Sold?

Ava Rossi - POV

I looked around the bar and noticed two men seated a few chairs away from me, both dressed sharply in suits. “Here,” the bartender said as he placed my order in front of me.

I quickly pulled out my purse, fished out the hundred dollar I had, and passed it to him, my hands trembling slightly. He returned soon with my change, and I felt a flicker of relief. “Enzo, it’s been a year since she left. And you know we are running out of time,” I overheard one of the men say, his voice low and heavy with despair. For a strange moment I felt like I have heard that name somewhere but I couldn’t figure out where.

I wasn’t sure if they were werewolves, as the smell of alcohol and stale food overpowered their scent. “I can’t get over her, Gabriel,” Enzo replied, his tone filled with heartache.

“I understand. But the council will not accept this reply, and you know it.” Gabriel's words tugged at my curiosity, and I shifted in my seat, straining to catch more of their conversation.

“I will figure something out soon,” Enzo said, but they fell silent again. I turned back to my food, forcing myself to eat even though my stomach felt twisted in knots. One hour passed, and I struggled to stay awake when the bartender walked over to me again.

“Do you want a beer?” he asked, but I shook my head, feeling more exhausted than ever.

“Is it possible for me to get a room here to rest?” I asked him, and I noticed his eyes widen in confusion before a smile broke across his face.

“Sure, let me speak to the boss first.” He walked away while I waited, anxiety mixing with the hope that I might finally find some peace.

“Enzo, you want another drink?” Gabriel asked when I glanced back at them. The two men had been drinking heavily for the past hour; although they didn’t appear drunk, I could see the redness in their eyes. They had clearly gone past their limit.

“I’m good,” Enzo replied just as a woman approached them. She had wavy black hair and an hourglass figure that turned heads in the bar.

“Hello, handsome. Want to dance?” she asked Enzo in a sultry voice, but he ignored her, lost in his thoughts, while Gabriel smiled widely.

“He is occupied,” Gabriel said, and I watched the woman’s eager expression turn to annoyance. “Shall we dance?” he asked her, and she nodded eagerly, walking away with him.

Once they were gone, I turned back to the bar, just as the bartender returned. “We can get you a room, ma’am,” he said, his tone friendly.

“Great, how much is it?” I asked, praying it wouldn’t be too much.

“You can pay us in the morning,” he replied. But I shook my head, feeling a wave of anxiety wash over me.

“Listen, I’m on a tight budget, and I don’t think I can pay an exorbitant amount of money,” I told him, my heart racing at the thought of being unable to afford a place to sleep.

“Fine, it’s forty dollars for the night,” he said. It still felt like a lot, but I agreed since there was nowhere else for me to stay tonight.

“Okay,” I said as I picked up my glass of water and finished it off, feeling a pang of fatigue wash over me. I grabbed my bag and followed the bartender. We passed the dance floor and walked down a dimly lit corridor lined with doors. My head felt a little light, and my eyelids were heavy, threatening to close.

“This is your room,” he said, stopping in front of an open door.

“Thank you,” I replied, taking the room keys from him before walking inside and locking the door behind me. The dizziness intensified as I haphazardly placed my bag on the table and sat on the bed, my heart racing with exhaustion.

The room wasn’t large; it had a queen-sized bed in one corner and a small nightstand beside it. Opposite the bed was a door that led to the bathroom. “Rose, I don’t think I feel good,” I told my wolf, cradling my head in my hands, tears threatening to spill.

“It’s just exhaustion, Ava. I think we should sleep it off,” she replied, her voice soothing and calm. I trusted her and quickly kicked off my shoes before climbing into bed. The moment my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

**Alpha Lorenzo Bianchi - POV**

I watched Gabriel dance with the woman on the dance floor, stealing furtive glances at the girl seated a few chairs away from me. Ever since that incident, I had buried myself in work to avoid women, but she felt different.

It had been an hour since she walked into the bar, and I couldn’t shake the feeling she ignited something deep within me. Unlike the other women here, she wasn’t dressed provocatively, yet there was something undeniably pretty about her that drew me in.

“Sir?” I turned to see the bartender standing beside me, a smile on his face.

“Would you like to relax?” he asked, and I knew exactly what he meant.

“No, thanks,” I replied dismissively, feeling a mix of frustration and confusion. Gabriel and I had been here for a few hours, and I felt it was time to leave. Just as I was about to get up, the bartender spoke again.

“The girl you were watching all night is waiting for you in room number four.” His words made my heart skip a beat; I turned to see that she was missing from her seat.

“Is she a…” I trailed off, a sense of concern creeping in, and he nodded.

“Then why was she dressed like that?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

“She is new to the job. But do you want her, or should I…?” he started, but I didn’t want to hear more.

“I will have her,” I interrupted, my voice sharper than I intended. I didn’t understand why I felt protective of this woman. I had never seen her before, yet the thought of another man touching her made my blood boil with anger. It was a feeling I had never experienced before, and it terrified me.