Buying her

Our entourage entered the event for the party. The low lights and pulsing music wrapped around me, a sensation almost as intense as the hunger growing within. The bar at the back beckoned, but it wasn’t the alcohol I craved. It was the pull in the air, the magnetism I couldn’t explain. She's all I wanted.

"I want a drink, bring me one", I spoke in my dominant voice, cutting through Logan's conversation with the mayor. He was getting more comfortable with them.

"If that's what you want! I will bring you one," He said quickly, flashing a grin. "Excuse me for a moment, I’ll grab us all a round, and be right back." But as he turned away, his eyes narrowed, darkening in that familiar warning way.

"Don't do anything stupid in my absence", He whispered. 

"Yeah, of course," I responded, waving him off. My eyes were already scanning the crowd, every movement heightened by the primal pull in my chest, the mate bond was calling to me again. I headed toward the bar, trying to focus on anything other than the hunger and desire gnawing at me.

"Tell me about the ballerinas," I whispered to Logan as soon as I reached him at the bar table , ordering the bartender with a subtle nod of his head.

Without meeting my gaze, Logan leaned in and muttered, "New York’s an expensive place to live." His tone was more calculating. 

"Obviously, So is that all?," I scoffed, irritation flashing through me. The tension inside me was building, and I needed answers. He knew a lot about everything as my beta.

"Well, ballet can pay well for the tenured dancers, but for many of the newer ones, they need to... supplement their income," he replied.

He flashed a brief smile at someone down the bar, before continuing, "My friend down there knows a trainer with the New York ballet who has contracts with some of the girls."

I raised an eyebrow. "Supplement their income? What are you talking about?"

"The trainer made some... arrangements with some of the girls." He responded. 

The realization hit me hard. "Are you telling me they... sell them?"

Logan looked uncomfortable, but the bartender poured our whiskeys in silence. "Let’s just say the arrangements are more than just performance."

The revelation made my blood simmer with something darker. I wasn’t sure if it was jealousy or an unfamiliar thirst. The bartender poured us more drinks with a steady hand, but my focus never left Logan.

"Humans face a lot, I pity them", 

"Here he comes," he added, sipping his drink as the man approached.

Just then, the man walked up, his presence dominating the space around him. His dark leather jacket and slicked-back hair made him stand out, but it wasn’t just his appearance that caught my attention. It was his aura. His energy was a storm and wild.

He wasn't a human too. He was a hybrid, a rogue who decided to live among the humans. 

"Bane, this is my Alpha, Knox. He’s interested in... sampling the menu." Logan introduced me with a grin, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

The man, Bane, gave a knowing smirk. "Alright, then, follow me." He motioned toward a shadowed corner, away from the prying eyes of the party. Logan, ever the opportunist, disappeared back into the crowd, leaving me to follow Bane.

Once we were hidden from the rest of the party, Bane's voice dropped to a more intimate whisper. "I know your beta, but I need to make sure you’re serious. This is a discreet operation and I heard that you a ruthless Alpha."

I smirked, leaning in slightly. "You know me, my pack so you know money isn’t the problem. I’m serious."

"Good to hear," Bane said, eyeing me for a moment, almost like he was sizing me up. Then he leaned closer, the air between us thick with unspoken understanding. "Which one are you interested in?"

"The one who was Odette tonight," I answered immediately. Her name burned in my mind like wildfire.

Bane's expression faltered for just a second before he shook his head. "She’s a rare one. Expensive, too. You sure about this?"

"Money’s no object," I said, my voice low and filled with something darker, something primal that made my wolf stir inside me. The urgency to claim what was mine was much. If she wasn’t a human, I wouldn't have been here wasting my time.

Bane gave a knowing chuckle, his eyes scanning me one more time before pulling out his phone. "Alright, we can make this happen. I’ll get in touch with the handler, and once the payment’s sorted, we’ll set it up."

"When?" My voice was sharper than I intended, but it was all I could do to keep the hunger in check.

Bane paused, glancing over the calendar on his phone. "Tonight. You can have her tonight... for a premium."

"How much?" I nearly growled.

He eyed me carefully before answering, "I'm quickening the process just because you an Alpha. Normally, we run background checks before we bring in new clients",

I shook his hand, forcing myself to remain calm. My wolf was pacing, restless, as if sensing the proximity of its mate.

"Knox Smith," I said as he input my details. My phone pinged a minute later. The deal was done.

"We’ll send you the location and time," Bane said, his voice tinged with amusement. "But don’t let anyone know what’s going on. And when you meet her tonight, make sure not to approach her here. She’s not just another dancer. Trust me."

"I’ll be careful." I forced a smile, the anticipation burning in my veins. As Bane turned and disappeared into the crowd, I felt the heat of my desire intensify.

The dancers were here.

I scanned the room, the crowd parting like water as I searched for her. My heart thundered in my chest, and my instincts were on fire. But she wasn’t here yet.

I waited, every second stretching into eternity until my phone pinged again.

"This is where you’ll find her tonight. Come alone."

Amanda.

The name felt like a command.

Without thinking, I moved, driven by an urge that could not be denied. She was mine, she just didn’t know it yet.