Unleashed

Chapter Eighteen: Full Moon - Part Two

Connor

Thirteen Years Ago

Why were we taken to the courtyard? Rhett grabbed my hand in his little one and held it tight, but Albus didn't allow it. He parted our hands, yanking at our arms, dragging me and my little brother over the light brown tiles until we stood lined up with some other people from the house—all slaves and Lycans.

I looked at my granny, who had to keep some distance. I saw her looking at us with wide eyes. Her wrinkled face was all pale. I think she looked afraid. Was she scared?

The sound of horses and a carriage coming to halt caught my attention, and I turned my head, looking at the gates. A few men stepped out of the carriage and walked inside after the gates had opened.

It was the bad man: our Master. He was talking to another man who looked like a Prince or even a King.

Master's clothes were brown and dirty, but the man wore a toga that wasn't brown or dirty at all. It was blue like the cornflowers my granny sometimes picked for our Mistress and had golden sparkles at the bottom. The man must be very rich.

He looked kinder than our Master, too. Master always looked angry. Master was always angry.

Rhett sobbed. I told him to shush before Albus would slap him again. I didn't want Rhett to be in pain, so he shouldn't whine and shouldn't cry.

'Just stay silent and do your work.' That's what granny always told us, but Rhett was only six years old while I was already nine. He didn't understand everything as well as I did. I prayed to the Gods he would stop crying.

Thankfully, he was quiet before the two men stopped right in front of us.

"You really want to sell these two?" The rich man asked.

"Yes," Master answered.

The man took a step towards me, leaned in, and brushed a lock of long hair behind my ear. "How old is this one? It hasn't turned yet, has it?"

"No, it hasn't turned, but I think it will soon. I'm not sure about its age," Master answered before he ordered Albus to bring "the old slave that was responsible for the two dogs."

Albus returned with my granny. "How old are these?" he asked her.

Granny's lower lip trembled and her eyes were all watery.

"Speak up, old hag, or I'll slap them!" Master ordered, pointing to me and Rhett.

"T-they're six and n-nine."

"Nine?" The man repeated. "It's only nine? I would have guessed at least thirteen, being so tall and broad already."

That was true; I was always the tallest of all children. And the strongest one too! Even Gino, who was fifteen, lost when we wrestled. He never wanted to admit I won, though.

"I want five coins for the pair," Master said.

"You're a fool to sell them, Lucious." The man stood up straight again.

Sell them? Huh? Will Granny, Rhett, and I live with the man that looked like a King? I was happy with this news. The unfamiliar man's house surely would be better than where we live now.

"I need money," Master said, biting on the inside of his cheek.

"Because I'm your friend, I'll pay you twenty."

"T-twenty?"

"Yes. I don't mind spending money on things of value. But I'm not interested in your other Lycans. I'll only take these two. Load them into the other carriage."