Ruthless Alpha, I Am Your Fate

Ashlyn's POV

As the rest of the pack speculated, I witnessed Lucifer engage in a combat with one of his pack mates outside in the frigid air, through the glass.

Since the day I was brought here, I've recognized it was to demonstrate how powerful the alpha was and how easy he could defeat his foes.

It didn't take long for Lucifer to have his opponent tossed to the ground and incapacitated. The other speculators applauded, lifted him up, and sang his moniker.

"Lucifer! The canine!" They continued to chant.

I sighed as I drew away from the window. I hoped and prayed that he'd forget about me by the evening. I hoped his success would occupy his thoughts, but I was mistaken.

A few minutes later, the picture of my thinking casually sauntered into my room.

"Turn around," Lucifer said in his dominant male voice, and I did as he said, moving to the mattress, my face away from his. Lucifer Saunron is the lycans' alpha male and the one who owns me.

He had told me to turn around and satisfy his personal wants before he was done with me. I was growing accustomed to his way of life.

He did not dally ravage me and bring himself to pleasure.

He roughly pecked at me as I felt him release inside of me.

With two more strokes, he pulled out of me and pushed me off. I almost hit my head on the mattress stand.

I did not bother to look up at him. I already knew the expression on his face; a disgusting one. He was always disgusted at me after we were done with it. And it was the only time he was less hostile. What am I saying? Even on the mattress, he was a brute! I was nothing but his slave. His toy, and this was not who I was before, but I've come to terms with the fact that this was my new life.

I curled up on the mattress with my hair covering my face, and then I heard the door slam. He was gone.

I tucked away the hairs around my face, and, for the first time since this onslaught began, I did not shed a single tear this evening.

I pulled from the mattress and went for a wash in the bathroom, letting the water run through my skin. His touch was forever embedded in my skin, no matter how I tried.

A few minutes later, I was out of the bathroom and donned a simple evening gown. I picked up the one he had earlier discarded and kept it away. Then I heard thunder rumbling across the sky as the wind blew in through the curtains. I walked closer to the window, getting lost in the dimness as the rain dropped.

The thunder that rumbled across the sky gave me goosebumps, and I shuddered from a bit of fear. Still, I did not move from the window. I kept peering through the curtain and watched huge droplets of rain cascade down the windowpane.

This same evening reminded me of the evening I felt betrayed by my family. Mostly my father, whom I felt, would do anything to get rid of me.

This same evening I had what I thought was the most brutal fate of my life. A fate I would have done anything to change in the past. A fate I would have preferred to be hanged than live with.

Dimness has always seemed to be where I find comfort and soothing. I'll spend evenings reminiscing in the unlit and crying my eyes out most times. He consoled me all the time. I've come to love dimness more than even light. Maybe this was one of the perks of being a vampire. But I doubted it. I was beginning to think I found it exuberant when my fate decided to change.

I smiled. Hello, dimness, my old friend. I've come to have a conversation with you again. The silent cold wind that blew past me as always whenever I wanted to pour out myself assured me that he was listening.

Where would I start? I've always started with my name. I sometimes feel he forgets, and I needed to remind him or maybe remind myself who I was.

Dimness, my friend. I'm Ashlyn Ambrosia, and this is my story.

I'm not your typical kind of girl. I am a vampire, born as one into a family of master vampires who can control anyone connected to them or even through a crimson liquid oath. Vampires do not procreate, but I was a whole different breed. I am a hybrid. My father is a part vampire and a part werewolf.

My mother was a human until he turned her after the birth of my younger brother.

In a town where vampires rule, it was easy to live and be free to reveal the monsters in us. Haunting grounds were using not that far from home, but I was not one to hunt. All my life, I've been scared to snap life out of people. I was the only weak in my family, and my siblings took it as an opportunity to make a mockery. I was the clown in the family that was made jest most times.

It was not a nice thing for me because I always ended up crying, which made them mock me the more. I tried my best one time during a hunting spree, but I could not. Even the sight of crimson liquid or smell could not intoxicate me as it did with them; not even the racing pulses or heartbeats moved me.

That was just one of my experiences. Once again, a human already bitten was brought to me with crimson liquid spilling out of her neck. My canines grew longer. The beast in me threatened to surface, and I expected her to, but she cowered.

I could not devour her like every other person was doing with their meal. Instead, I ran away, unable to carry out the task before me, and since then, my brothers would not let me be. My parents sometimes partake in their jests and sometimes scold them.

Father would always say, "Vampires have no fear of taking lives; neither do wolves." And everyone would agree with him, including his mother.

Sometimes I wonder if she was actually human before. Her eagerness to feed on other humans got me thinking otherwise. She lacked a great deal of compassion when devouring or draining them of life.

Let me make something clear. I am a vampire, and I do not feed on humans does not mean I do not drink that kind of liquid. I do. I'm a vampire, after all, and there's this raw hunger inside of us that we need to quench. I needed to sustain myself. But for a while, I abstained from it, and I do not know why.

Bags of that liquid are usually stored away during times when it is hard to feed, and that was where I get my own liquid from. Father always gets them from the hospitals, and I never knew how until much later.

A shop had even been set up in the town where it was sold, and they were never out of supply. It was a strange town for travelers but a normal town for us.

Most vampires in this town were not related. Even most of the children were not conceived by their parents. The ones who conceived and could procreate were the ones whose father had sired. All still, vampires and hybrids were under the command and total control of the father.

My father, Khalid Ambrosia, was the king of our town. Whatever he says goes, and he must not be refused. How a guy as brutal as him met my mother and fell in love was a mystery I've never come to know. As an egocentric vampire king, he had many enemies and few connections.

His greatest enemy is the lycanthropes. Let me rephrase that our greatest enemy was the lycanthropes. Ever since we vampires moved and settled in the land, it has been one threat letter to another. They claimed the land belonged to them and that their father never sought their permission before settling down here. He needed to perform certain rites before he could finally claim the land as his.

