CHAPTER TWO

{Dominic}

Just looking at her made me want to howl, but I couldn’t for the life of me understand why my wolf was so excited. It wasn’t like him.

She was beautiful, I’ll give her that, but she was a slave, and that was enough reason to not give a fuck.

The only reason I was in that auction house at the time was because I was looking for information. I needed to track someone down, and quickly.

I had left my territory and come to this deadbeat city in search of a rumored witch doctor who could save my little sister.

Many years ago, my father had wanted to expand his territory, and in doing so, he raided a small town and ended up executing an innocent witch. He had no idea that she was part of a coven that had once protected us werewolves.

With her dying breath, she placed a curse on my father’s bloodline, and if I didn’t find the witch doctor, then my sister was going to die.

Yet here I was, being distracted by a mere human slave. It irked me, but when the auctioneer announced her mage bloodline, my interest was suddenly piqued.

And it seemed so was the entire room. These people began raising their paddles with perverse eagerness. It didn’t take a seer to know that they only wanted her on her knees or in their beds.

I may have been sitting at the very back, but with my heightened wolf senses, it was clear to see that she was scared. The way she bit her lower lip to stop herself from showing any fear caused my wolf to stir.

“Down boy,” I muttered to myself.

The short man with the gold mask who had started the bid called out a hundred million dollars, and the room went silent for a small moment.

I chuckled slightly, it seemed these men weren’t as wealthy as I had expected. A measly hundred million caused them a moment of panic. Hilarious.

The majority of the paddles in the air had reduced, but it seemed a few people were still willing to compete with the gold-masked man.

As the bid climbed, her face showed her irritation, and so did mine.

She tried to pull away from the auctioneer’s grasp, but he tightened his hold even more. A stupid move really, seeing as there was nowhere for her to run to even if she escaped, yet as his hand gripped her, mine clenched around the armrest of my chair. If I hadn’t controlled myself, I could’ve shattered it to pieces.

“For fuck’s sake,” I sighed inwardly and carried my paddle up.

“One. Billion. Dollars.” I said slowly, making sure they heard every word.

This time, when the place went silent, it stayed that way.

The slave girl’s eyes slowly climbed until they found mine. The second we locked eyes, my wolf growled in a way I had never once experienced before. The sensation was different, and my curiosity began to act up.

She couldn’t have been my mate, mostly because my mate had been killed by a crazed rogue Alpha wolf named Varen, who sought revenge. I had made the mistake of sparing his life and banishing him from my pack after he had challenged me for the title of Alpha, and he repaid my kindness by killing the only woman I would ever love.

I was fated to never find love again, but yet I felt a vague sense of connection to the slave girl. I needed to understand it.

The auctioneer’s sudden announcement of my winning bid dragged my gaze away from her to the gavel he struck, grinning like he had just won the lottery. 

Buying a slave for a billion dollars must be the craziest thing anyone here could have ever thought of, but to me, it was just another Sunday.

I quietly stood up from the chair and adjusted the cuffs of my suit before leaving the auditorium to the private office to process the transaction.

A few more auctions were announced, but I was already regretting why I came here. 

I had spent an entire evening inside an auditorium, hoping to somehow stumble across information on the witch doctor when I could have been out there searching for her just because of some stupid vision by a divine seer I met on entering this town.

I left the auction house immediately after they were done with the transaction. The very moment I climbed into the back of my SUV, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called the only man who could help my situation.

“Alpha,” a dramatic sigh followed, “Why do I get the feeling I won’t like what you’re about to say?”

“Get to Ravenshire,” I said, ignoring his little quip.

“See, I would love to, but I’m currently knee-deep in a rather thrilling poker game, and—”

“Ryker.” My tone dropped, and a sliver of yellow flashed in my eyes. “I want you here by evening. Use the teleportation gate if you have to.”

Ryker was my best friend who had clawed his way, using his skill and power to attain the title of my second in command. But sometimes, I just wanted to shove him off a cliff for being so goddamn lazy.

 “Come on, Dom. Ravenshire? That place is crawling with rogue packs and sleazy humans. Can’t we just send scouts?”

“No.” I leaned my head back against the seat. “I think I have a lead on the witch, but I need another pair of eyes.”

“And I assume you need my nose, too?” Ryker groaned, causing me to smirk. 

“I expect to see you by dinner.”

“And here I thought I’d have a relaxing weekend in bed with my mate and maybe even sleep till noon.” 

I snorted. “You’re my Beta You don’t get to complain.”

“Doesn’t mean I won’t.”

“Just get here.”

I ended the call, but the irritation didn’t leave me.  “Drive. Straight home.”

My driver nodded and started the car up. Suddenly, there was a knock on the tinted window.

I rolled it down, and Victor Graves stood outside with his disgustingly smug expression still on his face.

“Shall we have the girl delivered to you, Mr Bloodhound?”

For a brief second, I stared at him blankly, wondering what he was talking about.

“The girl?”

Then my eyes widened. “Shit. I had forgotten about her.”

“No,” I said dismissively, trying to hide the fact that I had totally forgotten about my billion-dollar purchase. “Put her in the car.”

Victor made a noise that sounded close to a snicker, “Sir, it would be highly inappropriate for a man of your status to travel with—”

My eyes flashed gold, and my long canines were all out on full display. “Put her in the car. Now.” I growled, not letting him finish. 

The smirk on his face melted, “A-Alph…” he practically choked on his words as wide-eyed fear replaced his smug expression.

The difference between us was as clear as day, and he immediately understood it.

He took a scared step back and bowed his head till it almost touched the floor. “Yes sir. My apologies, Mr Bloodhound.”

Within seconds, the car door opened, and the girl was ushered inside. The chains on her hands and legs made a clattering sound as she fixed herself at the other edge of the door.

She didn’t look at me, but I could hear her unsteady heartbeat, and it made my wolf growl uncomfortably.

I shifted toward her and as I reached out, she flinched so hard she nearly hit the door. The sound of her heartbeat doubled, and the scent of fear clung to her.

I leaned in closer, whispering in her ear. “Relax.”

She froze, and I watched the hairs on her neck stand like her skin prickled. I grabbed the chains on her wrists first, snapping them off before going for the ones around her ankles.

“Take us home,” I said to the driver, and he put the car in drive and zoomed off.

As I sat back, I studied the girl beside me carefully. Judging from her features, she was definitely grown, she just looked small with her shoulders hunched in fear.

The short gown had crept upward, revealing her delicate, quivering thighs and the soft curve of her hips. I watched her chest rise and fall with each breath.

“Might as well find out who she is.” I thought to myself, then I cleared my throat.

“What’s your name?” 

She hesitated, not sure if I was talking to her. But when she realized, she quickly answered, “Lyra.”

“Look at me, Lyra.” I said softly.

She still wouldn’t look at me, and for some reason, it irritated me more than it should have.

“I said, look at me.” My eyes burned gold, and I commanded her. 

I waited for her to snap her neck toward me, but instead, something shocking happened, and my eyes narrowed. 

She didn’t move an inch. My Alpha voice of command had absolutely no effect on her.

“How is that possible?”