Chapter 2

Levi POV

My brothers and I watch the situation unfold. We didn't want to come in the first place, but it is beginning to look suspicious that we refuse every year. We should want to continue our bloodline, or at least that is what our elders tell us. We hadn't planned on taking a tribute home with us tonight, but now it looks like we might not have a choice.

Lennox nudges me in the side. "Are you going to take care of this?"

I pretend to look indifferent even though I am concerned for the girl. Since the plague hit the world, this is the first one brave enough to stand up. "Remind me why it is my problem."

Louis takes a different approach. "She is tough. Remember why we are here."

"I hate you both," I growl as I push my way through the crowd. I am the oldest, by a few minutes, but those few minutes count in the lycan world. Everyone looks to me for guidance, whether I want to give it or not.

The small time Alpha carrying the girl over his shoulder keeps smacking her ass. I think he might be from the Spring Pack, but I can't be sure. She squirms uncomfortably in his arms but doesn't cry out in pain. My brothers are right. There is something different about this one; maybe I shouldn't be so quick to dismiss her.

A growl rumbles in my chest. "Put her down."

The Alpha looks me up and down. "No fucking way. This one is mine."

My brothers flank me. "Have you forgotten who you are speaking to?"

His face burns with anger, but he sets the woman on the ground. "Just because you are the Alphas of the Winter Pack does not mean you get to boss everyone around."

Lennox steps forward and yanks the poor girl closer to him. "Yet here you are, giving up your tribute."

The girl struggles against Lennox, but he holds onto her tightly. I grab her other arm and lean close to her. "If you want your father to live, come with us quietly."

Her eyes drag through the crowd, landing on her father, who is being dragged away. She nods quietly and stops fighting. Louis pushes through the crowd, grabbing her father. He handles him rougher than he needs to, but he has to keep up appearances. We need to look like we are going to punish him.

Lennox and I lead the girl to our waiting car. She glances over her shoulder before getting in, no doubt looking for her father. When she can't spot him, she unwillingly climbs into the car.

Our driver looks in the rearview mirror, cocking his head to the side. I roll my eyes at his nosiness before putting up the divider. It was well known that we did not plan to come home with a tribute. We were going to claim that none of them were worthy of our time or affections. Now we have one in the back of our car.

Lennox is refusing to give the girl a break. He has taken the seat next to her and keeps scooting closer to her. She is pressed against the door of the car, unable to get away from him. I could sit back and watch how she handles herself, or I could let her suffer. I haven't decided which option I am taking when Louis gets into the car.

He takes one look at Lennox and kicks him in the shin. Levi groans in pain, but only moves away from the girl a little. I tap on the window, and the car lurches forward. The drive back to the Winter Pack is long. We will have plenty of time to get to one another.

I lean forward, tapping the girl gently on the leg. She flinches away from me, but her eyes dart to mine, filled with hatred. "Do you know who we are?"

She nods her head but doesn't speak. Louis clears his throat. "Her father said she doesn't speak."

"Can't or won't?" I ask.

Louis shrugs. "He didn't say."

I turn my attention back to her. "Can you speak?"

She shakes her head from side to side, trying not to cry.

"Well," Lennox sighs. "What is her name?"

"Thomas," Louis responds.

"I am not calling her Thomas," Lennox scoffs.

I lean back in my seat. "I don't like the idea either. So, what are we going to call her?"

Her eyes light up at the thought of a new name, but she quickly looks down at her hands. Lennox inches closer to her, twisting a strand of her hair that has fallen out of her hat. He flicks the hat off her head faster than she can stop him, and we are all frozen.

I don't know what we expected when the hat came off, but long blonde hair was not it. It frames her face beautifully, and her brown eyes are wide in fear. I have no idea how she lived as a boy. I don't believe anyone in the village thought she was actually a boy.

I let my eyes scan over her body. I am assuming the baggy clothes keep her curves concealed. The more I look at her, the more I am curious about what she looks like under all of those clothes, but there are more important things to attend to.

"Lotus." I test out a name for her. "There are some things you need to know before we return to the Winter Pack."

She keeps her eyes trained on me and nods for me to continue.

"Despite what you have heard," I continue. "We will not force you to have sex with us." I let my eyes glance over at Lennox. That statement was more for him, not her. He crosses his arms over his chest and pouts.

"You will have to keep your eyes down when we are around," Louis picks up where I left off. "But you will need to be with one of us at all times. Not everyone will be as kind to you as we will be."

Our little Lotus keeps her cool, but I can see the uncertainty in her eyes. She doesn't' trust us, but I guess that is to be expected.