Page 8 of Sold to Three Alpha Kings

I still can’t believe this is happening right now. I’m yet to come to terms with the fact that I’ve lost my one chance at escaping this cursed island for good.

Unshed tears sting my eyes while the cart jolts under me and my heart races.

I had it all figured out; the best time to make my move and the exact route to take. I was ready, and I genuinely believed that freedom was within my grasp. Then everything went sideways and spiraled out of control before I even knew what was happening.

***

It starts with the shouting.

I’ve been up before dawn, wearing my favorite dress. Well, I only have two if I’m being honest. But it’s still my favorite. Mostly because it’s the dress that has my hidden pouch.

I lay on my small mattress, going over the plan one more time in my head. Southern docks by midmorning. Find the ship’s quartermaster before the captain, because quartermasters take bribes more easily. Don’t look nervous. Don’t look like I have anything worth stealing.

“You’ve got this,” I whisper under my breath, drawing a deep, long breath.

Then I hear it—Ricky’s voice. It’s so loud it tears through the house, raw in a way I’ve never heard from him.

“Mother! Father!” He bellows, his tone laced with anger and something I can’t label yet. “Where are you??!”

I rise from the bed immediately and reach the door with a few long strides. Curious to find out what’s making that spoiled brat lose his mind, I quietly push my door open, leaving just enough gap to watch the scene unfold.

“My darling!” Elene rushes over to him, already reaching to comfort him. “What is it? What happened?”

“It’s Chloe!” he barks, knocking her hands off before she can even touch him.

“What about her?”

“She’s been sold off!”

My brows knit together, hating how these people refer to the girl like some cheap property.

“What?” Elena’s voice rises.

“Her crazy old man sold her off to traders looking for beautiful Omegas!”

Okay, I did not see that coming—makes sense why he’s so distraught.

“That bastard,” Elena cussed softly.

“What’s going on here?” My father appears out of nowhere and joins them. “Why all the noise?”

“Chloe’s father sold her off,” Elena says to him.

“He did what?”

“What’re we gonna do?” the golden boy snaps at his parents. “I can’t lose her.”

“Don’t raise your voice at me, boy,” Father warns him with a low, firm voice. “None of this would’ve happened if you’d gone out and raised the money for her bride price like a real man.”

Finally, someone said it.

Ricky’s face turned ugly, and he stepped forward. “That’s rich coming from a man who basically lets his first daughter feed his home and take up his responsibility as the breadwinner.”

Wow. Nothing could’ve prepared me for this. The drama just keeps getting interesting.

“That’s enough, both of you!” Elena steps between them with her arms apart. “There’s enough blame to go around. But right now, we need to come up with a plan, and we need to do that fast.”

Ricky combs his fingers through his hair and begins pacing the length of the room. I watch them from behind my door, and although I’d never accept it, a part of me is enjoying this drama.