Taken by Fate (The Alpha Territories, #1)

by Shannon Mayer

She didn’t even look up as her bladder emptied, soaking the filthy, white dress she wore. Her knees trembled as the smell of urine, strong even in the muck and rain, filled the air.

Hmmm… she seems to have enhanced hearing and smell.

“My older brother sold me to pay off his gambling debt. My mom couldn’t stop him with the new rules.

Wow. I hope she gets turned and mauls his ass.

As much as I’d love to blame that all on the Others, turned out humans were just as monstrous as the creatures that hunted us. Brothers selling sisters, husbands sacrificing wives, brokers auctioning people like cattle, to the highest bidder.

Yep. Was already happening, most like, to other humans though out of sight.

“I’m sure your brother⁠—”

Girl no. You were doing good until you tried that bs.

“My parents died not long after the Veil fell and the world went to shit.

How does she know she isn’t fae?

A few more years and I’d be outside the range of what Collectors were looking for.

So she’s about 25 then? She was left at the orphanage as a baby or what?

A something I couldn’t define, but I felt it inside of me, whispering that I was closer every day. Whispering that there was someone out there looking for me, as hard as I was looking for them. Fanciful thinking, I know.

Fated mate.

The combined might of the five races, their magic, and control over the elements had put us, humans, in our place in a matter of weeks.

She’s definitely not a human. Maybe her birth brought down the veil. Maybe she’s a Demi goddess or something. And her parents didn’t “die” but went back to where gods go.

To keep the peace To stop the flow of blood One hundred women, our tears that flood Each phase that comes, your turn is soon, A thousand tears, for the fullest moon.”

That sounds like a prophecy…

“The best of it?” a growling voice snapped from across the pen. “There is no best of it you stupid girl.

There’s always a hater.

She smiled, showing off amazingly white, even teeth that stood out in stark relief against her dirty face.

She’s a goddess in disguise. Yes, I’m making my own narrative until the storyline unfolds.

Hunting implies that us prey have a fighting chance to get away.”

So… did she get away? Because… she sure does seem to know a lot.

“I . . .I’m not strong enough. I can’t do this, Sienna. I can’t. My mother told me . . .that there is always a way out.” Her words didn’t make sense.

Yeah they do. Stop her.

I closed my eyes and fought back the tears. Not because Hannah didn’t deserve my grief, but…she was right. I had to be brave for both of us.

So I hope you got the hair pin.

Sure, dancing was on that short list, but what would werewolves want?

Try it.

“Because Robbie told me so,” she replied with a smirk, once more touching her belly. “Best he could do for me. They like breeders over in the wolf packs.”

He’s getting rid of you and his child. He sacrificed you because you got pregnant… and you think he would do anything helpful for you?

Was Robbie the kind of man who actually wanted to help his baby mama, or was he the kind to try and get rid of her in a more permanent sense?

Clearly get rid of her because why not just keep her and the baby if otherwise?

And why had they stopped? If their forces were strong enough to kill four of my men, why not take everyone on the ship out, Anthony included?

Exactly my thoughts.

Which again begged the question, why had he really asked for me to come on this trip?

Probably to have you killed.

“Fucking whore!” The portly man caught himself and stood, blood dripping down his lips. “I’ll kill you!” She didn’t run and I couldn’t help but arch a brow as she lifted both fists. “Go ahead and try.”

🤣🤣🤣 I like her!

Raven stepped up beside me. “If she loses, I’ll take her and she’ll become my maid. If she wins, you purchase her for the Harvest Games. Can you imagine the stir a firecracker like that would make with the Duchess trying to turn her into a lady?”

Raven seems to know something… and I wonder if he’s a good guy to humans.

“This is a waste of time,” Anthony grumbled. “This one is chum at best. Just look at her.” I narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out why he thought so, before turning my attention back to Raven.

Because she fights back. That’s why he thinks so. He likes them full of fear.

The guard lunged at her then, open-handed as if to smack her in the head. She ducked, and as his back turned to her, she struck, hard. “Ouch.” Raven winced. “She knows where the kidneys are. Perhaps I do not need a maid all that badly. I do so love to grab their plump asses, and I suspect that one might not be so. . . allowing.”

🤣🤣🤣

“Anthony,” I purred his name and the earl’s gaze dropped to my mouth.

Oh my. I rather think he likes that.

“Stop.” I let the command roll out of me, not using just my voice, but also tapping into the control every vampire had on humans. The guard froze, and the girl forced herself to her feet. She paused for the scantest of moments before kicking him in the balls with all her might.

I thought he froze everyone with his command? How was she able to get up? Mate! I’ve only read one other book where the female dreams about their mate before they meet them.

My maid’s soft voice tugged at me.

Your maid?

As a little girl I'd spent hours in front of the mirror, daydreaming of becoming a ballerina one day, with a crisp, white tutu and cotton candy-colored slippers. Spending my nights leaping through the air while the orchestra played, and the violins sang, and the audience cheered. I’d even taken some lessons here and there. But that was before the Veil had come down.

