I didn’t know how to scream anymore.

“Let me go ” I sobbed, but Thorne didn’t even flinch.

He held my wrist so strongly, his jaw clenched so tight I thought it might snap. He didn’t look back. Not even once. I kept crying and wondering what I had done to deserve such a life. All I wanted was to be free like everyone else but now I was sealed to three different men? How does that even make sense.

The doors to the auction hall slammed behind us, muting the chaos we’d left behind. I kept struggling with Thorne while guards were shouting and Zev’s furious roar. I had been sold. Not to one man. But three. Like a toy they would share. Like an object no one wanted to give up.

And Thorne he wasn’t there to stop it. He was there to compete and I didn’t know why. He was supposed to be my guardian. He was like a father to me and now he wanted a piece of me as well. I was sure this was a nightmare but how could I snap out of it was the problem.

“Where are you taking me?” I cried, stumbling, barely keeping up with his pace. “ I thought I was going to be set free today? What’s going on?”multiple questions flew out of my mouth but guess what,

He didn’t answer any.

Down another hallway. Then another. Until we reached a large circular door carved with symbols that glowed faintly under the torchlight.

Thorne slammed his hand against the center and it swung open with a groan.

The room was warm like literally Too warm.

The lights were low, and the curtains were half closed, letting in a soft, golden glow.

The bed caught my eye first, black sheets, a little messy, like someone had just been there.

A chair sat in the corner, turned slightly, like someone had been watching.

My heart was beating too fast.

I didn’t know if I should run… or stay. But then thing is I couldn’t even run as much as I wanted to.

I froze.

“No…” I backed away, hitting the doorframe.

Thorne turned, finally meeting my eyes.

His face wasn’t human anymore. It wasn’t the man who tucked me into bed when I was a kid. Not the one who brought me berries through the bars of my tower. His eyes glowed red, not gold and his mouth was curved in something between fury and obsession.

“You told me I’d be free…” I whispered, voice cracking

“I told you what you needed to hear,” he said simply and drew closer to me slowly.

My legs gave out beneath me.

I hit the floor hard, palms scraping against jagged stone, but I barely noticed. The pain inside my chest drowned out everything else.

“You… you lied to me,” I choked. “Please just let me go. I just want to be free” I teared up again. I was frustrated and tired of life itself.

“You said you were protecting me.” I whimpered and wiggled my head in pain.

“I was.”

“Then what is this? What is going on? I haven’t even seen my Mother. Why was I been sold to those men and you as well?”

He crouched slowly, as if approaching a wounded animal and there was this look in his eyed. His fingers found my chin, forcing me to look at him. “You were about to be sold to three men who would’ve taken turns tearing you apart. One of them is your cousin. The other would’ve bred you like a dog. Do you think I was going to let that happen?” He whispered softly. There was this tenderness in his voice that reminded me of how he truly was to me as as a kid.

“But You bidded too!” I whimpered.

His grip tightened. “To keep you from them. I will always protect you Razia” his lips were getting even closer to mine and I couldn’t understand why I was feeling this tensed. I had never felt this feeling before or maybe because no man has ever been this close up to me or did this feeling actually come with being an eighteen year old?

I shook my head “No. No, this isn’t protection. This is control! You’re just like them. Please just let me go. I just want to be free”

His jaw flexed.

“I raised you,” he said through gritted teeth. “Fed you. Watched over you while your wolf threatened to break free. I sacrificed everything to keep you hidden. I kept you untouched, Ravia. Untouched do you even know what that means in a world like ours?” His hand slowly wrapped behind my neck.

“I didn’t ask for any of this!” I sobbed.

He stood up sharply and began to pace. “You don’t get it. You think this world would’ve let you grow old in a cottage somewhere? No. Your bloodline is marked. Your heat is cursed. Your womb is sacred. You were born a vessel Razia.”

“Vessel?” I scowled, “I’m not a vessel,” I hissed. “I’m a person!” I shook my head.

He paused and then turned slowly.

He came to me and pulled me off softly and then his right hand wrapped around my waist and close to my ass. It felt weird because he had never held me that way or better still I had never been held that way by anyone since I was locked up.

But what he said next shattered me completely.

“No, little one. You’re not. You’re a weapon.” He brought me closer to himself with a slight pull from my waist.

I couldn’t breathe.

My body was still aching from the collar. From the humiliation. The way Zev had looked at me. The way Draven had smirked when the gavel fell. Like I was already theirs.

“You have two choices,” Thorne said, voice suddenly calm. “Let me mark you. Bind you to me. Or I leave you for Zev. Believe me, they’re already searching.”

His hand then tightened around my waist. I flinched and felt uncomfortable and disgusted but I couldn’t break free.

“I am your guardian and your uncle. You trust me, don’t you?” He asked with a soft and tender voice.

And at that moment, I was lost of words.