A SLAVE TO MY LYCAN MASTER

Chapter 1

~Emily~

"Emily!! Emily!"

My mother's voice echoed from outside the house as she ran inside, gasping for breath.

Her face was covered with sweat and her breathing tensed as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Mother," I called, my voice laced with worry as I approached her.

I just clocked twenty and as per usual tradition, I was tasked with taking care of the newborn in my small village.

"Where's Steph?" She asked, her eyes darting back and forth as though she was searching for something.

Stephanie or Steph as she was fondly called was my twin sister, even though we were barely identical and always at opposing sides.

"Where's your sister? Fetch her immediately," my mother, Rose, sparked, making me flinch. I had never seen her this way before.

"What's going on mother?" I asked, my brows creased, a look of confusion etched on my face.

"Get your sister Immediately," she snapped, her voice filled with rage. "Now!" She roared.

I dashed out immediately, my heart pounding in my chest as I went in search of my sister.

"What could be the matter?" I wondered.

My village, Riverdew, known to harbor peaceful and peasant fishermen was a small village hidden deep in the woods.

For years, we had maintained peace and unity by staying low and not meddling in the affairs of other scary creatures, like the werewolves and vampires.

My father, Chief Raven, had ruled as the chief before his death. Even though the cause of his death was still unknown as his body was never found.

"Steph! Steph?" I screamed my lungs out, my eyes darting back and forth as I scanned the vicinity in search of her.

The air was filled with the smell of decayed fish, which was the usual in Riverdew. "Arghh!" I groaned, stomping my right foot angrily as the rays from the scorching sun were beginning to get to me.

"Where the hell could she be?" I wondered, my face twisted in a frown.

Although we were twins, Steph had very opposing characters compared to me.

I was fondly known as the humble and cool headed one. Steph on the other hand was indifferent, she believed in going toe to toe with everyone, even our mom, they never get along.

"Steph!" I shouted again, already visibly pissed. The sun was boiling hot and I could no longer withstand it.

"Lycans! They are here!" Someone screamed, panting from afar as he ran past me, almost running me over.

"Run for your lives," the crowd suddenly shouted as people scampered in different directions, screaming for help while they gathered their loved ones.

"What's going on?" I muttered, my voice trembling as I spoke. "Run girl! Run!" A woman barked at me, her face twisted in disgust.

I cowered stealthily, still heading deeper into the market. "No matter what happens, I can't leave her," I muttered underneath my breath.

The thought of Lycans being real sent a wave of shock down my back. I had taken it as a mere fairy tale parents tell their children to keep them away from the boats at night.

Unlike humans, Lycans were said to be stronger, more intelligent and definitely more attractive, their only flaw was their intense rage and lust for blood.

But if my childhood stories were real, then it meant only one thing, doom.

"Emily, wait up!" Someone shouted my name from behind, making me turn immediately.

There she was, Steph, dripped in mud as she ran towards me, balls of sweat all over her face.

"I'm sorry......." She started to say but I cut her off. "Just shut up and run," I snapped, pulling her arm.

We had barely run a distance before the cries of villagers began to fill the air. "The blood suckers are here!," They shouted, scampering away in their numbers.

"Look, Emily, behind you," Steph shouted, looking behind as her eyes widened in shock.

"Holy moly!" I exclaimed, my mouth slightly ajar as I looked back. "Hold me tightly," I muttered, staring at the gory scene in front of me.

The Lycans were in their hundreds, riding on beast-like horses as they slaughtered anyone within their reach.

I gulped down an invisible lump in my throat as I watched the villagers run back and forth, in a bid to hide themselves.

"Where's mom?" Steph suddenly asked, her eyes narrowed as she stared at me.

"Fuck, mom!" I screamed, dashing with pace quickly as I ran towards our house.

I had been so engrossed with the gory bloodbath happening in front of me that I forgot about my mom.

