The next morning arrived far too soon.
We all woke up early, still half-asleep but knowing what had to be done. Louis was the first to finish getting ready, and he excused himself to give Hannah and me some space. He understood that we needed to talk privately one last time.
As I sat on the bed, my thoughts were all over the place. I had everything, yet soon, I would have nothing. The idea of going to the Nightwalker pack as a slave made my chest tighten with anxiety. I had no clue what awaited me there, but I knew it wasn’t good. My future looked bleak, and I felt like the ground was slipping from under me.
“Kimberly, are you okay?” Hannah’s voice pulled me out of my spiraling thoughts. She was standing in front of me, her eyes full of worry.
“What?” I blinked, surprised. I hadn’t even noticed her move closer. I forced a small smile. “I’m fine, Hannah.”
She didn’t seem convinced. “You may be saying you’re fine, but your face tells a different story. Listen, everything’s going to be okay, alright?”
I nodded, but deep down, I wasn’t sure. “Thanks, Hannah. I appreciate the kind words, really. But don’t worry too much about me.”
Hannah gave me a tight smile, clearly still concerned but trying to respect my need to handle things on my own. “All right, if you say so. I have to head downstairs now; I’m sure Louis is waiting for me.”
I nodded again, trying to keep my expression neutral, but the reality of our goodbye hung heavy in the air. We both knew we wouldn’t see each other again, not for a long time.
“Okay, Hannah. I won’t come down with you just yet. I have a few things to finish up here,” I said quietly.
“That’s okay, girl, I get it.” She gave me one last look before turning and leaving the room.
The moment she left, the silence settled back in, and with it, the weight of everything I was about to face. I walked over to the door, locked it, and turned back to my room. I needed to finish packing before Alpha Derrick’s men arrived.
I moved quickly, grabbing only the essentials. I didn’t need much for where I was going. After all, I wasn’t going to live in luxury-just to serve. My eyes landed on two photos: one of me with my parents and another of just my father and me. Even after everything I’d learned about him, I couldn’t leave the memories behind.
It was nearly eight by the time I finished packing. I slung the bag over my shoulder and headed downstairs. To my surprise, Luna Catherine was sitting in the living room, waiting. She looked up at me as I entered, and for a brief moment, I thought about ignoring her and heading straight for the door.
“What took you so long to get out of that room?” Her voice sliced through the silence, sharp and demanding.
I paused but didn’t reply. There was no point in arguing with her. Not today. I just wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible.
“Are you deaf?” she snapped, her irritation growing. “I asked you a question.”
I took a deep breath. “I was just finishing up packing, ma’am,” I said calmly, though my patience was wearing thin.
“You’ve been packing since last night! What more could you possibly need for where you’re going? You’re not headed for a vacation. You’re going there as a slave,” she sneered, clearly enjoying herself.
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I could feel my heart breaking all over again, the reality of my situation sinking deeper with every cruel thing she said. But I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me crumble. I stood still, meeting her gaze without a word.
“Oh, what? Now you’ve got nothing to say?” she mocked, leaning back on the sofa with a smug smile. “I thought you were so strong at that meeting yesterday. Now look at you, all teary-eyed. Pathetic.”
I clenched my fists at my sides, doing everything I could to keep myself from snapping back. It was better not to provoke her, not today. I needed to get out of this house without any more drama.
Just as she opened her mouth to continue her insults, the front door burst open. Two of Alpha Derrick’s guards stepped inside.
“We’re here to take her to Alpha Derrick,” one of them said bluntly, pointing at me.
Luna Catherine’s smile widened. “Go ahead, take her,” she said with a wave of her hand, as if dismissing me like some worthless thing.
The guards moved toward me, and I didn’t resist as they led me out of the house. I didn’t look back at Luna Catherine, didn’t give her the satisfaction of one last glance. I stepped outside into the cold morning air, taking in a deep breath.
As they pushed me into the car, I caught one last glimpse of my pack house, the only home I had ever known. My heart ached, but there was nothing I could do now.
The car pulled away, and I stared out of the window, trying to come to terms with the new life awaiting me.
***
After a long, exhausting journey, we finally arrived at the Nightwalkers’ pack house.
The moment I stepped inside, I was bombarded with rotten fruit and vegetables thrown by a group of teenagers.
I didn’t flinch. It was clear they all knew who I was and what I’d come here to be-Alpha Derrick’s slave. Their faces were filled with disgust, as if I were something filthy that didn’t belong.
“Not fair! I’m going first!” shouted one boy, pushing another aside.
“I already called dibs on this spot! Back off!” the second boy snapped, holding a moldy apple in his hand.
