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The guy I’d helped laughed, “The new girl is funny. I’m chained because I live down in what they call the fighters quarters. It’s a nice name for cell.” I gasped, “What?” Wet dog sneered, “Behave or you’ll join them.”

I rubbed my temples, “I’m not in your pack… you literally can’t have me thrown into a cell… or people will ask where I am.” The guy laughed, “Tough luck, Trevor.” I preferred wet dog. The guy laughed and I turned red. He bumped me, “See you around new girl.”

Trevor mocked, “If you live.” I frowned asking, “Why wouldn’t he live? He’s a fighter.” Trevor growled, “He’s won some, but all the fighters die eventually.” Horror filled me. I watched the guy leave. He threw me a wink and I realized I didn’t get his name.

Determination filled me. I’d save him. I would. I didn’t save Tristan, dad, or mom but I could save that guy. Crush announced, “You’ll have to be seen by the doc.” I shrugged, “Ok.” After two hours Lydia came in with the guy who ran this fighting ring. They jolted.

Lydia gasped, “The doctor didn’t come in yet?

” I replied, “Nope. It’s not like I have anything to do…

so…” She ran off to get a doctor. The leader said, “You did good tonight.” I hummed, “I’m operating under the assumption you paid someone for me to fight…

right? There’s no one way someone isn’t getting paid. ”

He agreed, “I did. You were worth every penny. By your next fight, I’ll have earned it all back.” Good. I nodded, “I’d like to talk to you about an opportunity after that fight.” He laughed, “Sure, kid.” I was going to convince him, I was certain. It was going to work.

The Doctor came in while Lydia berated him. He said, “I was told to make sure I saw her last.” He stalled then his eyes widened. He shouted, “A PUP! A FREAKING WEREWOLF PUP! You people are DISGUSTING! There isn’t supposed to anyone underaged in these fights.” That was definitely good to know.

The guy in charge shrugged, “Her Aunt signed the waiver.” The doctor pointed at him, “There are lines even for those without many morals. You do NOT allow anyone underaged to fight. Why are you making an exception after all these years?” I was an exception again. Yay. They all looked at me.

The doctor asked, “You allow biting now?” I replied, “The Alpha I fought tried to mark me.” He snarled and snapped his jaw at the guy running the place.

The man in charge questioned, “What I supposed to do? She’s not marked, and she won her fight.” He evaluated me with care which told me Crush was right. I would know who was here against their will or not. He told me to go. I went outside but no one was waiting to take me back. I grumbled, “Jerks.”

I began walking. I was about five miles away from the pack when I heard someone screaming in pain. What the heck? I ignored the pain and began to run. Dread filled me as I realized I was getting closer and closer to the pack grounds.

I pushed people out of my way. Several stared at me in shock. I screamed, “NO!” When the horror that was happening before me came into view. Alpha Edward was hitting his own daughter with a whip. I knocked Beta Jean to the ground when he tried to stop me and threw myself on Addison Davis.

I felt the sting of the whip and cried out. The intensity increased. Luna Elena shouted, “Edward, no.” I held onto Addison tightly as twenty-five lashes came down on my back. He stopped and Addison scrambled out from under me and helped me to my feet looking at me like I was the crazy one here.

She whispered, “No one has ever…” She trailed off but I could guess what she was going to say.

I replied, “No pack worth anything watches as anyone is hurt. Let alone the Alpha’s daughter.

Their wolves must hate all of them. Or they were Alpha Commanded to do nothing, which is against the laws…

that people down here clearly do not care about. ”

She said, “A few are Alpha Commanded.” I shrugged, “Then a lot of these people’s wolves don’t like them.” No one growled, which meant I was right. Alpha Edward growled, “It was your fault. I warned you not to be late.” So, he’d just lied about who he’d hurt.

I pointed out, “One cannot be late if one was not given a time to be back by. Plus, I was doing as instructed waiting for the doctor who was told to treat me last… probably by you… then no one was waiting to drive me back, so I walked… then ran when I heard your daughter screaming.”

Luna Elena gasped, “You…” I turned and her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Edward.

He took a step towards her. She backed up, “You told them to treat her last so you could hit our daughter.” I hummed, “It’s likely so that he could make me see he was serious.

He gave her five lashes, so it was on a timetable of one every twenty-five minutes. ”

Alpha Edward snarled, “Shut up.” Luna Elena asked, “Is she right?” Yes. This wasn’t about her. It was about me. He said, “We can discuss that inside.” He told me, “You’ll be cooking again with Mason.” Caine and Luna Elena had surrounded Addison.

