Chapter 1

"$500 million?"

The man who had just bid $100 million whipped around to glare at me. He was Lucas Werner, second-in-command of the Shadowfang kingdom.

The kingdom had planned for their Alpha King, Lucian Frost, to pretend to be captured. They wanted to infiltrate the auction house to investigate the theft of their kingdom's sacred relic.

They were about to recover the relic and wrap things up. Lucas only needed to pose as a wealthy businessman and bid their agreed ceiling of $100 million to buy Lucian back.

They probably wondered where the hell I came from with $500 million to throw around.

Lucas looked calm on the surface, but inside, he was losing his mind. He frantically reached out through the mind-link. "Alpha King! We have a problem! Some crazy woman just bid $500 million! We don't have enough money to out-bet her!

"Alpha King! What do we do? Should we take you by force, or will you use your Alpha authority to scare her off?

"Alpha King! Can you hear me?"

However, Lucian seemed to have disconnected. He was not responding at all.

The usually decisive and ruthless Alpha King of the Shadowfang kingdom was staring fixedly at the languid woman on the second floor: me.

He had caught my scent the moment I walked in. It was a fatal pull that made those with werewolf genes instantly set off.

The scent of a fated mate.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as his pupils dilated and his blood ignited. Only one thought consumed his mind: he wanted me to take him home and lock him up, and he wanted to cover me in his scent.

He could not even remember who Lucas was right now. He did not want to be bothered while he was looking at his mate.

Lucas was in despair. His Alpha King had gone offline.

He looked at me, Vivian Sterling, the legendary heiress whose only personality trait was being filthy rich.

If his Alpha King fell into my hands as a plaything, it would be a disgrace to the entire kingdom.

"$500 million once!" the auctioneer shouted excitedly.

He could not wait any longer.

Lucas straightened his tie and walked up to my second-floor box. He had a fake smile plastered across his face, though his eyes carried a warning.

"Miss, I'm the original buyer of this 'collectible’. This is a friendly warning that he isn't some docile puppy. He’s a northern wild wolf, untamable by nature.

"Someone like you couldn't possibly handle him. Why not let me take him for your own safety?"

I propped my chin on one hand and smiled after listening. "Can't handle him?"

I did not bother looking at him as I raised my paddle again.

In front of Lucas's widening eyes, I said, "$600 million."

The entire hall fell into dead silence. The smile on Lucas's face completely crumbled.

Earlier was a slap in the face. Now, I had added insult to injury

His mouth hung open. "You..."

"Can't handle him?" I laughed, my gaze sliding past him to the male wolf in the cage who was staring at me obsessively. "That's because you people are incompetent.

"If it caught my interest, I could chain up even a dragon."

"$600 million once!" The auctioneer was so excited he nearly threw his gavel.

Lucas looked desperately toward the cage and made one last attempt through the mind-link, his mental voice breaking. "Alpha King! Do something! Bare your fangs, at least! Are you really going to go home with this woman as her pet?"

This time, there was a response.

Lucian's voice was low and husky, yet it carried a disturbingly pleased tone. "Lucas, take your men and get lost. Don't interfere while I'm looking at my mate."

Lucas's mind went blank.

"$600 million going thrice! Sold!"

The gavel struck down.

I stood and walked toward the stage in my heels, passing Lucas, who looked like he was questioning his entire existence.

The scent of cold cedar grew stronger in the air. My chronically insomniac nerves actually relaxed slightly.

As I approached the cage, staff members rushed forward with shock batons and tranquilizers. "Ms. Sterling, for safety purposes, we should administer a muscle relaxant first, then fit him with electronic shackles..."

"Get lost."

I swept the shock baton aside. "He's my pet. I don't want to see another mark on him."

The staff members backed away in fear.

I reached out, my fingers slipping through the bars.

"Ms. Sterling! He'll bite your hand off!" Lucas shrieked.

He knew Lucian too well. Anyone who dared provoke the Alpha King like this would already be six feet deep in their grave.

However, everyone's jaws dropped in the next second.

The male wolf in the cage, who had been radiating murderous intent moments ago, saw my hand and slowly retracted his aggression.

He obediently lowered his head and moved closer to my palm. His lips brushed feather-light against my skin, like a silent kiss or a hidden plea for affection.

I narrowed my eyes in satisfaction and ran my fingers through his hair. It was so soft and smooth.

I turned to the petrified staff and Lucas, raising an eyebrow. "What was that you said? Untamable by nature?"

I scratched under the chin of the wolf who was now as docile as a dog, my tone leisurely. "It looks like he just picked his owner. Have him cleaned and sent to my bedroom, immediately!"