The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

Chapter 175 — Bound Trigger warning — Assault (non-sexual)

Ella

“It’s all right, Ella.”

The first priest says, approaching me as one might a skittish horse — with slow, measured movements and hands exposed to show he holds no weapon.

“We only want to protect you.”

“Protect me from what?” I question shakily, my back flush against the locked door.

“You have a very powerful magic inside you, and if it’s allowed to come out you’ll be exposed.We can’t let that happen.” He explains, using a tone much too gentle to be trustworthy.

It’s as though he’s trying to trick me, to convince me he’s kind when he truly intends malice.

“I don’t have any magic.” I insist, wishing that I did.

Maybe if I was magic I might be able to put a stop to the things happening here — to protect the others without bringing harm to myself.I was so preoccupied with this statement that I almost missed the second piece of information.

“Exposed to what?”

“You do, it just hasn’t shown itself yet.”

The second priest sighs, keeping his distance but watching me with sharp eyes.

“At least not in ways you understand.Tell me, have you never noticed how much stronger you are than your peers? That you can hear and smell things from much greater distances? That you can run faster, jump higher, suffer greater injuries with less pain?”

He inquires, his hawkish gaze searing into me, “do they not follow you? Gravitate to your side and obey you as a leader?”

My head spins, making me dizzy with the possibilities.He guesses correctly, but that can’t be because I have some sort of special power.It’s just the way things are…isn’t it? “And exposed to a world you cannot yet join.”

The first man adds.

“It must happen when the time is right – but that time is a very long way off.”

“I don’t understand.”

I squeak, a sense of pure dread settling in the pit of my stomach.

“We know, Ella.”

The second man proclaims, “And I’m sorry that this must happen, it will not be pleasant, but it is necessary for the future of our people.”I shake my head, fighting back tears.

Their words are triggering every alarm bell in my young mind.I know what men do to little girls under the guise of necessity, the pretense of helping or protecting.

And I know exactly how unpleasant things can get.

My blood runs cold, and my pulse races, triggering a strange new energy deep in my bones.

It pulses through me like a bolt of electricity, a wild thing writhes just beneath my skin, feral and rabid — begging to be free.

my body shuddering

each other

timing was spot on — another week and we’d be too

“I’m sorry, child.”

first priest professes gravely, closing the distance between

do this if

ever experienced before, takes over my

to run, to get away at any

worse than anything the doctor or

isn’t anywhere

stronger than I am bearing down on me.I try to scream, but the second priest clamps his

into his palm, but

wrenches me away from the door, propelling me further into the

legs,

muffled and garbled as the priest continues to smother

into my mouth, the metallic tang fanning the flames

gorge rises, and I’m gagging, fighting for air and struggling to focus

them — I’m powerless in their strong grips, and they seem completely

feather swaying in the

the air,

are deeper than my own, thick with grief and pain more complex than the sheer fright

deep voice, tinged with concern, joins

“It’s too much.”

“Just a little more.”

second voice, floating above

“We’re so close.”

are coming from, and

than a pawn in their game

the

other sits on my kicking legs, pulling his tool bag to

cloth, it’s pearlescent sheen glimmering like moonlight, glowing in

around my body, it tightens

it round and

are locked against my sides and my

and soon they’re wrapping my head, as if they

mouth, the priest finally

of my scream escapes before the moonlight closes over my gaping lips, locking my

to breathe, though I

is awake but

muscles to move, to do something – anything! But nothing happens because this

the clink of glass? The jostling of beads? novelebook

pungent, herbaceous fragrance a moment before drops

over my body, stones or crystals placed in deliberate patterns

in my veins warning me that I won’t be able to fight

of time, but I refuse to give up hope