The warning from alpha Emanuel was loud and mixing with the sound of her ass slapping down on the Alpha’s lap and her moans which fell into mewing when he twisted her nipple between his fingers.

The other Alphas line up and get ready for the turn with her, relishing in the fact that she had broken a rule and they now get to reap the consequents.

I moved away from Emanuel and chugged what is left in the glass.

Iliana was rubbing up against another Alpha, she seemed to be doing much better or maybe she’s faking it like I am. Emmanuel brings the bottle, his face void of emotion as he filled my glass and took a gulp from the bottle before quelling into his hand.

The smell of sex filled the air and I could tell it set all of the Alphas on edge. I looked around for the those yellow eyes that watched me when I came in but they were gone. I saw them in that corner under the old clock. It was the only corner where the light from the fire and the lamp didn't reach. If I touched my face I could've sworn I felt where his gaze left burn marks but whoever that heated gaze belonged too wasn't here.

White dresses were lifted to expose the girls smooth legs and they dragged themselves across the Alpha they found must desirable. It all boiled down to three factors; Looks, power and status.

I looked out the window that covered an entire wall and saw that the Hunt would soon begin.

My mind was already in the woods and Trixy was sniffing out the surroundings but she’s too weak to tell any clear markings of where we were or what we had around us.

In the reflection on the window I saw Liv, her eyes rolled back and she fisted the couch when another took his turn with her.

These were the Alphas, the leaders of our packs and the ones we were meant to adore and trust.

The Alpha that first took Liv stood up and fixed his clothes. He watched her with a distaste in his narrowly judging eyes and he reached down and pulled her nipple between his fingers, twisting it until she fell forward in pain while the man behind her continued to thrust into her.

“Stop staring” Trixy warned me and my eyes widened when I realized that I was staring at a group of Alphas.

But it was too late, his eyes met mine through the reflection he moved away from the couch and walked with determination over to the window.

He ran his hand through his hair and wiped the sweat from his red forehead as he stood beside me.

“Dom,”

Alpha Dom- last i heard he had three wives and more misstresses than anyone could keep track of.

“Pleasure,” I said, remembering that I was the one with power right now. He dragged his nose down my neck and my breath hitched. He stepped closer, pressing at me from behind- his hands still contained at his sides.

The door opened up behind us and Dom smirked as he turned to face Lady Hale. His eyes flickered to mine ever so subtly and I saw a fire in his eyes that looked far too determined for my liking. A sinister scowl on his face grew when he saw my hesitation that lasted for only a second before I wiped any proof of it. These men did not take kindly on being rejected and even less so on being disrespected.

My eyes went to Iliana again, I needed to make sure that she was alright and I saw her smile happily- her eyes playing perfectly as the flirt with her chosen Alpha.

Liv was lifted of the couch, she was put down on her feet and the Alpha grabbed a dress from Captain Talas hands and slid it over her head to cover her naked body. Her face is red and her chest falls in a sigh as she looked up at the alpha with round eyes. He placed her hair behind her ear and smiled- Liv leaned on him and her lips pulled up in contentment.

What? Why the hell was she smiling?

“Did you think she hated it?” My head snapped to the side and I looked at Dom. He clicked his tongue and put a grape in his mouth before he moved around me. “Nobody hates it.” He whispered with a wink as he walked away.

Nobody hates it.

Liv was leaning on her toes and her lips were moving by his ear- Dom walked behind her and licked his lips when Liv talked to the other Alpha. Whatever she was saying, he liked it, he nodded his head and his dark eyes narrowed dangerously on her face.

She came to stand beside me- the baby blue dress fell to her feet and left little to the imagination when the sheer fabric exposed her entire body but still she stood straight with confidence and clasped her hands behind her back.

Her eyes slowly turned in a side eye and she watched me,“how’s my braid?” She asked timidly.

I sighed, my shoulders fell and I looked at her braid but I had to move around her to really get a good glimpse of how it fell down her back. All I saw from here was the messy locks that had fallen and the blonde strands against her skin only made her red face all that brighter,

I saw the hope in her eyes, she wanted me to fix it so I bit down.

Lady Hale seemed occupied with the Alphas, they were signing their names on a scripture that would be rolled up and later unraveled to see if they got the girl they wanted. All of this was like a god damn poker game- a game of luck and cunning.

Liv groaned and her eyes grew twice the size as she impatiently stomped her foot. I rolled my eyes and stepped behind her.

“Calm down.” I said and grabbed her braid in my hands. Liv was taller by a good amount so I had to tip on my toes to reach the upper part of her hair that had landed in tussles on top of her head.

“Stand still,” I seethe when Liv pulled her head to the side. I got that it stung but those pieces of hair had tangled in the loops and I had to pull them out and redo her braid- constantly looking over her shoulder at Lady Hale.

