“Alpha Ragnar, the omega, as requested.” Sylvia said with a sickening smile, and I gulped really hard.
I shifted my gaze to him and then back to them. From my point of view, they were staring at me like I was an antique, and I felt like I was on display.
Ragnar didn’t speak, not immediately. He just kept observing me from head to toe.
“So now that you’ve seen what you want, let’s talk price,” Derick said with a wicked smile.
Price? What did he mean by that? I asked myself silently, but reality was going to give me an answer soon enough.
“Name your price.” Ragnar said nonchalantly.
Derick looked at Sylvia, then Cassandra, and then to me. I didn’t know what to make of that, but their expressions made me realize they’d planned to be greedy about this.
“Let’s say one hundred thousand dollars,” Derick said with a greedy smirk.
“One hundred thousand dollars?” Ragnar asked with a dark look of disbelief.
“Yes, that’s my price.” Derick said, confirming.
“For a weak little omega like her?” Ragnar asked, and his voice was slightly raised from before.
“But of course, you have to take into consideration the fact that we are selling our daughter to you, Alpha Ragnar. This was no easy decision,” Sylvia said with a sympathetic look towards me, as if I was something dear to her.
“You’re selling me off?” I questioned, and everyone went silent. The angry glares from Derick down to Cassandra were enough to make me feel heat on my skin. But I couldn’t blame myself when the realization they were going to sell me out hit. My question was more intrusive than planned.
“Just shut up and stand there. No one asked you to speak,” Derick said, and I could already see his hand morph into a fist beneath the table. It was a silent threat, but I noticed something else. He sat, keeping his composure. It seemed Ragnar’s presence had restricted them in some ways, and that was good because it saved me from a slap just now.
“Even then,” Ragnar said, continuing the conversation.
“You also have to take into consideration the other factors as well. She can be your maid, an errand runner, or even your personal assistant. Most of all, she’s a virgin, so that’s a plus,” Derick said and my eyes narrowed in furry. He was implying Ragnar could use me as a sex reliver.
Cassandra stifled a laugh before speaking in a low tone to herself, but I still heard. “It’s not like anyone wants her anyway.”
Derick cleared his throat, and Cassandra composed herself again.
“Well?” Derick urged lightly.
“Those are good points,” Ragnar said.
“Yes,” Derick said, smiling happier since Ragnar agreed with him. “You might even say it’s supposed to affect the earlier price I mentioned, maybe by five thousand dollars more?” Derick said, raising an eyebrow.
Ragnar chuckled darkly and said, “Interesting.”
“Even then, with all the pluses you listed, you didn’t give me what I wanted spotless. So, that should be considered. Don’t you think?” Ragnar said. The question was indirectly for me, but Derick caught the drift and intercepted it.
“Her opinion doesn’t matter,” Derick said, and Ragnar ragnar furrowed his eyebrows.
Derick turned and stared darkly at me and said, “Goods don’t talk back to the buyers.”
I felt my anger light up like when rocks clash together to make flames.
“I’d go with him,” I said lowly, but just enough for everyone to hear me, and the room went silent.
“Oh?” Ragnar said, his tone carrying a surprised edge.
“It’s not your choice to make,” Derick said, and I saw his anger was hotter than mine.
“I want to go with him,” I said, daring the limits to which Ragnar’s presence had caused.
“If any more nonsense leaves your mouth, I will hit you so hard you wouldn’t be able to speak for weeks.”
“I. Want. To. Go.” I said, stammering. My heartbeat was faster now, and I could feel myself getting sweaty. Derick’s eyes were now flaming with rage, but when my eyes swiftly moved to Ragnar, he was still calmly seated, observing the situation.
Maybe one last push would do it? I thought inwardly, with fear, but I spoke anyway.
“I—” Before I could say anything else, Derick stood up abruptly and started storming toward me. I knew what was coming next, what would happen if I stepped out of bounds. But even then, I did so. This was a one-time offer, just what I needed—anyone who could take me out of this hellhole. But alas, it seemed my determination didn’t pay off, and I shut my eyes tight and braced for the beating of my life.