Steph was behind me, panting loudly as she struggled to keep up. My legs ache badly but I couldn't stop, I had to keep running if I wanted to remain alive.

After about ten minutes, we finally arrived as we sprinted inside the house, not minding the deafening silence that plagued the air.

Our house or cottage as it seemed to be, was the typical village nest, made with red bricks and bamboo, nothing special.

"Mom!" I called, my voice trembling in fear as I barged into her room, even though it was empty.

"Where could she be?" I wondered, my heart beating faster than normal

"Mom!" Steph called, her voice laced with worry but a deafening silence followed.

"Let's check the back," Steph said, running towards the back as I followed, my heart pounding in my chest.

We ran to the back, my heart beat increased with each step I took. My mom was my only family left after Steph, I couldn't afford to lose her.

The back was close to the woods, so it was usually my mom's place of solace as she also served as a healer.

As we reached the back, I couldn't help but stare in shock at the scene in front of me.

"What happened here?" I whispered, my eyes widened in shock as I stared at the garden which was always meticulously taken care of by my mother now trampled upon and in ruins.

It was as though Steph read my mind immediately as she also ran towards me, her eyes clouded in sadness. "Something is wrong," she muttered, her voice trembling.

"Relax, Steph, let's just keep searching," I replied, nodding my head slowly in affirmation.

As much as I wanted to act tough and positive, I couldn't shrug off the eerie feeling I felt, something was definitely not right.

Suddenly we heard a faint noise from inside the woods. "Let me go."

"Huh! Did you hear that?" Sheph shrieked, her face lit up a little. "Did you hear that?" She repeated.

"Shh, listen," I muttered, waving my hand dismissively. "Let's not get too excited, something is wrong," I added, taking a step closer.

As I walked deeper into the woods, my eyes darting back and forth for any sign of the Lycans, someone tapped me from behind.

"Em...." My mom stuttered, blood dripping from her mouth. "Mom!!" I shrieked, my voice trembling as I stared at her in shock.

"What happened?" I asked, trying to touch her. But just before I could touch her, she shrieked, her eyes widened.

"Run," she whispered, before dropping to the cold floor, her blood dripping from her back.

"Mom," I cried, running towards her but someone held me from behind. His towering figure sent chills down my spine.

"Gotcha," he smirked, laughing hysterically. "Let me go," I cried, gripping and biting my way out but I was no match for him.

I raised my eyes up a little, my mouth slightly opened. Right behind me, was the most terrifying mortal I had ever laid my eyes on.

He had just an eye, with a large scar on his forehead. His green eyes pierced into me, as though he was searching through my soul.

I took a step back, my eyes darting back and forth in search of Steph. But it was too late, she had already been caught.

"Tie them up," the guard shouted, his voice low and menacing. "Zayne will be pleased," he added, laughing hysterically.

And that was the beginning of my unending suffering.

~Emily~

"Water, please," Steph begged, crumbling on the hard floor as she gasped for breath.

"Pull her up," a guard shouted, his voice sending chills down my spine.

"Please, she needs water, it's been days," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.

It's been days since we were captured by the lycans, forced to travel under the scorching sun of an unforgiving desert.

The lycans rode on horses, while they held our chains, pulling us as fast as they could, as though we were nothing but animals.

"Get up you bitch," the one eyed guard thundered, his loud voice echoing as he dismounted his horse. He was the leader of the guards and the most heartless among them.

"Move bitch!" He growled, wielding his wooden spike in his hand with his eyes blazing like primal fire as he glared at her.

Steph remained unfazed, unable to speak with her slow shallow breaths. "I need water," she mumbled incoherently, her voice barely audible.

"How dare you!" he barked, raising his spike as he prepared to strike her.

"Leave her alone," I screamed, my voice low and even. He abruptly stopped mid-air , his face twisted in a frown as he turned backwards.

"Who said that?" He asked, walking closer with his eyes moving from one prisoner to another but no one seemed to budge, I guess they gloated at him as much as I did.