I saw the last Alpha signing his name and the pen lifting from the sheet- just as I tightened Liv’s braid, tucked the last pieces in and hurriedly tied the hair tie.

I heard the breath seep between her clenched teeth and felt her fingers gripped my arm tightly and I fell to her side just as Lady Hale looked at us.

Liv was that beautiful girl that you compared yourself to when you stood in the mirror and touched at your face or moved your hand through your hair. The one you expect will be a bitch but who in reality is one the kindest girls in our pack, always helping out and making sure everyone feels included.

She would go down for anyone in her pack, she was a hell of a fighter and deserved someone much better than the slim pickings we had here. If I had to choose then maybe Emmanuel was a good fit for her, he had a kind heart and not even one wife- which trust you me- was a rarity.

“The moon is nearly red,” I saw her lip pull up in a mocking grin. Was it mocking or was it just me? “are we ready?” Her brows raised, her chest pushed out and her braid fell over her shoulder down to her hip.

“Yes Lady Hale.” We say in unison.

She looked over each of us and turned halfway. No, not mocking, just wildly enjoying this twisted game of power. Lady Hale enjoyed being game master, that much was clear and it was enough for me to lose all respect for her.

“I must say, Alpha’s, this years choices are something else. I understand you’ve had a hard time narrowing your preys.” She walked to the wall and stood by a low handing tassel to which a long rope was attached. The golden strings strung tightly and reached all the way up to the ceiling where it disappeared through a hole.

She wrapped her fingers around the tassel, her face changed into a cold calm- as though this was what she lived for- and then her eyes turned yellow.

“You have ten minutes, girls, make the most of them.” Throughout this whole evening I had heard hints of pleasure and joy in ever word that Lady Hale spoke. Until now. This was the first time that her voice was absolutely, undoubtably serious.

Some of the Alpha’s were standing, some were sitting but all were waiting for the Hunt. They were prepared, they would outrun each and every girl here but I wasn't planning on outrunning them- the run was for them- I just didn't want to be chosen by one of the ones who had a wicked mind.

We turned around and faced the glass wall. I try to see him through the reflection, I try to spot Emanuel and lock gazes.

Holy heavens, please don't let anyone else catch me…he is the lesser of the evils here.

I watched as the wall slowly parted and once it reached into the hinges on each side was when the clock started.

The loud thud with a click that locked it into place made us jump and the timer started counting down.

I ran- I ran as fast and as far as I could without shifting and letting Trixy take over. I was still faster than a human but slower than an Alpha and by my counting I only had three minutes of running before they were unleashed and sent after us.

All of the girls scattered, running in different directions and exploring various edges of the forest. I tried to see what was in front of me or hear anything that would take me to the nearest road but I couldn't- I couldn't even hear the other girls so I just ran. My bare feet were cut on rocks and sticks poked into my heel but the worst was the thorns from the veining branches that stabbed into the soles of my feet and wraped around my ankles; I hissed as part of my skin was cut off and left behind. Branches on trees and wild grown bushes slapped me in the face when I ran through them.

The moon was my only source of light but covered by the red shadow it did little to help show me a path through the forest. With every drop of blood that stained the leaves, I left more for the alphas to smell. It would be child’s play for them to find us when we left so much of our scent behind. The earthy aroma and damp smell of the grass from rain that had poured before we arrived would normally calm me. My soul would heal from a walk or a run in these woods if I wasn't about to be chased and stripped of my freedom. It wasn't exactly a serene promenade.

I froze for a second- one second to long- when one loud slam against the gong let us know that it was time and the Alpha’s had officially been released. They would walk at first, laugh to themselves as they sniffed us out and once they caught the scent of the girl they wanted, they would go for the attack and they would run until they caught her.

I was trying to touch as little as possible to leave behind less of a scent but the blood trail from my feet would more than give me away. If an alpha caught my scent and I was the girl he wanted to claim, there was little I could do to sway him.

I groaned when I missed to duck for a branch and it nicked my lip.

“Fuck,” i touched the blood with my fingers and saw the perfect crimson color melting into the creases on my finger.

I should've left when I had the chance. It was an idea I'd had for a year leading up to today; I would go to the chalice ritual, let them rank me and degrade me and then, when they put the blindfold on and loaded me into the truck I was going to wait until they’d driven for a while before I jumped out. They wouldn't care that they were one girl down, they probably wouldn't even have noticed my absence. I should've made a run for it, it was too late now and all I could do in this moment was hope that the Alpha’s hunted the other girls and left me be.

“Trixy, come on!”

I could feel her getting tired and it was understandable, the timing just sucked.

“I need a break, and food” she growled.

