Chapter 1 The Hunt

How do you get rid of a pest, sorry, an ex-boyfriend who doesn't understand that his effect on you has faded?

“Come on, Raven, you can't tell me you don't feel anything for me anymore. I know you, you're just doing this because those animals you work for are deceiving you.”

I slipped Steven, the old man who begs at the entrance of The Pit some change from my tips.

“Thank you so much,” he gushed but I kept walking. Gratitude for things like this makes my skin crawl, we shouldn't have to live like this.

The pest doesn't leave me alone though, he tried to step in front of me.

“Oh my god Matt, give up! I don't want you anymore, I hate the version of me that looked at your mess and thought I could make you a better person.”

Something moved in the bushes and we both started, before seeing a squirrel running off.

“But I'm better,” he continued his tirade, “I've changed, you changed me!”

“Go be good for someone else. I'm done,” I hissed, walking past him on the road that was fast getting lonely.

If I don't get home in the next fifteen minutes, my ass would be getting displayed in some underground human trafficking club.

Matt didn't get the memo though, why would he?

He's a man whose father owned one of the clubs that kept the wolves that ruined our lives entertained.

They barely take men but if they do take him, he'll be brought back in less than a day.

Unlike my mother who has been gone for six months.

“Give me one last chance, Raven. I'll take you to watch the sunrise, I promise.”

I stopped.

“So you heard me.”

“What?”

I turned to face him, “All those times I used to tell you what you could do to make me happy, you heard me. You knew what it would take to make me happy, and you didn't –”

“Yes, but I'm ready to do it now. I swear.”

“After cheating on me, after calling me a slut every time you were drunk, after… you know what? I have better things to focus on. As I said, get lost!” I snapped, pushing him harder but he didn't budge.

“I don't like this, Raven. I know you like it when I beg you but you're taking this too far. Let me…”

He paused and my ears strained as I heard footsteps running.

“Shit, look what you've done!” I screamed in frustration.

“Relax, it's probably somebody running home.”

“Which I should be doing too! Do you want to get me killed?”

“Are you saying I can't protect you?”

“Can you? Let me go, Matt. We don't have anything together anymore.”

His voice turned nasty, “You just want to be free to whore yourself out at that club, right? I know what goes on at The Pit.”

“Oh my fucking god! Leave me alone!” I screamed as three girls ran past us, screaming.

“Fine, fine! But don't say I didn't… shit, it's the wolf raiders!”

He ran, he fucking ran!

“Of course it's the wolf raiders you asshole!” I yelled at his receding back.

I took off running but I could hear their snarls.

It was too close for comfort.

I wait tables at The Pit and while that is a taxing job, it doesn't prepare one for running.

Not compared to werewolves at least.

But this was my life on the line and I'd be damned if I allowed them to take me without a fight.

God! I hate Matt Grenville with every bone in my body for getting me into this mess.

I worked nights, he could have staged whatever the fuck that was at a better time or place. He'd been to my house every week for the three months we had that toxic relationship.

But no, he chose to put my life in danger and the second he heard them, he ran.

‘Of course he'd run, Raven, what would you have him do? Fight off werewolves for you?’

I heard a scream from a girl I'd run past as she was thrown to the ground.

“Don't hurt the merchandise, Greg!” One of the unshifted ones called and their laughter rang out.

There were so many of them, shit.

I pumped my feet harder, using the light from the ley lines that was ruining our lives as a guide in the dark.

They didn't need that though, their sharp eyes adjusted to the darkness, and they hunted us with their extraordinary abilities.

After which they’d put us in tiny boxes and sell us to the highest bidders.

Shivers ran down my spine as the sound of a growl came from behind me.

Tears were streaming down my face now as I remembered my younger sister, Marvel. How would she cope after losing everyone?

My thought faded to nothing as the wolf nodded my back and I fell.

Into the arms of a smirking bastard.

“Hello beautiful,” he had the guts to smile at me.

“Please let me go, I have a disease, I'll just be a burden to you,” I begged, but even as the words came from my lips, I knew it was futile.

He lifted his hand, steadied me on my feet and I watched his claws grow.

My heart lurched, and my fear grew.

“Let's see,” he whispered and proceeded to tear my skin with it

“Ahh!” I screamed in shock and pain as blood dropped from my arm.

He pulled my hand closer and he smelled the spot he'd cut.

“Nope. You're the healthiest we've captured in months. Seems you're far from home.”

I nodded, it was a lie of course but it's better he assumed I was living far off in the walled cities rather than a few blocks from here.

They might go raiding and get their filthy claws on Marvel.

“Hmm. Well, you'll be sold off before your father makes a missing child complaint. Come, don't make me spoil this pretty skin of yours.”

“But wait, I can… please don't sell me. My father will give you lots of money!”

“Your father can't be richer than the vampires we're having over for dinner tonight, princess,” he chuckled.

“Va.. vampires? They exist?”

He laughed, deep and mocking.

Right before throwing me into the bus where four other girls were crying and shivering.

I found my place next to a red-haired girl with bloodshot green eyes.

Four more were tossed in before the doors were shut and locked from the outside.

My tears were gone by the time the bus started moving, I was thinking about my sister.

I’d kept us afloat ever since both of our parents disappeared from our lives.

‘How will she survive without me?’ I wondered as they drove out of the dark outskirts of town where the rest of us lived like rats and into the highway.

Into the first walled city.

My blood turned cold.

My mother had disappeared six months ago with no explanation and our lives had gotten worse.

I refused to let my little sister lose me too.

Even if it meant I had to fight my way out of whatever fresh hell these beasts were dragging me into.