THE ALPHA'S OBESSION

Pawn,player or poison

Declan

The crowd had been restless all night, their greedy eyes scanning every trembling woman paraded across the stage. The air reeked of lust, money, and desperation. I sat in the shadows, fingers drumming lazily on the armrest of my chair, half-listening to the auctioneer’s monotonous patter. This was the kind of place where enemies liked to plant their traps — dangle bait in the form of a pretty face, wait for me to bite, then strike.

The moment Lot Seven stepped forward, I felt it , that stillness before a storm. She stood there, back straight, chin slightly lifted despite the flimsy lingerie they’d forced her into. Blue eyes darted across the crowd, defiant even under the harsh light.

No one raised a paddle. No one called a number. The silence was suspicious. Women like her usually stirred a frenzy.

My instincts whispered danger. Too perfect. Too quiet. The last time my enemies had tried something similar, they’d sent me a woman laced with wolfsbane in her veins, meant to poison me the moment I touched her. That one hadn’t survived long enough to be a problem.

This time, I decided to flip the game. If they thought I’d take the bait because of a pretty face, I’d give them something else to choke on,unpredictability.

“I’ll pay one billion dollars,” I said, my voice slicing through the murmurs like a blade.

Gasps rippled through the hall. The auctioneer stuttered before slamming the gavel down. “SOLD! Lot Seven to… Alpha Declan Watson.”

A slow, deliberate smile curved my lips.

I rose from my seat and made my way toward the exit, the stench of greed and envy clinging to my every step. Outside, the cool night air hit my face, clearing the suffocating scent of the hall from my senses. My black SUV waited at the curb, engine purring like a predator ready to run.

“Alpha Watson,” a deep voice called.

I turned to see Lucas Redd, the rogue leader, striding toward me with that smug look he always wore. His shaved head gleamed under the streetlights, and the scar across his cheek twisted with his smile.

“You’ve got a good eye for women,” he said, his tone oozing mockery. “If you hadn’t claimed Lot Seven, I’d have taken her myself.”

I met his gaze, unreadable. “If you’d taken her, you wouldn’t have lived long enough to regret it.”

His grin faltered, just slightly.

Without waiting for a reply, I stepped toward my SUV. “Have her delivered to Crimson Moon territory before sunrise,” I ordered, my voice like ice. “She’s mine now. No delays. No excuses.”

Lucas inclined his head in a mock bow, but his eyes glittered with something darker , curiosity, maybe even resentment. He’d test me eventually. They all did.

I slid into the back seat, the leather cold against my palms. The driver pulled away, city lights blurring past. My mind wandered back to Lot Seven, the set of her jaw, the sharpness in her gaze despite the fear she tried to hide. She didn’t carry herself like prey.

Which meant one of two things: she was either stronger than she looked… or she was exactly the kind of weapon my enemies liked to sharpen.

Either way, by the time the sun rose, she’d be locked within Crimson Moon’s walls. And I’d find out exactly what she was,threat, pawn, or something far more dangerous.

I strode into the packhouse, the air heavy with the faint scent of pine and cooked meat from the kitchen. I barely made it past the foyer before Marissa stepped in front of me, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowing.

“Where have you been all day?” she demanded. “You left early this morning and now you’re just returning.”

I didn’t have the patience to deal with her questions. Not today. Not with my mind still replaying every moment of what had happened earlier. I sidestepped her, brushing past without meeting her gaze.

“Prepare the room next to mine,” I told one of the maids lingering by the staircase. My voice came out sharper than intended, but I didn’t care. “Make sure it’s comfortable. I want it ready within the hour.”

The maid’s eyes widened, but she bowed quickly. “Yes, Alpha.”

Marissa’s voice followed me up the steps. “Declan, I’m talking to you. You can’t just ignore me.”

I stopped halfway up the stairs and turned slightly, enough to catch her eye but not enough to invite further conversation. “I’m tired, Marissa. I want to rest.” My tone was final, leaving no room for her to argue.

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and for a moment, I thought she’d keep pushing. But she didn’t. She turned away, muttering under her breath as she disappeared toward the living room.

I continued to my room, closing the door behind me. The quiet was a small relief, but my mind wasn’t quiet at all. I sank into the armchair by the window, staring out at the fading sun. The amber glow stretched across the trees, casting long shadows that seemed to reach for the packhouse.

I should have been able to relax, but my thoughts were tangled. I kept thinking about her,the reason I had been gone most of the day. The look in her eyes, the sound of her voice… It stirred something in me I hadn’t felt in years, something I didn’t want to acknowledge.

A soft knock came at my door. “Alpha, the room is ready,” the maid called.

I nodded, though she couldn’t see me. “Good. Leave it for now.”

When she left, I rubbed my temples, exhaling slowly. I needed to keep my head clear. Whatever this was, whatever I was feeling, I couldn’t let it cloud my judgment. Not when my position demanded control.

Still, my gaze drifted to the wall separating my room from the one I’d had prepared. It felt strange,knowing she would be there soon, so close. Part of me wanted to check on her, to make sure she was comfortable. The other part warned me to keep my distance.

I leaned back in the chair, eyes closing. Rest. That’s what I needed. At least, that’s what I told myself.

But deep down, I knew the truth,sleep would be the last thing I’d find tonight.