Page 9 of Second Chance Mates

I stare back into his lifeless mossy eyes that I have despised since the moment I came here. My jaw clenches, and I am hit by another wave of tangy blood that makes me gag. “Who are your parents?” he asks again.

My lips tremble, and I know better than to act smart or tell the truth. “I-I don’t remember,” I whisper as I flick my eyes between his.

Lucien finally releases my head and throws me to the floor. “Good,” he grumbles as he stands up and dusts his hands on his trousers. “We’ll come back to this again tomorrow. The quicker you forget, the quicker we can get on with everything we have in store for you.”

My entire body shakes against the wet floor. I close my eyes as they fight to stay open. I’ve never felt so defeated and useless. My only wish is that this is all over soon. Yet, I know barely anyone will be looking for me.

"There's my beautiful girl." Lucien flashes his evil smile at me as he enters the room I’m chained up in.

I stare up at him through my damp lashes. “Fuck you.” My voice is a weak whisper.

His dark, cackling laugh echoes around the freezing room as he takes a few steps closer. I flick my eyes to his hand as he slaps my cheek hard. The corner of my lip splits open within seconds. Blood bursts across my tongue, but I’m used to it now.

My head rises as I look up at him. His chest heaves with fuelled disgust at my profanity. I gather the blood in my mouth and spit down onto the ground next to his feet. Before I know it, he’s grabbing my face painfully between his fingers and lining his nose up against mine. “Oh…you stupid little mate. Everything would have turned out alright if you were an actual wolf and not a human.”

I refuse to let my eyes water. He’s been going on about werewolves and mates since I was brought here against my will. I didn’t believe him at first, but he showed me the transformation, which I thought was impossible. A part of me was convinced that I had died, but the reality soon hit.

I’m living in hell on Earth instead.

My gaze zeros on him. “Do you know how embarrassing it would be to bring out a pathetic, weak, human Luna like you?”

“Just let me go,” I say through gritted teeth.

Lucien pouts and twists his head, his evil eyes flashing at me without an ounce of remorse. “Oh, sweetheart, but that’s no fun!”

His fingers dig into the flesh on my cheeks, which makes me wince, but I refuse to make a sound. I don’t want to give him that satisfaction. I want to fight. “You still owe my Beta and my male wolves a show.”

Immediately, my skin runs cold, goosebumps invade my arms. I clench my throat to stop the bile from rising, but the mention of his pack has my body triggering its fight-or-flight instinct. Except I have nowhere to go, and the only choice I have is to play by their despicable, unfair rules.

“You even think about showing me up, and I swear I'll make you wish you were never born.” Lucien's eyes are lifeless as always, but today they seem deadlier, and by the tone of his words, I don’t want to play games.

His voice echoes around my head. I’ll make you wish you were never born. Little does he know, I already do. I know I’m never getting out of here, and now, I’m nothing but a dead soul inside a shell.

“It’s showtime,” he sings in my ear, and I grimace at the heat of his breath on my skin. I study his hand as it raises before he gives my cheek a light tap.

He pulls me up roughly by the strands of my matted hair, making me cry out in agony. He drags me into the hall and down to the room of nightmares. Terror doesn’t even do it justice. This room makes me wish I was dead.

As I enter, I can’t ignore the jeers, misogynistic comments, and wolf whistles that are directed my way. The testosterone in this room is lethal, and I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy—unless it’s Lucien, then I’d make him go through this a thousand times over.

My head remains down as I step inside, refusing to make eye contact with any of these hormonal wolves who clearly haven’t seen a female in a long time. “Remember what I said,” Lucien demands quietly in my ear. “You don’t want to let me down today, sweetheart.”

Nothing could prepare me for what is about to happen, even though I know the process. I wish I could say it gets easier, but it doesn’t. Every time, I wish someone would put me out of my misery—bludgeon me to death, quick and easy.

Lucien throws me down onto the floor in the middle of his wolves. My knees scrape against the uneven concrete. I grit my teeth, but I don’t make a noise. My shoulder hits the ground as silhouettes surround me.

“Get on your knees, bitch.” I hear Lucien’s Beta, Damon, as he grips the back of my head and yanks me up onto my knees, which crack against the hard ground.

I look straight ahead and despise the sight. Tears roll down my cheeks endlessly. All I can do is wonder what I ever did to deserve this.

My body has been attempting to give up for a long time now. There is barely anything left of me. I can’t remember the last time I had a decent meal.

I cannot tell you how happy I am to die.

The door to my chambers opens. I don’t usually expect Lucien at this time. Except it isn’t Lucien; it’s his little brother, Evan. He’s the only kind soul in this place. His youthful face is like seeing flowers after a rain shower.

“Ava,” he says softly as he approaches me on the floor. A cold hand presses to my cheek, forcing my eyes to look at him, but I’m weaker than I’ve ever been before. “Ava, look at me.”

My body trembles. “Evan,” I whimper hoarsely. He starts to undo my shackles with a bunch of keys. “W-what are you doing?”

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