Sold to the rogue Alpha

The door slammed open and I jerked awake. Two Silvercrest warriors stood in the doorway.

"Get up. Alpha's waiting."

My stomach dropped. This was it. Three days ago my father told me drunk and stumbling that he'd found a solution to his debts. That I wouldn't be a burden anymore because he'd sold me.

I pulled on the only clean clothes I had. A faded shirt and worn pants. The warriors didn't wait.

"Move."

I followed them through the pack house, barefoot on cold stone. A few wolves watched from doorways and none looked surprised or even sorry because they'd known this was coming.

We walked through Silvercrest territory toward the border, I'd never been this far before.

Alpha Marcus was waiting with my father beside him. Garrett Knox looked like hell. Three days of drinking and he wouldn't look at me.

"Is this her?" Marcus asked.

"Yeah."

Marcus nodded. "Good, the buyer's almost here."

I wanted to run, but I couldn't shift. I was twenty-three years old and my wolf had never surfaced, not even for once. I was a broken girl and now I was being sold out like furniture by my own father.

Engines roared in the distance. Three black trucks rolled into the clearing, dust kicking up behind them. They stopped in a half circle and the doors opened.

Rogues poured out of the truck at least a dozen. They looked big, scarred, and moved like predators, not like pack wolves with their rules and hierarchy. These looked like they'd kill you for breathing wrong.

Then he stepped out; Ryder Blackwood.

I'd heard the stories my whole life. The Rogue Alpha who controlled half the lawless territories, built his empire on violence and even killed his own fated mate.

He was massive; over six feet, broad shouldered, black hair, storm gray eyes that swept the clearing like he was deciding what to break first.

This was who my father sold me to.

Marcus stepped forward, smiling. "Blackwood, you're right on time."

Ryder didn't smile or even looked at Marcus. His eyes went straight past the Alpha and locked on me.

Everything inside me stopped.

My heart, my breath, my thoughts. Something slammed into my chest so hard I actually stumbled. It felt like lightning and fire, like every nerve in my body woke up screaming.

My wolf stirred for the first time in twenty-three years but she was whispering one word.

Mate.

No, that wasn't possible.

Ryder's whole body went rigid. His jaw clenched. His hands curled into fists. His eyes flashed with something dangerous and possessive and furious.

He felt it too.

I was being sold to my fated mate.

Marcus kept talking but I couldn't hear him. Couldn't hear anything except my wolf and my heart pounding and the bond pulling at me.

Ryder tore his eyes away and looked at Marcus. He reached into his jacket, pulled out an envelope, threw it at the Alpha.

"Sixty thousand. She's mine."

Marcus caught it, grinning. "All yours. No refunds."

My father still wouldn't look at me.

Ryder started walking toward me and every instinct screamed but my legs wouldn't move.

He stopped right in front of me and grabbed my chin, yanked my head up, and forced me to look at him. The bond flared hot at his touch and my wolf pushed desperately toward him.

Ryder leaned down, his mouth at my ear.

"Don't try to run."

Then he let go, turned to one of his rogues, jerked his head toward the trucks.

The rogue grabbed my arm and dragged me to the vehicles. Shoved me into the back of the center truck.

Ryder climbed in after me but he sat across from me.

The engine started and we pulled away from Silvercrest the only home I'd ever known.

I pressed against the far wall but it didn't help. I could still feel him and the pull.

My wolf kept whispering. Mate. Ours.

She was wrong.

Ryder sat in silence, but his eyes never left me. Like he was trying to figure out what to do with the problem the Moon Goddess had just thrown at him.

The bond hummed between us. Getting stronger with every second we sat in this confined space together.

Ryder finally spoke, his voice low and rough.

"What's your name?"

I blinked. He didn't know? Marcus hadn't told him?

"Vada," I whispered. "Vada Knox."

He stared at me for a long moment.

Then he leaned forward, elbows on his knees, eyes locked on mine.

"I'm going to make one thing very clear, Vada Knox. I didn't buy you to be my mate. I bought you to settle a score with your Alpha. The bond doesn't change that. You're in my territory now. My rules. You do what I say, when I say it. You step out of line, there are consequences. Understand?"

I nodded, my throat too tight to speak.

"Good."

He sat back.

The truck hit a bump and I jolted forward. Ryder's hand shot out, steadying me before I could fall.

The bond flared at his touch. Hot. Insistent.

He pulled his hand back like I'd burned him.

We sat in tense silence for the rest of the drive.

Finally, the truck slowed and stopped.

The door opened.

Ryder got out first, then turned back and looked at me.

"Welcome to Blackstone."

I climbed out slowly and my breath caught.

We were standing in front of a massive fortress carved into the side of a mountain. Dark stone. High walls. Guards everywhere.

This was Ryder Blackwood's stronghold.

Ryder started walking toward the entrance. One of his rogues grabbed my arm, forcing me to follow.

I looked back one last time at the trucks. At the road that led back to Silvercrest.

But there was no going back.

This was my new prison.