Page 5 of Breeding with His Enemy

"Yes, grateful that we're willing to leave our planet, to be part of this auction, to be the answer to whatever you seek, bringing you here to bid on us."

Jasmine crossed her arms, tapping her fingers against her arms. She was strong, a visible vigor in her frame, suggesting an active occupation. Surprisingly attractive in a human.

I pushed aside the thought.

Strength was appealing, universally. Yet, not everyone saw it that way. One more reason Father sent me here to acquire a human wife, to assert his dominance over me, especially as more of his ships began to follow my lead.

Realizing she still awaited my response, I shrugged. "I suppose I never considered gratitude in this context."

"Hmm. Perhaps you should. Gratitude isn't an exclusively human emotion."

With that, Jasmine spun on her heel, heading back towards one of the other warlords. I tilted my head, observing her, then lifted the bottle, finishing off the wine.

This Auction was a situation I hadn't chosen. I had no desire to marry, especially not to be tethered to Earth and its humans. Yet, if my father insisted on this union with a fragile human, perhaps I could at least defy him by selecting a woman who defied all his expectations.

And that woman certainly fit the bill.

3

Jasmine

The waiter, whose life I’d jeopardized, had vanished from the serving floor. Luxana must have either sent him home or confined him to the kitchen. Perhaps the threat on his life had frightened him enough to avoid facing any more bloodthirsty warlords.

I couldn't blame him.

But I could blame myself.

That was foolish, Jasmine.

What had I been thinking? Why had I put another human's life at risk just because I was offended by an asshole's hand on my leg? I was here as a prize to be won, not to teach a conquering warlord a lesson in gentlemanly conduct.

It was fortunate that Braxl Sar had intervened. I recognized him from the Resistance Files. He hailed from a species known as Krafinas. They appeared fairly humanoid, but rumors spoke of fangs and extendable claws that could inject poison. Scales adorned their bodies. Braxl's long, brown hair cascaded silkily over broad shoulders, and his simple light blue dress shirt strained against the contours of his muscular frame. His most captivating feature, however, were his eyes, slitted like a cat's, with hues of orange and gold. I couldn't decipher the emotions within their depths.

Prexis's space navy was as formidable as their disregard for human rights. I couldn't fathom why he'd stepped in to save the man. It seemed unlikely he would care about the death of a human, let alone a servant.

It left me curious about the man he truly was.

I didn't mind that Jaro had left the Auction. It made it easier to determine which of the remaining five potential bidders I should focus on for my Resistance plan. Jaro wouldn't have been the best option. If he intended to place his human prize on a harem ship, executing my plan would be far more complicated. Having to disembark from a separate ship just to execute the mission would add unnecessary steps.

Of course, I still didn't know the intentions of the other men. They might have their own concealed harems.

One of them couldn't seem to tear his gaze away from Lucia. It was evident he admired her curves and deep brown eyes. Rebecca's dark skin had captivated two other men, both of whom tugged at her box braids. It appeared there'd be a fierce bidding war for her, at least.

Braxl, on the other hand, appeared disinterested in the whole affair, aside from his persistent consumption of wine. Three empty bottles graced his table. His species must possess a high tolerance...

We were granted another thirty minutes of parading amongst the bidders, enduring their scrutiny and coos of admiration, before Luxana signaled Dahlia. The assistant escorted the three prized women to the front to commence the actual bidding.

Luxana wisely began with Rebecca, knowing it would ignite the competitive spirit among the bidders. The Nova Dominion's credit value soared for Rebecca, and the victorious man smugly presented his wage card, declaring his triumph. Rebecca twirled with her own form of victory, evidently pleased with how high the bidding had gone on her behalf.

I couldn't help but hope she'd find everything she sought. My hope, however, was tinged with bitterness.

I observed the other bidders, noting Braxl's continued disinterest. The man who'd lost out for Rebecca vied against another warlord for Lucia, and this time, he emerged victorious. He stood, nearly toppling his table, emitting a primal roar and flashing a triumphant smile, at least according to their people.

Then it was my turn.

Braxl had propped his boots on the table, leaning back in his chair, sipping directly from the bottle. His expression was inscrutable.

Madame Luxana took my hand, and my heart raced unexpectedly. I bit my lower lip, striving to exude a seductive allure as Luxana extolled my virtues – adventurous, intelligent, kind, charming, and beautiful.

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