Ok, if she was six before the Veil came down and it’s been 15 years, she’s 21. So how did she only have “a few more years” before she no longer qualified to be a target at 30 years old. I knew something wasn’t right when I was trying to calculate her age before when she first said that. But somehow I added a few years.

I sucked in a breath and dipped my head beneath the water for a long moment before coming up for air,

I’m sure that water is filthy…

waist that looked impossibly narrow due to the corset that she'd stuffed me into and tied shut with one knee in my back.

🤣🤣🤣

The deep auburn color looked even richer against the green of my dress, and I found myself wishing that life was normal again. That this was me, going to the prom I'd never had, to meet a boy I'd never kissed, and have a magical night that would never happen.

She’s fae! If Dominic said that they had been crossing the Veil before it fell to mingle with the humans, as well as other supes, that means that some could have be living there already, blending in… like the fae, since they can glamour and shifters look human when not shifted.

"S-so what does that mean?" I asked, blinking at the doors, unsure of why Bethany was so upset.

After she sad numerous times that y’all can’t be late? You don’t understand?

The slap was a shock, and if it wasn't for the resounding crack that shattered the silence, I'd have almost thought I imagined it. But then my cheek started to throb.

Oh good. She was getting in my nerves too, Bethany. I mean, I under her fear, but… she was already told that basically the Duchess was cool.

If you don't get to meet the Duchess face to face, you don't have a chance to earn her favor. And if you don't earn her favor?" She shook her head slowly. "You're as good as dead." It took a moment for the words to sink in, but when they did, I swayed on my feet like I'd been struck a second time.

She told you. She told you just do this and she’ll tell you everything later. She told you.

Her hand snaked out faster than a viper as she smacked my other cheek. "What in the fresh hell was that for?" I demanded, glaring at her.

You have to match now. It’s makeup. Like blush.

I straightened, opening my mouth to spill the beans, and then snapped it shut when the heel of Bethany's boot stomped on my toe. Apparently, on top of being a shockingly violent harridan, she was also a mind reader.

🤣🤣🤣

"Your clumsy nature will be the end of you. I fear that someday, you'll go to air out a room, open a window, sneeze, and tumble out of it to meet your death.

Wow. 🤣🤣🤣

And then what of me, child? Who will make my cocoa exactly as I like it?"

Well damn.

"You do that. And go speak to the nurse about your . . . ankle." Interesting. She knew it had been a cover.

LOL

Bethany stepped back and spared me a glance and a surreptitious wink before bustling off, faking a limp.

🤣🤣🤣

"Sienna, go stand over there," the Duchess commanded, pointing to the space beside a waifish blonde girl wearing a white gown as if she were headed to her own wedding and got sidetracked.

The description! 🤣🤣🤣

did the math in my head as fast as I could. Fifty-six days. The first bit of luck finally turned my way. Long enough that the boat would be coming for Jordan and I the day after the Harvest Games was done. Fecking perfect.

Um… her math isn’t mathing… plus she has to get from one territory to the other and then actually find Jordan and THEN make it to the docks…

They are to be worn at all times. The gem within starts out clear and changes color, quite like a human mood ring might, except this gem senses bloodlust. The more you are desired and wanted by the men here in the palace, the better your chances of being selected by one of them to partner with.

Well, we know Dominic is about to set hers off big time.

Trussed up like one of the human’s godsdamned Christmas birds, as far as I was concerned, in my overly tight leather tunic and soft pants that wouldn’t stop an arrow even if it missed.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Will jerked his chin toward the brunette still standing far too close to me, weaving her arms around my waist. Gods, they were getting brassy. “You want her?” I pried her hands off—again. “Not really my type.” Will smirked as I found her arms snaking once more around me, like a damn octopus.

OMFG! She wants that stone to be pitch black! 🤣🤣🤣

And fiery too! Not the demure lady that your father and brother have asked to be brought in.”

So that girl may have fit in well if she hadn’t have taken her life.

Need coursed through me and I struggled to breathe normally. Something was definitely wrong with me.

Do they not have or know about fated mates?

He looked up at me as I stood. “Already?” He turned toward the rest of the table with a wide grin. “Who had fifteen minutes? I think you might win the pool!”

Lord. 🤣🤣🤣

“Tony,” I said, deliberately shortening his name. A trick of the Duchess’s that I stole from time to time to put people in their places. The Earl’s sharp face puckered up as if he’d sipped dead blood.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

I suggest you confess to Edmund that it was you who purchased the last girl. She was six hundred, if I remember correctly. For a nothing.”

She was one hundred….

But Anthony, he just blinked stupidly up at me, a glaze of lust flowing over his eyes as I withdrew my hand. He liked his bedmates both under and on top of him, and made no bones about that fact.

Oh! That’s why his purring voice had him off guard at the auction before he shoved him away with a threat! He wants the General!