13

ELEANOR
“As you all know, tomorrow is the day we have all been preparing for. Both slaves and omegas are to work together to ensure that none of the alphas and betas of the different packs that would be in attendance would be left unattended to. As for the slaves, you all have a very special role to play tomorrow” Zane continued, turning his gaze to where the slaves were all lined up, “you all are to please the Alphas and their betas in any way they would want and by that, I mean, your bodies are not an exception. Please them, pleasure them, and let them invest more in our pack as you know failure to do so…”
He stops, a knowing smirk forming on his face, “… Let’s just say you will be returned to your owners in pieces, along with whatever price was paid to acquire your miserable selves. Let the Blood Moon Pack be the talk of the world and let the praises of my pack be known to all werewolves. A default from any of you will surely lead to death, and I hope I made myself clear enough. You are all dismissed, ” he finished, although no one dared to make a move until he was out of the hall, and when he did, I began my search.
Jasmine had informed me that every one of the pack slaves would be present in the hall, even those that had been living in the land acquired by Zane. Every single one of the slaves is meant to be here, but I still couldn’t find a trace of her.
My heart was close to beating out of my chest as I checked the arena and scanned through all the slaves that were already resuming their duties. She was nowhere to be seen, and I slowly began growing tired and weary. The fear of the unknown crept in, and I clenched my chest tightly. I didn’t want to believe it, I didn’t want to assume that what I was scared of was real and that she might probably be dead.
I didn’t want to believe it, not now or ever. I knew and had faith in Clara. She wasn’t that stupid to get herself killed when she knew that I would be alive and wouldn’t risk dying until I saved my pack members and her. So why would she go and get herself killed?
I didn’t know when hot tears began to stream down my cheeks, making my vision blurry. I won’t give up, not yet. Clara was somewhere in the midst of the slaves and we probably got lost as she too, would be in search of me.
“She wouldn’t kill herself or do anything stupid. Clara is alive. She is very much alive,” I kept whispering to myself, shaking off the unwelcome thoughts that seemed to plague my mind.
I was going to keep searching, even if it meant walking around the whole pack and then trying for the neighboring packs. This was my only opportunity to find her, and I wouldn’t stop until I did. Even if it was for a few moments, I needed reassurance. Knowing that she was alive would no doubt give me the strength to do all that I had planned out in my head. It would be more of a reason to fight. For her, for us. I was about to make another turn when a hand landed on my shoulder, and I turned around to find it to be Jasmine’s. She was panting hard, with beads of sweat forming on her forehead, and I immediately knew she had been running to catch up with me.
“Please don’t tell me you are planning on doing what I’m thinking?” she asked almost immediately, and I nodded.
“I can’t find her, Jasmine. I can’t perceive her pheromones. She… She’s…” I couldn’t complete the rest of my words as tears started to well in my eyes again, “I have to keep looking for her Jasmine, please don’t stop me” I pleaded and after a while that looked like she had been thinking, Jasmine nodded, but then turned to point at the guards surrounding the place, armed with weapons.
“I knew you would be lost in thoughts, and immediately Zane was through with his briefing. You were out of my sight before I could tell you what he had instructed.” Jasmine said, still struggling a bit to catch her breath, “Eleanor, we are not allowed out of the arena until we are done making this place literally spotless for the occasion tomorrow. Any slave found leaving the arena will be punished, and you know how that goes. I’m sorry, but I think looking for your friend would have to wait, ” she finished solemnly.
I was at a loss for words. This couldn’t be happening. Just why was it that whenever I get an opportunity, it always ends in disappointment? Why does the moon goddess continue to punish me like this? If she really was the creator, then she has failed in her duty to help and provide for us. She had lost every bit of respect or hope I had for her when I had to watch my parents and pack members, killed off like flies right before my eyes, but it seemed she only got worse from then.
“She… I… I can’t stay and clean this damn hall when the reason for me to keep living and continue to plot our revenge is nowhere to be found. Jasmine, she is all I have right now, and if anything happens to her, then what reason would I have to continue to live like this!?” I finally grew aware of the fact that I had been crying the whole time when a choked sob escaped my lips.
“Then what? You’re going to get yourself killed?” Jasmine asked, “That is not the solution, Eleanor. There is still hope that your sister might still be alive, somewhere, and now you want to give up? What happened to the girl who promised she would avenge her parents no matter what, huh? Are you finally giving up and becoming a loser now? Is that it?” Jasmine spat out, uncaring if her words hurt my feelings.
“I… I don’t think there is any hope for me… She is a part of me, the only family I have left. I couldn’t protect my parents or hers, I couldn’t even protect my pack members, and now I failed to protect her. How the hell am I even going to take revenge and save my pack members? How do I even fight Zane, who is all powerful… when I am just a sad, scrawny weakling, nothing but a pathetic fool who is all talk and no action to prove the words that comes out of her mouth,” I told her, finally accepting defeat as I let the tears fall. Jasmine was right all along. I should never have deluded myself into thinking I could do this. I didn’t have any authority here, nor could I fight to save myself. It was forbidden for a slave to try and learn the martial arts here, so that was completely out of the picture. I should have listened to my father when he told me to get stronger. I had always believed that it was a man’s job, and now I needed the strength that I never thought I would have a use for.
It seemed I was only going to end up dying a miserable death, just like Jasmine had said. I was lost. I didn’t know what to do anymore.
“Good… I’m glad you understand me now” I heard Jasmine say as she closed the gap between us, “if you weren’t so eager to get yourself punished or worse, then you would have noticed that Sarah and some of the other slaves were not in the hall. Who knows, maybe your friend or sister, whatever you call her, might be among them. Get yourself together, Eleanor, or you might be dead for real this time, ” she said, taking a final look at me before walking away.
Now that I thought about it, I couldn’t actually perceive Sarah. She wasn’t here, and nobody heard the news of her death. The thought of that had a little fire of hope rekindling in me. I so desperately hoped she was alive and that I would be granted a chance to find her.
I heaved a sigh of relief and was about to head back to my position when I was suddenly blocked by a guard.
“Eleanor, you are to come with me. Alpha Zane demands your presence,” the guard reported, and I nodded, dread already building up in me as I followed the guard to what would no doubt become another torture session for me.
When does it end?