This was a difficult time for everyone! I was chosen to participate in the inauguration of the new alpha of the Midnight Pack- a clan of werewolves that had been ravaging our world for centuries! My role was to contend for the role of the alpha’s new slave; I had just turned sixteen a week ago and that made me a perfect candidate for this position. I must’ve been cursed because this selection process had only one requirement- the girl had to be sixteen and not a year younger or older. They called us lambs- it was clearly an insensitive but self aware choice. It wouldn’t have been the first time such ill luck fell upon my family too. My poor sister Suzie was the first one to have been chosen for this hideous ritual around five years ago and that too, just for some normal werewolf. Apparently, any one of them could choose a human slave if they weren’t sure they’d find a mate for themselves. This was only to satisfy their sexual urges which I’ve heard were just as horrifying as their transformations. Suzie’s master eventually did find his mate within two years of her tenure and she had sent us a letter of joy stating she’d get released soon. Our happiness was short-lived because all that we received was her viciously mauled body; that vile monster decided to rip her to shreds because his mate thought it would be funny! Words could never describe how devastated we were to find poor Suzie like that- thinking about it even now brings tears to my eyes. She was such a sweet person; she didn’t deserve to die, especially the way she did! It was so unfair!
I was the only child left in my family and my parents weren’t getting any younger with each passing day. I knew very well that if I did get chosen, I might go on to face the same fate as Suzie. It wasn’t hard to imagine either- the new alpha was Lucas Kane. He was well known for his notoriety even amongst his own kind. His malicious exploits became so infamous that they would even reach the human-occupied portion of their island. Werewolves usually never visited our side of town because they looked at us like feeble insects; we weren’t worthy enough to be graced by their presence unless they wanted someone to fuck or kill. I could very well become a victim of both those activities. The paranoia and anxiety I felt were going through the roof so I went in for a shower to calm myself down; I also had to get ready because the invitation clearly stated that Luke was going to send cars to fetch his little lambs. They didn’t like to wait for humans.
I got out of the shower and dressed into a white gown. I came out of my room and found both my parents sitting solemnly at the dining table; they’ve been here before. I decided to sit with them so that we could be together one last time before I was going to be taken away.
“These sick freaks and their traditions; I hope you don’t get chosen for slaughter once that dog finds his bitch”, mom said with a trembling voice anticipating the worst.
“Don’t go for it!” my father interrupted with a hopeful realization. “We’ll figure out something to tell them. “We’ll tell them you ran away with your boyfriend! Yes! They’ll believe that!” he grinned.
As much as I was scared to go for this ritual, I also knew that if I refused, they would kill my family. I’d rather be raped every day of my life than have their blood on my hands.
“Dad, we know that’s not going to work. Just look outside and see it yourself.”
I raised my hand and pointed toward our little window. He and mom both looked back to find a mysterious figure lurking around the shadows of our streets. It looked massive and I could see shiny yellow eyes from its canine face- it was one of them!
Dad started freaking out and muttered, “What? Why do they have that thing roaming around our house?
Mom chimed in by saying, “They’d want to keep a close watch on their precious little lamb; make sure she doesn’t wander off anywhere.”
Dad exclaimed in an agitated tone, “Those bastards! They got nothing better to do than treat us like their fucking pets!”
“Jonathan! Watch the language!”
Mom spoke with a bit of moralistic shock, reminding dad that he was cussing in front of his virginal daughter.
“I don’t care Lisa! Our daughter is going to get violated by those vile, disgusting monsters and there’s nothing we can do about it! Look at us- a bunch of sheep!”
I didn’t know whether to appreciate the genius of my father’s taunting of the situation, given that we were all dressed in white clothes and were being watched over by a werewolf; or cry at the inevitable fate that I had to meet and they had to watch. I tried to cheer him up with some optimistic thinking.
“Come on dad, it can’t be all that bad. He might not even like me.”
“It won’t matter Lydia; they’ll strip you naked and ‘test’ you out before they make their decisions. They might even kill you if you’re below par for their standards. Suzie used to tell us all about it in her letters” he stuttered while fighting back tears. “You know, sometimes I wish I could turn into one myself; I’d kill their leader and rule over their kingdom. I could save so many lives.”
Dad couldn’t hold his feelings back anymore and he burst out crying. Mom tried to calm him down but it was all in vain.
“John, please!” she urged him, “Not in front of Lydia.”
“Why did they have to choose her?” he asked mom with teary eyes and shaky breaths, “There are so many women around here; why her?”
It pained me to see the impact of this ‘invitation’ already on my parents. I didn’t want to see them like this but I guess this was true slavery- to the destinies we never asked for. I had a look at the simple piece of paper that literally spoke out this truth on simpler terms. I noticed a strand of information that immediately raised my heartbeat.
“Mom, dad- they said they’re sending a car for me at eight. The time is 7:59!”
Dad’s breathing got heavier and he manically said, ‘No, this can’t be. This can’t be!”
Mom started crying too and let me know her pain by telling me, “Lydia, baby I just want you to know that we will always love you no matter what! You deserve a better life!”
To be honest, despite all the negativity and panic in my mind, I still didn’t feel as sad or depressed as my parents- I’d already resigned myself to what was going to happen. We could hear a car pulling up in front of the house. It was followed by a stern knock followed by a couple of doorbells. My parents just kept crying.
“I can’t do this Lisa!”
“Neither can I John!”
Surely enough, the door was pushed open with just the slightest punch from a tall bulky man in a black suit; he looked exactly like one of those werewolf bodyguard/drivers we’d usually see in the movies. There was a fancy black car waiting for me behind him and he let us know his intentions.
“Lydia Muybridge- in the car, now!” he ordered in a stern and ferocious voice.
There was no point worrying about it anymore; it was time to see what the pack had in store for me. I walked past my parents as they buried their heads in sorrow on the table and I entered the car. I could over hear their last words in my presence before I shut the door.
“Get a hold of yourself John! She’s a smart girl; she’ll figure a way!”
“How is she going to do that Lisa? We live on a fucking island run by these monsters! There’s no escape!”
Luckily, the driver paid no heed to their words as he was in a hurry. I then began my journey into what was looking like a perpetual hell in the making.