But father, as a proud and stubborn vampire, did not pay heed. For many years the letters kept coming, and then it changed. They did not want their father to seek their permission anymore or even perform any rites. They wanted father and all the vampires in town to evacuate the land. This particular letter was sent as a warning to father, but he called their bluff.

The next letter came, and father still refused. He did not believe the lycanthropes would carry out their threats. If they could be sending threat letters for a decade without doing anything, then they were empty barrels making lots of noise. That was his thoughts.

I, for a fact, never knew the battle coming was going to change my life and course of destiny forever.

°Royal Mile, Edinburgh, 1925°

"The lycans have sent yet another message." One of the guards said to father. I was fortunate to be at his presence. Father was barely seen except he wanted to be.

He had summoned me and I knew the discussion was going to be about my weakness to draw blood.

A frown creased on father's face as he took the letter from his hand. He tore open the envelope and perused the letter. He tore the letter into tiny bits of pieces and looked away from the guard.

"Set up a defense and a barrier to prevent the lycans from getting into this town." He ordered with fire in his eyes.

"Yes my lord." The guard said and left.

"But father,why don't you just give in to their demands?" I asked him with quivering lips.

He turned sharp eyes at my direction. I knew interfering in the politics was a big turn off for my father but I could not help it.

"A vampire never bows down to anyone." He said."Would you rather allow the subjects that you have sworn to protect,die than bow down to a threat that can be easily curbed?" I dared again to speak.

"That's the word Ashlyn,'curbed'. It can simply be curbed. I do not need to bow down to some lowlife lycanthropes." He said in a determined and proud voice. But he did not know what was coming. Neither did any of us.

"But father," I began but he cut me short with a look of fury in his eyes. He was quick to anger.

"Enough," he bellowed. "This was not why you were summoned before me. The political affairs of the land is strictly none of your business." He said to me and I lowered my head.

"Yes father." I mouthed apologetically.

He waved it aside. "Your brother tells me that you have yet again failed another task given to you,is that true?" He asked authoritatively peering into my eyes despite knowing what the same answer would be. Did his sitting in the throne chambers everyday affect his memory?

He was beginning to get irritated by my inability to feed on humans and I've been suspicious of it since his lack of patience towards me grew immensely.

I sighed. "Believe me,it is not my fault father. I really tried," I started saying but he cut me off again.

"You're not trying enough!" He said raising his voice and I felt my heart break.

"But, father," I tried to defend myself.

"No buts, Ashlyn, no buts. Ambrosias do not give excuses." He said and I nodded.

Just then,mother appeared through the doorway. She was either here to do one thing. Cool things down or set them ablaze.

"Do not yell at the poor child." She said in that rich voice of hers. I stared at her with a look of surprise on my face. What's with the sudden change today? I wondered.

"She needs an iron fist. I have been too lenient with her on this issue. I breed fierce vampires with the fire to draw blood in their veins. I breed omega deities not weak vessels like this one." He said very harshly without any consideration that I was right before him and hearing it all. I tried to hold my tears in check but I was failing.

"Khalid, stop. You'll make her cry." She said noticing my trembling lips. I could not tell if she felt compassion for me or she was making mockery out of my weak state. This was my mother. Someone I should be close to and trust but I was not. I trusted no one in the family except Darius my oldest brother.

"What have I always said about vampires?" He asked me.

"Vampires," my lips quivered. "Vampires are not afraid to kill." I said and he nodded.

"Excellent. I want you to sit,meditate on those words and let them sink into that head of yours." He said and I nodded and felt a streak of tear betray me and slip down my cheek.

"And wipe that tear off your face. It makes you look more pathetic." He said looking away from me.

"Yes father." I said with a slight curtsey and left his presence. I quickly dabbed off the tear that slipped from my eyes with my index finger and many others threatened to surface as I walked out of the house.

Why was I the only one in my family who could not feed on humans? The question has always haunted me and yet I could get no answer. Sometimes I wondered if I was truly my mother's daughter or I was adopted. But my striking facial resemblance with my mother proved I was a part of the family. But then why?

Why wasn't it Joshua,Otis or even Darius that was this way? Why me? I kept asking myself and as usual I got no response to my many questions.

In a very rare situation,father joined us for dinner which surprised me and I hoped and prayed I would not be the subject of discussion. Before us was platters of venison,roast lamb and haggis. Also,a bottle of whiskey,vodka and a jug of blood to balance it all up. These were the perks of being an hybrid. We could eat what we want but sometimes the vampire side of us is more dominant than the werewolf side and we'd end up throwing up whatever we put in our mouth aside blood.

I saw Joshua walking towards us with bloodstained lips and shirt. He had gone out for the day and was just returning. He was a ruthless vampire. His victims never survives his onslaught. Sometimes he gets reprimanded by father but I knew beneath his cautions he was very proud of him. Josh was the exact replica of him. His deity he bred.

"Hey family," He said casually,pulling a chair to sit.

"How many times do I have to tell you Joshua? Always put on a clean shirt before coming to the table." She scolded him.

He smirked and shrugged her off. "What's the need? I'm still going to get it stained again." He said and he was right. He was still going to get all messy again. That was how he was.

"He's right Lucienne. Cut the young man some slack." Father intervened. Darius walked down the stairs in his usual gentleman style. He was the noble stag of the family and always had my back. He was reserved yet deadly.

Then Otis walked behind him too. The baby vampire of the house just as reckless as Josh but with a slight twist. He was a total womanizer and only two years younger than I.

Only father was a thousand years old vampire in the house and probably the oldest in town.

