ELITH
My skin crawled as I thought of what was waiting for us in this place. I'd heard many rumors about the Lycan King's madness, but I was absolutely sure that they were not half as terrifying as reality.
The creature who was only driven by the thirst for blood and sex, Magnus went through dozens of sex slaves every month because one woman could not keep up with the insatiable appetite his beast possessed.
He was violent, mad, relentless.
He could tear a woman's body apart in a feat of rage and arousal, so to mate with him meant to risk your life, as a single night with Magnus could end your existence.
Just. Like. That.
"How did you end up here?" I suddenly heard myself asking my new friend in a desperate attempt to get a bit of distraction.
Matilda shrugged her shoulders as if what she was about to say didn't really mean much. "My father got into quite a gambling debt. It was either this or organ harvesters. I had a choice, and I chose this."
My chest tightened as each word echoed in my mind.
Males. Despicable creatures. All of them. Instead of taking responsibility for their actions, they looked for the easy way out. And that way out was always at the expense of powerless creatures like us.
Matilda's big, yet calm eyes met mine as if gauging me for at least some sort of a reaction, but before I could even think of a decent response, the door to our bedroom swung open, followed by the appearance of a tall, slender, middle-aged woman with thick gray hair tied in a high bun, and a few lines of irritation permanently etched onto the skin between her thin brows.
"You," she pointed at Matilda without even sparing me a single glance. "It's your turn tonight. Get ready."
Both she and I froze on the spot, only our eyes growing wide with each passing second.
I couldn't believe how fast everything was happening. Yet as I blinked away my confusion, Matilda was already on her feet, dragging herself toward her corner of the room.
"Yes, Madam Clarissa," she said in a resigned tone.
"Madam Clarissa..." I repeated under my breath, yet it was still loud enough to draw the woman's attention.
"Elith Wyane?" She asked sternly, and my heartbeat quickened at the sound of my own name.
"Y–yes," I stuttered, fearing that I would have to follow Matilda's fate right away, yet Clarissa only scrutinized my appearance for a few moments before turning her attention back to Matilda.
"Get dressed in this," she threw a lacy garment onto her bed – it was so sheer that I couldn't help but wonder whether there was any point in wearing it at all. "This is lube," she then tossed a large plastic bottle filled with transparent liquid, frowning as she watched Matilda get out of her clothes.
"Is... that all?" I suddenly blurted out, stunned by my own question.
Both Clarissa and Matilda turned to face me, their expressions equally confused.
"What–what is it like?" I continued, my eyes darting between their faces. "Can't you at l–least tell her what to expect?"
Clarissa did not reply right away. For quite a while, she just stood there, her cold eyes fixed on me, her expression unreadable, but then, she simply shrugged and turned away as if she didn't want to look at me anymore.
"Is there a point?" She said coolly, nudging the dress toward Matilda. "It's all the same. You go in, you spread your legs, you pray he doesn't kill you. Everything you heard about King Magnus is true."
I watched Matilda put on the lace in silence, her movements precise, almost robotic. Her already white skin turned pallid now, her red hair flaming in contrast.
My heart broke for her. We had just met a few minutes ago, yet I already felt like losing a friend.
No, I shouldn't think like that, I scolded myself internally. She will be back. Somehow... I know she will.
A sudden knock on the door jolted me out of my musings. Clarissa opened it right away, and all three of us watched as a tall, muscular man dressed in all black walked in, his bright orange eyes shining down at us like two wild embers.
"Is the girl ready?" He asked, his low voice sending goosebumps all over my skin.
"Yes, Alpha Raiden," Clarissa replied, offering him a bow.
Alpha Raiden? I repeated silently, drinking in the man's appearance. Could he be... King Magnus's brother?
"Good," the man nodded, throwing a quick glance in my direction before nodding at Matilda. "Let's go."
Matilda nodded as well, clearly scared to raise her eyes to look at his face. Raiden marched out of the room, and the girl took the first step after him, but then she suddenly stopped, and before I could even see it, she rushed to my side, her thin, cold arms already wrapped around my shoulders.
"If I don't come back," she whispered, her voice shaking, "please... don't forget me, will you?"
"I... I won't." I replied firmly, returning her hug with as much warmth as I could offer.
"You stupid girl!" Clarissa's hissing forced Matilda to pull away, her big eyes covered with a film of tears. "Go!" The woman commanded. "It's not wise to touch other females before a mating session!"
With that, she pushed Matilda out of the room wth her gloved hands, shutting the door behind her as if she already knew the girl would never come back.
Then, she glanced back at me, the wrinkles between her eyebrows deepening. "You poor creatures," Clarissa sighed, shaking her head as she collected Matilda's clothes and placed them carefully onto her bed.
"Pray," she then added as she was about to exit the room. "Although I'm not sure whether surviving this is kinder than accepting death."
As soon as Clarissa left the room, I fell onto my knees, my hands clasped into a prayer.
"Goddess," I whispered, my eyes welling up with tears. There were so many things I wanted to ask of her, but the more I thought about them, the less I actually wanted to say.
What was the point? How was it fair to us all?
I scraped myself off the floor and dragged my heavy body onto the bed, the pain returning as my mind let go of the tension of my situation.
I wanted to rest, yet I knew I could not fall asleep tonight. I had to wait for Matilda's return. I believed she would come back.