CHAPTER THREE – PRIDE AND EGO

ORA

Five minutes later, I have completely evaded every attempt by the auction matron to doll me up like the other girls, and she looks close to having a heart attack.

I do not want this. I will not make any conscious effort to participate in any of it.

Andrea and the rest of the girls, numbering about thirty, all look at me with equal parts fear and horror. Only Penelope wears a knowing smirk. I have no doubt she would love to see me get in trouble.

“The master says we have to get you ready in the next ten minutes. You are making the task extremely difficult for us, miss!” The disgruntled matron says, giving me a disgusted stare.

I fold my arms and look at the other girls in the dressing room calmly.

“Seriously? You all willingly get dressed to be auctioned off to the highest bidder like a bunch of domestic animals? Where is your dignity?”

I leap from the dressing stool and the matron gasps in horror. Sorry, Mother Theresa.

“Those men out there do not care about you one bit. They all just want to use you for their own selfish benefits. Are you comfortable knowing you will remain a slave forever?”

No one answers. They only stare at me with wide eyed surprise, probably because no one has risen to challenge the system before.

“All of you have amazing powers. You’re all Lycans, just like all those men out there. Your only crime was being female. You shouldn’t be exploited because of that.”

Just then, a deafening horn sounds signaling the beginning of the auction and all the girls quickly hurry to line up at the door. The sight sickens me to my stomach. My speech was all in vain after all.

Andrea pats me sympathetically on my back. Someone else bumps into me. I look up and straight at Penelope’s sneer. She leans close so no one hears what she has to say.

“Brilliant speech. Too bad you failed.”

I stiffen my back and stare her down. No one, and I repeat, no one has the right to treat me like trash.

“If you have something to say, Penelope, go ahead and say it.”

Her eyes flash,

“I’ve seen you try to wallow your way into the master’s heart.” She snarls. “Stay away from him. He’s mine.”

Wait. This is about a man whose name I do not even know?

Before I can come up with a dignified response, she saunters off, nose in the air.

I turn around in time to catch the matron speaking on her phone, lips twisted in disdain.

“Yes, master…”

I freeze.

“…I tried everything possible to get her ready. She is just too stubborn.” She sends a frosty look my way and I send a feisty one right back.

I look down at my dirty tennis shoes and equally stained jeans once again.

All the other girls are attired in beautiful, jaw dropping dresses, not a single strand of hair out of place. My fingers find my messy hair and I suddenly feel self conscious.

Come on, Ora, now is not the time for self pity, my subconscious nudges.

The doors open and the girls primly file out. I take a deep breath and get in the line. It doesn’t matter If I want this or not, I need to be out of this room if I want to find a way out of here.

I need to prove to the golden eyed stranger that I cannot be tamed.

I WILL not be tamed, and neither will I be owned by anyone, human or Lycan.

My name is Ora Devereaux, and I am a goddamn Queen.

***

I almost have a seizure when I realize that we’re being introduced into the ball room where the auction will be taking place one after the other.

I peek around the corner and the sight of the expensively dressed patrons and patronesses, all dripping in fine clothing and shimmering diamonds, creates knots in my stomach.

“Now introducing, Elena of Salvatore. A beautiful young maiden with talents in music, sewing and storytelling. Trained to be obedient and care for children…”

Trained to be obedient? I roll my eyes. Give me an effing break.

Elena of Salvatore, a beautiful young maiden indeed, walks to the stage, her blue dress swishing around her, eyes firmly trained on the ground.

It takes me a moment to realize that this is an auction house for the rich and wealthy. It is like an underground modern slavery ring for Lycans. Every single one of those patrons and patronesses out there have Lycans powers. I can tell.

One by one, each one of the girls gets introduced for sale and they go up to the stage looking humble and ready. When it’s close to my turn, I have already formulated an escape plan.

Suddenly, a hush falls over the crowd. Even the MC stops talking. Goosebumps cover my skin and I know for a fact that he’s here.

I look around frantically. The golden eyed stranger is around her somewhere.

I hear a whooshing sound and watch in wonder as the ceiling parts, opening up and revealing the dark heavens above. Tension and excitement ripples through the crowd as everyone’s attention averts to the opening ceiling.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the MC begins, “I crave your indulgence that we all rise and bow for the entrance of our crown prince, His Royal Highness, Alpha Jake Anderson.”

Everyone rises and lowers their heads to the ground…except me.

“Pssst! Ora!” The matron hisses, “Do as you’re told for once. This is a royal decree. You could be punished for your disobedience.”

I ignore her, too busy staring upwards.

I see something materialize in the clouds and my heart leaps in my chest. It can’t be. A flying Lycan? It has never been heard of.

Cold air fills the ballroom and the image in the clouds gets bigger and bigger as it comes closer.

The first thing I see is his dark hair, flying in the wind. It takes me a moment ti realize that he’s been being driven on some flying chariot thingy. The bastard can’t fly after all. I heave a sigh of relief.

