The Alpha's Mate

CHAPTER ONE: THE AUCTION HOUSE

~EVERLY.

"Up. Now." The sharp command startled me awake. My eyes flew open, but before I could process what was happening, cold water splashed across my face. I gasped, heart pounding, as my breath caught in shock. My hands trembled as I wiped my face, the rough burlap sack still clinging to my skin.

The maid stood over me, her eyes full of contempt. "It's time."

A cold knot twisted in my stomach. I knew exactly what she meant. Today was the day. The auction house.

I forced myself to sit up, wincing as the cold stone floor scraped against my skin. My body felt stiff and sore from constantly sleeping on the hard floor. Every movement was torture.

A rough hand seized my arm, jerking me to my feet. The guard's grip tightened, digging into my skin as he dragged me down the hallway. My feet stumbled behind him, and the maid followed in silence.

Laughter and voices drifted from the dining room ahead. It should've been comforting, but it only reminded me how far I was from the life I once knew. My family, so close, yet so unreachable.

I tried to focus, but my mind drifted back to last night. It was supposed to be a celebration, a night when our families came together to celebrate my future with Rhys, our Alpha. I'd dreamed of this day, the day I would leave my life as an Omega behind and be with the man I loved.

But it wasn't me Rhys was meant to be with.

It was Evelyn. My perfect sister.

Last night, Rhys and Evelyn met for the first time, and in that instant, I'd seen it. The connection. The bond. They were fated mates, destined to be together in a way I would never be. Evelyn, flawless and adored, was to be Luna, the future of Silverpine, and I was to remain an Omega. An Omega without a mate.

And what happened to omegas without mates? They were sent to the auction house.

The place where they were sold, subjected to s*****y, and auctioned off to men willing to pay to use for their s****l desires.

I blinked away the sting in my eyes. There was no escaping this.

The guard's grip on my arm tightened, and I stumbled as we passed the dining room door. I could hear my mother's proud voice, as if nothing had changed.

"Evelyn, darling," she cooed. "I'm so proud of you. I always knew you were destined for great things. You're everything I ever hoped for in a daughter, and now Alpha Rhys is lucky to have you as his mate. You'll make a perfect Luna, my dear. I'm truly blessed to have you."

Those words stung. Each one was a reminder of how invisible I was. My parents had always favored Evelyn, their golden child. They never truly cared for me, and I had long since stopped hoping for their approval.

When they found out that Rhys, my supposed fiancé, was Evelyn's fated mate, I'd never seen my mother so happy. She'd always disapproved of me being with him, but now, it was as if everything had fallen into place.

Without a second thought, they'd dragged me to my room and told me to prepare to be sent to the auction house.

And so, here I was, pulled like an animal to the very fate I had feared.

Finally, we reached the front door. The guard shoved me outside into the cold morning air. My wet dress clung to my skin, its dampness making the chill much worse, but it couldn't numb the ache in my chest.

We walked down a winding path, and eventually, we stopped in front of the tall iron gates of the auction house.

"Enter," the guard ordered.

I turned back, but the maid had already disappeared. Swallowing hard, I stepped forward, my feet moving on their own. I wanted to scream, to fight, but the words died in my throat.

Inside, it reeked of a thick sour stench. The space was enormous, but the flickering lights and shadowed corners made it feel like a prison.

Along the walls, other omegas stood, their faces blank or full of fear. Some were younger, their eyes wide, others older, their expressions hollowed out by years of abuse.

No one spoke. No one looked at each other.

I was shoved toward the center of the room. I stood there feeling awkward and small, surrounded by the others. A few younger omegas trembled beside me, their wide eyes full of terror. I tried to keep my face blank, but fear twisted my stomach into knots.

A few men in fine clothes watched us with cold, detached interest. I felt their eyes on me, stripping away what little dignity I had left.

Then, a bald, burly figure flanked by bodyguards stepped forward. "New stock for sale today. Fresh, unclaimed."

My heart hammered in my chest as his gaze swept over us, lingering on the younger girls. The men around the room shifted, eyes narrowing with hunger.

One of them pointed at a girl beside me. "I'll take her."

Her eyes widened with terror as the guards moved toward her. Before they could reach her, she bolted.

Her screams echoed in the room as she ran, but before she could get far, one of the guards grabbed her by the arm, his fist struck her temple, knocking her out cold. She crumpled to the floor like a ragdoll.

The room went dead silent. I couldn't look away. My body went rigid as I watched them drag her away like she was nothing.

One by one, the other girls were picked. Their eyes emptied of hope, their bodies resigned. As they were bought, they were dragged away like animals. Until, I was the last one standing.

The remaining buyers turned their cold, hungry eyes to me. Bids started to fly, each more absurd than the last. The air buzzed with greed, and my stomach churned.

Finally, an older, overweight man with a thick, oily neck shouted the highest bid. His sick grin spread as the guards started toward me.

But just as they reached for me, a rich, commanding voice rang out. "I'll buy her."

My heart skipped a beat. All eyes turned toward the far edge of the room, and I followed their gaze. A strikingly handsome man stood there, his presence so commanding that it seemed to stop the room in its tracks.

I couldn't look away. And then, I felt it. A pull, deep in my chest, like a magnet drawing me in. My heart raced. My wolf, Eva, who had been silent ever since we found out Evelyn was Rhys's mate, finally stirred. She had been dormant, but now, she was awake—screaming inside my mind.

'Mate! Mate!' she howled.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat as my heart swelled with hope. This man—he was my mate. The Moon Goddess had finally smiled on me. I had a mate. The life I thought would trap me forever, the life of an omega, was about to change.

The men who had been bidding on me stepped back, their eyes filled with fear and respect. As the man moved to the center of the room, the auctioneer, turned toward him, visibly shaking.

"Alpha Kellen?" he whispered in awe. "What are you doing here?"

Alpha Kellen.

The name echoed in my mind. The feared Alpha of the Blue Flame Pack. Years ago, his wife was brutally murdered. Since then, he hadn't shown any interest in another woman. He'd been focused on vengeance.

Could it be? Was he really my mate?

My stomach twisted, uncertainty sinking in. Would he accept me? Or was I just another thing to be used?

Ignoring the trembling man, Alpha Kellen repeated firmly, "I'll buy her."