A/N
Only a few more chapters to go until Mason is face to face with her mate. Do you know who it is? If so, then comment.
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"Now my parents weren’t like the people here,” Sammy said in her southern twang. “They were already married before the auctions started. My daddy was actually in the rebellion. That's when he was killed by Julius Alcoff’s army. He fought hard.”
“Oh…I didn’t know your dad was in the rebellion. That must have been hard.”
“The hardest part was when they came to our house and made us burn all of his possessions. If we didn’t, they would have killed all of us,” she shook her head as if trying to get rid of the memory.
“We almost lost our house because they refused to give us daddy’s savings. They claimed that it’s rebel money and should be destroyed,” she sighed. “My daddy is my hero. I’m glad that he was brave enough to fight in the rebellion, he care about us. He wanted us to be free.”
~Sammy’s POV~
“Stay up there Jessica and Kelly, you already told Sammy goodbye,” mamma said. “She’ll be back in a few months.”
“Bye Sammy, come home soon!” Jessica and Kelly shouted in unison.
“Now when you get there, don’t cause any trouble,” mamma whispered. “I don’t want to have to bury my teenage daughter because she couldn’t keep her mouth shut and stop meddling,” she lightly chuckled. She tried to say it as a joke but we both knew how real it really was.
“I doubt they’ll even tell you. I won’t get a burial, they’ll just cremate me and throw my ashes over a garden or something,” I shrugged.
“Why would you say something like that?” mamma clutched the spot over her heart. “Don’t ever say that! That will never happen. You will live to go through the auction and you will get a mate that will let you visit your mamma once in awhile,” she kissed my forehead and gave me once last squeeze before walking back to the house and my sisters following suit.
I hated this. It's worse than the day that letter came telling me that I have to attend Victorn Academy. I hated knowing that my two younger sisters would have to go through the same things when they get older. They were too young to know about the auction and my mother and I wanted to keep it that way. If my daddy was still alive he would have tried his best to hide us. I bet right about now he rolling around in his grave, itching to get a piece of the people whose breaking his family apart.
The driver had just pulled into the parking lot. I walked to the back as he came around to open the door. Once he opened the door, nothing but eyes were on me. It was jam packed. Some girls were even sitting on each other’s laps. Did I have to find someone to sit on?
“Look we ain't got all day girlie, get on!” he driver said revealing some decaying teeth. I frown then climbed in. I apologized to the girl who I was sitting on. The ride was bumpy and very rough. A few times I even slid off one girl’s lap into another’s. That's how compacted it was.
It felt like we were in this sardine can for hours. Throughout the whole trip the smell had to be the worst. It was a mixture of so many stenches that it made bile rise in my throat. I had never appreciated clean air so much.
I almost jumped--in this case- bounced truck stopped. I needed to get out of this thing.
The doors of the truck opened and I was hit by the fresh cool night air. “get out,” the driver said crudely. All of us scrambled out of the truck ended up tripping over each other. I fanned myself once I was outside. I was so hot in there that I thought I was going to cook. Before the door opened I was on the verge of regurgitating my dinner.
I looked up and a woman wearing a crisp white blouse and a gray skirt came into view. Her black heels were clicking roughly against the pavement as she sped-walked her way down to us. She had a toothy smile on her face. I couldn't stop staring at them. They were abnormally white, like she never ate, just brushed. “Hello ladies, I am Mrs. Bellows and I will be escorting you all to your rooms. Come this way.”
As we walked up to the school, one word came to mind: castle. I remember the stories my mother use to tell me about Cinderella and Snow White. She told me that Julius banned the fairy-tale books the only way to keep the stories alive were to tell them to their children and hope that they passed the tale down.
We all walked through the large double doors and stood in the foyer. Directly in front of us was about a hundred girls line along the stairs. They all had on ridiculously green dresses and smiles that would make the joker blush. Some of them were pregnant. I had heard about this but I guess it didn’t really kick in until now.
“Alright ladies, I want everyone with the last names between A-F to come with me. I want the rest of you to stay here patiently until I come back,” Mrs. Bellows said.
Since I was in the second group, I surveyed the room intently. After all, this was where the money from selling us was going. It sure wasn’t going to us. It sure wasn't going to us or our families.
After about thirty minutes of waiting I had to really use the bathroom. Mrs. Bellow was taking a lot longer than I thought. It was getting so bad that I had to keep crossing my legs as I leaned against a wall with my head cocked to the side.
Then I heard that familiar shoe clicking sound and knew she was back. I pushed myself off the wall and quickly walked up to her.
“Okay, next group come with me,” she smiled.
“Leena Gandy…” she started calling names off the list and handing them room keys. I cringed at the urgency. My bladder was now the boss of me. If I didn’t go soon, I’m sure I would piss myself.
