006

~BREE~

I was too tired to think of that, and even if I wanted to, I knew I couldn't go anywhere as my legs were sore, so I crawled toward a tree, when I reached it, I closed my eyes as the words came naturally on my tongue.

“I Aubree Swan an Omega cut ties with the Moon Valley pack; from this day forward I should no longer have anything to do with anyone that comes from that pack.” I instantly fell back as soon as I was done saying that, as I felt my body being ripped apart and I didn't know if I was seeing things, but a shadow-like creature came out of me and disappeared in thin air.

“Ouch!” I whimpered in pain as I felt the same stinging pain from when Zander rejected me. I knew this was a pain of cutting ties with the pack; the Moon Valley hasn't taken me in as their own, but I've been there for years, and it naturally became my home.

I needed to rest, even if it was just for a few minutes. I didn't know where I would be going from here but wasn't losing hope. I was sure after a nap my consciousness would be clear and I would be able to think clearly.

I closed my eyes and with difficulty tried to rest. I rested my head near the tree as I now lay on the ground, ignoring the pain the grass and little shrubs caused my back. This was the woods, so I didn't fully fall asleep. That's why when I felt a hand touch my arm, I quickly shot my eyes open, frightened that Zander or his men had found me, but I was shocked to see a familiar face.

“Wow, are... are you okay?” He pulled his hand; I knew him from that night; he was there at the club when Jocelyn died, and he seemed to be good friends with my sister; he didn't know she hated me so I could use the title for some advantage, so I shook my head.

"God, I haven't seen you in four years; come on, grab my hand,” he said, and I nodded, still unable to say a word, but grabbed his hand and tried to stand but fell back on my butt. “Wow, you're pretty hurt, badly. Do you want me to take you back to your…”

“No!” I was quick to say that—anything could happen to me, but I will never go back to that pack. “I... don't have a pack,” I said. If I wanted his help, I needed to be honest.

“Y-you cut ties with your pack?” He asked, and I hesitated but nodded my head. “Good,” he said, which confused me, but I didn't dare ask as he gently picked me up, which caused pain as I had bruises all over but didn't stop him as I closed my eyes, and then everything turned black, and before I knew it, I couldn't feel anything.

****

I don't know where I was or for how long I've been asleep, but with the pain in my eyes, I knew it must be for a week or so. I was experienced, so I could tell.

I looked around and realized I was tied to a chair; my eyes roamed the room, and I realized it was a bar changing room for strippers or something close because of the revealing, slutty clothes.

I looked at my body and realized I was dressed in one of those slutty clothes, a silver short silk dress. I looked down on my feet and saw that I was in higher shoes—heels, which I didn't even know how to walk in.

“You're up?” A voice made me turn, and I saw the man who helped me in the woods.

I tried to speak but couldn't as my mouth was covered with tape. He smirked and then came to me, “Oh baby.” He made a pitiful face, then leaned in. “You have been asleep for a long time, haven't you?” he asked, and I looked at him puzzled.

“You're at a bar, but don't worry, it's not what you're thinking. See, this is not just any bar; this is a market where businessmen like myself come to sell our properties.” He said, and I shook my head. “I am going to make a lot from you; I had you checked; you're a virgin,” he excitedly said, and I shook my head as I realized what he was trying to do. “You will pay all my debts; I am so glad I walked by the woods that day,” he said now, fixing my hair. “You should be happy; the people I'm selling you to will send you out of the city, far from everyone who wants you dead,” he said, and a warm tear rolled down my left cheek.

I knew this type of business; here dangerous men came to buy people, especially girls, and then they would send them out of the city to work for them; most of them were sex workers; some worked in their bars, and others worked on their farms.

And now I was going to be one of them.

“If you ruin the makeup and people refuse to buy you, I will take you back to the Moon Valley pack myself,” he threatened, and I nodded my head and sniffed. Anything could happen to me, but I will never go back to that pack. “Good girl, now I'm going to remove the tape. Be on your best behavior,” he said, and I agreed by nodding. Then I heard someone outside calling the name ‘Barbie?’ He turned to me and said they were calling me. “Go and be pretty,” he instructed, and I nodded, then stood up from the chair and slowly walked out.

My body seemed a little healed, but I was still weak. “I spent a lot of money on your body; if you fail, I will kill you myself,” he warned, and I nodded, no, I wasn't afraid of death, I knew he would just end up taking me back to Zander, so I did my best and tried to walk on the shoes, trying not to fall.

“Barbie, a human doll; she's a virgin and is just eighteen years old,” a man whom I figured to be the bid caller said and gestured for me to stand on the stage, which was the most difficult task of my life as I struggled to stand firm due to the high heels. “We will start the bidding at twenty thousand,” he started, and men from the crowd raised their bid numbers, so the bid caller increased the price.

My eyes roamed the crowd even when I knew I had no say in who was to buy me; I still hoped to see a friendly face, but none of them were. I could tell they were ruthless and probably lived to kill as their bodies were covered in tattoos.

I swallowed my saliva as I heard the bid caller ask for the third time, “Five hundred thousand, do I hear six hundred?” No one raised their bid number, and it seemed like I was going to be sold to one of the ruthless men as he winked from afar and started licking his upper lip, “Five hundred going once, going...”

“Two million!” A deep, rough voice from the crowd said—he wasn't loud, but everyone heard him as they all put their bidding numbers down—his tone exuded command.

My eyes quickly searched for him, and when my eyes landed on him, I felt a shiver rush down my spine. It's like I was suddenly placed in a fridge--my skin developed goosebumps.

I knew who he was; how could I not? Everyone knew who he was, and if I had to choose between going with him or my old pack, I would choose my old pack as he was more dangerous than my old pack—even Zander feared him. I remember Zander torturing me because he took the contract he wanted, and the Zander I knew would just take what he wanted from anyone, so when he didn’t pursue the contract, I knew it was because he was afraid of him.

Alpha Asher was the most ruthless alpha; he killed for pleasure; his eyes were crimson, which was a rare color even for alphas as their eyes would turn red only when their wolf took over; rumors had it that he was cursed by the goddess.

His punishments were heartless, not excusing the Moonvalley pack mistreatments, but Alpha Asher punished by cutting body parts—a leg, hand, fingers, eye, and even a tongue.

There was no way I was going with him, but no way I could escape, as with the way he was looking at me head to toe, I knew I couldn't.

“Sold to the man in black,” the bid caller said, and my chest tightened at the thought of what he was going to do to me.