Page 6 of Knot All Is Ruined: Part 1

“Yes, babka, but one of them is for Commander Lucian only,” he answered.

She let out a harrumph at this. “Is waste, he no use.”

“The general picked her out himself and plans on ensuring that Commander Lucian breeds her,” the man reassured. “He wants you to send monthly reports; if he doesn’t, then you can move her to being an open breeder.”

“Good, good,” she muttered, nodding her head, then waved a hand at us. “Bring them.”

Moments later, I was released from the cuffs and stood on shaky legs after the beating I took on the drive over. They shoved us forward towards the gloomy open double doors of the building. Everything in me wanted to rebel and make a run for it. Living out in the wild had to be a better option than this, but when I looked at Tori and Violet I couldn’t do that to them. There had to be a way that I could get all of us out of here. I’d never be able to live with myself if I left them behind when they had less of a chance to survive this than I did.

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dim light in the building. There were windows along the walls although none of them were open. The place reeked of sex, sweat, and the closest thing I could come up with was musty. Almost as if the area hadn’t been cleaned or aired out in years leaving this odor of staleness. There was a fire burning in the large fireplace showing rows of tables with benches where I assumed they fed all of us. We were hurried towards the stairs yet a barked order from the woman had us stopping.

That old crone was an Alpha?

Not that women couldn’t be Alphas, however here in Asturg, I just didn’t feel like they had a place to fit in. Except now that I think of it, having them run the breeding houses makes sense. They can control the Omegas and run things well without being a threat to the women these places kept. Women here were also taught to fight since they needed every able-bodied person on the battlefield. So there was a chance this woman had been a soldier and then lived long enough to get old and they put her in charge here.

“Lucian’s bitch stays. Needs mark,” she stated. “The rest put in back room, make sure to bolt door. Many run, always get caught,” she warned, giving Tori and Violet an assessing look. “These two little mice, they not run, but she will,” the woman said, shifting her gaze to me.

A presence stepped up behind me, and a hand grabbed the back of my neck dragging me away from the others. My body reacted before my brain caught up and I thrashed kicking out with my legs as I clawed at the arm attached to the hand. All my efforts were useless as he shook me like a ragdoll.

“Prestaň bojovať suka,” a deep voice growled out. “You will not win against me, little breeder. The more you fight, the more the men here will want to break you.”

“Hej, potrebuje veliteľskú značku,” the woman yelled. “Be quick, not too many bruises.”

“Ano, Babka,” he answered.

I couldn’t tell if babka was a title or name, but in this building it was absolutely a sign of respect. The man holding me let out a whistle, and another soldier exited out of a door I hadn’t seen off to the left.

“This breeder needs Lucian’s mark,” he said as he dragged me over to the fireplace.

The man he called ducked back into the room and reappeared with an iron rod and a jar. Dawning at what was about to happen hit me like a slap in the face when they tossed the rod into the fire.

They were going to brand me.

Each time they talked about marking me for the Commander, this is what they’d meant. Now I redoubled my efforts to fight, but they seemed to have been prepared for this and slammed me down over a bench. One of them stripped off their belt and cinched it around my hands, so I was forced to hug the bench as he knelt on my lower legs pinning me in place. The other man grabbed my hair, pulled it out of the way, and then pressed a hand to the side of my head, exposing my neck.

I could feel the heat coming close to my skin before it touched me. Then there was a sizzling sound and a smell that had me gagging as the pain finally registered in my brain. Screaming, I fought, wriggled, thrashed, anything I could do to make this fucking stop. Nothing I did mattered to the bastards. The iron was removed from my neck, and a salve that felt like having salt rubbed into a wound was applied.

“Get your fucking hands off me,” I raged. “Fucking bastards, who the fuck brands people? I’m not a fucking animal or a breeder; I’m a fucking person, you shitstains.”

Releasing me from the bench, a hand wrapped tightly around my throat, making the brand hurt worse than it already had. I looked into the eyes of the man who branded me, and there was nothing in them that told me he gave a shit what I thought.

“Know that the only reason you’re not getting a beating for mouthing off like that is because of the brand you now wear. It makes you Commander Lucian’s property, and he doesn’t like anyone touching his things,” he informed me. “Just know that the moment he tosses you aside after he’s taken what he wants, I’ll be right there to show you your place in our world, breeder.”

My eyes started to tunnel as I struggled to breathe with how firmly he was holding my throat. Clawing at his hands, he just smirked, lifting until I was on my tiptoes, taking away any chance I had to suck in any air. With the last vestiges of breath I had left, I spat in his face and his mask of rage was the last thing I saw before passing out.

When I came to, I woke with a gasp bolting to sit upright, my heart pounding in my chest. Closing my eyes, I took a moment to calm myself and rub the grit out of my eyes from crying. Please, for the love of god, let this all be a horrible dream, I pleaded to whatever power that might be listening. Slowly I opened my eyes and in the soft moonlight that filtered through the window in the ceiling, I found I was in a bedroom.

It was simple with a bed which I had been placed on. A desk with a lamp, computer, and various papers stacked on it. There was a dresser along one wall, but other than that, there was nothing about this room that showed any sign that someone lived in it. The room gave off a cold, detached feeling that made me shiver more than the cool night air finding its way through the shuttered window.

Turning my head to the right, I hissed as the scabs that had started on my brand pulled and burned, protesting the movement. Gently I ran a finger over the wound, wondering what kind of mark they’d given me. Tears burned in my eyes as everything about the past two days hit me. I didn’t have anyone to be brave for, which was the first crack in the wall blocking my emotions. My body hurt from the drive, my cheek throbbed from being smacked, and my neck still felt like the brand was burning my skin.

How was I going to survive this?

Fuck, if I couldn’t see a way to make it through, then I can’t even imagine how Tori and Violet are taking this. My tears fell faster as I thought of them and how scared they must be. Curling up into a ball, I heard the rattle of chains and a tug on my right ankle. Peering down, I saw I’d indeed been chained to this room; that was the last thread that snapped, releasing the floodgate of emotions.

Grabbing the pillow on the bed, I shoved my face in it, hoping to quiet my sobs, not wanting them to know they’d finally gotten to me. As I took in a shaky breath, I was engulfed in the scent of warm, comforting chocolate and the bright spice of cinnamon that deepened the chocolaty notes. It was almost as comforting as hot chocolate on a cold day and was also a small comfort as I cried.

Chapter four