Food, I can find you food. I ran down the declining leaf covered grass and continued to a clearing. My feet were now mostly covered in blood and left traces the size of footsteps but if I could find a doe for Trixy then she could eat and we could continue. Maybe if she had the strength, we could run away from here before we were caught.

“You dream to big” she snidely remarked but I rolled my eyes and ignored her.

I stoped and I waited, knowing that this was the last thing one wanted to do during the Hunt. The alpha’s wouldn't stop, they wouldn't sympathize with your starving wolf or your injured body. They would see prey and jump, and I would be finished. But it wasn't over until they found me; until then I had a shot. Until then, I could still win. Seeing what they did to Liv simply becuase the could was motivation enough to keep running. If they could do that in a room full of people, what could they do in a room with one of us alone? I wondered what had happened with illiana and the king. They had been alone, no witnesses or specattors. Just them. And she walked out...different.

“Keep running” Trixy said but I heard on her voice how she was getting weaker.

“No you need to eat,”

“I can’t” I heard the snap of a branch not to far away and felt how every muscle in my body froze. It should come around those trees and the wild berry bushes- they love those berries.

“Why not?” I asked while keeping full focus on the hooves moving closer.

“We can't shift, it’s the chalice, Hazel. I'm not of any use to you until the Hunt is over”

I watched the doe step out with the big eyes on alert darting around the clearing to make sure it was safe.

“So even if you eat-“

“I still won't be able to take over” she said.

The ears on the doe fluttered and she saw the wild berries. I narrowed in on her chest, saw the beat of her heart and tasted the bloody meat on my lips as though I had already sunk my teeth into her.

My stomach growled, she turned her head and looked at me- straight into my eyes as though she could my mind- and I knew she could sense that she wasn't alone. I didn’t have a knife to use on her and if I couldn't shift and let Trixy go for the kill then this was all futile.

I pressed my hands against the tree and pushed back. I needed to keep running before they caught up but just when I turned to run I heard a scream that filled the air. Birds flew from their trees leaving behind a single feather that glided in the wind until it landed at my feet. A loud howl followed the silence of the girl and I knew that someone had just been claimed and marked.

One girl down.

I hadn't experienced it myself but I had heard about the pain that accompanied being marked. When an Alpha took his chosen mate and sank his teeth into her, marking her flesh for all eternity and tying them together through a soul string- it’s an unimaginable pain. I once heard from a wanderer, a human, about a form of torture that they used on those who had committed crimes- extract information or simply because they had done something unforgivable. I could imagine the torture of which he spoke was equivalent to the pain of being marked.

Us wolves have high tolerance for pain, so I could only imagine how much it had to hurt to be marked if even we cower at the impact. The pain wasn't for the fated mates, they would experience euphoric highs. It was for the chosen mates alone, when the male sent his venom into our veins.

I shivered at the thought and preyed to the gods that I wouldn't have to go through it.

The doe behind me she saw me stagger back and we both stoped and stared at each other. She backed up, one step and then two and I stayed put- she jumped up on her hind legs and spun around like in a dance before she took of running into the woods. I watched her disappear between the trees and decided to turn the other way, no need to frighten the poor animal further by running after her.

Running far and fast was my only option so I took one step ready to surge through the woods when I saw the shadow of a beast for a single second before he slammed me into the ground.

No. Shit.

His yellow eyes bored into mine and his lips curled displaying his white teeth, including the canines he so shamelessly let show.

The leaves covered my face and my body brushed against the rough ground when he pulled my ankles, dragging me across the dirt.

I looked around to find something- anything- that could be used as a weapon. I couldn't be marked if I was not caught.

As though the gods heard my pleads I saw the phallic shaped rock by the pile of degree to my right. I gasped, my nails dug into the damp ground and I couldn't turn to see what was happening but I could feel it; his claws pressing into my skin, cutting through my flesh layer by layer.

I reached out, my fingers graced the stone as I saw it passing in my vision and I tossed my body with the little strength I had and grab it as I was being dragged.

Trixy pushed through for her last will and we kicked one time- one hard time- enough to free one foot and feel his claws dragging down until he lost his grip. A low vibration growl rumbled form his chest and I knew he enjoyed that I put up a fight but I didn't recognize the sound.

Panting and heaving I turned on my back and watched his shadowed face under the branches of the trees.

“Dom.”

He growled, his lip curled exposing his teeth and a dark chuckle rumbled from him.

“Did you think I wanted the one I fucked?” He asked.

He pulled my ankle, leaned down and grabbed my arms. He lifted me into a standing position and his whiskey covered breath was fanning my face and the bastard was laughing at me. His entire face shifted in amusement.

He leaned in closer and his lips pulled back over his canines, “I prefer mine untouched.” He said in a sneer laced with promise.