AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“If you think you’re getting all of that before we have access to her, you’re out of your mind,” Ephraim fumes from beside my father.
“Easy, Ephraim,” my father says. He glares at Javi. “You get your pay, then I get custody of my daughter. Given what you’ve done for us, you’re more than welcome to as much gas as you need and food and shelter fit for a king. We have rooms, showers with fresh water, home-cooked seafood…even some winsome and willing betas if you want them to get you through your rut.”
It sends a shudder through me. Those poor women…
“I might take you up on that,” Boyd snickers. “Now—the pay?”
My father jerks his head at Abel and the smaller alpha huffs out a breath before turning to rifle through a small crate. He hands the whole thing to Boyd, who places it down on the waterlogged dock to open it up.
There’s old human currency in there. Atonof it.
“Holy shit,” Boyd mutters. “I’m inclined to think it’s all here, huh Javi?”
Javi glares at him. “Count it.”
Boyd gets to work, the rest of us in a standoff. A crazy thought crosses my mind that I should just run to the edge of the dock and throw myself off—it might be my last chance.
But then again, I know at least one of these men would catch me. And to give them the thrill of the chase would be asking for trouble, given that the full moon wasjustlast night.
Who would catch me?
Abel?
Ephraim?
Javi?
“It’s all here,” Boyd says after a painfully long silence. “Fifty-thousand—just like you promised.”
“Anything to bring my baby girl home…at least at first,” my father says. “Now, though? I know what she did.”
I swallow hard, but I’ve still got the gag in my mouth. Even if I wasn’t too scared to talk back, I wouldn’t be able to say anything.
“Ephraim, Abel—take her,” my father says.
I let out a cry of protest past the gag and, to my surprise, Javi pulls me away from Abel’s reaching claws.
“I’ll bring her wherever you want her,” Javi says. “It’s my job to ensure the safe delivery of your package.”
I glance over at him.
What is this about?
Is there any chance he would help me?
“Fine,” father says. “Bring her up to the dock, then. I’m sure the pack is all excited to see tonight’s catch.”
Javi tightens his grip on me and we move from the dock to the elevator, a sturdy metal structure that sways slightly with the waves. Since I grew up here, my sea legs come back right away—so the queasiness I feel has to be from anxiety. My hands are bound behind me, my voice stifled by the gag, unable to run or hide. My clothes are drenched, my hair glistening with droplets of saltwater. And my feet are so cold…
“Stop trembling,” Javi says.
I look over at him, my eyes wide. It’s the only way I can communicate—through my expression. I’m certain he can see the fear in the brief moment our gazes lock, and I realize his eyes aregreen.
He looks away.
He doesn’t care.
The elevator shudders to a halt on the main platform, a place I know well. Industrial scaffolding and metal buildings line the edges of the platform, the paint long since worn off of the floor. In its place is a combination of moss and reeds, the seeds blown in from far away. There are just a few people outside, a light rain starting to fall as clouds move in.