"Why are we gathered so early?" Darius asked in that luscious voice of his. I admired him a lot . Sometimes I wished he was not my brother. I wished we did not share a siblings relationship but something steamier. But then that was all we were. Just a brother and a sister and looking at it from this angle,maybe I was blessed having him this way. A brother. A brother protecting his little sister.

Mother's clearing of her throat jolted me out of my reverie.

"Your father and I have come up with something." She began.

"On how to stop the impending war?" I interrupted looking bright eyed at both of them.

Father and Josh furrowed their brows and shot daggered glares at me.

"Father will never bow down to the lycans. We are vampires and we do not pay sublimation to anyone." Joshua said. Did I forget to add he took over father's egocentric attitude too?

"That's not why we have gathered Ashlyn. We're here for your sake." Mother said and I paused in my moment of reaching out for a glass of vodka. I had a feeling I was about to hear bad news.

"Oh," I exclaimed softly having a guess where this was heading. "If this is about my inability to feed on humans then," I began but mother waved it off.

"This is not about that," she said rather impatiently. Sometimes I wished father never turned her. She was the perfect, gentle and understanding mother. We were very close until her dark side broke us and drifted us apart. She was no longer understanding about my weakness. She wanted me untamed. Untamed to be a cruel vampire. That is what we vampires were all about. We were something beyond the extraordinary.

"Let's get to why this assemblage is for Ashlyn." Otis said getting impatient too. I knew he could not wait to get upstairs to continue his feasting and fornication with the touring ladies he had got hold of and that were in his room. Feasting and fornication. To Otis,that was life.

"We have decided to get Ashlyn married." Mother dropped the bombshell keeping us out of the suspense that had grown.

"What?!" We all exclaimed.

"Who am I going to pick on when she leaves?" Joshua asked and I stared in dismay at father and mother trying to force back the tears that had sprung up and wanted to drop.

I was too emotional. Even I hated that about myself.

"You cannot do this." I said to her.

"Who is she getting married to?"Darius asked calmly.

"Your father's second in command son." Mother said indignantly.

"Oh." Otis huffed making jests of me.

"You cannot do this to me mother. How could you plan such a ridiculous thing with father?" I asked her in anger and fear. I hated Eli Manning with everything that was in me. He walked in the air with his feet never touching the ground.

His ego was the biggest I have never seen in young men. His pride was like that of a thousand peacocks and indeed more!

"It has been settled. Eli has even displayed a likeness for you." She tried to justify her outrageous decision.

"She cannot marry Eli Manning." Darius said in the same authoritative voice as father that strikes fear in the heart of anyone before him.

"Why?" Mother and Otis questioned at the same time.

"Ash is no longer a child to be told what to do. If she does not want an intimate relationship with Eli,no one shall force her." He said and I breath a sigh of relief that at least someone in this house had my back.

"Ashlyn needs an iron fist to mould her into her real self." Mother said. Now I understood what this was about. They were shipping me off to Eli so I would no longer be their problem to handle. I felt like a cartel about to be sold off.

"Mother is right. When was the last time Ashlyn drank blood? It's been almost a year." Joshua said dangling a cup of blood in front of me. "Look how pale you are sister. You're getting weaker by the day. Have a taste of blood hmm?" He said smirking. He was right. I was trying my hardest to stay away from blood to see if I'll get hungered and then drain every source of life out of a human but I was failing in that too.

"If she could not develop vampire characteristics under father's iron fist,what is the guarantee that she'd bend over Eli's will?" Darius asked getting upset. An heated argument ensued.

"Enough!" Father's voice thundered in our ears and we kept quiet. He has been quiet since mother brought up the discussion and now he demanded to be heard.

"This marriage shall take place and that's final." He said. He stood to his feet and walked away and mother followed.

"We always have to gather for stupid things." Otis said rising to his feet too. How could my younger be this cruel to me too? In a flash,he was out of the room.

"Goodnight Mrs Manning." Joshua said with a smirk and a mocking bow and he too was gone.

I burst into tears and went up to Darius. "Please don't let them get me married off. Please Darius,please." I pleaded and he held me amidst my tears without saying a word.

•

One of the maidens assigned to me walked in and I quickly wiped of my tears. My tears of blood. One rule I followed was never let the commoners see you cry.

"What brings you here?" I asked her.

"The Lady asked me to get you ready." She said looking down.

There was no friend in this house. Mother did not want any one of us close to the helpers and so different helpers were assigned to attend to us everyday.

I once liked one particular vampire who attended to me everyday and when mother found out,she fired her. Her penalty was death but with my constant pleading and cries,she was let go. Never to return.

I believe mother thought I was in the act of lesbianism. That I had suddenly joined the ladies that were sexually attracted to only ladies but I was not. Mother's thinking was tinted. I would not blame her either for that.

"For what?" I asked her.

"Lunch with the noble commander's son." She said. I frowned. Eli Manning. I took a long look at the clock. It was only Ten AM. What was the need to go out and have lunch with Eli? Was mother having human thoughts again? What would we be doing when we cannot eat like normal people? My vampire side was suppressing due to my restraint from blood and I could hold food in my stomach for a long time unlike Eli who was very active in blood sucking. He'd throw up the moment the food gets in his stomach.

"Mi'lady?" She called and I turned to her.

"Take your time." I said to her. That was me agreeing to get prepared. I knew better than to go against mother's orders.

I was dressed in a while flowing satin dress with long sleeves that were out curved at my wrist.

I stood in front of the mirror. I was looking like a lamb dressed up for sacrifice.

Mother walked into the room with a smiling face. "You look beautiful my princess. Eli would marry you once he sets his eyes upon this beauty." She said. I shrieked in horror. I did not try to mask my anger and sadness towards this engagement.

"Why are you doing this to me mother?" I asked her and she immediately dismissed my help who walked away without fuss.

She turned to me.

"What exactly do you mean Ashlyn?" She asked. She was being pretentious and I knew it.

