Traded as payment

The moment the heavy wooden door clicked shut behind Stella, she froze. Alpha Sterling's room was nothing like she had imagined. It was different from the rest of the mansion.

A fire crackled softly in the stone fireplace, filling the air with a warmth she hadn't felt in years. The scent of cedarwood and fresh rain lingered throughout the room, strangely calming despite the intimidating man standing near the floor-to-ceiling window.

The sight of him made her heart race.

His expression remained unreadable, yet there was no denying how breathtakingly handsome he was. A strong, sculpted jaw framed his striking features, while his sharp nose, piercing grey eyes, thick brows, and long dark lashes gave him a dangerously captivating allure. His damp raven hair clung to his forehead, still wet from his recent bath, as tiny droplets of water traced slow paths down the powerful column of his neck, gliding over his broad shoulders.

A single white towel rested low on his toned waist, revealing the hard planes of his muscular torso. Every inch of him radiated raw strength, making it nearly impossible to look away. He was the kind of man who commanded attention without saying a single word, his mere presence enough to steal the breath from anyone standing before him.

"Everyone else knocks before entering my room," he suddenly spoke, almost startling Stella.

His deep voice sent a shiver down her spine.

Sterling glanced behind him to see who had walked into his room without knocking, but the sight before him made something primal stir in his chest.

It was her swollen cheek and the blood staining her hair that caught his attention.

"Greetings, Alpha," she stammered, forcing herself into a bow despite the pain shooting through her aching waist.

Sterling didn't answer. He simply stared at her, his entire body already gone rigid at the sound of her voice.

He took a deep breath to control himself. He had spent years mastering every emotion that threatened to make him lose control, yet the tiny woman standing before him made every instinct he had buried claw its way to the surface.

"What happened to you?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

"What I deserve for touching Alpha Sterling," Stella replied with a sad smile, all the while feeling his gaze roam over her.

Every bruise on her body felt like an insult directed at Sterling. He wanted to hunt down every person who had laid a hand on her and make them suffer.

Instead, he remained perfectly still and simply watched her.

"What are you then doing here?" Sterling finally asked, knowing she hadn't come into his room without a reason.

"I, I need your help," Stella summoned all her courage to say, though her fingers trembled at her sides. With the way his grey eyes narrowed at her, he must have thought she was insane.

"You need help with what?" he asked after remaining silent for a long time, giving her the impression that he was going to ignore her.

Stella looked up at him, determination shining in her eyes as she replied, "Help me escape."

Sterling fell into a deep silence and carefully observed the woman standing before him. She wanted to run away from her father's pack?

Does she want to run away from me? he wondered, but the thought alone almost made a possessive growl escape his throat.

"Why?" he finally asked, and Stella sighed in relief. At least he was listening.

"Alpha James said if I don't find my mate soon," she began, but paused and shifted her gaze away from him. Why was she even telling him? It was obvious he didn't care about her, judging by the way he looked at her as though she had lost her mind. It wasn't as though he wouldn't reject her anyway.

"He plans to give me to the leader of the rogues as a mate if I don't find my mate," she whispered, the confidence she had walked in with already fading.

The room fell into a deathly silence after she finished speaking, and Stella began to feel awkward. Maybe to him, he was simply listening to a woman making a complaint, but to her, his gaze was scorching hot, not to mention how half-naked he was. Throughout the conversation, Stella tried not to look at him, but her eyes involuntarily drifted to his abs. How could a man be so well built? He was an Alpha, yet even Alpha James didn't have a single visible ab.

"What did you say?"

His voice suddenly sounded colder, making Stella instinctively take a step back toward the door so she would have a chance to escape if anything happened.

"My uncle made a deal with the rogues." Her voice shook as she explained again. "He says I'm useless to the pack, so if I remain unmated, I'll be traded as payment. The rogue leader wanted a woman, and my uncle chose me."

Stella flinched at the growl that rumbled through his chest, and her head snapped up to look at him. The man before her still wore a calm expression, yet somehow the temperature inside the room seemed to drop.

Meanwhile, Sterling became restless the moment the words left her lips.

She would be given to another male?

What would happen after that?

The thought didn't sit well with him. It filled him with fury, causing another growl to rumble in his chest.

Every instinct in his body rejected the idea of another male even looking at her. His gaze drifted to the delicate curve of her neck.

One bite, and she'd be his forever.

His fingers twitched at his sides.

For one dangerous second, he actually took a step toward her but stopped when she instinctively stepped back until her back touched the closed door.

He shut his eyes, running a hand through his hair in frustration until his breathing became slow and controlled.

Stella was terrified. Was he going to kill her just as the rumours claimed?

"I don't have anyone else, and I thought you'd help since we're mates. But I understand if you can't," Stella said before turning toward the door. She waited for a while to see if he would say anything, but all that met her was silence.

"I heard you'll be taking five female slaves with you tomorrow. Our Alpha respects you and would do whatever you ask of him. Please put in a word for me. I want to be among those five slaves, and I'll repay you in anyway I can," Stella explained.

Sterling wasn't expecting her to make such a humble request. She wasn't a slave.

He fell silent, staring at her back as she faced the door. His eyes took in how curvy and feminine her figure was, and he sighed.

"Why do you want such a lowly title? Besides, you're James's niece. He wouldn't simply let me take you," he replied.

Stella shook her head immediately.

"If you put in a good word for me and a few gold, he will," she said quietly.

"I do not wish to be close to you, Alpha. What I want is a fresh start. I'm tired of living in a place where no one cares about my existence. I just want freedom," Stella added carefully when the man said nothing.

"You don't wish to be close to me," he grumbled her words, causing Stella to swallow hard before nodding.

"Yes," Stella replied.,.

His frown deepened, though it didn't last long before his expression softened.

"What's your name?" he asked.

Stella's heart skipped a beat. She knew what would follow once she told him, but it wasn't as though she could ignore his question.

"Stella Kingsley," she answered, glancing at him through her peripheral vision, only to realize he was slowly approaching her.

"Stella Kingsley," he repeated, tasting her name on his lips.

Her heart skipped. Why did her name sound so good coming from his mouth? Goosebumps spread across her skin.

To her utter confusion, he gently tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"You should rest now, Stella," he murmured from only a short distance away, his warm breath brushing against her cheek.

Before Stella could fully process his words, a wave of dizziness washed over her. The room spun around her, and the last thing she remembered was Sterling catching her in his arms before darkness claimed her.