Chapter 2 2

"They protect us, Lorelai. If it weren't for the wolves, our village would have been destroyed during the great war, the vampires would own humans, and we would simply be walking blood bags," she reminded.

"As opposed to walking sex slaves?" I taunted, and her scowl deepened.

"Enough, Lorelai. It's the way things are. We are human, surrounded by creatures far more terrifying than us. We must accept the blessings we are given, and that is the protection from the alphas," she said, then left the room, expecting me to follow.

I did-just as the horn blared from the bonfire.

Mother's eyes widened. "Lorelai, run!"

2. The Offering

"What, why?" I demanded.

"They are here! You cannot be late or our family will be cast to the Vampire Territory!" she cried.

I sucked in a breath. I had never seen that happen before.

She pulled a shawl over her shoulders, then grabbed my hand, abandoning our hut and hauling me through the matching homes.

It was bloody freezing, the warmth of the fire and wooden floorboards at home changing to damp grass and soft mud. I hadn't even put on my twine shoes.

Apparently, that was less of an infraction than being late.

Mother and I raced through the huts toward the bonfire as the music leveled and the villagers fell quiet.

The night air was cold and ominous as my mother pushed me into the lineup with the other offerings, all wearing the same provided silk lace dress that I was. They had their twine feet decor on though.

Breathing hard, I eyed the dark carriages on the gravel behind the bonfire. There were two of them, both black with a wolf head on the side.

Mother patted my hair down and readjusted my dress as the others were fluffed by their own guardians.

"Mom." I smacked her hand away as she tried to stand me straighter. I was already taller than the other girls, I didn't need to stand out more.

I hadn't been nervous before, but now I was; something about standing there on display, waiting for them to climb from the carriages, had my heart racing.

"Please them, Lorelai. Make them happy," my mom whispered.

"They have everything they could ever want or need in their fancy mansion; they have access to any girl in the entire Werewolf Territory. How the hell am I meant to please them with a vagina I've never used before?" I demanded in a hushed tone, and my mom tried to hide her smirk, failing as she held my face and kissed my forehead.

"I know the books you read, my dear, you know exactly what to do." She winked back, and I snickered, drawing frowns my way.

I ignored them and hugged my mom.

"I love you," I whispered against her.

"I love you too." She breathed, then stepped back. She looked over me, her eyes filled with pride, just as the moon began to cast red shadows over everything.

I sucked in a breath and looked up. The blood moon.

"Holy shit," I bit, my legs feeling like jelly as the severity of the situation hit me.

It wasn't just sex. It was three alpha douchebags claiming my body in exchange for my family's protection. A family I didn't even get to see because of their stupid laws.

My eyes scanned the crowd, locking on navy eyes and a face almost identical to mine.

My brother.

He was taller than me, with clean stubble covering his jawline. His hair was dark like mine, his body slender like mine, his lips full like mine.

My eyes watered as I felt the twin connection burn through me, still as strong as ever, and I hadn't realized how scared I had been of not feeling that.

I clutched my arms tightly, the cold air giving me goosebumps as I smiled at him.

"Lucas," I breathed, and as soon as the name left my lips, a shadow fell over me.

I gasped, shrinking back from the wall of a man that towered over me. He was huge, muscles uncovered, body heat radiating from his form. His green eyes caught mine, and his lips curled back as he shoved his dark hair back from his face.

Nikolai Ferus. The Grassland alpha was staring me down, but it was his tattoos that caught my attention: grasslands turning to forest, then to an ocean on his arm before bursting into inky flames across his chest.

He snarled at me, and my eyes shot back to his. I refused to cower though, refused to step back. I hadn't done anything wrong.

"Are we interrupting something?"

His husky voice did something to my stomach. I looked behind him to my mother, who was standing with my father. He narrowed his eyes at me, then nodded once, and I knew I had to make him proud.

I couldn't let him down after not seeing him for years.

"No."

"Are your knees broken?"

That voice pulled at something inside me again, and I shook my head, seeing the other offerings bowing before the alphas.

The other two were watching, their eyes full of hunger, their bodies just as intense and rippled in abs and muscle as the one in front of me.

"Shit, sorry," I cursed, bending like the others before grimacing at my use of language.

The leanest of the alphas, Braxton Trux, the Water alpha, barked out a laugh before coming over and putting his hand on the shoulder of Nikolai.

He had a similar arm tattoo, but his started with the water. The other one started with the forest.