"I've been taught that girls have no value, and he's the only one who assures me that I do."
Soleil is a girl. A young woman. A female. She couldn't hate it more, because in her society that cursed gender makes her expendable.
The war that was wrou...
I buck my back, throwing myself around in an attempt to be free. My lungs feel like they're full to the brim with led. I can't breath. I can't think straight. I just work off of instinct. I kick and jolt, swinging and pulling as I exert myself.
But none of it works. They're too strong, and I start to feel completely helpless as I'm dragged through the woods that I've spent my whole life loving. I feel oddly betrayed as the rain pours down over me. The outdoors was my only comfort, and now I'm going to die out here.
My community has failed me. I'm going to be murdered for trying to help my own people.
A desperate sob escapes my chest, and I feel pathetic when Paul wrenches me around with a disgusted expression on his face that's soaked with rain drops.
I can't even utter a simple plea for my life, because a thick cloth is shoved in my mouth and tied behind my hair. It's a gag to keep me from screaming. It's so tight that I feel it digging into my flesh.
That means that Fray won't be able to hear me. I sniffle and sob, trying to keep myself together. Without him, I have no chance of making it through this.
I wish that I would have let that alien make me his mate before I got here. Maybe then I would be satisfied with this life. But, I find that I'm not ready to die quite yet. There's still so much that I want to do. My future was so open after I met Fray, and now it's all being torn away from us.
The two men that hold me don't waste time trudging through the forest. Their hands are tight on my wrists, which are tied together to prevent escape. As if I could escape.
They're much stronger than I am, and I hate it. I wish suddenly that I was a 7 foot tall alien with enough muscle to take on an army of human men. I could take them down in seconds if that were the case. But Fray is nowhere in sight to come to my rescue. A panther sobs exits me at the thought.
The sound of the rain pounding against the trees sets a mood as I'm taken to my execution. Drops of water trickle from the trees and I squeeze my eyes shut. I love the rain. Why did it have to rain on a day like today?
As we get deeper in the woods, I realize where we're going. The old bridge must be at the river, it's our main source of water here.
The pieces click together, and I realize why they're going to kill me here. It's secluded, and loud. No one will notice. No one will care.
"Fraugh." I spit through the cloth, trying to call him back to me. There's no way he'll be able to hear me, but I'm running out of options as the noise of the river grows closer.
"Shut up, bitch." The nameless guy says, kicking me in the back of the knees. I stumble, nearly toppling to the ground.
I don't know the jerk's name, but I know a few things I want to call him right about now.
"We're almost there. Calm down. Soon, it will be over and we can go back." Paul says, trying to calm the asshole that is determined to make me suffer before I die.
"Yeah, but it won't be the same when we go back. After Miss Priss gave her little speech, my wives will think that they don't need me anymore. How am I supposed to fix that?" He sounds pissed, talking about his women like they're a collection.
My feathers are officially ruffled. I look over my left shoulder at the idiot, determined to make him feel my wrath through my gaze.
I don't have time to share my hatred with him, because we've arrived at the river.
"Took you long enough." President Garrick rumbles, staring at me disparagingly as he glances down to the river. No longer a pleasant trickle, it's turned into a rushing tide of danger.
The usually clear water has turned a murky brown. It's risen high on the sides, and I guess it's at least a few feet deep now. The raging rapids are intimidating. I can barely hear anything over the noise of the rushing water and pounding rain.
I whimper, taking a step back. I can't swim, and I hate the water.
"Well, let's get this over with." Garrick says, holding out his meaty hand to Paul, who hands him a knife.
He unfolds the massive pocket knife, the serrated blade is matte black with a deer antler handle. It's a beautiful weapon that is meant to deal out my death.
Tears spring to my eyes once more, mixing with the rain down my cheeks. I look around with franticness, praying for some miracle that will save me at the very last second.
Nothing meets my gaze but dripping skies and gray clouds. A flash of lightning streaks across the horizon, followed by a deafening clap of thunder that shakes the ground.
As Garrick gets closer with the knife end pointed directly at me, I wish that I had more time. Time to tell those I love how much I love them, to make peace with everything I've done and learned, and most of all to find lasting joy. I don't even get any last words. I don't remember the last thing that I said out loud.
I squeeze my eyes shut, and clench my teeth down on the dirty gag assaulting my mouth. I tell myself it won't hurt. I tell myself not to scream.
A scream rings out anyway. Confusion sparks. My head turns as my eyes open, because I know that the scream didn't come from me.
The asshole, because I still don't know his name, has a hand over his lips as his eyes burn with terror. What's his deal? I turn, determined to find out what spooked him, and that's when I see him.
Never have I been more happy to see someone.
Fray stands in the trees, looking tall and menacing as another lightning strike fills the sky with brilliance. But I can't wrench my eyes away from him. He's like an enormous avenging angel. His glowing, golden eyes are fuming, and his breathing is growing heavier and heavier as he stands as taught as a bow.
His massive chest is naked. Tan and muscled, if heaves with each infuriated breath he takes.
He takes my breath away, right along with my fear. I feel safe just by seeing this beast that's come to my aid. My terror has vanished completely.
I realize that the jerk holding me let's go, all of the men stumbling back at the sight of Fray in all his glory.
Garrick's eyes are wide with horror.
Paul's face is white as a sheet.
Asshole hasn't said a word.
I really wish that this gag wasn't in my mouth, because I feel like grinning like an idiot.
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