6. Outbid Him

Aria

Someone coughed next to me, so I turned my attention to him.

"I suppose it's time to make my decision now," he said. It was the same man who came with Alpha Aldric. "I am Nathan, Alpha Aldric's Beta," he said.

"I don't care to know you or your Asshole Alpha," I snarled. My mind was clouded with worry. My poor sister, she must be so scared right now.

Nathan grinned. "Oh? You are a feisty one."

"Fuck you!" I hissed through tears.

"Alright, then. You won me over. I pick you," Nathan said and grabbed my hand.

Another cough nearby.

"Excuse me, Beta Nathan. You will still have to bid on her. This is an auction, remember?" the auctioneer interjected.

"Oh, right. But I still get to say what my bid is, right?" Nathan asked.

"Right."

"I bid two hundred gold coins," Nathan said.

"Three hundred!" some old fool shouted.

As Nathan's grip tightened on my hand, I couldn't help but feel a rush of resentment towards him. He was associated with the very person who had taken my sister away, Alpha Aldric.

"Let go of my hand. You didn't win me yet," I hissed under my breath.

Nathan grinned. "But you want me to win."

"Why would I want you to win?" I said. I stared at him with confusion.

"I thought you were smarter than that, Aria. I belong to Alpha Aldric's pack, so if I take you home with me, you get to see your sister again," he said.

Nathan's words hit me like a lightning bolt, momentarily shattering my anger and confusion. My sister—seeing her again was the only thought that had been consuming my mind since the moment she was taken away. Could it be that Nathan was offering me a chance to reunite with her?

"You're telling me that if you win this auction, you'll take me to my sister?" I asked, my voice trembling with a mixture of hope and doubt.

Nathan nodded, his smile still playing on his lips. "That's right, Aria. I may be part of Alpha Aldric's pack, but I have my own reasons for wanting to help you. We'll find a way to get your sister back, but we need to play our cards right in this auction."

I weighed the options in my mind. On one hand, Nathan was connected to the man responsible for our separation, but on the other, he seemed genuinely willing to assist me. The auction was far from over, and the bids were still climbing. If I could use this opportunity to get closer to my sister, it might be worth the risk.

With a reluctant nod, I whispered, "What are you waiting for? Outbid that man!" I growled.

Nathan chuckled and turned to the auctioneer. "Five hundred!" he shouted.

The room fell silent for a moment, as the auctioneer considered Nathan's bid. The tension in the air was palpable, and I held my breath, hoping that Nathan's offer would be enough to secure my freedom and, more importantly, my sister's.

The auctioneer finally nodded and announced, "Five hundred gold coins going once... going twice..." My heart pounded in my chest, and I couldn't tear my eyes away from the auctioneer. This was the moment that would determine my fate.

"One thousand!" that same old man shouted.

What the hell! Why doesn't he go find someone his own age?

Nathan was hesitating, so I glared at him. "What are you doing? Why aren't you outbidding him?" I asked.

"I don't know. You are a bit mouthy, so I am not sure if I want you anymore," he said in a teasing tone.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This wasn't the time for jokes or hesitation. My sister's safety hung in the balance, and I had to do whatever it took to secure my freedom and keep my promise to her.

"But you said you liked me feisty!" I screeched.

"I'd also prefer you to be more submissive," he said.

I had to convince him I was worth it! "I can be submissive. I will be submissive. Please, just outbid!" I said desperately.

"Alright, so since no one else is bidding, one hundred coins going once, going twice..." the auctioneer continued, much to my panic.

"Five thousand!" Nathan said and grinned.

Nathan's sudden increase in the bid to five thousand gold coins left the room in stunned silence. My heart raced as I realized he was making a serious commitment to secure my freedom. Relief washed over me. Maybe he was serious about helping me.

The auctioneer, surprised by the unexpected turn of events, quickly caught on and announced, "Five thousand gold coins going once... going twice..." The gavel came down with a resounding thud. Nathan had won the bid, and I was now his to take home.

Nathan turned to me with a grin. "Looks like I'm taking you home, Aria, so you better behave."

I held my anger back. I needed to be nice to him now. At least until I saw my sister and found a way to escape Alpha Aldric. "Yeah...thanks."

"That wasn't a very convincing thank you, but I will give you another chance to thank me properly later," he whispered in my ear.

Fear coursed through me, but unfortunately, I felt my body respond to his words.

"Let's go then," he said, and I followed him without saying another word.

~-~

The name "Blood Diamond" had given me grim expectations, but what I saw was a stark contrast to what I had imagined.

The scenery was breathtaking. Lush, untouched forests stretched as far as the eye could see. A crystal-clear river flowed through the land.

The pack's territory seemed like a hidden paradise, untouched by the chaos of the world outside.

"Much better than where you used to live, right?" Nathan commented.

"You wish!" I snarled even though inside, I admitted he was right.

I was even more shocked when we arrived in front of a mansion. "This is where you live?" I gasped.

"Welcome to your new home, sweetcheeks. It's as if you were always meant to be here with me," he said sweetly, his eyes twinkling.

I glared at him. "Take me to see my sister now. You promised you will reunite me with her!"

"Ahh, well, that just wouldn't be very obedient of you now, would it? You and I both know Alpha Aldric won't like that," he said smiling devilishly and took a lock of my hair in his hand.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as he brushed his lips against the lock of hair. He looked back up at me with a mischievous glint in his eye. "First, you need to give me my payment."

I arched an eyebrow. "Payment?"

"I paid a lot of money to save you from that old hag. So I deserve some payment," he said.

I groaned. "What do you want?"

"Well, follow me into my bedroom, and I will explain what I want," he grinned.

"Fine, I'll follow you into your bedroom, but you better come up with something I can fucking agree to," I muttered.

He raised his eyebrow as I spoke, but he began to lead me into his bedroom nevertheless.

He eyed me with a mischievous look in his green eyes before quickly pinning me to his bed. "I've done some research about you, and I learned that you are a brave and headstrong woman."

I'm pretty sure I blushed at that. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"In order to pay me, you need to be obedient and submissive. You will have to please me," he explained.

Of course. He wanted me to sleep with him. What else did I expect?