Kiandria
I jerked, my nose slamming against the iron rods when the rider began to move again without warning.
But the stinging pain from my broken nose was the least of my worries.
The demon triplets were the alphas of Deuce Pack. Over a hundred years ago, they had gone against a monstrous beast conjured by a witch to destroy our were species.
No one who went against the beast lived to tell the tale, so when news broke across several packs that the triplets had killed the creature and taken the head of the witch, everyone began to revere and fear them.
Speculation about how they had accomplished such a feat spread like wildfire, the most persistent rumor being that they feasted on flesh and drank blood to remain alive to do so.
It didn't help that no pack who ever went against them lived to tell what they looked like, but most of us believe they were old men, well over a hundred years.
The ride to Deuce Pack took three days and three nights, with all of us eating and relieving ourselves right inside the cage.
"Those must be the new slaves for the alphas."
"They're young. That's good."
I was dozing off that night when I heard voices and slowly peeled my eyes open.
I sat up straight at the realization that this was another market, but this one seemed different from the others we had passed on our way.
For one thing…
I sucked in a deep breath, my eyes settling on those being shoved around with whips, thick chains wrapped around their necks.
How could I forgot.
Deuce Pack had barren lands and couldn't produce its own food. They survived on resources handed to them every month by packs that wanted to maintain peace.
But what truly kept them afloat was their slave trade.
Since they couldn't cultivate land like other packs, those who couldn't adapt quickly sold themselves to families with food so they wouldn't starve to death.
As a result, Deuce Pack had more slaves than all the other packs combined.
"Out."
I didn't realize when the rider stopped until he was standing outside the cage, unlocking it.
I glanced around, swallowing hard when I saw the same being done to the other girls.
Is this it? My final stop before I'm devoured by the demon triplets?
"Those are some really nice legs. Perhaps you'd like to make a few silver coins?"
A passing trader whistled, and I subconsciously clenched my legs together.
They led us in a single file into an open field that smelled of dung.
It was long and wide, but thankfully had a better roof than the shack.
My rider stood over me, placed a hand on my head, and pressed me to the cold floor.
Afterward, he walked to the door and stood there.
The other riders did the same until none of us remained standing.
A few seconds later, the door opened, and a short man walked in, licking sweets from his fingers.
Sucking on his thumb, he swirled it around his mouth before leaning off the doorpost and slowly strutting inside.
"My name is Erlion, and I'm your handler tonight. Make no mistake—you've been given a roof over your head and, in a few minutes, food for your belly."
"But the moment you try to make sense of this situation by running away, it'll only be an attempt, because your rider has the responsibility of making sure you don't go missing."
"Because if you do go missing, something very terrible happens to them and they'd rather something terrible happen to you than to them. I take it you understand me?"
"When will we be taken to the alphas' residence?"
I turned toward the voice to see the freckled face of a girl at least six years younger than me.
Erlion turned to her and bent to her level, a smile I couldn't place lingering on his lips.
"What's your name?"
"Car-Carla. My name is Carla and my father is a farmer from the south."
The south.
One of the packs without an alpha. They were territories deemed worthless by those in power.
People from such places were unprotected, subject to attack at any time.
Being from there was no different from being a rogue.
Gasps suddenly filled the air at that moment with several people pushing backward, accompanied by strained choking sounds.
Frowning, I raised my head to see what was happening and didn't realize when I sprang forward to shove Erlion.
"She's a child! Leave her alone!"
In response, he waved his hand at my face and his palm connected with my left cheek.
The slap barely registered as pain, but it's force sent me sprawling headfirst onto the floor.
The next second, I was yanked up by both arms and forced back onto my feet.
Erlion was still squatting, his fingers wrapped tighter around a struggling Carla.
I gritted my teeth.
"She only asked a question."
He stared at me for a moment, sniffed, then released Carla and shoved her aside.
Before he could speak, the riders began to spit at me.
"An omega. How dirty."
"A witch too."
"Tomorrow, the alphas will choose their maids, but there's no way they'll pick an omega."
"I say we rid ourselves of the hassle and send her to the slave bidding war."
"Yeah, I know some people who'd love to get their hands on a witch."
"No one will notice if one girl goes missing."
Erlion stepped in front of me, fiddling with a gold coin as he tilted my face with his free hand.
"Let's do it."