“The floor is yours,” Clara says with a grin. “This had better work.”
Ignoring Clara, Avery shrugs as she pulls out an injection from a bag hanging at her hip. Her uniform of cargo pants and a top continue, but her hair is now up in cute space buns. Her appearance is out of step with her actual character, causing me to sneer angrily at her.
“Bonds are metaphysical, but there is also a physical component when it’s created. Due to this, what two people create together by hormones and the delusional idea that they’re meant to be together, I can break. Clara, do you have a preference on who I do first?”
“Winter first,” Clara says with a cruel snort. “Bellamy can watch.”
“You’re such a bitch,” I snarl. I have very little to lose at this point. Without the bonds…I may as well die, right?
Cassidy screams behind the gag, her feet kicking at the man holding her. Rolling his eyes, the man wraps his arms around her and squeezes her body tightly. I can hear her bones grindingagainst each other, and Winter cries out as one of Cass’ ribs cracks.
“Stop! Stop!” Winter begs, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Cassidy’s breathing is pained as the man loosens his grip just enough so he’s no longer breaking bones. He’s fucking huge at six foot six, with black hair slicked back as he stares forward like a robot.
“Good boy,” Clara says with a smirk. “I would say that good help is hard to find, but I bought him like this. He’s an alpha who’s been programmed to do whatever he’s told. The military has wonderful ways to break even the most powerful alphas. What can I say? I was curious, and the payoff has been wonderful. Now, enough of this. Avery, just do it. I’ve waited too long as it is.”
I can’t help but weakly fight as my body floods with the horror that this robot of an alpha is bought and paid for, much like Winter and I have been. My body doesn't have much to offer as I struggle, despite my best efforts. I don’t believe Avery can break them, yet she seems very confident. How many people has she done this to? How many lives is she responsible for ruining?
“No!” I yell, before tumbling into a coughing fit. I’ve screamed so much that my voice is wrecked.
“You’re just making it worse,” Jake mutters, holding me.
To add insult to injury, Madam Clara has him taking a larger role now in our misery. Nothing like having a front row seat to what your actions have done.
Winter’s body shakes as she watches Avery walk toward her with wide eyes. I can feel her terror, as well as the paralysis her mind is holding her in. Typically, we’d be as silent as possible so that we wouldn’t be hurt more, but that’s not going to help now.
Nothing will.
“Please, no,” she whimpers.
“It’s just a little pinch and then you’ll be free from the big, bad, alphas,” Avery croons.
Cassidy’s screams are muffled by the gag, while I sob as Avery fists Winter’s hair and yanks her head to the side to bare her throat.
“Why would you want to give alphas so much control over you?” I hear Avery whisper.
I don’t know how to even explain to such a vile person that there’s no control in my relationship with my alphas. Even when Cassidy alpha barked me to close my eyes, it was to protect me. I can tell her body hurts by how the huge goon holds her weight so her feet won’t touch the ground, despite how tall she is.
Avery doesn’t understand how love works, and she likely never will. I wish I could comfort Winter better, but all I can do is whisper in her mind that it’ll be okay, even if it’s a lie.
I don’t think anything will be alright ever again. So much time has passed, I simply don’t know if our pack will find us. I’ve learned we are very well hidden, and time isn’t something we have much of.
Today is the auction, something Madam Clara has been counting down the days for.
Winter whines as she’s injected with the medication Avery gives her, and Cassidy’s body spasms as if she was electrocuted. The scream she gives raises goosebumps over my entire body, and even Jake shudders behind me as he curses under his breath.
Avery gets about a second to jump away before Winter vomits a spray of bile. My stepsister shudders as she continues to get sick and I begin to hyperventilate, knowing that I’m next.
“Did it work, or are they just being dramatic?” Clara asks lightly.
“They’re gone,” Winter rasps, hatred burning in her mismatched eyes as she glares at her. “You’re fucking evil!”
“Perfect,” Clara purrs. “Someone gag the girl. Maybe it’ll teach her not to puke again if the danger that you’ll choke on it exists.”
Winter has thrown up multiple times during our captivity, and I have no idea why. The only time I’ve ever really seen her get sick is when we were detoxing once we left The Hug Project.
I don’t know what’s going on with her, but I add it to the multiple other concerns that I have.
