then stepped out, leaving me panting, sore, and trembling.

The new guard crouched slightly, his tone softer but still firm. "Stand up." He commanded and I forced myself to my feet.

The other girls, grim and silent, followed his instructions, and together we were led to the stream then someone approached with bundles of clothing, handing each girl neat, clean garments. Reluctantly, I laid the clothes at the edge of the stream, discarding my own tattered garments before stepping into the river.

The water was icy, shockingly so, but it washed over me, cleansing dirt and sweat when I noticed the other girls staring at me, their eyes narrow and sharp. It looked like they hated me for almost ruining their chance at being the Alpha's breeder, because they preferred it over a brothel.

Their glares were stern, but I ignored them, refusing to feed into their satisfaction as I bathed quickly, washing the dirt, grime, and sweat from the journey.

When I finally stepped out, I dressed in the neat clothes provided. Only for a sudden rush of movement to catch my attention as someone ran in, whispering urgently to the guard, informing him that the carriage from Hellbound Pack had arrived.

He nodded and immediately instructed us to follow him. We walked in single file until we reached the carriage where the guard instructed us to stand aside as he conferred with two men mounted on horses.

Coins changed hands, and promises were made that he would follow to ensure none of us escaped. Then the mounted guards fell into place, flanking the carriage, and we were instructed to step in.

The carriage rolled forward, bumping along the forest for hours, then we took a left turn, and continued the journey on the road until we arrived at the imposing gates of Hellbound's Packhouse.

One of the men held the door for us, and we stepped out, guided to a garden where we were to wait.

My heart raced as I surveyed the surroundings, and less than ten minutes passed before two men appeared.  One walked ahead, and the moment he did, I knew from the way he moved, and from the coldness in his eyes, that he was Draven Darkmoon be it matched every story.

Draven stopped a few feet away from us, eyes scanning each girl with a mix of disgust and scrutiny. Then he walked back and forth slowly, studying us like a predator sizing up prey.

When he came closer, my wolf stirred restlessly inside me, and my chest tightened, then my body went rigid, as my wolf whimpered.

'MATE. MATE. MATE!'

My eyes widened in disbelief because the cursed Alpha Draven, who I was supposed to dread, to hate, and to fear ended up being someone I felt an undeniable pull of the mate bond for. As his eyes narrowed on me, my wolf howled silently, and I staggered slightly, still struggling to accept that the Alpha who purchased me was my mate. 

Draven's  POV:

'Why did the Moon Goddess do this to me?' I thought, staring deeply at the strange slave standing wide-eyed before me.

'Why would she dare pair me with another she-wolf when I had sworn that after losing Helen, the only woman I had ever loved, that I would never allow another mate into my life?'

My hands curled into fists, nails digging into my palms as anger coursed through my veins because the Moon Goddess did as she pleased, always had, always would, and no mortal law or instinct could ever prevent her from meddling.

In anger, I released my Alpha's command causing the girls to stagger back and fall to the ground while I made my way to the pretty one who happened to be my second-chance mate. But even as I crouched before her and grasped her jaw tightly, tilting her face to meet mine, I felt the primal insistence that gnawed at the edges of my control with my wolf sensing her in ways my mind could not yet understand.

I was just about to reject her, just about to force her away, when Ragnar's scent filled the air and I looked to see my Beta had  strode in and was standing behind the line of girls.

"We need to talk." He said, and I released her jaw reluctantly, my claws flexing at the faint pull of irritation.

Then I followed Ragnar out, tension coiling in my shoulders as we went behind

"Draven, what the hell are you doing going behind my back to buy breeders?" Ragnar began, hands on his hips. "You know the Elders are strongly against this!"

"I don't care what the Elders want." I admitted. "I am going through with it."

Ragnar's jaw tightened, and he stepped closer. "You've already angered them enough. If you go through with this, it could force the Elders to bring you before the Council of Kings. They'll dredge up every unnecessary instance of your disrespect just to make your life miserable, or worse, they'll attempt to impeach you. You need to get rid of these breeders and find a wife before you bring the pack to ruin."

I exhaled slowly, the corners of my mouth curling into a shadow of a sneer. "I will never replace Helen." I said, voice low and unwavering. "I will have a breeder bear an heir for me, nothing more."

Ragnar's eyes flared with exasperation. "Helen has been dead for five years! It's time to move on, Draven. You need to make the right decision before this obsession destroys you."

I whirled to him. "Do not ever speak such words to me again."

But he didn't relent. "I hate how out of touch with reality you've become these past years. You've refused to move on, refusing to accept that Helen is gone. And now, you're dragging the pack and yourself into a mess because of it."

I felt the familiar burn of my wolf inside me, coiling like steel in my chest, reminding me of every wrong I had endured, every moment of loss, every betrayal. Still, I had to find a solution.

My plan to have a breeder would fail if the Elders discovered it. They had made it explicitly clear that the future Alpha of Hellbound Pack cannot be born from a sex slave. A Luna or an officially sanctioned concubine must bear the heir.

I considered the girls I had acquired could be concubines, or perhaps one could be chosen as a Luna. But Helen would have hated the idea of sharing her Alpha. Never. The thought twisted something tight in my chest, but Ragnar's voice broke through.

"You'll have to compromise because there's no other way." He said, firmly. "You cannot ignore the Elders' rules, no matter how much you think you can bend the world."

Suddenly, an idea sparked, in my head and I tapped Ragnar's shoulder, my eyes alight with sudden resolve. "Hold on. I've just had an idea." Without waiting for him to question, I stormed back inside.

Ragnar followed silently, standing at a corner as I approached the man who had delivered the girls.

"Show them to their rooms." I commanded, pointing at the strange girl. "But leave this one behind." My gaze fell on her because still kneeling, and trembling then I crouched before her, grasping her jaw once more, ensuring her gaze met mine.

"What is your name?" I asked, my tone deceptively soft. "Aria." She whispered, voice shaky but clear.

Exhaling, I asked. "Aria, how would you like to be my wife for a year?"

In my mind, it was clear that since the Elders would not permit a breeder, I would make her my Luna, have her bear my heir, then dispose of her afterward. But then, the unexpected happened. She jerked back, eyes wide, cheeks flushed, and spat a single word

"No!"

My wolf surged, a mixture of confusion, irritation, and curiosity rising within me. She had the audacity to defy me, the Alpha of Hellbound Pack, in my own territory? My mind raced, calculating, assessing, and yet... the tremor of shock refused to leave me.

"Aria..." I began. "Do you understand what it is you are refusing?" A smile tugged at the corners of my lips, as my instinct screamed at me to crush her, and bend her will but another part, a rare, unfamiliar part, stirred in response to her resistance.

"Interesting." I muttered, almost to myself. "You may have just complicated my life, Aria."