"Are you guys dumb?" He sparked, his eyes blazing with fury. "I said who did that?" He barked.

My palms suddenly became sweaty as I gulped down an invisible lump in my throat. A few people were beginning to face me and I knew it won't be long before I'm fished out.

"I'm the o....."

"Enough!" Another guard shouted, cutting me off. "Enough of this charade," he added, his voice cold and firm.

"And who are you to challenge me?" The one eyed guard growled, his voice laced with contempt as he approached him.

The guard who interrupted remained mute, his gaze fixed on the one eyed guard.

"What do you think Zayne will do if he finds out you killed children too?" He asked, his brows raised as a sly smile crept on his face.

"Shut the fuck up!" The one eyed guard growled, his fists clenched as they engaged in a face off.

"Get back in line, all of you," he growled, glaring at the guard who interrupted before mounting his horse.

I immediately grabbed Steph's arm, putting her arm over my shoulder. "Thank you," I mouthed at the guard who Interrupted.

"Next time, keep shut," he muttered. "Thorn could be reckless atimes," he added, nodding at me before mounting his horse too.

"Everybody move!"

____________

"Open the gates!" Thorn shouted, his loud voice echoing through the walls.

"Are we there yet?" Steph whispered, her voice barely audible as she leaned on me. "We are here," I replied, my eyes fixed at the gigantic gate in front of me.

Lycans were said to be extremely attractive but I guess it wasn't applicable to all of them.

"Welcome to hell motherfuckers," the lycans screamed, laughing hysterically as we marched inside, bounded on both arms and legs.

The walls of the city were painted red with scary old statues littered at every corner.

"All hail Akash, queen of the damned," Thorn shouted, prostrating before one of the statues. "All hail our great queen," the others chorused.

"I'm tired," Steph muttered, squeezing my shoulder tightly. Her breathing was tense and her legs jittery.

"Move," a guard growled, nudging me forward as he shot me a deadly glare.

As we walked deeper into the city, I couldn't help but ponder on the eerie feeling I felt within.

The stench of dirt and blood that filled the air, the odd looking lycans that glared at us as we walked, all these made my skin crawl.

Thorn led us deeper into the castle, until we arrived at a worn out cell, filled with other slaves roaming about in chains.

"Welcome to your new home," he sneered before pushing us into the cage-like structure.

We stumbled on one another at the entrance. Our chains clanking noisily as we crumbled on the heap of racoon's faeces littered on the cold floor.

"Ouch," I whimpered, my legs trembled as a colony of spiders crawled on them.

The cell was just as distasteful as the lycan s, with cobwebs hanging at the edges and corners.

"Ema," Steph called, holding onto my leg tightly as though her life depended on it. "Grab my hand," I muttered, stretching my hand towards her.

"You all should get some rest, some of you might not survive the night," he said, laughing hysterically before locking the cage.

"Huh! What did he mean by that?" I wondered, my eyes clouded in fear.

As much as I despised the beastly nature Thorn possessed, I couldn't deny the fact that he wasn't one to make jokes at a time like this.

"Steph, wake up," I muttered, tapping her gently with my eyes darting back and forth."Hold my hand," I added, my voice laced in fear.

The other prisoners were either too weak or too scared to make a move, as they all laid still, unfazed.

After a while, in what seemed like a short notice, it was finally dark. The cries of bats filled the air with lycan guards chanting war songs just outside the courtyard.

But even though every other prisoner was either asleep or resting, I couldn't, my gut wouldn't let me.

As I looked around the cage, with Thorn's last words still lingering in my head, my eyes caught a figure watching us from across the other end. It was a girl, she looked more or less my age but with blue piercing eyes, her gaze was intense and it only made me crawl closer to where she sat.

"Uhm, hi," I stuttered, unsure of what to say. "Go away," she whispered, her voice cold and harsh.

