Page 68 of Dark Auctioned Mate

“Yeah, I don’t buy it,” Gavin chuckled darkly. “But fuck it if I let you run away again.” He nodded to the guards. “Bind her and take her away.”

“Wait,” Dominique raised her hand. “We must check something out.” She took a step closer to Alanis, with a calculating expression. “You’ve been out there for eight years. Living rough, you said. Did you ever... strike any deals to live? Exchange anything for food or a home?”

Alanis knew what she was trying to ask. It was disgusting to see that she was still the same. “No. I never—I couldn’t. The thought of letting them do that to me, it sickened me. So I just... I remained a virgin.”

She watched the interest form in Dominique’s eyes. “Fantastic,” she smirked.

Gavin gestured to one of the guards. “Take her to the quarters of the Alpha. She will be there until we are prepared to move her. It is for better protection.”

“You are not the Alpha anymore?” Alanis asked before she could help herself.

“I am still the Alpha of this pack. But we have grown and expanded,” he smiled proudly. “There is more than one operation; more than one territory. I see to all of them, but each one has its leader.” He nodded to the young man who came forward. “This is Derek, the Alpha here at this facility. You will report directly to him.”

Derek stepped forward. Alanis fought the urge to recoil as recognition slammed into her.

She knew that face. She knew those sleazy blue eyes. That was Derek Hester. Her distant cousin. The man who had bullied her ruthlessly since she was ten years old until the day she escaped. The one who had enjoyed the “training” sessions and had offered to be among her evaluators.

He also told her on the evening before her sixteenth birthday that he was looking forward to buying her for himself.

“Well, well, well,” Derek smiled broadly

“Hello, cousin. It’s been a long time.”

“Hello, Derek,” she spat, narrowing her eyes.

“Oh, this will be good. This will be fun.” He walked closer. “You and me, back to spending quality time with each other. Just like we did in the old days. But this time, I am the boss. And you,” he grabbed her chin roughly. “You belong to me. Until we sell you off at least. Or maybe I could buy you.”

Alanis didn’t flinch or pull away. This was the price of acquiring the information that they required. She could deal with Derek Hester.

“Take her in,” Gavin said. “Make sure she is secured. We will talk about the time of the auction later.”

Derek grabbed Alanis by the arm tightly, pulling her to the main building in the compound. Just three days, she thought.

She only needed to endure three days, and then she would destroy them.

Chapter 21 - Rael

Watching Alanis being dragged into a building by a man he didn’t recognize was the hardest thing Rael had ever done.

All his instincts pushed him to interfere. His wolf growled and howled, itching to shred the man into pieces because he had the audacity to touch what was his. But he remained concealed. He stayed still and trusted her. Like she asked.

“Fuck,” he sighed, dropping the binoculars and pressing his palms to his eyes. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

He had anticipated the fact that this would be difficult. He knew that seeing her walk right into danger would test him in all ways. But it was one thing to know it in his mind, and another to experience.

From watching that man’s hands on her. From seeing her being hauled into a building where Rael knew she’d be subjected to the same treatment she’d endured as a child.

And there was nothing he could do about it without putting the entire operation in jeopardy.

“She can do this,” he reminded himself. “She’s survived worse.”

But what if she couldn’t? Another voice reared its head. What if the man who dragged her away went overboard? What if something went wrong and she could not signal to him in good time?

Rael forced himself to take a deep breath. Then another. Alanis had a plan. She would collect intelligence, figure out who the top dog was, and get them the information they needed.

And Rael would be watching, waiting, and ready to extract her when she gave the word.

This was just the second day. They had a day to go. He just had to trust her for another day.