LOGINOLIVIA I woke up, and for one beautiful, terrible moment, I didn’t know where I was.Sunlight. That was the first thing. Real, gentle morning sunlight, streaming through a large window, falling across my face. I blinked, my eyes adjusting.I was in a bed. A real, soft queen-size bed with a cloud-like duvet and too many pillows. The room was… beautiful. Absurdly so. The walls were soft, creamy pink. There was a delicate vanity table with a carved mirror, a plush rug, bookshelves filled with colorful spines. It looked like a room for a princess in a fairy tale. A room for someone cherished.Then it all came rushing back.The blood. Lyra’s empty eyes. The cloth over my face. The concrete floor. The handsome man with green eyes and a smirk. Twenty million.I was sold. A choked sound escaped me. I sat bolt upright, the blankets falling away. I was no longer in the scratchy gown. I wore a simple, clean nightgown of soft cotton. Someone had dressed me while I was unconscious. The thought
KILLIAN The music was too loud. The laughter was too sharp. The air in the VIP balcony was thick with the scent of ambition, expensive perfume, and for me, a growing sense of wrongness.I kept one part of my mind on the conversation with Roderick—border disputes, trade agreements, the tedious dance of Alphas. The other, larger part was tuned to a single person: Olivia.I felt her move away with Lyra. A good thing. Lyra was kind, benevolent. She could offer a moment of normalcy in this den of snakes. My eyes tracked them to the balcony’s edge. I saw them talking, saw Olivia’s shoulders lose a little of their tension. Good.But as the minutes dragged on, my wolf began to pace under my skin. A low, restless feeling. *She’s gone, Killiain* What? My gaze swept back to the balcony. She was there, then she wasn’t. Just an empty space by the railing.I cut Roderick off mid-sentence. “Excuse me.”He followed my gaze, saw the empty spot where his own mate had been. A slight frown touched hi
OLIVIAThe scream was still hanging in the air, a raw echo of terror in my own ears, when the world exploded into motion."Grab her!"The command was a rough bark. Before I could spin on my heel and run—before the instinct to flee could even reach my legs—hard hands closed around my arms from behind. I was yanked off my feet, my back slamming into a solid, unforgiving chest. The scent of stale smoke and sweat filled my nose.I fought. A wild, panicked energy surged through me. I kicked backward, my heels connecting with shins. I thrashed, trying to wrench my arms free, a guttural sound tearing from my throat that was half-sob, half-snarl."Little hellcat," a voice grunted near my ear, amused.A cloth, reeking of something chemical and sickly sweet, was clamped over my mouth and nose. I held my breath, twisting my face away, but a huge hand cupped the back of my head, holding me still. My lungs burned. Spots danced before my eyes. I sucked in a desperate, involuntary gasp.The sweet, c
OLIVIA We walked up the steps together. Two men in black suits stood at the double doors. They bowed slightly to Killian, didn’t even look at me, and opened the doors.Inside, the venue was opulent and overwhelming. Crystal chandeliers dripped from a high ceiling, illuminating a main floor buzzing with wealthy, powerful wolves. They mingled around, their laughter sharp, their eyes missing nothing. The the air crackled with a different kind of energy—raw power, greed, and something darker that made the hairs on my arms stand up.All eyes turned to us when we entered.My steps faltered. Killian’s arm tightened, pulling me gently but insistently forward. “Keep walking,” he said under his breath, his voice devoid of emotion.As we moved through the crowd, heads turned. The looks directed at Killian were a mix of deep respect and wary fear. Men nodded, some bowing their heads slightly. Women glanced, then quickly looked away. But when their eyes slid to me, the curiosity was blatant. It
OLIVIAThe black dress I chose was simple. Long sleeves, a high neckline and the back was designed with elegant strings. When I looked in the mirror, I looked extraordinary beautiful. It felt good.I took a deep breath, the scent of the bedroom filling my lungs. Tonight was the werewolf auction underworld. Killian had said it was important, but he didn’t explain much. I trusted him, but I still felt nervous. Places like that were dark, dangerous, full of people who bought and sold things that shouldn’t be displayed. I didn’t know what to expect, and that scared me.But it didn't change the fact that it was the piece of his world he was inviting me into.I grabbed my small purse and walked out of the room. The hallway was quiet, the mansion still and peaceful. As I stepped outside, the evening air was cool, smelling of pine and coming rain hit me. Parked on the circular drive was a powerful-looking black car, its lines sleek and clean.Killian was there, leaning against the driver’s si
OLIVIA I didn't go easy on Benita. I kept raining slaps, punches, whatever I could reach. Each one was for every insult, every sneer, every seed of doubt she’d planted.She shrieked and bucked, her claws raking down my forearm. Fire lanced up my arm, and I saw blood well. The pain only fed the wild thing inside me. I didn’t let go. I grabbed a handful of her perfect red hair and slapped her again, harder.“You watched them hurt him!” I screamed into her face, my voice ragged. “You stood there!”I hit her again.“You don’t love him! You just want to own him!”Another blow.“You will never have him!”I was sobbing and hitting, the rage and grief for the broken boy he had been, for my own broken self, pouring out of me through my fists. She was weakening beneath me, her blocks becoming slower, her cries turning from fury to pained grunts. But she was a fighter. She kept trying to buck me off, her claws swiping, her teeth snapping near my face.The world had narrowed to her body under mi