Her response caught me off guard as I had expected her to act friendlier judging by the fact that she had been staring at us all along but I didn't let it get to me as I had a more pressing reason for coming.

"Uhmm, I'm sorry if I'm bothering you but I need your help," I muttered, my voice barely audible as I stared at her with pleading eyes.

"Pfft," she scoffed. How can I help you?" She added, turning her eyes towards me this time.

"Uhmm, you seemed to be here longer than most of us, I need your help?" I muttered, staring at her with pleading eyes.

She stared at me keenly, her face void of emotions. "You want to know if you will be dying tonight?" She asked, her voice low and firm.

"Y-yes," I stuttered, leaning closer.

"You are already dead," she replied, turning her back on me as she leaned on the wall.

Suddenly, the door creaked open as Thorn barged in, his eyes glinting in the dark. "Who goes first?" He asked, smiling mischievously.

His eyes darted back and forth, as though he was scanning our faces, then it landed on Steph. "Found one," he squealed, grinning from ear to ear.

"No, no," I muttered, rushing towards Steph. She was deeply asleep, oblivious of what was happening.

Just before Thorn dragged her, the girl from earlier spoke. "They are virgins," she muttered. "Human virgins."

"I don't believe you," Thorn replied, his face twisted in disgust as he stared at me.

"You can find out if you want," the lady retorted, her face twisted in a frown.

Her words seemed to get to him as he grabbed another prisoner before walking out.

"Thank you," I mumbled. "Don't thank me yet, you will still die anyways," she replied, closing her eyes gently.

~Emily~

"Get up! Get up!" Thorn roared, hitting the iron cage, his voice echoing in the room.

"Arghh!" I groaned, rubbing my eyes weakly as they flickered open. I had barely slept for an hour and the sun was already up.

"Wake up bitches, Hey!" He barked, hitting the iron window more aggressively. Steph was still deeply asleep, her breathing erratic and slow.

"Steph! It's morning," I muttered, tapping her slightly. She grumbled, her eyelids fluttering as she opened them weakly.

"Move out," the guards yelled, grabbing our chains as they dragged us outside, into the scorching sun.

"Take it easy on her," I yelled, eying the guard as he pulled Steph's chain. She was barely awake and unable to voice out her pains.

The guards kept on pulling our chains, deeper into the castle until we stopped at the courtyard, just outside the main building.

"Sit," Thorn growled, his voice laced with disgust as his eyes darted back and forth.

"Ouch!" Steph whimpered, her lips quivering as she sat. "Take it easy," I muttered, patting her hair slowly.

We were all ladies, lined up like sheeps ready to be castrated. It was our second day and we still hadn't seen the leader, the great, infamous Zayne as they called him.

As we sat together, murmuring and sobbing, suddenly, the door burst open, revealing a chubby, short woman dressed in maiden's in a blue flawless gown.

Her eyes were bloodshot red with a smile on her face that barely reached her eyes. Her movement was smooth and quick.

All eyes were fixed on her, following her every move as she came in front of us.

Thorn, the evil guard, was standing beside her, his face twisted in a frown as he glared at us.

"Good morning nitwits," she rasped, her voice laced with disgust and urgency. "Today is your lucky day," she said, smiling widely.

She glared at us one last time before bringing out a long piece of paper she had hidden in her bag.

"Some of you might stop being slaves starting from today, but first, you have to pass a test," she said, her eyes darting back and forth as she scanned our faces.

The whole slaves went mad with frenzy as everyone began to murmur and mumble incoherently.

"Silence!" The maid roared, her eyes blazing like a burning furnace. "I'm Crystal and I'm your boss," she said, her voice harsh and cold.

Although her appearance tend to undermine her, crystal was surely a hard nut to crack and the slaves knew it as the crowd fell silent immediately after her outburst.

"Now that I have your attention, I want everyone to line up in three lines," she demanded, gritting her teeth.

As though controlled by a controller, everyone stepped up immediately irrespective of how tired they were.

