The Strength to Love

The Purchase

Dean’s POV

               It was Tuesday, my deadline was set to expire in 4 days! Every girl I look at is starting to look the same. They all had fear in their eyes looking into the camera; it was kind of gut-wrenching thinking about all these girls knowing they were being sold off. Then there she was. This one even caught my wolf’s attention. She was not too shabby on the eyes, with her long golden locks and hazel doe eyes. Her bid was a measly $1.5 million so I thought why not and placed a bid. You were outbid. ‘Ok,’ I thought to myself placing another bid of $2.5 million. You were outbid. Now I just wanted to beat whoever was pissing me off.

               “Ok Mr. RgueKing78,” I said to myself raising my bid to $5 million. “How you like me now?” You are now the winning bid. “That’s right. Now how long before I can get her?” Auction ends in 29 hours and 43 minutes. “Well damn there goes my plans.”

               “Plans for what?” Mother breezed into my room trying to look over my shoulder. “Oooo! Did you find a girl? What is she like? Let me see her pic-.” Her voice froze when she grabbed my phone and realized I was not on her dating site.

               “Mother, I can explain,” I tried to grasp at straws to justify my actions.

               “I should not have invaded your privacy,” she set my phone down, and turned to leave.

               “Mom, wait!” I called but she was gone.

               This was pointless. How could she judge me? Love and mates are just weakness. I am going to become alpha and rule with a steel heart. No mercy, no forgiveness. I set the app to notify me of any changes to the bidding and went to go let Jax out for a run.

Brooke’s POV

               It was Wednesday, Josh’s birthday. I got him a bomber jacket I know he’d been eyeing at a*****e by the school. I waved to him as he pulled into the parking lot.

               “Hey, birthday boy!” I yelled pulling the gift bag from behind my back.

               “Hey, princess.” He came up and gave me a giant hug. He took the bag and began to open it. “You know, you didn’t have to-.”

               “Do you like it?” I asked already knowing the answer.

               “I love it,” he was already putting it on. “I can’t believe you got! I love it! I lov-.”

               I looked up at him. His eyes were wide and almost black. Then I looked at my watch. It was happening. He found his mate. That could not be right. I still felt in different. Then I saw it. He was in a trance heading over to Elsie, another girl from our dwindling pack. From the way she looked at him, she felt it too. He reached her and cupped her face in his hands and gave her the most passionate kiss I’ve ever seen. He must have realized he left me in mid-sentence because he looked back at me and waved me over. I politely declined and turned to walk to class. While I felt indifferent to him, I had always heard we were going to be mates. I felt a pang through my heart, finally confirming he wouldn’t be mine. He wasn’t my prince charming that would take me away from mother. I was alone, yet again.

               I felt a tear slip down my cheek. Just then I was turned around to come face-to-face with Josh. His eyes mirrored such guilt as he pulled me in for a hug. “I’m so sorry princess.”

               “That’s enough,” I said pulling away. “This is the happiest day of your life! You found your mate. Elsie is so lovely and enjoyable to be around. You’re my best friend, Joshie, and I’ll always love you.”

               “You’ll always be my princess,” he said letting me go. “Do you want to come hang out with us after school?”

               “If all the stories we’ve heard about mates are true,” I laughed, “Then one you won’t want me there, and two I definitely won’t want to see that. Besides it’s time for class.”

               I tried my best to avoid Josh and Elsie for the rest of the day. ‘Three’s a crowd’ is not an exaggeration. Even the humans were mumbling about the public display of love between them. Some day we will feel that way about someone, and they will love us like that, Daphne tried to cheer me up. Our mate will make us so happy. ‘I can only hope’ I thought.

               The final school bell rang, and I ran straight home. Mother would be out and I could sulk by myself. I reached the house and was quite surprised to see mother’s convertible still in the driveway. I groaned thinking of how much worse this day could get. I walked in trying to be as quiet as I could be. Maybe of she didn’t hear my arrival, I could get to room and avoid her entirely. Unfortunately, she was in the main hall pacing back and forth on her phone. I walked past counting down the feet until I could be in the sanctuary of my room. 20 more feet. 15 feet. 10 feet. 5 feet. My hand touched the doorknob, before she called out.

               “Brooke!”

               “Yes, mother,” I turned around and went back to the main hall. “What can I do for you?”

               “Come on,” she said grabbing her purse and keys. “We are going shopping.”

               What?

Jessica’s POV

               The clock on the auction kept ticking down. 5 minutes left. Apparently, all hell broke loose between Rgueking78 and this DevilsAssassin. We had been sitting at $5 million for the last day and a half which I was thrilled about. Maybe I could turn this pack around or at least start to. But apparently these two really wanted her. $7.5 million, $8 million, $10 million. 30 seconds left. $12.5 million Rgueking78 takes the lead at 10 seconds left. YOUR AUCTION HAS CLOSED AT $20 MILLION TO DEVILSASSASSIN! I was so caught up in the bidding I almost missed her sneaking in.

               DevilsAssassin: When can I arrange pick up for my prize?

               ME: Whenever you would like.

               DA: I want her looking presentable when my driver comes to fetch her tomorrow morning. I am wiring the money now.

               Well, I guess I will have to have a little spa day and shopping with my daughter. “Brooke! Let’s go shopping.”