"This mother. You cannot claim to be oblivious to what's happening. This forced marriage." I said to her in despair.

She walked closer to me. "Eli has confessed his feelings for you Ashlyn my darling. He'd love you and care for you." She said holding my face so sweetly and unable to see my pain or rather pretending no to.

"What about me mother? It takes two to tango. I do not love him and I never will." I said to her.

"You'd learn to. Love comes after marriage." She said. I took away her hands from my face.

"What happened to you mother?" I asked her with sadness in my voice. "I'm your only daughter yet you do not treat me like a prized possession. I'm your only replica and yet you throw me into the arms of a man not worthy of me." I said to her,anger etched in my tone.

"He is worthy of you. You should not be saying otherwise." She said staring at me. What was she trying to say? That I was lucky getting married to Eli and I was not worthy to be with him?

"You married father out of love mother. Why cannot I do the same?" I questioned her with pain in my heart and in my eyes.

She straightened her back and her expression was replaced with her stony look she always had on as the Lady of the Clutch. That's us vampires.

"Eli awaits you." She said and I knew that stated end of discussion as she walked away. I sighed and wiped a tear from my eyes. It was time to get this over with.

I walked out of my room and down the stairs and there was Eli standing by the foot of the stairs. He took my hand in his and placed a kiss on it.

"You still look as beautiful as the horizon in the sky." He said with smiles that did not reach his eyes. What a pretentious swine!

"Shall we get this melodramatic day over with?" I asked, speaking rudely to him.

His hand immediately squeezed my fragile one hard and I gasped. I felt my bones breaking. "Learn not to speak to me in such manner ever again." He said and I squirmed at the impact of his hand,tears stinging my eyes..

Just then,I heard a clearing of a voice. I turned to see Darius leaning on the wall. Eli followed the direction of my eyes and the moment he saw him,he let go of my hand. Darius installed fear in him. He turned on a fake smile.

He knew how much my brother cared for me. He knew it best not to anger him for my sake.

"Darius," he said charmingly. "I was just complementing your sister on her beautiful looks." He said,all full of smiles.

How much more of a chameleon could he be? I wondered rolling my eyes.

Darius raised a finger to stop him from going further. "Spare me the details," he said crudely as he walked closer to us.

Eli moved away to give us space or perhaps in fear of what Darius could do to him.

I shook my head at Darius. "I do not want to go." I muttered to him trying to hold back my tears.

He held my face lovingly. "Go Ash. But I promise you this will be your last outing with him. I'll ensure that." He promised.

"He tried to hurt me." I said objecting to what he wanted.

"Do not go against my wish Ash or do you not trust your brother anymore? Do you not believe in the brother and sister bond we share? Do you have a doubt that I cannot protect my own little sister?" He questioned with a little hurt on his eyes.

I placed a kiss on his forehead as I held his hand that held my face. I knew he'd do anything to protect me. This was now the time I was loving the fact that he was my brother. He was not like the rest of my brothers. He wanted to protect his little one and I was sure if there was two of us, he'd do the same thing for us.

He closed his eyes. "Go." He ordered and I obeyed.

Eli was standing at the door when I walked up to him. He offered his hand to act like the perfect gentleman in front of Darius but I walked right past him. I might be a weak vampire but my self respect mattered a lot to me. I walked towards the carriage and was helped into the carriage by one of the guard.

Yet again,I had become rude to him and only the good Lord knows if he would spare me.

"What did your brother say to you?" He asked me the moment he got into the carriage.

"You're a vampire Eli. It would not be a shock to me that you heard the conversation between my brother and I. You must know what he said." I said curtly to him. I met his dangerous glare.

"I asked a question Ashlyn and I am not fond of repeating them. Tell me or I force it out of you." He threatened.

I cowered a little bit but straightened up,chin lifted,face up ahead. I was not about to let this lowlife ridicule me.

"If you must know Eli,he promised to wipe off your existence from the face of the earth completely if you do anything to hurt me more." I said to him.

From the corners of my eyes,I did not miss the shudder that went through him as he looked out the window. I curved a smile. My brother was not one to be toiled with. Once he makes an utterance,he made them happen. He was a mean and silent killer.

It was not a lunch date but a scenario of disaster. He literally mocked me for being a spineless vampire. All he did was wanting to enhance his ego telling me what a favour he was doing for me. No one would want to be with a weak vampire. He made me understand that he was just getting married to me because of my father. I held myself strong and determined not to let this man see me cry.

"To hell with you." I spat at him and he grew angry. With one hand on my throat,he drove me to the wall.

I gasped as his hand tightened around my neck choking me.

He smiled cynically. "Need I ask where that your brother who thinks highly of himself and threatening to wipe off my existence is if I touch you?" He asked sneering at me. Tears gathered round my eyes. I was suffocating.

"Right here Eli." I heard the unmistakable voice of Darius.

"Turn around." Darius said again and I believed he was really there and I was not hearing things.

I saw a look of fear flash through Eli's eyes as he let go of me and I dropped to the floor.

He turned around to see Darius blazing eyes and in a speed like that of a lightning,Darius had him pinned on the wall.Never doubt a brother's love for his sister. I smirked

"What did you say about me Eli? What did you say?" Darius asked him in anger.

"Nothing Darius. I swear nothing." He said like the coward he was. His panicked voice almost made me laugh.

"He tried to kill me Darius,I swear he did and I promise I was good." I cried out to him.

Darius dealt him a hefty blow and his face fell sideways and when he angled his head back in position,blood had formulated round his teeth and he had blood coming out from his nostrils.

"It would take me nothing to drive a stake into this poor wretched heart of yours." Darius said to him.

"You would not dare." Eli finally said, finding his voice. He had the nerves to speak back at Darius.

In flashes, Darius dealt him several blows and he fell to the ground.

