Property Of

POV: Echo

Pain. Extreme, fiery pain is what drags me back to consciousness. An intense burning sensation radiates from my back all over my body.

Swallowing the whimper building in my throat, I listen for any signs he hasn't left yet. I was left lying face down on the cold cement floor of the basement with the back of my shirt shredded.

Hearing nothing, I slowly opened my eyes, staring in shock at the fresh red stains on the floor around me. I drew in a sharp breath, and nearly gagged at the thick scent of my blood, combined with cedar and vanilla.

"You've finally decided to join me," he grins wickedly, "I hope you don't mind, but I decided to keep myself busy while I waited for you to wake up."

His finger traces across my back, near but not quite touching the source of the burning. I can't help but flinch, sending another wave of pain shooting from my back.

Feeling his intense gaze on my face, I close my eyes in defeat, not wanting to know what he's done this time. "LOOK AT ME!" he growls, grabbing my chin and jerking me up and towards him.

The motion brings me to a kneeling position, and pain explodes across my back as a scream tears its way out of my throat. I can feel blood dripping down my back, and while my healing is slowed due to years of starvation, it should have stopped bleeding by now.

Tightening his grip until it feels like he may crush my jaw, he snarls. "Open. Your. Eyes." I instantly obey, unable to withstand the additional pain, and he loosens his hold to a bearable pressure.

"Good," he purrs, "now you can see my handy work!" He wrenches me into a standing position, earning another scream before he drags me by my chin into the tiny bathroom. Turning me so my back faces the tiny sink and the cracked mirror above it.

Knowing I wouldn't have one, he pulls a hand mirror out of his back pocket and holds it in front of my face, angling it so I can see the mirror behind me.

Knowing I will probably get into more trouble than I already am, I stare straight ahead, desperately not wanting to see what he's done.

He shoots daggers at me with his eyes and gives a hearty chuckle. Lowering the mirror, he steps closer, leaning his face towards me until our foreheads are almost touching, his grip tightening on my jaw.

Smiling, he stares into my eyes before brushing his nose along my jawline to my neck. "Mmmm, I can never get enough of the smell of you like this," he whispers into my ear, licking and nipping it gently as I tremble in disgust.

"Come on baby dolls, take a peek in the mirror for me, okay? After all, it's rude to complain about an early birthday present, isn't it?"

I blink in confusion. An early birthday present? No one has celebrated my birthday in the last ten years, so I'd forgotten the exact date. I know I turn 20 this year but have no idea when.

Grinning wickedly, seeing that his comment had the desired effect, he stepped back. Tightening his grip ever so slightly, reminding me of my place, he raised the mirror again.

When I hesitate, he raises his eyebrows at me and clears his throat, a signal that he is losing patience with me. Knowing the alternative would be a lot worse, I took a steadying breath and slowly raised my eyes to the small mirror.

Staring blankly at the mirror behind me, it takes me a moment to understand the words while reading them in reverse.

When I work out what it says, I finally release the gut-wrenching sobs that have been threatening to surface since he arrived.

My entire back is a bloody mess, and he has carved four words into my skin, four devastating words:

PROPERTY

OF

ALPHA

BRADY

"No!" I sob, "No, no, no!". Ripping my chin from his vice-like grip, I pulled away from him quickly.

My chest is tight, and I feel like I can't breathe properly as I take gasping breaths of too little air. Stumbling out of the bathroom, I rushed towards the door in a panicked daze.

It's bad enough I've lived here like a slave for the last ten years, barely fending off this perverted Alpha of a pack that's never been mine. Now I was branded like an animal, labeled property, owned.

No one would ever want me now. No one would ever dare to lay their hands on the property of an Alpha.

"I knew you'd love it!" Brady exclaims, clapping his hands in glee. "Now no one will touch what's mine!" He growls possessively. I reached the door, pulling on it, remembering too late that he locked it when he came in.

Whipping around, I shrieked at his unexpected closeness. He pushes forward, pinning me against the door, his eyes burning with a dangerous mix of anger and lust.

I arch my back away from the hard surface, crying out in pain. His arms block my escape on either side, and his body presses tightly against mine before he pushes his face into my hair, breathing deeply.

His lean, muscular frame is considered desirable by many in our pack, but it causes me nothing but nausea.

"Once you turn twenty, you can sense your mate, and he can sense you. I won't have anyone else put their hands on my favorite toy!" He whispers seductively in my ear, pressing a kiss behind it.

"Now, you are mine, all MINE! No wolf, not even your mate, will want a woman with my name, an Alpha's name, on her." His husky voice filled with desire makes me shudder as he confirms my thoughts from earlier.

My knees buckle as my last hope is ripped away from me. I allow myself to drift, no longer caring to fight the darkness threatening to pull me under.

'I am never getting out of here.'