Chapter 4 A Price For Freedom

• Eloisa’s POV
• While the other girls admitted that werewolves were attractive, especially their males, I still couldn’t bring myself to agree until I laid my eyes in front of a handsome Alpha. I found myself staring right at his amber eyes peeking behind his black hair that almost covered half of his face.
• Jack Archer was indeed handsome!
• “What is this?” Jack asked Dustin in exasperation. He pointed at me as his expression went sour.
• Dustin shrugged. “You mean who? Her name’s Eloisa. A gift,” he replied, earning a glare from the other alpha. “She’s clean and will be serving you during your beast cycle.”
• “Don’t make me laugh, Dustin. You knew I despise humans,” he growled, turning his gaze at me. Jack stood up from his seat and approached me like a predator would to his prey. “And you, are you asking for death? You dared to look at the Alpha’s face?!”
• Dustin stepped forward, blocking Jack. “Now, calm down. Will you? Don’t scare her like that. It took me a while to convince her that you’d spare her life if she didn’t escape on our way here,” he said, slightly pushing Jack away.
• “Get rid of her this instance, Dustin.” Jack gritted his teeth as he looked at me with hatred.
• Dustin turned to me and sighed. “I can’t do that,” he refused. “You’re going through the beast cycle, aren’t you? It’s either you sleep with a human female or die before you can find your mate,” he reminded him.
• Jack punched the table and kicked its leg. “It’s none of your concern. I would never sleep with anyone other than my mate!”
• “An impossible dream,” another man in the room said. He had been eyeing me since I stepped into the room. His gaze was uncomfortable but I couldn’t just tell him that, could I?
• “If you don’t want this human, I’ll take her home,” he mumbled, pulling me to his lap.
• My body shivered at his warm breath fanning my nape. I shut my eyes and bit my lip to keep my temper in check. Boy, I desperately wanted to jab him in the stomach.
• “No, Spade. She’s for Jack. Didn’t you have dozens of human slaves in your bed? Don’t take what doesn’t belong to you,” Dustin’s low voice filled the room. He grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the man he called ‘Spade’.
• I could feel different auras coming from the three of them, stronger than the other werewolves I encountered so far. I wondered if Spade was also an alpha since I never heard much about him from the other girls.
• Spade shrugged and left his seat. “I’m just saying. I had never seen someone as cute as her. It would be a waste if Jack kills her,” he said, patting my head before heading to the door.
• “I’m done greeting the birthday boy so I’m going back. You should also try calling the other guy to come visit us sometimes. It’s not like the rogues would stop causing trouble if he keeps an eye on them,” Spade added and left the three of us in the room.
• Jack became hostile toward me by the second. He growled like a beast, preparing to attack. “Get her out of here, Dustin. I’m not going to sleep with a human,” he warned, shooting daggers at me.
• “This is for the balance of power, Jack. You can do whatever you want after you sleep with her. If you still refuse, the other rulers including me will be forced to lock you up until you control the curse which will be impossible,” Dustin persuaded Jack in a firm and desperate voice.
• Jack cursed under his breath. He grabbed a fistful of his hair in frustration and slumped on the couch, an unusual sight for an alpha as himself. “I can’t do this, Dustin. I'd rather die than succumb to this foolishness!”
• Dustin shook his head. “That’s something I won’t allow. Until you find your mate, you must relieve yourself with the human slaves. They won’t be carrying your child no matter how much you do it with them, so there’s nothing to worry about. When you find your mate, you can stop doing it with the slaves,” he explained, trying to convince Jack.
• I had no idea what they were talking about. What I was certain was that I’d end up as another alpha’s sex slave despite us not wanting to do it. Weren’t the Alpha’s supposed to be powerful? How come Jack was acting like doing it with a human slave would kill him? Was he disgusted because I wasn’t born a werewolf?
• “Eloisa,” Dustin called me. He looked at me with a stern expression on his face. “You want to live, right?”
• I nodded to his question. Even though I didn't expect that I still want to live. I thought it would be better to die but for some reason, meeting the alphas made me change my mind. Something within me felt strange… It was as if I found a way to survive in this world. I just didn’t know exactly how.
• “Then you will have to serve the Alpha of the Redmoon Pack tonight. I don’t think he would make the first move. In case he doesn’t do anything, you’ll have to take the lead,” Dustin grinned.
• “Isn’t that an honor? For a human slave to take the lead with an alpha in bed, you’re a lucky girl, Eloisa.”
• I wouldn’t call myself lucky for that. After all, it was me who’d be losing in this, not the alpha. I never dreamed of serving a man in the bedroom aside from my husband. But those worries became my reality after becoming a slave. Theodore would have done the same to me, but ending up with this sobbing handsome alpha was better.
• “I… I will do my best,” I said, swallowing a lump in my throat. Was I always this desperate to live that I’d agree to sleep with a stranger just to avoid death? But if it was my body in exchange for freedom, it wouldn’t be that much of a price to pay.
• Freedom for a human in a world ruled by werewolves was a luxury. I’d do anything to obtain it.
• “Good girl,” Dustin praised me. “I’ll call the maids to help you prepare for tonight. Just do this for me and I’ll guarantee you live.”
• I pursed my lips and watched the other alpha on the couch, still crying as if waiting for his execution. I heard he was strong but I guess even the Alpha knew how to cry when things didn’t go the way they wanted.
• “What if he kills me?” I asked, anticipating a reasonable answer from Dustin.
• Dustin held up my chin while looking at my eyes. His green eyes were filled with a mix of anxiety and excitement. “Do you have any idea what happens to an alpha in his beast cycle?”
• Shaking my head, I softly replied, “No.”
• Dustin’s eyebrows slightly furrowed. His lips were tightly pressed together. “I also have no idea what it feels like,” he said, pulling away from me. “I won’t be turning 22 until next year,” Dustin added and chuckled.
• “Anyway, look at him trying to suppress his urges” he pointed at Jack who was glaring at me, his fists tightened.
• Dustin sighed and squeezed my shoulder, gently. “The others said that alphas in their beast cycle were like being in heat, just ten times more aggressive in bed.”
• I gulped at the sudden thought that crossed my mind. Just like the other girls left in the underground prison, I had no experience doing ‘it’. How should I even take the lead?”
• Dustin cupped my face. His eyes filled with amusement as he asked me, “Do you think you can handle it?”