Page 71 of Dark Auctioned Mate

“We wait until she’s sold,” Rael said, even though every word cost him. “Let the buyer take her from the stage. And then we shut this whole thing down.”

August nodded. “Silas is ready to signal the pack authorities. We’ve got enough evidence to arrest everyone here.”

“And the women?”

“The Lumen team is standing by. They’ll take custody of all the victims and get them to safe facilities.”

“Two hundred fifty thousand,” the auctioneer called. “Do I hear two seventy-five?”

Rael watched a man in the front row raise his paddle.

“Two seventy-five. Three hundred? Do I hear three hundred?”

Another paddle.

“Three hundred thousand. Going once—”

The gavel came down. “Sold!”

Rael watched as Alanis was led off the stage toward the buyer. He pulled out his phone and sent the signal to Silas: “Execute.”

All hell broke loose.

The warehouse’s main lights were cut, replaced by emergency lighting. Doors burst open as their men flooded in.

“Everyone, stay where you are!” someone shouted. “This is a raid!”

The buyers panicked immediately. Some tried to run; others tried to fight. The VIP section emptied as Blackwood Pack members attempted to escape.

But Silas and Javi were already there, blocking the exits, supported by enforcers from multiple allied packs.

Rael pushed through the crowd toward where he’d last seen Alanis. The buyer who’d purchased her was on the ground, being restrained by pack enforcers. But Alanis—She wasn’t there.

Rael’s heart stopped. He scanned the area frantically, looking for white fabric, for dark hair, for any sign of her.

Nothing.

“August!” he shouted into his radio. “I’ve lost visual on Alanis!”

“What? Where did you last see her?”

“Stage exit, east side. The buyer was taking her—”

“The buyer’s in custody. She’s not with him.”

Panic clawed at Rael’s throat. “Then where the fuck is she?”

He moved through the warehouse, checking every corner, every holding area. The Lumen team was processing the rescued women, getting them medical attention, but Alanis wasn’t among them.

“Rael!” Javi appeared, breathing hard. “We’ve got a problem. Some of the Caldwell pack members escaped during the chaos. Including someone named Derek Hester.”

“Who the fuck is that?”

“Based on our research—Alanis’s distant cousin. You might have seen him. Tall, lankly, blonde?”

Blondie.

“Which way?” Rael demanded.