My pulse leaps when I notice that those golden eyes, now back to being green and smoldering, are homed straight upon me…and they do not look friendly.

The chariot descends into the auditorium and circles the air a couple times before slowing and landing on a special, padded area. Through out this time, Alpha Jake, as I now realize he’s called, doesn’t look away from me one bit.

His eyes burn into me, setting aflame parts of my anatomy I didn’t even now existed.

Everyone keeps their eyes firmly trained on the ground as he walks to his throne. The fiery Lycan who claimed me as his in the auction room a few hours ago is gone. In his place is a dangerous looking man with cold green eyes and an untouchable gait.

The same man, but different temperaments.

“I’m here now.” That deep voice resounds through the room, “shall we begin?”

Everyone lifts their heads and takes back their seats. The murmur that was evident in the crowd before his arrival is noticeably non existent. Interesting.

“Uh, Alpha Jake, we had already…” the MC’s voice comes to a firm stop when Jake turns those cold green pools on him.

“I’m here now. Start afresh.” He orders. How rude. I feel my skin bristle with annoyance.

The MC lowers his head.

“At once, sir.” To the already introduced “maidens” he says,

“You all should return to your positions, you will all be reintroduced….”

“Excuse me!” I blurt before I can get grip of myself. What nonsense?

A collective gasp goes through the crowd, everyone turning to see who has the audacity to interrupt the crown prince’s orders. Crown prince my arse.

I exit my line and step forward, then I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look back to see the matron holding me back.

“ Do you realize that we could all get in trouble for this stupidity you’re about to display?” She hisses. “Apologize and get back in line right now!”

I give her a cool look. I did not survive not the Luna hunters for the past nineteen years by being a coward.

“Get your hands off my shoulder if you do not want to lose it.”

I do not know why, but she obeys instantly. I can feel Jake’s eyes on me as I step onto the stage, dirty as I am. I do not care.

I grab the mic from the MC and push him aside. Then I narrow down their “crown prince” with a look of my own. His intimidating stare almost makes me dissolve on the spot. He’s doesn’t look angry or upset. Just cold and indifferent. Shit!

“Who the hell shows up late to an event, flounces in and demands the event be started all over?”

Everyone gasps, staring at me like I’ve gone crazy. I do believe I have.

“We started this auction twenty minutes ago. Do you think it is so easy to wear those itchy dresses for that long?”

I give him a glare. Still nothing. No emotions, no nothing.

I heave a confident breath.

“We will continue this event from where we stopped. These girls have feelings too, unlike you monsters in the crowd. If you think it is so easy to stand around and wait to be labeled and sold like sheep, you do it, or what’s better, let your daughters do it!”

A disapproved murmur ripples through the crowd as the wealthy patrons all stare at me with open hostility. I stare right back. Then I notice a cute guy with wavy blonde hair grinning at me from ear to ear from the audience, and like the hippy I am, I grin right back. I already feel better.

I toss the mic back at the MC and make to return to my seat when his voice stops me dead in my tracks.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

I freeze.

I hear him get to his feet behind me. My heart thuds in time with the heavy sounds of his shoes against the wooden steps of the stage as he approaches.

My palms become sweaty and I heave a shaky breath. Don’t be chicken, Ora. It is kinda late for that, don’t you think?

He comes to halt a few yards behind me, and his delicious, manly scent envelops me like a vine, invading my nostrils and my brain, until I’m breathing him in. Just him.

“After giving such a wonderful speech, showing such fearless bravery, I thought you would love to be auctioned off first.” He deadpans.

My heart literally drops to the bottom of my shoes and I turn to him with a wide eyed stare.

“Wh-what are you talking about?” My voice breaks and I mentally curse myself.

His gleaming, cold eyed stare does not waver. He’s dressed all in black leather. His black jacket, black pants, black shirt…every thing screams of million dollar modernity, but then, today’s Lycans are not like the uncouth barbarians that we are all portrayed to be in stories.

He turns to the crowd indifferently.

“So you are stubborn and hard of hearing.” Not a question, but a statement. The fucker.

“Okay then, I will take the honor of officiating today’s auction myself.”

Rage, worry and fear fills me at his harsh tone. I tamp down the rest, letting just my rage take over. Rage is easier to deal with.

“Presenting to you,” he thunders, “a…” he gives me a disgusted up and down look that has me looking away in shame.

“Stop this.” I murmur.

He pauses.

“What did you say?”

I look at him again.

“Stop this. Please.” I do not mind begging at this point. I would rather go home with him than be sold to any of these heartless looking men. They look like they could tear me apart.

His narrowed eyed glare roves over me. I hold his stare, watching as something crosses his eyes. Something that looks very close to hatred. I freeze.

“You had your chance, Ora. You jinxed it. Now, may the auction begin.”