Stephanie's Trial

Critical

I woke on the night of my ninth year here to the sound of screams, gunshots, and breaking furniture. For a moment, I thought I was locked back in the box again, but when Samuel burst through the door, blood on his shirt and a gun in his hand, I remembered where I was - and the terror from more than nine years ago came flooding back, especially when I saw the madness in his eyes. 

He stalked over to the bed and ripped the covers off me, before seizing me by the hair and dragging me out of bed, throwing me to the ground. I lay there, stunned, the sound of ripping sheets filling my ears. The next thing I knew, my wrists and ankles were bound, and a strip of cloth was forced between my teeth. Samuel then hauled me up and threw me over his shoulder. "We're getting out of here," he said. "And you're going to keep your stupid little mouth shut, or so help me God, I'll put a bullet through your stupid, thick little head."

So saying, he kicked the door open and strode down the hall, away from the sounds of the brawl going on downstairs. For a moment, I wondered where we were going, but when he pushed the door open to the pool, I felt cold fear grip my bones and I tensed, half expecting to be thrown in. Instead, Samuel shut and locked the doors, before throwing me to the ground. "Now," he said, his voice conversational, a chilling contrast to the madness burning in his eyes, "you and I are going to have a nice little talk." He set the gun down, but he never kept his hand far from the trigger. For a moment, I contemplated kicking it away, but knew it was a hopeless prospect; Samuel was unbound, and he'd likely shoot me in the head for my stupidity. 

In any case, he was soon speaking again, and I felt goosebumps rise on my skin. 

"So," he said, "let's talk. You know about your shoddy, shameful past." He chuckled, and I felt ill. "Well, let me clue you in. It's all true. Every last bit of it. I'm your uncle, and that stupid whore is my half-sister. So you needn't think you're free. I claimed you nine years ago, and you're mine. As to why?" He chuckled again. "Why does a man need a reason to claim his mate?"

I froze, and Samuel grinned in the dim moonlight. It was not a pleasant smile. "You were ordained to be my mate from the day you were born," he said. "My brother started the war with your father in order to claim you for me, because I told him I wanted you, and I would do all I could to get you. He won, and I got you. But then James interefered, and told Simon to make you his Gamma so he could keep you away from me." He spat on the ground in disgust. 

"But," he said, reclaiming his cruel grin, "it wasn't all bad. James saw you as his mate, but he'd already been rejected once before, and he didn't want to make the same mistake again. Naturally, when you rejected him again, he decided he didn't want anything to do with any female, and had you demoted, not because he hated you, but because he loved you so much he wanted to distance himself from you so he wouldn't hurt you again." He sneered. "Love is stupid, worthless, and it makes fools out of the best of us. James was as perfect as a male could be, at least until you came along, you stupid little bitch.

"So there you were, demoted to omega. I knew my time had come to claim you, but then Ethan bonded with you instead, robbing me of the chance to claim you once again. But I bided my time, and then, when the moment was right, I pounced."

My eyes widened in dawning horror, and Samuel grinned when he saw my expression. "Sorry," he said, his tone all oily solictiousness. "Ethan was telling the truth as well, more fool him. But there was nothing he or James could do once I'd made off with you. Oh, and yes, Finn is the Alpha of the Blackwater pack, as well as a very good friend of mine. Ethan was sent to Reading to supposedly retrieve you and bring you back, but in reality, he was there to ensure Finn had the time he needed to set me free, and thus set our little plan in motion. I soundproofed the entire house to make sure no one would hear what was going on, and Finn blanked out everyone's memories of the time you spent there. To them, you never visited, and as far as they know, you're a traitor to your pack."