Rite of Submission - Rite 1

1: Debt Collector

                The pounding in my ears was so deafening that it was getting harder to focus on more than one thing at a time right now. I just wanted to give into the rage churning through me and lash out at all of them. Scream, punch, kick, whatever chaos it took to get my point across. They all had played a part in this ludicrous declaration of lunacy and I didn't know who I was supposed hate the most for it right now.

The closest candidates were the muscle bound mongrels that had wrestled me down to my knees while restraining my arms behind me. They'd already failed to prevent me from cracking my knuckles against their ring leader's jaw; right after he'd ordered me to kneel in submission before him. I was almost certain I'd have bruises on my knees from hitting the hardwood floor so hard, and up and down my arms from where their meat hooks clawed at me. But they were just brain dead drones following orders, incapable of producing an original thought on their own. I wanted to rip their arms off and beat them with them, but I don't think I hated them the most right now.

Maybe it should be my parents. After all, they didn't hesitate to comply with any of the demands that were being made. They just stood there with their heads bowed, agreeing that the time had come to pay old debts. Our family was refugees, barely allowed to live within their borders. But my parents were behaving as if these monsters were the absolute authority. Neither had looked me in the eye since I'd walked into the room. Betrayal could be a legitimate reason to hate them, and this was as deep as a betrayal could run.

No, the top of my shit-list had to be the smug asshole towering over me. Dmitri Volkov, the Alpha of the Opalescent Moon Pack. He was exactly what you'd picture an Alpha to be; tall with broad shoulders and an expensive suit pulled taut over the massive muscles beneath it. I suppose most would've called him handsome, with his startling ice blue eyes, and thick, slightly shaggy black hair framing his perfectly calm face. He even had a chiseled square jaw, complete with chin dimple. I wanted to rip that face off, starting with that smug little smirk plastered on his lips.

He grabbed my chin firmly in his hand, forcing me to look up at him so he could inspect my own face easier. He was interrogating my parents about every facet of my life while we stared directly into one another's eyes, both refusing to be the first to look away. His questions ranged from the kind of diet I was on, my grades at school, any training I had acquired, too how many human friends I seemed close with. He even went as far as questioning them about my feminine health and cycle, which seemed to make everyone else in the room uncomfortable, while I seethed.

The more I fought against the hands that held me in place, the wider the arrogant smile spread across his face. He paused in his questioning to push my hair out of my face with his free hand and tuck a stray red curl behind my ear, "Are you sure she gets enough sunlight? Her skin is practically as pale as porcelain," his thumb slid along my cheek. "And whose side of your family does she get such unusually bright green eyes?"

He turned away from me to compare my features with those of my parents, who looked like they'd just flown in from Greece. I can't say that I'm ashamed of how things played out from there. I had made my position clear and if he wanted to keep this game of cruelty going, I was more than happy to oblige.

While no one could see the murderous glint in my eyes, I took my opening. Twisting my chin free of his grasp and planting my feet firmly underneath me, I lunged. My body surged forwards almost a foot, dragging my throng of live restraints with me. I hadn't been able to wrench my arms free, but there was no way in hell I was going to waste their momentary surprise. I bit down on the fleshy spot of his hand between his forefinger and thumb where my chin was previously being held. The warm coppery tang of blood flooded my mouth and dripped down my chin.