I held Darius. "Desist from disfiguring his face Darius. Remember the groom must look very charming for the wedding." I said to him.

He stared at me with a confused look and then he understood my sarcasm. He let go of Eli.

"I promise you Eli,I shall cut off any relationship you intend forming with my sister. As long as I am alive, you'd never get the opportunity to wed my sister and not to imagine bedding her. This is a vow a brother is making to his sister." He said in anger.

Heat crept my cheeks at his words 'bedding' and disgust crept my skin at the thought of Eli touching me. Never.

Darius held my hand. "Come now dear sister. We must prepare for tonight's feast." He said sweetly and I nodded walking alongside with him. Oh how I love this man! Not in the sense of romance but in the sense that he was my brother who had my back while others did not.

•

How did your date go my child?" Mother asked as we got closer to her. She had seen us walk in together and was full of smiles. Did she perhaps thought Darius came to pick up from Eli's?

I immediately forced a smile. "It was indeed a delightful afternoon." I said to her.

Her eyes brightened. "I'm so glad to hear that. You must have seen the qualities.." She stopped,her eyes narrowing. "What happened to your neck?" She asked with a frown.

I touched my neck. Eli's fingers must have been imprinted on my skin. "Like I said mother,it was a delightful afternoon." I said still using a sarcastic tone. I did not care that she noticed the scar. What was the point of noticing my physical scar and not my emotional one.

"Indeed it quite was and not only did Ash see the great qualities of a husband in Eli,I also did mother. I saw it all." Darius said to her also being sarcastic. She frowned at him. He had my hand again and brushed past her.

I turned back to look at her and she had a worried expression on her face. Getting into my bedroom, Darius closed the door.

"I believe you have a plan so I do not have to go through with this wedding." I said to him and he nodded.

"Do not worry your head little sister. It is my promise to you that you shall not marry Eli and I'll ensure it." He assured me and I went closer to him and hugged him. If it were not for him,my voice would never be heard in this family.

"I know you'd always protect me no matter what." I said, holding back my tears of joy.

He stroked me in a brotherly way. "Now you must prepare for father's feast and watch the drama unfold." He said as we pulled apart and I nodded and watched him leave.

I removed the pins in my hair wondering what my brother had in mind. I had no idea that tonight would change my life forever. Tonight, I'd take a new course in another direction.

At the struck of Nine,I walked down the stairs. The house was indeed beautified in various ways and explicitly exquisite. Such decorations that have not I seen for many years and it was all happening due to mother's watchful eyes.

The house was packed with people. Vampires,travelers,tourists but mostly vampires. The humans were desert for the occasion.

Some were seated while others stood and engaged in small talks. I still wondered what tonight's occasion was all about.

Soon,I saw father standing before everyone and as soon as he did,the whole gathering became as silent as a cemetery. That was the impacts father made around people and I believe he thought he could command such submission from the lycans.

He cleared his throat as he began to speak. "Tonight is a special night," he said and I paid no attention to him as I sought for my brother.

I found Otis beside a blonde. He looked bored of the occasion and I knew he could not wait to compel this lady,feast on her and commit fornication with her. He's my brother and I knew what most of his thoughts were.

At the other side was Josh sipping whiskey. I did not see Darius. I turned to go in search of him when father's voice stopped me.

"The official engagement of my daughter Ashlyn Ambrosia and Eli Manning." He said and I stopped moving. I was frozen on the spot.

I was terrified and horrified. They did not tell me about this. They knew if they did,I would have escaped. I would have been anywhere but here. I turned around and father's eyes met mine.

He smiled. "There she is." He said and the gathering turned to look at me and applauded.

Joshua had a smirk on his face as he raised his glass at me in form of a toast. A toast?! I almost shrieked. How could he be raising a toast to me at this crucial end point of my life?

"Come up here daughter." Father said,more of a command that I dared not disobey. Meekly like a lamb for sacrifice,I walked to where father was

"And you Eli,my son. Come up here." Father gestured to Eli who smiled radiantly. The wounds Darius inflicted on him was healing. Perks of being an hybrid. He walked towards us. His father had huge smiles plastered on his face. Now he'd be rubbing shoulders with the masters. How pathetic. Father smiled. I was sure he was glad. Not glad that I was getting married but glad he was getting rid of me in a flimsy excuse of a marriage.

He would need not bother about my wellbeing any longer. My inability to act like a vampire will be less of a problem to him. He was handing me out. Practically I was being sold to this pretentious pervert of a vampire

"Tonight I am glad to announce to y'all of this engagement that I am well pleased with. I'm sure with all the fatherly love in my heart that Eli will be a good husband to my Ashlyn." He said and the gathering applauded agai

Fatherly love? I scoffed. Fatherly love indeed He could not even see my pain or feel it. Worse,he was ignoring it

Where was Darius when I needed him the most?

I forced a smile as father held my hand. "Tonight,I give my blessings and join my daughter and Eli inna.

"Stop!" Darius voice echoed loudly as he interrupted father. Sweet relief washed over me. I've never felt this much glad to see my brother.

"What is the meaning of this Darius? In my presence?" Father said trying not to sound angry but he was. He was raging in fury and I was well pleased.

"Forgive my manners father but it is what it is." He said with a rude curtsey. Classic Darius.

"What is this insubordination Darius? And in the presence of my subjects?!" Father said and clearly this time,he showed his anger.

He felt downgraded by Darius actions. Darius bowed. "Pardon my manners again father,but I must interfere in this matter. The marriage shall not hold." He said,his eyes holding father's in that same steadfast tendency as his.

Darius turned to the gathering. "I'm about to reveal the truth about this man here and the fake love he pretends to have for my sister." He said and I saw Joshua rolling out the kinetograph. He was in this too? I wondered. Despite making it look like he did not give a damn about me getting married to Eli. Perhaps Darius forced him to do so.

