Sold

Chapter One

Sold

Rain hit the roof in hard, angry drops.

Ariana sat quietly on the floor beside the kitchen wall, her fingers wrapped around a cracked cup of cold tea. The house smelled like smoke, old wood, and wet clothes. Somewhere upstairs, music played softly while laughter echoed through the hallway.

None of it belonged to her.

“Ariana!”

Her stepmother’s voice cut through the house sharply.

Ariana stood immediately. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Bring the wine.”

She moved quickly toward the dining room, keeping her eyes low. Three men sat around the table with her stepmother and stepsister. Expensive coats. Gold rings. Wolves with power.

Men who never looked at servants twice.

Yet tonight, every single one of them looked at her.

Ariana placed the bottle carefully beside the table.

Her stepmother smiled. “Pour.”

She obeyed silently.

One of the men leaned back in his chair. “She’s prettier than I expected.”

Ariana’s hand paused briefly.

Her stepmother noticed.

“She should be,” the woman replied. “I spent years feeding her.”

The table laughed.

Ariana stared at the wine glass in front of her.

Another man spoke. “Does she know?”

“No,” her stepmother answered calmly. “And she doesn’t need to.”

A strange feeling settled in Ariana’s stomach.

She looked up carefully. “Need to know what?”

Her stepmother finally turned toward her.

“You’re getting married.”

The room became quiet.

Ariana blinked once. “Married?”

“Yes.”

“To who?”

“A powerful Alpha.”

The glass slipped from Ariana’s fingers and shattered across the floor.

Nobody moved.

“I’m not marrying anyone,” Ariana said softly.

Her stepsister scoffed. “You should be grateful someone even wants you.”

“I said I’m not marrying anyone.”

Her stepmother stood slowly from her chair.

“Ariana.”

That tone always meant danger.

“You lost the right to refuse anything in this house a long time ago.”

Ariana stepped backward. “Please...”

The slap came so fast her head turned sharply to the side.

Silence filled the room again.

“You will marry him tomorrow,” her stepmother said. “Whether you cry or not changes nothing.”

Ariana tasted blood in her mouth.

“Who is he?”

This time, the men around the table exchanged looks.

Her stepmother picked up her wine calmly before answering.

“Alpha Kael.”

The color drained from Ariana’s face instantly.

Everyone knew that name.

Even children lowered their voices when speaking about him.

The ruthless Alpha King.

The man who burned entire territories after his mate died.

The man people called cursed.

Ariana shook her head immediately. “No.”

Her stepmother’s expression remained cold.

“You don’t have a choice.”

“He kills people.”

“He keeps promises too.”

“I won’t go.”

“You will.”

Ariana backed away again, panic rising in her chest now.

“There has to be a mistake.”

“There isn’t.”

“Why would someone like him want me?”

Nobody answered immediately.

That scared her more.

Finally, one of the men muttered quietly, “Revenge.”

Ariana frowned. “What?”

Her stepmother shot the man a warning look.

But it was too late.

Ariana’s heartbeat quickened. “What does that mean?”

Her stepmother walked closer until they stood face to face.

“It means,” she said quietly, “your life finally became useful.”

Before Ariana could speak again, pain exploded through the back of her head.

Everything went dark.

---

When Ariana opened her eyes again, she was inside a car.

Rain still poured outside the windows.

Her wrists hurt.

She looked down.

Rope.

Panic hit instantly.

“Stop the car!”

Nobody answered.

Two guards sat in front silently.

Ariana pulled against the ropes harder. “Let me out!”

One of the guards sighed. “You’re making this difficult.”

“You tied me up!”

“You tried to run.”

“Because you kidnapped me!”

The driver laughed under his breath.

“You should save your energy,” he said. “The Alpha hates loud women.”

Ariana’s chest tightened.

This was real.

This was actually happening.

She turned toward the window, watching dark trees pass by endlessly.

“How far are we going?”

“Far enough.”

Hours passed before the gates finally appeared.

Massive black iron gates.

Behind them stood the largest estate Ariana had ever seen.

It looked less like a home and more like a fortress.

Lights glowed through tall windows while armed guards stood at every entrance.

The car stopped.

One guard opened the door.

“Get out.”

Rain soaked Ariana immediately as she stepped outside.

She stared up at the enormous mansion with growing fear.

A place like this could swallow someone whole.

The front doors opened before she reached them.

Servants lined both sides of the entrance hall silently.

Nobody smiled.

Nobody welcomed her.

Ariana’s wet shoes tapped softly against the marble floor as she walked inside.

Then she felt it.

Someone was standing at the top of the staircase.

Ariana looked up slowly.

The man watching her wore black from head to toe, Tall. Broad shoulders, Dark hair slightly falling over his forehead.

But it was his eyes that froze her.

This was Alpha Kael.