I said, “I’d like to speak to you in private, Alpha Edward.” I hadn’t planned to do it now, but it was going to have to work. Luna Elena needed time to get Addison away. Logically, Caine was one of the ones Alpha Edward used his Alpha Command on.

He snarled, “Fine.” Beta Jean followed us. He said, “You will stay in line.” I shrugged, “Probably not.” I observed his office and the filing method. I easily found the one on Mason and Hendrick King. He sputtered, “You can’t…” Beta Jean moved, and I kicked him in the balls and kept reading.

I put the file down. I said, “You are going to reimburse the King’s for the profits that they give you.” He laughed, “No, I won’t.” I grinned, “But you will…. Wanna know why?” He scoffed, “Sure.” I said, “Because you clearly don’t want anyone to actually know what you’re doing in this pack.”

Beta Jean snorted, “And you’ll tell them?

” I answered, “I have the numbers of every Werewolf Council memorized. Allowing a pup from a visiting pack to be beaten means they’d visit.

The Supernatural Council would be required to investigate as well, and you’re abusing your family’s. ” He snarled, “Watch it.”

I said, “You’d be killed for what happened to me tonight.

The Werewolf Council would make you accept your mate’s rejection if she chose that path, but the Supernatural Council would recommend therapy.

Not even they could let it go what you just allowed to happen to me.

Plus, the Werewolf Council has lonnnggggg since wanted information about the Undergrounds. ”

Beta Jean snorted, “So you can talk in complete sentences.” I replied, “Obviously. I just talk through my thoughts sometimes… well, ok it’s a lot.

It’s a simple thing… you have the capitol to pay them back now.

You owe them twenty million dollars and then you can take the standard five percent cut of profits.

” He snarled, “I will not give them twenty million dollars.”

I disagreed, “You will because you want to live… and now it’s twenty-five million dollars in back pay.

I find it very odd that you are actually quite rich, but your pack looks like a pigsty…

. which… ummm… no offense….no, actually all offense because you’re the Alpha and you should take pride in how your pack looks. ”

He stared at me for several seconds. Beta Jean got to doing something on his computer and Mason and Hendrick came in after a while.

Mason again offered, “I’ll teach Melanie how to cook.

” Alpha Edward glared at me saying, “Be sure that you do. I’ll whip her every chance I get.

” Illegal. So very illegal. He winked, “Unless you’d rather sleep with me. ”

I jolted up, “Huh…? I… you…. me…. what?” I glanced at Beta Jean who licked his lips. Umm gross. Hendrick and Mason flinched. Alpha Edward said, “I’ll give you the option sometimes, Melanie. You can sleep with me or take the lashes of your punishment.”

I stammered, “You are mated… and… um… I’m not interested…. because… like you’re not…. someone…. Well, a specific someone… and… just… well…. no.” Mason bit his lip trying not to smile.

Alpha Edward growled, “You’ll change your mind, they all do.”

I gasped, “You sleep with other people?! But… Luna Elena… it hurts you both. Why would you do that? I mean… you seem kind of horrible… but she’s so nice… and…” He growled, “There’s a way I don’t feel pain. She has to be taught her place.”

I asked, “Why not reject her because you’re being….?” His eyes flickered black and he roared at me. I asked, “Why are you letting your human treat her so horribly if you care? Are you ok?” He shook and Alpha Edward was back. He said, “Elena is mine.”

I muttered, “But you’re not hers… that’s hardly fair.” He replied, “I don’t give a damn about being fair. Your packs hang around Fairies too much.” Beta Jean cleared his throat. Alpha Edward said, “Twenty-five million dollars has been transferred to your account, Hendrick.” He paused.

I added, “And Mason. Because… you can’t transfer that much at once, so you’d have used both their joint accounts and separate ones. Plus… their business one obviously.” Mason said, “We were not allowed to open a joint account.” I rubbed my temples because I was getting a pounding headache.

Hendrick asked, “Why are we getting twenty-five million dollars?” I answered, “It’s what you’re owed from you profits that they stole…

.” Alpha Edward argued, “We didn’t steal it.

It’s owed to us.” I shook my head, “That they UNLAWFULLY stole from you that I… obtained… well via blackmail. You will have to pay the standard five percent to the pack… which is somehow only the Alpha since they have more than enough to maintain the pack grounds and do not.”