Chapter 1

Mila’s POV

                A shiver ran throughout my entire body, making my legs and hands shake uncontrollably, while I tried to steady myself, as I stood on the stage with a spotlight blinding me, rendering my sight of those before me. My heart pounded heavily in my chest, as I tried to keep my breathing steady, not wanting to show any fear, because I knew that it was a sign of weakness. I couldn’t dishonor my family’s name or what was left of it, by showing an ounce of fear, but it was hard right now for me to be strong, because everything I had known was nothing but ashes now.

                The smell of expensive cigars mixed with alcohol filled the room, making me lower my head as it reminded me of my father’s office. As the smoke now made its way to the stage I stood upon, it began to hover in the air around me like the morning fog, but unlike the morning fog, it didn’t bring the scent of the earth’s life with it, but the scent of my doom.

                “Next up for auction is a rare beauty, if I must say so myself. That sweet aroma of innocence is coming straight from this one, just one month away from her coming of age. Not only is that sweet enough to earn your bids but look at this face.” The auctioneer says, as he moves to me, taking a hold of my chin firmly with his masculine hands before raising my head high, so that everyone before me could see my face in the blinding spotlight, as I tried to hold back my tears from spilling.

                My whole entire family had been massacred in the battle against Red Moon, just days ago, but I had unfortunately been spared by their warriors, only to be sold as payment for their service, just like several other unmated females of my pack here today. One by one I had watched them from the side of the stage being sold off to the highest bidder, not knowing what their fate was, after leaving this stage. For some reason, I was saved for last, and as the bidding wars began for me, I could now see why.

                The bid was now up to a hundred thousand dollars, which was triple what the other she wolves of my pack had gone for before me, but to my surprise the auctioneer felt that wasn’t enough, as he says, “Did I forget to mention she is of beta’s blood? A fine specimen to use for bearing your next heir.”

                My head turned to look at the auctioneer, who stared at me with his own lust in his eyes, as realization dawned on me, that I wasn’t being sold for a life of slavery as a servant like the others before me, but for a life of being bred to the highest bidder. It was at that moment that a single tear slipped from the corner of my eye, as my heart sank into my chest, knowing that I would live to serve only one purpose.

                All my dreams and aspirations at that moment left my body, as my fate was now being sealed for me. My body and my mind at that moment went completely numb, making my once shaking legs and hands stop, as I felt my will to live leave me, making me wish that my life would have been just taken like the rest of my family’s had that day.

Their souls had been taken quickly, with little to no suffering, but my own soul would be suffering the slowest of deaths. Whoever buys me will take a piece of it each time I am forced to be with him, to bear his heir, and then when an heir is born, another piece of my soul will be taken, as I will not be allowed to see or care for my child, as that child will be considered his, not mine.

“One million.” A low deep voice said from within the bidders in front of me, and I didn’t bother to look up, knowing I couldn’t see his face, but knowing that the voice that just made the bid was undoubtably the man that now owned me and my soul.

Growls now began to fill the room, as if a war was going to break out among the bidders, before the auctioneer says, “Sold to Alpha Gunner of the Red Moon pack.”

My head at that moment raised, as I stared out now into the abyss of darkness before me, while I swallowed hard, knowing that the man that had taken everything from me wasn’t finished. But what baffled my mind now was, why purchase me in front of everyone here today at the auction, when he could have just seized me for himself after he had won the war against my pack. It was as if he wanted everyone to witness his last humiliation of my pack, by letting everyone know that he would be forcefully bedding the daughter of the Beta and making me bear his heir, as he slowly killed what little of life was left in me.

The auctioneer at that moment grabbed a hold of my arm so tightly that I let out a whimper, as he went to remove me from the stage, but as the whimper slipped from my lips, a low growl now radiated throughout the room, drawing complete silence from everyone. Before I knew what was happening, the hand that once held my arm firmly was gone, and I stumbled backwards, as my eyes set on the largest Alpha wolf, I had ever seen before in my life.

Its fur was as black as night, and glistened in the spotlight, as its canines dripped with crimson colored saliva, making me turn my head slightly to see the auctioneer’s body now laying motionless on the stage, in a pool of blood. My eyes now focused on the arm that was no longer attached, that once held firmly onto me, as a gasped slipped from my lips from the horrific sight in front of me.

Slowly, I turned trembling from the sight, to look at the Alpha wolf standing in front of me, and as our eyes met, I realized that this Alpha wolf was no other than Alpha Gunner, and this was the future that lay ahead of me.