The entire hall remained silent as he descended the stairs slowly.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

Ariana lowered her gaze quickly.

Kael stopped directly in front of her.

“This is her?”

One of the guards nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”

Kael said nothing for a moment.

Ariana could feel him studying her.

Like she was something unpleasant dragged into his house.

“She looks smaller than I expected,” he finally said.

His voice was calm.

That somehow made it worse.

Ariana swallowed carefully. “I didn’t agree to this marriage.”

Kael looked at her properly for the first time then.

“And?”

The single word embarrassed her more than shouting would have.

“You can’t force someone to marry you.”

“Your family already accepted payment.”

“I’m not property.”

“No,” Kael replied. “Property is usually more useful.”

The servants immediately lowered their heads further.

Ariana felt humiliation burn through her chest.

“I don’t even know you.”

“You don’t need to.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

Kael walked past her toward the fireplace.

“It doesn’t need to make sense. It only needs to happen.”

Ariana stared at him.

“You hate this as much as I do.”

Kael picked up a glass from the table nearby.

“You noticed.”

“Then why are you doing this?”

He took a slow sip before answering.

“Because some debts deserve suffering before death.”

Ariana frowned.

“I don’t understand.”

“You will.”

A strange silence followed.

Then Kael looked toward an older woman standing nearby.

“Prepare her room.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Ariana blinked. “Room?”

Kael’s expression didn’t change.

“You didn’t think you’d share mine, did you?”

Heat rushed to her face instantly.

“I don’t want to stay here at all.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

The older woman approached carefully. “Come with me.”

Ariana didn’t move.

She kept staring at Kael instead.

“What did I ever do to you?”

For the first time since meeting him, something changed slightly in his face.

“You existed.”

Ariana’s stomach tightened.

“That’s not an answer.”

Kael set the glass down slowly.

“A woman died because of your family.”

Ariana froze.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You will.”

“I never killed anyone.”

“I know.”

That surprised her.

Kael walked closer again until only a small space remained between them.

“But someone connected to you did.”

The fire cracked softly behind him.

Ariana’s heartbeat became uneven.

“I think you have the wrong person.”

Kael stared at her for a long moment before speaking again.

“That’s what I’m hoping.”

Fear crawled into her chest.

Not because he raised his voice.

Not because he threatened her.

Because he sounded completely serious.

The older woman touched Ariana’s arm gently. “Miss, please.”

Ariana finally allowed herself to be led upstairs.

The room they gave her was bigger than the entire house she grew up in.

Large bed.

Dark curtains.

Silver furniture.

A balcony overlooking the forest.

Yet none of it felt comforting.

“You may bathe,” the older woman said quietly. “Clothes have been prepared.”

Ariana turned toward her. “What’s your name?”

“Martha.”

“Does he treat everyone this way?”

Martha hesitated carefully.

“The Alpha has not been the same since Lady Lyra died.”

“His mate?”

“Yes.”

Ariana sat slowly on the edge of the bed.

“What happened to her?”

Martha’s face changed immediately.

“That is not a story spoken about freely in this house.”

After she left, Ariana walked toward the mirror near the wall.

The girl staring back at her barely looked alive.

Wet hair.

Bruised cheek.

Fear hidden behind exhausted eyes.

Ariana touched the bruise softly.

Then suddenly...

Pain hit her head violently.

A sharp image flashed through her mind.

Blood.

Screaming.

Silver chains.

A woman crying.

Run.

The voice sounded distant inside her head.

Run before they find you.

Ariana gasped sharply and grabbed the table for support.

The vision disappeared instantly.

Her breathing became uneven.

“What was that…?”

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

Before she answered, the door opened.

Kael entered.

Ariana stood immediately.

“You can’t just walk into my room.”

Kael ignored the comment completely.

His eyes settled briefly on her face.

“The wedding is tomorrow.”

“I’m not saying yes.”

“You already did.”

“No, my family did.”

Kael stepped closer slowly.

“In this house, your opinions won’t change outcomes.”

Ariana lifted her chin slightly despite the fear inside her.

“Then why keep talking to me at all?”

Something unreadable crossed his expression.

Then his gaze dropped suddenly toward her shoulder.

His eyes narrowed.

Ariana frowned. “What?”

Kael moved closer without warning.

She stepped back instantly.

“Don’t touch me.”

But he grabbed her wrist anyway.

Ariana tried pulling away.

“Let go.”

Kael stared at the side of her neck now.

His expression changed for the first time that night.

A faint silver mark glowed beneath Ariana’s skin for one brief second before disappearing completely.

Kael released her immediately.

The room became silent.

Ariana rubbed her wrist. “What is wrong with you?”

But Kael barely seemed to hear her.

His eyes remained fixed on her neck.

Then finally....

“Impossible.”