I stayed silent, standing at the entrance while they fought over who would be the first to throw more rotting produce at me. I couldn’t fight back-not now. This was my reality. No matter how much it hurt, I had to accept that this was my fate now.
For nearly half an hour, I stood there, watching them take turns hurling spoiled fruit at me, their laughter echoing around me. My eyes filled with tears, but I refused to let them fall. It was only my first day. If I broke down now, how would I survive the days to come?
“That’s enough, kids,” a calm voice suddenly called out. “She has other things to do now.”
A beautiful young woman, around my age, stepped forward, her tone gentle yet firm. The kids groaned, but they obeyed, dropping the remaining fruit and walking away, muttering under their breath.
I wiped some juice from my face, trying to collect myself as the woman approached me.
“You’re Kimberly, right?” she asked, her eyes locking onto mine.
“Yes,” I replied, keeping my voice steady despite the chaos I had just endured.
“Grab your stuff and follow me,” she said, her tone more commanding now. Without waiting for a response, she turned and started walking.
I quickly grabbed my bag, trying to shake off the humiliation of the fruit-throwing incident. As I followed her, I noticed the maids we passed would slightly bow their heads in respect to her. It was clear she held a position of authority here.
After about ten minutes of walking, we reached a door. She opened it carefully and stepped inside. I followed her in, my heart heavy with nerves.
“This will be your room for now. Make sure you get everything in order,” she said, her voice serious as she turned to look at me.
“I can do that,” I answered, glancing around the shabby, cluttered room. It was a mess, but I could manage.
“Good. If you need help, ask in the next room, but for now, you are to stay here. You’re not allowed to leave.” Her tone was final.
“Okay, ma’am-” I started to say, hoping she would tell me her name.
“Just call me Elena,” she interrupted.
“Alright, ma’am Elena,” I responded, offering her a small smile. She gave me one last look before leaving the room.
As soon as she was gone, I dropped my bag on the floor and began tidying up the mess in the room. It took nearly an hour to clean everything, but by the end, the room looked somewhat decent.
Once the room was in order, I stripped off my dirty clothes and took a quick shower in the tiny, cramped bathroom. After changing into something clean, I felt a bit more like myself again.
But as I sat down on the floor, my mind began to race. I had no idea what my duties as Alpha Derrick’s slave would be. I hadn’t seen him yet, or his mate Mona, since arriving. It was strange. If I was meant to serve him, shouldn’t I have seen him by now?
I was deep in thought when a sudden knock on the door startled me. My heart raced, and I hesitated. Should I open it?
The knocking grew louder, more insistent. I couldn’t ignore it any longer. Taking a deep breath, I got up and opened the door.
“Hi, Kimberly!” A cheerful young woman greeted me with a big smile, waving her hand. Beside her stood another girl, who looked less enthusiastic.
“Hello,” I replied, still surprised that they knew my name.
“Can we come in?” the cheerful girl asked, her eyes shining with excitement.
“Uh, sure,” I said, stepping aside to let them in. Once they were inside, I closed the door behind them.
“This room is so much bigger than ours! I can’t believe we didn’t pick this one when we got here!” the bubbly girl exclaimed, looking around the room in awe.
I watched them in silence, still unsure about their intentions. The first girl was full of energy, while the second one seemed uncomfortable, standing there quietly.
“We’re sorry for barging in like this,” the cheerful girl continued, turning back to me. “I’m Liza, and this is Kaitlyn.”
I nodded. “Nice to meet you. I guess you already know who I am.”
“Yes, everyone here knows who you are,” Liza said with a smile. “There’s been a lot of talk about you.”
That statement took me by surprise. I hadn’t realized I was such a topic of conversation.
“Oh,” I managed to say, feeling even more uneasy now.
“It’s just that we wanted to introduce ourselves,” Liza explained. “We’ll come back later in the day when the pack house is empty.”
“The pack house will be empty?” I asked, curious.
“Yes,” Liza nodded. “Everyone will be out on a run later tonight. It’s the one time we get to socialize without the higher-ups watching us.”
As she spoke, an idea started forming in my mind. I smiled slightly, though I tried to keep my expression neutral. Meanwhile, Kaitlyn remained silent, her discomfort clear. She hadn’t said a word since they arrived, and I found myself wondering what her deal was.
“Anyway, we have to go now, but we’ll see you later!” Liza said, waving as she and Kaitlyn headed for the door.
I waved back and watched them leave. Once they were gone, I sat back down on the floor, my thoughts racing again.
“This might be the perfect opportunity to start working on what I’ve been thinking,” I whispered to myself, a sly smile creeping onto my face.