Finally, Mrs. Bellows called my name and handed me my key. I sighed out of exasperation as I jabbed the key in the door. Once I heard the click, I pushed the door open. I stood frozen to my spot once I saw what was in the room. I didn’t have to go to the bathroom anymore as the warm liquid pooled down my legs. I turned and keeled over. I had to clutch my throat to stop from puking.
*
*
“My roommate killed herself before I got here. She was hanging from our ceiling. I wish I could say that I had a fierce determination to get out of here, but once I saw her, all my hope was shattered that day. I still have nightmares about her. She was just hanging there with a broken neck and eyes so pale that they could scare a ghost,” she took a deep breath then exhaled. “The worst part is that they said she’d been like that for at least two days. Can you believe that? If I didn’t come that day, they never would have known until the stench of decay kicked in.”
“That’s just…horrible,” I said. There was a knot forming in my stomach. It just brought back the memories of Jillian getting shot. She was so cold and scared and there was nothing I could do. It was all my fault. Angela is gone and it’s all my fault. How many more lives will I ruin?
*
*
After Sammy left, I got a knock on the door. I didn’t feel like answering it so I didn’t. Minutes later the knock on my door came again, then again minutes after that. I knew it couldn’t be Keegan because he had a key.
I groaned as I got up and opened the door. Noah was standing on the other side with a look of despair on his face. “Mason.”
“What are you doing here Noah,” I said nonchalantly. I hated how I ended our last conversation but I didn’t think he could ever understand what we were going through.
“Can we talk?”
“Sure,” I slowly pushed off the door as I frowned at him.
“Look, you were right. I couldn’t possibly understand what it’s like to be taken from your family but that doesn’t mean I can’t sympathize with you. Mason, people can have lost in many different ways. I lost my mother a long time ago and I still haven’t gotten over that," he closed the door behind him.
“I’m sorry for going off on you. I was just so angry and I needed to take it out on someone. I wish you’d left Connor to me," I plopped on my bed.
“Duly noted for next time then,” Noah smiled.
I stared at Jillian's empty side. Her bed was still messy and I couldn’t bring myself to clean her side. “What am I going to do Noah?” I asked as he took a seat right next to me. I bent over and placed my head in my palms.
“How would you feel if I bid on you?” Noah asked. I looked up at him. I wasn’t sure if I had heard him correctly, but the look on his face told me that I did. He bit his bottom lip awaiting my answer. I had never seen him look so serious.
“What?” I laughed dryly. “What-why would you do that?”
“I want to help you Mason,” he took my hand and start rubbing circles into my palms. “Just think about it. You won’t have to mate some old guy and I won’t force you to do anything you’re not ready for?”
“But what about the money? Those auctions cost a lot of money. I can’t ask you to do that,” I pulled my hands away from his. My heart was thudding in my chest at the thought of me being mated to Noah.
“My dad has a really good job and he’s paid well. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind giving me the money. I just don’t want anything to happen to you. Do you not think I’ll be a good mate?”
“Of course I think you’ll be a good mate, but it’s just too much,” I swallowed. "I can't ask you to do this."
“Then it is settled then. I will bid on you Mason and I will win,” he leaned over and gave me a peck on the forehead. It was just a small kiss but it had every blood vessel in my body pulsating. Soon after, I found myself leaning into him awaiting another one.
However, this time he didn’t kiss my forehead. He placed his hands at the smalls of my back as he kissed my cheek. He left a warm sensation there. My hand gradually made their way up to his face. I trailed a finger along his bottom lip and studied his reaction carefully.
He licked his lip were my finger still resided, tasting me. I let out a faint moan. I didn’t care if he heard me or not. I’ve lost so much and I just wanted something to call my own, even if it was only for one night.
“Noah,” my voice cracked as I spoke, “kiss me.”
He opened his mouth as if he was about to say something but nothing came out. One of his hands cuffed my cheek and he brought his face closer to mines. His breath fanned my face and I breathed him in. His lips gently brush across my own making me want him in a way that I had never wanted a man before.
His lips brushed against mines again and I couldn’t take it anymore. He was teasing me. I cuff the back of his neck and pull him closer. Now our lips were fully joined and I could taste him. Our lips moved in sync with each other and he pulled me closer and I was now in his lap straddling him. Hands were touching my body in places that no one has ever touched and I didn’t care. I moved my hips against his center and he took that opportunity to slip his tongue inside me.
I felt like I was going to melt. I didn’t want him to stop touching me, I needed it. He didn’t seem to have a problem with that idea either when his hand ran down my back and then up under my shirt. He rubbed the smalls of my back methodically as rocked against him slower and harder until he let out a moan of his own.
I pulled away when I began to get out of breath. We sat there staring at each other in a state of lust. His hands were still running up and down my skin making me feel warmness everywhere.
“I-I think I should go,” he breathed. “If I don’t go, I will do something. I will not be able to control myself. I have to go and-and take a very cold shower,” he lifted me by waist and put me back on the bed. “Bye mason, and think about what I said.” He left the room in a hurry.
I drew a thumb across my bottom lip and smirked, he likes me.