Mother walked up to Darius. "What are you doing? You're embarrassing your father." She said to him through gritted teeth as she faked a smile across the gatherings who were staring at us in curiosity.

"If saving my sister from the clutches of this mad man,then embarrassment shall we all face." He said to her and she was forced to leave his side.

The kinetograph revealed the lunch date of Eli and I earlier today. It revealed the way he mishandled me and the people gasped. Heat rose to Eli cheeks and he knew he was in trouble.

"Do you think this man is worthy of my sister?" Darius asked directing the question at the gathering and they shook their head negatively.

"A man not respecting a woman deserves to remain unmarried." One of the women in the gathering said and the others nodded in agreement.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I was going to be free from this animal. Just then,I heard a loud crash outside and I wondered what was going on.

I believe a few people heard it too as they looked around. Father was oblivious to it. He was fuming with rage that his own son had defiled him. His own son had defended me. Was I not his daughter too? Why did he hate me so much not to even notice me or my feelings?

"I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation for this." He said defending Eli. He was defending a man who hurt his daughter! His own flesh and blood.

"Eli?" He said turning to him.

Eli nodded. "Yes there is." He said a bit shaken while his father looked quite horrified and terrified and disappointed at the same time.

"We do not need any explanation for this. It's final. My sister will not and shall never marry a spineless swine." Darius said in a voice that father often used. Then I realized his authority he got from him.

Father was about to speak when the sounds of gunshots echoed into the walls of the palace Everyone gasped in fright murmuring amongst themselves in despair.

A guard rushed into the palace. "What's going on?" Father demanded of him.

"The town is under siege. The lycanthropes are taking over." He said in a frightful voice.

"Darius!" Father called out despite Darius being close to him. "Fetch me my sword." He ordered. Joshua had already moved out of the house Ina a speed as fast as lightning.

Darius returned with father's sword and in a flash too,they were out.

"Come on now," Mother said pulling me away towards the stairs agitated.

As I followed her panicking, something broke through the window exploding everywhere and bringing out smoke. It was a smoke bomb.

Everyone was screaming and scampering away looking for where to hide. But there was no place to hide. Everywhere was smoky and I panicked. I had warn father about this and now the lycanthropes had taken us by surprise. What happened to the almighty barrier he set up?

I could barely see but I could hear the screams of the people. I wanted to see what was going on. I took my hand away from mother and searched my way towards the door.

"Ashlyn." Mother called in a panic voice but I ignored her.

I fell along the way on some people but I made it outside the door and started coughing,the effect of the smoke bomb taking a toll on me.

I raised up my head and saw how the lycans shifted into their forms and dealt harshly with the people who tried to fight back but they were like ants in the presence of the lycans.

With fire and silver flying around,I knew we stood no chance against these beasts.

I gasped as I saw Darius and Joshua thrown off by a lycan who had not shifted just by the flick of his hands. From his back,I could tell he was massively huge. I could not see him.

Father was fighting off some lycans with a lot of effort. These people were quicker and faster than we were.

I should be there,I should help my brother but what could I do? I was a weak vampire, spineless and unwitting. How could I take down these huge men. I watched as the town I've come to love rendered into dust.

The lycans have no empty threats as father had thought. They carried out exactly what the had in mind. Vulgar barbarians.

I looked away wracking in sobs. I looked back to see Darius still entangled in a fight with this powerful man including father. I could do nothing but I was not about to let my brother die.

"All you had to do was pay the rites but you did not heed to it." He said to father. His voice thundered into my ears. He was not speaking to me but his voice dangerous yet in a way felt silky to me.

Despite at the verge of losing everything,father was still egocentric

"A vampire never bows down to anyone. Not even his enemies." Father said.

"Then watch me take away everything you own including your family. Starting from him." The Lycan said and threw father far away from him and turned to attack Darius.

"No!" I screamed running towards them and immediately he turned around to my direction and I felt completely weak to my knees. One of his people grabbed me. He let go of Darius and moved closer to me. He made a sign with his finger and the Lycan let go of me.

His height towered against me and I gulped in fear. His demeanor was condescending and royalty I smelled all over him. His dark eyes danced around it's socket.

"Mate." His voice came out gruffly. I stared at him,shock and fear taking over me. I saw Joshua try to take him by surprise but was thrown off by an already shifted lycan.

The lycans gathered behind him and the whole pack surrounded I and my family.

"Take her." He ordered and turned to leave.

I gasped in shock. "That's impossible. I shall go nowhere." I said. He turned back,his eyes spitting fire and I shuddered. I believed he was not acquainted with being turned down.

"Would you rather die?" He asked and he meant it.

"I would rather die than go anywhere with you." I said having a boldness I did not believe I'll ever have despite quivering in fear.

He towered against me. "Then death you shall get." He said,his appearance commanded authority that one must succumbed to and I stared at him horrified. His pack raised up guns loaded with silver and I panicked.

He saw the horror on my face and a wicked smirk tugged a little at the corner of his lips.

"It will be more pleasurable to watch your family die before your eyes and this town burnt to ashes like it never existed and then your death shall follow." He said and his pack immediately turned to everyone and their daylight rings snatched from their finger.

"Take her," I heard father's shrill voice. "If she's what you want to end this. Take her away. Do whatever you want with her." He said and I turned towards him in shock.

Would he never get tired of trying to get rid of me? And to an enemy as great as this,he was willing to exchange me.

"See," he said with a smirk. "Your father is giving you away without much thoughts. Typical vampires." He scoffed and a frown creased on his face.

"Let them go." I pleaded falling down on my knees. He made his pack return the daylight rings and lowered himself to me and held my face hard and I felt agonizing pain. The silver guns were still pointed at everyone.

"Listen, I'll spare this whole town and your pathetic family only on the account that you return with me as my mistress." He said and I gasped.

'Take her." He commanded as he straightened up and walked away.