"What's going on?" Steph asked, holding onto my hands as I stretched them towards her.

"Get up," I muttered, pulling her up gently. "What's going on?" She repeated weakly, her lips trembling.

"Three lines! Form three lines, fools," Thorn growled, his long whip shining brightly in his hand. He quickly turned, his eyes fixed on me.

"Get in line bitch," he spat, his face twisted in a frown. "I'm try-ying," I stuttered, pulling Steph.

She could barely stand, her legs were bent making it impossible to lift her up. "Fuck!" I groaned, filled with frustration. The other slaves were already in line, murmuring within themselves.

"Let me help you," someone muttered behind me, before grabbing Steph's other hand. I immediately turned towards her direction.

"Huh! You?" I mouthed, my eyes widened in shock. It was the slave from last night. She looked different this time, it was as though she was a completely different person.

"Could you grab her other hand," she snapped, jolting me out of my thoughts. With her help, we were able to get in line.

I had lots of questions to ask but I couldn't, all that mattered to me was nothing other than passing the test.

After settling down in three lines, we were led to a hall, right beside the king's chamber.

"Move your sorry asses down there," Thorn barked, his usual cold and intimidating voice.

The maiden who helped me was still beside me, she was probably tired of running. "Come with me," she muttered, grabbing Steph's arm as I followed behind.

As we limped to the hall, with Steph's hand on each of our shoulders, I couldn't help but steal glances at her, the maiden from last night.

"Tha-nk you for last night," I muttered, biting my lower lip nervously. Then it dawned on me, I didn't even know her name.

With a final resolve, I summoned the courage to ask her, unsure of what her reaction might be. "Wh-hat's your na-me?" I stammered, my gaze drifted away.

"It's irrelevant and don't thank me yet," she muttered. "You have no idea what you just got yourself into," she added, her voice cold and urgent.

Her expression was void of emotion, her eyes darting back and forth. It was as though she knew more than she was letting out.

"What do you...."

"We are here," she muttered, interrupting me.

"No freaking way!" I exclaimed, my eyes widened in shock as I stared at the most beautiful man made structure I had ever seen.

"Is this real?" I stammered, my eyes darting back and forth as I scanned the room.

The walls were painted white, with red shiny crystal-like ornaments on each side. The chandeliers were a hue of red and white, turning slowly above us.

"Enough with all the weird stares, you look stupid," the maiden said, her face clearly twisted in disgust. Everything I did seemed to piss her off.

"I'm sorry," I began to say but she waved her hand dismissively, cutting me off. "I don't want to hear it," she snapped.

I immediately kept mute, biting my lips nervously. After what seemed like a minute, we were lined up with the other maidens.

"I guess you guys are settled in now, I have to go," the maiden muttered, her eyes fixed on Steph with a glint that I couldn't decipher.

"Where are you going?" I asked, my voice barely audible. "What about the test?" I added.

She stared at me, a small smile on her face as she held my shoulders. "No matter what you do, make sure you pass the test, your life depends on it," she muttered, nodding her head slowly. "My name is Scarlett by the way."

And with that, she turned her back on us, walking away as she disappeared into the crowd.

I watched her leave, my eyes fixed on her blue gown until it was out of sight. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't realize when a tear dropped from my eyes.

As much as I hated her guts, Scarlett saved my life twice already. She might act cold but I loved her regardless and her departure made my heart drop like ice on a warm floor.

"Can I have your attention please," The speakers blared noisily, jolting me out of my thoughts. Crystal was on the Podium, her green eyes piercing into the crowd.

"The king will address all of you soon but before then, listen to the rules," She said, bringing out a blue scroll from her bag.

"First on my list, there should be no cheating," she said, her words echoing in the air. "Secondly, only six maidens are chosen after every maiden's test."

After saying the second rule, she stopped, raising her head up a little as though she was scanning our faces. "Third rule, no humans are allowed in the maiden test."

"Huh?"