Rejected and Traded to the Ruthless Alpha

Chapter 3 The Man They Fear

Aria Vale’s POV

That laugh… it did not stop inside my head, it stayed there, it was dark and heavy and I felt it in my chest, in my bones and in my breath.

No one moved, no one dared to speak, even Kael stood still now.

Then, I heard footsteps, it was slow and each step landed like a warning and my fingers pressed into the ground again.

My body reacted before my mind and fear rose, it was strong and wild.

I didn’t need to look, I already knew, he was here.

Lucien Draven.

The one they whispered about, the one no one mentioned out loud, the one even Alphas fear.

The footsteps came closer, there was no rush and no hurry, it was like he knew no one would dare stop him.

The air was tight, it was like I couldn't breathe and I tried to lift my head but my body refused and something deep inside me said don’t.

“ Don’t look at him” but I did, slowly and I raised my eyes and I saw him.

Everything in me froze and he stood tall and still

His presence filled the space, it was not loud and not wild but heavy..

His eyes moved over the room, slow and careful, like he saw everything, like he missed nothing.

Then..They landed on me and my breath stopped. I expected disgust and I expected the same look everyone gave me but it was not there, not pity, not hate and not rejection but something else, something worse.

Interest.

My heart started to beat fast again.

“No.

No, no, no.

Don’t look at me like that.

Please don’t.”

I dropped my gaze but I could still feel it, his eyes were still on me, watching, studying, like I was something he wanted to understand or something he wanted to break.

The footsteps started again, closer and they stopped, right in front of me and my hands shook.

I didn’t move, I didn’t breathe and I didn’t think, but a hand reached down, it was strong and firm.

And then two fingers pressed under my chin and my body jerked and then I tried to pull back.

But he did not let me, he just lifted my face and forced me to look at him and my eyes widened.

He was closer now, too close and his gaze locked on mine, it was deep and sharp, like he was cutting through me.

I couldn’t look away, I tried and I failed.

“You survived their cruelty.”

His voice was low and calm but it hit harder than a shout and then my breath shook.

He saw it, he saw everything, the way they treated me, the way I lived and then my lips parted and I wanted to speak.

But no words came out and then my throat felt tight.

His eyes moved over my face, it was slow and careful, it was like he was reading something written on my skin.

Then—His grip tightened, just a little but not enough to hurt, but enough to control.

“Good,” he said and the word sent a chill through me.

“I don’t like fragile things.”

My heart skipped.

“What does that mean?

What does he want from me?

Why is he looking at me like this?”

I was nothing. I was not worth this attention.

“Take her.”

Kael’s voice cut in, it was sharp, impatient and I flinched.

My eyes broke away from Lucien and moved to Kael but he looked annoyed, like he wanted this to end, like I was a problem he wanted gone.

“She’s useless to me,” he added and each word hit me again, even after everything…It still hurt, I then looked down.

I didn’t want to see his face and I didn’t want to see her smile but Lucien did not move and he did not even look at Kael, not even for once.

It was like Kael did not exist and my heart beat faster.

Why was he ignoring him?

No one ignored the Prince. No one.

Then the silence grew, it was heavy and tight and then…Lucien spoke.

“You don’t get to decide what is useful to me.”

The words fell slow, clear and sharp and the room reacted.

I felt it, the shift, the power and my head lifted before I could stop myself.

Then I looked at Kael, his jaw tightened and his eyes darkened.

For the first time…he looked challenged and my breath caught.

No one spoke to him like that, no one dared.

But Lucien just did, he did not even care, he just finally released my chin.

My body sagged a little but I didn’t move away, I didn’t run, I couldn’t .

My legs felt weak and my mind was spinning.

“What is happening? Why is he doing this? Why me?”

Lucien then turned away from me, slowly and calmly, like everything was already decided.

He faced the Alpha King, the ruler of all, the one everyone obeyed and silence fell again but it was deeper this time.

Even the guards looked tense.

“I will take her,” Lucien said and my heart stopped.

Take me?

My fingers moved into my dress and I felt like I would fall apart, but he was not done, he paused, but it was just for a second, it was long enough for everyone to hold their breath.

“But not as a favor.”

The words were heavy, important and dangerous and the Alpha King watched him and waited.

The whole room waited and my chest rose, fell and rose again.

I didn’t understand.

“What does he mean? Why does it feel worse?”

Then Lucien’s voice dropped, it was lower and stronger.

“As a claim.”

The word echoed, it was loud, clear and final and then my breath left me.

“Claim.”

Not a trade. Not a deal. A claim.

My body reacted before I thought and my heart rang hard and then my wolf stirred again.

It was weak but awake.

No. No, this was not right, this was not how this should go.

I looked at Kael, he was staring at Lucien now and anger flashed in his eyes, something else too and something darker. Something… sharp.

Then I looked at Lyra and her smile was gone and her face tightened and for the first time…She looked unsure and fear crept into my chest.

IWhat did I just walk into? My hands shook and my breath turned uneven.

I was no longer invisible, I was no longer ignored and that felt worse, much worse.

Because now..I belonged to him and the way he looked at me… The way he said that word…

Claim…

My heart rang again, like it I knew something I didn’t, like it saw something coming, something I could not escape.

Then Lucien turned his head slightly, just enough for his eyes to find mine again and this time…

There was no question in them, no curiosity, only decision, only possession.

My body froze and my lips parted and I tried to speak but I couldn’t, because at that moment…

I understood one thing, I was not saved, I was chosen and somehow…

That felt far more dangerous.