I scrambled on my knees towards Darius. "Please do not let them take me away. Please I beg you." I pleaded,tears spilling from my eyes as I wept at his feet.

He did not move an inch and when I looked up at him,his eyes were red and I saw defeat in them. He could not save me this time.

I was dragged off his feet by one of the lycans. His large paws encircling my waist as he placed me over his hairy shoulder like a lamb for sacrifice.

I looked at my family and I felt a detest in my heart for them especially my father. Hatred for him was spreading in my heart like wildfire. Darius looked away from me unable to meet my gaze. He had saved me from the hands of Eli,but now he could not save me from the hands of this barbaric monster. No one could. I cried realizing my fate.

•

•

Cardonald, Glasgow

A tear finally slipped from my eyes as the rain drumming on the roof finally subsided. My tears did not drop for the fact that I was separated from my family. My tears dropped because no one could save me from the hands of my new tormentor. Lucifer.

I knew his name that very night when he returned with me here. His pack members had chanted his name ceaselessly and it was that very night I began to fulfil the obligations I had as his mistress.

He had stripped me of my purity and honor. Stripped me of the little dignity I had left and turning me into a whoreson.

It was time I stopped replaying the past. My present was hard enough. What more would my future be?

I walked away from the window and laid on the bed that had bequeathed Lucifer hours ago and the sheets soiled with his scent.

I closed my eyes shaking off further thoughts of him or the night he took me away and made me his. Not to love me,just to bed me.

To me,my family never loved me except Darius. There was no way I would expect love from a vulgar man like Lucifer. His name was the exact definition of him. He was the devil himself.

Lucifer's POV

The morning rays reflecting on my face forced me up. I groaned as I sat up. I was beginning to hate mornings and nights too.

At nights, I'm unable to sleep peacefully after leaving Ash's room and I was hating mornings because when I finally get to shut my eyes,the sun rays forces it open and then I'll have no choice but to awake.

It was all her fault. She was clouding my head at nights and now mornings too. It was also the goddess's fault for making her my mate.

But that was it. The goddess proposed her as my mate and I took her as my whore.

The goddess could chose who my mate was but she could definitely not tell me what to do with her.

I had wanted to reject her immediately that night but Steel got other ideas. We were both angry that we got a vampire as a mate. Of all the creatures in the supernatural, the goddess chose to give us a vampire as a mate! It was very repulsive.

She was quite attractive. Pale and fragile,not my kind of women but she was attractive. Attractive enough to have her in my bed and make her scream my name and watch her roll her eyes back and forth in ecstasy.

Her body was all I wanted and for a vampire,she had a very alluring body that sends signals down one's loins without even a touch.

Instead of letting such beauty pass by without having a taste just because I despised her being, Steel and I agreed to have her as a mistress. Please us and we were done.

Why she was crowding my mind was what did not go down well with me.

"Do not worry yourself too much Helldog. You just had her last night." Steel said to me.

I shrugged nodding. "You're right Steel. She was pretty good last night." I said to him with a smirk.

He chuckled. "And you pushed her away like you had the worst experience ever last night." He said.

I stood up from the bed stretching. "I'm not about to let her know she pleases me just so fine. I'll like her to think she's worthless in bed." I said pulling on a shirt.

He laughed out. "We're so much alike." He said as I pulled up my breeches.

I chuckled. "After all,we share one mind." I said to him and walked out of the room.

"Alpha." Killian,my second in command called the instant he saw me.

"Killian," I said to him as I walked into the living room. "Any information about the land Cromwell possessed?" I asked him.

He nodded. "The land was forcefully taken from us the lycans under your father's reign. Cromwell's pack believe it's their rightful property." He said.

The land in question belonged to us. All towns from the royal mile in Edinburgh down to Glasgow belonged to only us the lycans. Why other creatures of the supernatural derived joy in claiming our properties irritated me and always aroused anger in me.

Cromwell's pack was a flimsy pack of warlords that I could render to dust without effort. I was not my father who did things leniently. I give warnings only twice and the last is action.

"Did you send my letter?" I asked him.

"Yes Lucifer. He returned it. Pieces inside the envelope." He said and I grew in fury. The warlords knew not what I was capable of.

"The news of my dealings with the vampires must have not reached their ears." I said with a smirk. How I would love to see the surprise and horror on their faces when we take back our land.

"Do not issue another warning to them Kill. This is the highest insult a lycan can take." I said to him and he nodded and walked away.

Just then I saw Ash walking down the stairs. I could feel her emotions and I could tell she was sad. I do not care. I said to myself.

"Trying to take another town I see." She said to me.

"Who told you,you could come out of your room?" I demanded ignoring her question.

"Every wall is a prison for me. It does not matter if it's up there or down here." She said in that boldness I first heard that night I took her away with me.

"That room is your prison." I said to her with a frown.

"Yes it is my prison. Where you have your will with me." She said raising her chin.

I smirked. "You signed up for this." I said to her.

"I had no choice and I did not say yes." She said and I bridged up the space between us.

Grabbing her waist tightly as she pressed into me. Her eyes wide in shock.

"Technically,with your moans you said yes. I drive you to great heights of pleasures and you cannot deny that my pretty." I said to her as I drew a line down her arm. Why did I sound that way? I cleared my throat and pushed her away from me.

She's only been here for a few days and I was already losing my senses. Why would the moon goddess give me a dead soul as a mate? Why? I was not so cruel to deserve such fate, was I?

Ashlyn's POV

I was shocked when he held me so closed to himself and say those words but the moment he threw me aside,I knew he was just playing with my mind.

The brute was making a mockery of me. I watched him walk away from me as I took in deep breaths. Someday I hoped to make him beg,beg at my feet for the ill treatments he was making me face.

But I knew that someday was far from me. What could an unwitting vampire like me do?

