Chapter 3

THE SILVERCREST CLAN It took hours before Odessa and the Lycans that had taken her hostage arrived in their clan. She was woken up by a heavy smack across her face that had her jolted up instantly, rubbing her eyes and narrowing her gaze to fit the brightness of the day. A whole day? They had been on the road until it was dark. As much as she tried to comport herself and not fall asleep, she couldn't cheat nature. Here she was, pushed down from the carriage, and standing in the middle of a field–like area. There were lots of women working—men also, but the crowd bore more women. She darted her eyes around, catching a glimpse of the faces in the field. “Are they werewolves or humans?” she questioned herself, her brows raised. “Both!” A man responded to her from behind. “Now, you will have to abide by the rules of the lycan, or you will meet your demise faster than you imagined.” he continued, his voice coming closer. Odessa turned to see that it was Ronan with a sword in his hand. Was he a savage prince or what? The way he packed his hair into a ponytail and a golden ring tightened it like a bond. His cloak swayed on the floor, making it difficult for his feet to be seen. His robe was designed with golden pearls as well, but one thing that almost ruined his color was a burn–like scar on the back of his palm. She stepped back a bit, taking a good look at him. He didn't look too harsh, but she believed that one like him would behead her without a blink of an eye. “From today, you are a slave in this clan, and you have no say.” his brows wrinkled. “Follow me!” She lowered her head, wanting to inquire where the other men had already gone, but she recalled that she had no business with it. Now that she's in the Lycan Clan, all that matters is her safety and life. She would do whatever it would take for her to live, at least. Her palms curled against each other, resting on her upper abdomen while she followed Ronan gradually until they entered a huge gate made of black stones. It was something costly and precious in her Pack and was also rare. How then did they get it that it was used to construct a good-for-nothing gate? She could recall a time when her brothers were able to catch a lot of it and had it sold. The money generated from it was more than enough to feed the whole pack members and had extra that was used in the construction of certain things in the pack. But since then, they hadn't set eyes on any again. Odessa looked around, the screams of women almost deafening her. “Are they being punished or about to be killed?” she mumbled, hurrying towards Ronan, who had walked faster than her. There were women all seated on the floor. Some were busy with chores, too. Where then was the scream coming from? She stepped her feet on the pavement, a broad building constructed with bricks. She released her arms, putting them at her side while they walked deeper into the building. After so many walks, she came across a room with a wide iron door. “Blood of the moon goddess!” she stumbled backwards, her voice pulling the attention of Ronan. She shook her head, staring back at the man who took cold but steady steps toward her. His looks were icy like she was going to be devoured. “Forgive me! I got unnecessarily scared.” Ronan snorted and turned immediately, and she hurried towards him. Her heart pounded against her ribs. She felt her heart would leap into her throat. “An interrogation room? That woman won't survive it. I wonder what crime she committed.” she thought, winking. She envisioned the blood that had soaked up the woman's body and how she had already passed out. “How will my life end up here? Will I pass through that hell, too?” She shook her head, getting the thoughts outta her mind. There's no way she would conclude a fate for herself when she isn't even aware of why they put the woman in such a situation. “Open the gate!” The commanding voice of Ronan made her halt. She watched as a guard walked forward and unlocked the heavy padlock that was used on the broad metallic gate. Ronan turned to her, “This is where you belong until it's your turn….” Turn? Turn to do what? To die or suffer? She took a hard gulp, and her heart flinched. “Step in by yourself, or I'll tell the guard to help you,” Ronan said to her in a hoarse tune. She avoided his gaze and trailed towards the gate. Her lips dropped open when she got to see the multitude of women sitting in the huge messed-up cell. They all looked tattered and hungry with several wounds on their faces and body. Just as she crossed the gate, the sound of it being shut back echoed, causing her to turn. She dipped her fingers into her hair and yanked it hard, but not a single scream left her lips. “Isn't she the Alpha Princess of the Moon Scarlet Pack?” Odessa turned the moment she heard the mention of her pack. Her eyes fell on each of them gradually until she was done with them. “She is. I wonder how she ended up here.” “Why won't she, when she killed her parents? Her brothers must have tossed her out.” Her grip on her clothes tightened. Why would they be saying such a thing in such a condition that they were? With the look of it, they were all werewolves. “If an Alpha Princess could end up here, then who are we not to endure it all?” She gritted her teeth. So, they still see her as an Alpha Princess, and then it means they are from the neighboring packs. She is the only one from the Moon Scarlet Pack, so there would be no one who would call her a slave in their midst. She took a good look around and found a space in which she got seated. The floor was damn cold, and so was the wall. “I'll catch a cold once I stay here for a long time. I don't have a wolf, so the tortures will affect me so much.” she pondered and swallowed hard. Her arms rested on her knees while she looked up to the rooftop. “What a miserable life I have.” she bit the side of her lips. “If only my parents would stand and attest that I'm innocent. It's too late, I think. Even if they do, I can't leave here anymore.” The gate made a heavy noise, and the ladies were all rushing backwards. Odessa only looked at them. She didn't understand what was going on. Two hefty men dashed into the cell, took a good look at them, and went forward, grabbing two ladies from the middle and taking them out of the cell with them. She licked her lips and had her eyes shut. “So this is how they do it? Taking us one after the other?” she let her eyes open, followed by a heavy sigh. “I hope they take me next.”