“I wouldn’t dare if I were you,” Ragnar’s voice thundered in the room, and I felt air rush to my face. I slowly opened one of my eyes and saw Derick stopped his hand from hitting me.
“I’m sorry, Alpha Ragnar, but my actions were just fueled out of concern that this thing would dare to behave like this if you bought her. It’s better to discipline her now.” Derick turned to me with a dark smirk, and I could see the ill intent in his eyes.
“I don’t need you for that. I have my methods of discipline, and when I’m done with her, she wouldn’t dare to raise a finger against me,” Ragnar said, but it seemed he wasn’t convincing enough since Derick’s hand was still at the side of my face.
“Know this, if you so much as touch her, this deal is off,” Ragnar threatened, and Derick retracted his hand the very next second.
The room was silent, but the anger in my family’s eyes was still very evident. They just couldn’t afford to act on it. Ragnar stood to his feet and started walking towards the door, and I was confused because he didn’t say anything. Just as he reached the door, he looked over his shoulder and said, “I’m paying two hundred thousand dollars for her. That’s the final deal.” Ragnar said, but everyone, including me, was in awe. That was twice the price they asked for earlier. “The money will be delivered shortly.”
“Use these last seconds to say your goodbyes or good riddance,” Ragnar said and left us alone in the room.
Derick chuckled darkly after, and I looked at him. “You think what you just did was wise?”
“Ha! You’re a fool,” Sylvia said, laughing hysterically.
“You fought to go with the cruelest Alpha you’d ever see. If anything, you just fought to die sooner.”
Jade's POVI think I'm dead—yet pain coursed through my entire body. It wasn’t as intense as before, but it was still there, the dull ache a cruel reminder.“You can leave now.”I heard someone say. I was supposed to be dead, yet I still heard voices. Or were they just in my head? The response wasn’t clear, muffled like a whisper through water—faint, but real.The lights in the room were low, but even that soft glow irritated me at first. My vision was hazy, like I was looking through mist. Everything around me appeared ghostlike, as though I had slipped into a spirit realm.So that meant I had died, right?I thought so. I hoped so. I wanted it.But then, slowly, my vision began to clear—just enough to make out a familiar figure seated near me.I blinked once. Then twice. That’s when I realized the figure was Blaire.She couldn’t have followed me into the afterlife. No—unless, I hadn’t died after all. I was back.Back to this hellish life.“It’s about time you woke up. How was your na
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Back at the pack’s mansion, Blaire passed through a secret route that led to a hidden room in the house.She moved with intent, knowing exactly where she was going. She arrived at a small clearing in the center. She waited, glancing around at the surroundings. As the moments passed, she grew impatient and said, “I know you’re here. We came for a meeting, not a game of hide and seek,” Blaire said dryly.The wind stirred, and the fallen leaves began to swirl in circles around a particular spot. The motion intensified, spiraling higher, until the whirlwind of leaves vanished. Rivana appeared from the cleared space, her cloak trailing smoke as if stitched from shadows.“Lady Blaire,” Rivana said in greeting, her voice steady.“Took you long enough,” Blaire muttered.“My apologies. My schedule has been anything but free lately,” Rivana replied, her fingers loosely gripping the edge of the item in her hand.Blaire scoffed. “Sorry for interrupting you from making potions or what ever dark ri
“Please keep your voice down,” I begged, but Denila just shook her head in disbelief, as if she were watching me get sentenced to something horrible.“Are you trying to escape?” Denila asked, this time with a stern expression.I didn’t even realize when a tear began to stream down my cheek, but I nodded silently. Denila looked at me—she didn’t say a word for a few seconds. Then, she just started walking away.“Denila, please,” I pleaded, fear gripping my chest. I thought she might go tell Blaire. After all, it looked like she had just come from her quarters.After taking a few steps, Denila turned, and I could read her expression clearly.“Follow me,” she instructed.I stood there dumbfounded. I didn’t know what to expect—whether it was the right choice or not—but there was no time to ask questions. I hurried after her, praying I hadn’t just made a terrible mistake.Denila led me through a route I had never taken before. The walls were colder here, the lights dimmer. I had no idea whe