Shaking the thoughts of Lucifer out of my head,I walked out of the house daring the freedom he did not let me have.

For the first time since I was brought in here,I observed the environment I was in. Beautiful trees surrounded the house.

A stony pavement that ran out in lines leading to different parts of the forest.

One of the lines led to the stable and I followed it. I've had thrills for horses for a very long time but I was never allowed on one. As a princess of the Clutch,one must not be seen participating in such things. I scoffed remembering father's words. It was always the carriage or the car and nothing else. What a boring life I've had to live!

I walked closer to the stable and my eyes immediately fell in love with a beautiful mare with pale brown skin and freckles on the white mark on her face.

"Hey beautiful," I said to her smiling as I ruffled her mane. She allowed me stroke her despite just meeting me for the first time. "What's your name?" I asked her and she snorted.

"Her name is Snowball." Someone said and I turned to see a tall and laggy man coming towards us with a saddle.

Seeing a lycan always scared the shoots out of me. This particular lycan didn't look scary or as vicious as their alpha,but still yet his height struck a bit of fear in me.

"That's a very beautiful name," I said looking at Snowball. "She's very beautiful." I said again.

"Do you have some sugar with you?" I asked him and nodded with a smile.

"I always keep 'em in my pocket." He said still smiling as he handed the sugar to me.

What a nice person! Would it kill the rest of them to be nice? Especially their doltish head of an alpha.

"Thank you," I said to him as I whispered into Snowball's ears trying to gain her trust to allow me feed her and I did gain her trust as she ate right from my palm!

"You're quite a lucky lady to have Snowball feed from your hand. She does not let anyone aside the alpha come close to her." He said to me and I chuckled.

Of course! I've mated with the alpha and his scent had rubbed off on me too. That was why she trusted me.

"What's your name?" I asked him.

"Ripper." He said. I stared at him in surprise and immediately masked it with a smile. Terrible and dangerous names these men bear. What happened to Scott? Samuel? Xander?

"Nice to meet you Ripper." I said still with a smile.

He smiled back. "You too mi'lady. Ever rode a horse?" He asked me.

"Oh me?" I exclaimed softly. "I've never ridden on a horse before." I said to him.

"Would you like to give it a try?" He asked me.

I nodded almost immediately. It was a dream come true. I watched him release Snowball from her quarter.

I followed him to the open space in the stable.

"I'll be done saddling her inna minute." He said with a bit of struggle as Snowball made it hard to saddle her.

After a lot of struggle,he finally saddled her.

"Ready?" He asked me and I nodded,swallowing back the lump that filled my throat.

He helped me up on the horse and I immediately fidgeted. For something I longed for,I was impossibly scared about it.

"Be careful. She can sense your discomfort and try to make you at ease and that would not work out very well for you." Ripper cautioned.

I nodded but I was still scared as I held her reins. I was not properly balanced on her due to my fear. She moved forward and tried to correct me but she did it wrongly.

She raised her front legs up and I came falling down from her.

I screamed closing my eyes in fear and expected to fall face down on the ground but a pair of strong arms caught me.

I clung tightly to my rescuer until I inhaled his scent. It was awfully familiar. It was no other than Lucifer. I opened my eyes only to look into his pair of dark ones. I gulped in fear. Just a look at this man installed fear in me.

He stared at me and then with anger in his eyes,he let go of me and I dropped hard on the floor.

I gasped in shock at the impact of the fall. Why did he save me if he was only going to let me fall? Tears stung my eyes. Not for the fact that he let me fall but the impact the fall had on my behind.

"You do not know how to ride a horse yet you mounted one." He muttered under his breath and my vampire ears heard him. He kicked past me towards Ripper.

"Do not ever do that again without an authorization from me. Do not even allow her on any of the horses." He lashed out warnings at Ripper who nodded simply.

I scrambled to my feet. "You cannot do that!" I exclaimed.

"Fetch me Ruthless." He said to Ripper, ignoring me. Ruthless? What bloody lycan was bearing this name too?

Ripper walked away.

"You cannot forbid me from riding a horse!" I said to him again.

He turned his venomous eyes at me and for a second it flashed golden revealing his lycan eyes.

"And who are you to tell me what to do?" He demanded.

"I'm Ashlyn Ambrosia, daughter of Khalid Ambrosia,the vampire king." I said to him in defiance.

"Last time I remembered, you're nothing but my mistress here and your father practically sold you for his own selfish reasons." He said sneering.

That almost made me break down as it pierced me deeply. He triggered my worst pain.

"Do not think because you get to have your way with me that you can treat me the way you like." I said to him looking him dead in the eyes with fear of what he might do to me lurking in my mind.

He smirked. "I believe I am already treating you the way I like princess." He mocked coming closer to me.

"Do not consider my submission as a weakness. The beast inside of me is sleeping not dead." I said to him in a boldness I've never felt before. A boldness I knew would get me hanged soon.

His eyes grew darker as he loomed over me. "Someone's tongue is getting sharper than before," he said frowning.

"What can I say? The mighty hell dog's unbearable attitude is rubbing off on me." I said sarcastically and I regretted it the moment it came out of my mouth.

He held me in a painful grasp. His expression darkened. "Now listen to me you little swine," he said gripping my arm tighter and I winced in pain. He was about to unleash the devil inside of him on me.

"You're nothing but my little whore and there's nothing you or anyone in heaven or hell can do about it," he said in a viscous anger. I whimpered as his fingers kept piercing through my skin. "I know how to punish you for this act," he said pushing me to the ground. "And in the nearest future, you would never think of defiling me." He said in a low menacing tone.

Ripper returned with Ruthless and Lucifer sent him off. "Take him back." He ordered. His eyes not leaving my face as he stared wickedly at me.

I was about to be punished and I knew what my punishment would be but yet I was scared it was something that would be different from before. I was in big trouble.