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

— another week and

“I’m sorry, child.”

gravely, closing the distance

would not do this if

I’ve ever experienced before, takes over

instincts are screaming at me to run, to get away

be far worse than anything the doctor or dormitory matron have ever inflicted on

there isn’t anywhere to

attackers far larger and stronger than I am bearing down on me.I try to scream, but the second priest clamps his hand over

sink my teeth into his palm, but he doesn’t

the door,

grabs my legs, and I’m lifted

hold, my screams muffled and

tang fanning

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

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

well be a feather swaying in the wind

the

my own, thick with grief and pain

deep voice, tinged with concern, joins the

“It’s too much.”

“Just a little more.”

second voice, floating

“We’re so close.”

sounds are coming from, and

continue with their task with single-minded focus, and i’m nothing more than a pawn in their game

onto the

priest restrains my wrists while the other sits on my

pearlescent sheen glimmering like moonlight, glowing in

they begin wrapping it around my body, it tightens

the fabric, winding it round and round like

are locked against my sides and my legs tightly shut,

muscle in the fabric’s punishing grip, and soon they’re wrapping my head,

the silk falls over my mouth, the priest finally removes his hand from

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

breathe, though

nightmares come to life – my mind is awake but I’m

can only lie there motionless, my brain screaming at my nerve endings and muscles to move, to do something – anything! But nothing happens because this isn’t a dream from which I can wake, this is

identify the sounds: the clink of glass? The jostling of beads? novelebook A

with some pungent, herbaceous fragrance a moment before drops

stones or crystals placed in

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

running out of time, but I refuse