The Highest Bidder

Emily’s POV

The guards dragged me out of the dungeon and handed me to the maids. Ruth had ordered them to dress me up, so I would at least look presentable for the Alphas who’d soon bid on me like livestock.

A few seconds later, Adrian strolled inside with Rosaline at his side.

“What the hell are you looking for?!” I hissed.

His smugness was unbearable. “You still have the mouth to talk? You’ll be ruined in an Alpha’s bed tonight.”

Rosaline folded her arms. “Being ruined by an Alpha is still an honor for someone like her.”

My fingers twitched with the urge to scratch their faces bloody. “I’ll come back for you. I swear, you and your parents will pay...”

A sharp sting exploded across my cheek before I could register it.

I gasped. “You… hit me?”

“I’ll do worse if you don’t learn some respect,” Adrian growled. His eyes glowed, the clear sign he was in sync with his wolf. One wrong word, and he’d tear me apart.

I swallowed hard, forcing the anger burning in my throat down

“Aren’t you dressing her?” Adrian barked at the maids. “Strip her. Let me see the body she’s hiding before someone else ruins it.”

“Adrian, stop this madness!” I protested, but the maids had already ripped off my torn dress.

The room exploded with laughter. Even the maids.

Heat rushed to my face. I dropped into a crouch, arms wrapped around my chest, teeth clenched to keep the tears back. I refused to break in front of them.

After the humiliation, the maids squeezed me into the tight body-hugging cloth Ruth had chosen, then handed me back to the guards.

Sophia saw me being led away and burst into tears. “Em… Emily…”

My heart cracked seeing her like this. I forced myself to stay strong for her sake. “I’ll be fine,” I whispered, even though the lie tasted bitter. “Please… send my mother home safely. Tell her I’ll find a way to visit her grave.”

She nodded through her tears.

The guards dragged me to the hall through the backstage. When Ruth was informed I’d arrived, she ordered me brought straight onto the podium.

I was shoved onto the platform and fell to my knees before she gestured sharply for me to stand.

“Honored guests,” Ruth’s voice boomed through the microphone, dripping with fake sweetness, “before we toast to our new reign, allow me to present one final item.”

The applause thundered, not for me, but for the body they wanted to bid on. Some were already licking their lips like predators sizing up meat.

Ruth continued smoothly, “Emily Harpar. Wolfless. Accused thief. A burden to this pack and a disgrace to her mother’s memory. All supported by evidence if anyone is curious. But, we believe in second chances. Perhaps under new ownership, she may finally be useful.”

She didn’t even breathe.

“To cover the damages she’s caused, we’ll be auctioning her tonight. Starting bid—five hundred marks.”

My chest tightened.

Adrian and Rosaline sat among the elite wolves, smirking like they’d already won.

“Five hundred,” someone shouted.

I shut my eyes, fists clenched. Goddess, please… don’t let me break. Not here.

“Eight hundred!”

“One thousand!”

“Two thousand!”

Each number sliced me deeper. I wanted the floor to swallow me whole.

“Two thousand, going…anyone else?” Ruth teased.

There was silence.

Then a deep voice cut through the hall.

“Ten thousand.”

Gasps erupted. Heads turned, searching for the speaker, but it seemed the voice had come from nowhere and everywhere at once.

Ruth’s husband sent a guard to whisper something into her ear. Her eyes widened, then she smiled at the crowd.

“We have a special guest with us today. The Lycan King himself has come to grace our ceremony. What an honor, my king!”

The room erupted with thunderous applause. Wolves stood immediately and bowed, even without seeing him.

I bowed too. Who would dare not? Rumor said the Lycan King was ruthless beyond measure.

“And,” Ruth added gleefully, “he is the one who placed the highest bid. I suppose this spoiled brat needs an iron hand to straighten her.”

My blood turned to ice.

The Lycan King bought me?

No. No. Goddess, no!

Two guards immediately dragged me to a separate room. I waited there for some minutes, biting the inside of my cheek hard enough to taste blood, trying not to shake. Rumor said the Lycan King was an old man, old enough to be my grandfather.

I would rather die than…

The door opened, and an old man stepped in. My knees weakened instantly. This must be him.

“Follow me,” he said with quiet authority.

I obeyed without hesitation.

As he led me outside, towards a fleet of cars of guests that had come for the occasion, my stomach twisted violently. I slowed, trying to steady myself, but he didn’t even look back.

Then my stomach gave up. I threw up so hard that my legs buckled. Before I hit the ground, a firm hand caught my waist.

I looked up, and froze.

A pair of storm-grey eyes stared down at me. The face… impossibly handsome, almost unreal, as if carved by the Goddess herself.

He steadied me gently, his grip strong and controlled.

“Mate,” he murmured.

I blinked, confused. Adrian was my mate and he'd rejected me. I could never have any mate again.

Before I could ask what he meant, the old man reappeared, scowling. “Were you trying to sneak away?”

The handsome stranger's voice snapped like a whip. “You were leading someone away and didn’t notice she wasn’t following? Are you incompetent?”

I stiffened. Why would he talk to the King like that?

I tugged his sleeve, whispering urgently, “You’ve got a death wish? That’s the Lycan King. He's utterly merciless. He’ll rip your heart out for blinking wrong!”

He looked at me calmly, almost amused as if I've just spoken a strange language.

“Apologize now, you moron,” I hissed, kicking his leg lightly. “He’ll kill you!”

He didn't budge.

He's really got a death wish indeed.

I turned sharply to the old man. “I’m sorry, Lycan King. He didn’t mean to be rude. He doesn’t know who you are…please spare him.”

The old man frowned deeply. “You’re the rude one,” he snapped at me, then turned to the stranger.

“My king… I apologize for my incompetence.”

Wait…what?! My king?

My breath caught.

Slowly… painfully… my head turned toward the handsome stranger.