Sold

Lyra stirred at the sound of a woman cursing under her breath. The voice wasn't familiar, but the sharpness of her words made Lyra jolt awake.

Where was she?

Her heart pounded as she tried to get her bearings, her gaze darting around the unfamiliar space. Panic coiled in her chest when her eyes landed on the woman standing before her—a middle-aged woman with a cold, calculating stare that made Lyra shrink back.

"Oh, so the princess finally decides to wake up," the woman sneered, her voice dripping with disdain.

Lyra flinched. Fear wrapped around her like a suffocating shroud. She had no idea who this woman was or where she had been taken. The last thing she remembered was having a meal with her father. How had she ended up here?

Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. She wanted to go home. She wanted to see her father, to feel the safety of his presence. But deep down, she already knew—he wouldn't come for her.

"Stop crying and get ready," the woman snapped, throwing a bundle of clothes at her. "You're being bid on today, so make sure you're presentable. Or else, I'll leash you like the useless thing you are."

Lyra's stomach twisted in horror. Bidding?

The woman turned and stalked out of the room, leaving Lyra trembling.

She wasn't just mute—she was a wolfless girl, a disgrace to her kind. All her life, she had only wanted happiness, to be surrounded by family and friends. But the moment her father realized she would never find her wolf, everything changed. His love faded, replaced by cold indifference.

And now, she had been discarded like she was nothing.

Lyra stared at the clothes lying on the ground before slowly picking them up. She had no idea where life would take her, but one thing was certain—if she wanted freedom, she needed to find a way out of this place.

Wiping away the last of her tears, she wasted no time changing into the garments, swallowing the fear tightening in her throat.

An hour later, the bidding began. One by one, the candidates were paraded before the crowd, each girl standing before the sea of well-dressed elites, their fates sealed with the raise of a hand.

Lyra stood among them, her fingers clutching the hem of her dress as her gaze swept over the people seated before them. Their eyes roamed hungrily over the girls, their wealth determining their ownership.

A shiver ran down her spine, but she forced herself to stay composed. Deep inside, beyond the fear and uncertainty, she saw an opportunity—a chance to escape.

No. She wouldn't give these people the satisfaction of crushing her dignity. She might have been wolfless, but she wasn't weak. She refused to let anyone walk over her.

Her mind raced, desperate to form an escape plan. She needed to run. But before she could think further, a deep, magnetic voice cut through the murmurs of the auction.

"Ten thousand."

Lyra's breath hitched. The moment she turned her gaze toward the speaker, she felt an invisible force pull her in.

Sitting far in the corner, a man observed her with an unsettling stillness. His sharp features were void of emotion, but his eyes… his eyes burned into her, as if drawing her into his cocoon.

A flicker of recognition stirred within her.

Alpha Cassian.

The name whispered through her mind, and as if hearing her unspoken thought, the corner of his lips curled into a knowing smile.

"Mine."

Lyra's eyes widened. A tremor of realization surged through her, but before her mind could process what had just happened—

She was already sold.

***

"What have you done?" Darius whispered, his voice laced with disbelief. He stared at Casian, but the Alpha remained impassive, his gaze fixed ahead.

"Prepare the carriage," Casian ordered, ignoring the questioning look his Beta gave him.

Without another word, he turned and strode out of the bidding hall, unfazed by the intrigued stares that followed him. A heartbroken Alpha claiming a mate was unheard of, yet Casian acted as if the world around him held no significance.

However, amidst the sea of watchful eyes, there was one gaze that burned with something more—something deeper.

"This way, my lady," Darius muttered, his tone neutral as he guided Lyra toward the waiting carriage.

He never once met her eyes, keeping his head slightly lowered, his stance guarded. Lyra followed hesitantly, confusion swirling within her. But the moment her gaze landed on the man who had purchased her, a sharp, painful constriction gripped her chest.

She had heard whispers of Alpha Casian of the Shadow Pack—tales of his power, his ruthlessness, and the grief that made him untouchable. But seeing him in person was something else entirely.

He was breathtaking in a way that made her breath hitch, an aura of cold authority wrapped around him. His piercing gaze seemed to strip her bare, leaving her vulnerable and restless.

Was it fear twisting inside her? Or something else entirely?

No. She couldn't allow herself to be captivated. She had finally left that wretched place, which meant she had an opportunity—a chance to escape.

Lyra hesitated at the carriage door, waiting for Casian to join her. But instead of stepping inside, the Alpha turned and walked toward another carriage, leaving her alone.

Her stomach twisted with uncertainty.

"We shall depart, my lady," the coachman's voice broke through her racing thoughts, and Lyra snapped her attention forward.

She stepped inside, clasping her hands tightly on her lap as uncertainty settled deep in her bones.

Her eyes kept drifting toward the carriage trailing behind them.

How am I going to flee? she wondered, chewing on her lip anxiously.

The road stretched into darkness, the only sound echoing through the dense forest was the rhythmic creak of the carriage wheels against the uneven path.

She had no idea how long they had been traveling, but exhaustion from the day's events dulled her thoughts. The weight of uncertainty pressed against her, and before she could fight it, weariness took over.

With a quiet sigh, Lyra leaned her head against the backrest, her heavy lids fluttering shut.

Sleep claimed her before she could even think of an escape—until the carriage lurched to an abrupt halt in the middle of nowhere.