Page 47 of Dark Auctioned Mate

Alanis never felt bothered about this before. It was all a part of the job, as much as lock-picking or surveillance.

However, now, dressed in such a way, about to seduce another man, she felt…dirty. Like she was betraying something or more specifically, someone.

It’s nothing but information, she said to herself. Rael would understand. This is what I’m good at.

She pushed the lodge doors ajar before she could give it a second thought.

It was a fancy bar with dark wood and low light. Her gaze fell on a man in his mid-forties, in an expensive suit, sipping whiskey, alone at a corner table. He looked exactly like someone who was a trafficking coordinator—the suit and flashy jewelry gave it all away.

Alanis strutted to the bar and ordered a drink. She felt his eyes on her. Good. This was going to be easier than she thought.

She waited three whole minutes—long enough to not appear desperate and short enough to keep him interested. Then turned and looked at him, letting a small smile grace her lips.

He smiled and lifted his glass a little. She grabbed her drink and walked over.

“Is this seat occupied?” She asked in an unusually high-pitched voice, breathy and enticing.

“For you? Never.” His lips curved into a smirk. “I’m Daniel.”

Liar.

“I am Sophia. Here on business?”

“Pleasure, actually. But those two are liable to be mixed in my trade.” His gaze trailed up and down her body. “And you?”

“Passing by. Thought I should see what the nightlife was like.” She leaned forward a little so he could peep down her dress. “It was disappointing. Until now.”

The conversation picked up from there. Alanis giggled at his jokes, rested her hand on his arm, asking him questions so he felt intelligent and significant. Gradually, she carefully steered the discussion to his business.

“You said your work has to do with pleasure,” her fingers traced the edge of her glass. “That sounds intriguing. What is it you do?”

“I’m in acquisitions,” he grinned. “I am interested in…uncommon things. Things hard to come by in traditional ways.”

“How exciting.” She leaned closer. “What sort of …rare things?”

His hand snaked up her thigh beneath the table. “The type that is better spoken of in private. There is better whiskey in my room than here at the bar.”

This was it. The moment when she would go into his room and get him drunk and talking, so she could get as much information as she could out of him.

But his touch made her skin crawl. Alanis shuddered at the idea of being with him alone, of letting him believe he had a chance with her, touching and groping her.

All she could think about was Rael, and how his touch was in stark contrast with the creep beside her right now.

She had deluded herself into believing that what they had was only dependent on the mate bond, which caused her to feel things that were not there.

But sitting here, trying to seduce another man, she told herself the truth. She couldn’t go through with this because it felt like she was betraying Rael Weston. What felt like the norm for her during missions now made her feel disgusted with herself, and it was because of one single Alpha.

Chapter 15 - Rael

Rael stood in the shadow before the inn with his binoculars trained on the entrance. August had installed some surveillance gadgets in their room, which he was using to monitor communication and tracing the movements of the target electronically. But Rael liked the traditional method—eye contact and physical observation.

Venn had come into the inn an hour ago, and other than ordering a drink, he was quiet, seated in the corner of the bar. Rael was ready to spend all night watching him. This sort of job required patience. Lots of it.

If Venn stayed there long enough to get sufficiently intoxicated, Rael might be able to approach him with a cover story, see if he could—Some movement at the inn’s entrance caught his attention.

A woman walked in. She had dark hair, a tight red dress, and heels that made her legs look long. She walked in like she owned the place, with a confidence bordering on arrogance.

She looked strangely familiar. Rael frowned into the binoculars, trying to focus on her face. When he finally saw her clearly, he could not believe his eyes. It was Alanis. Stepping into a bar where a reputed trafficker was sitting alone.