Sold to the Cursed Biker Alpha

Arabella’s POV I stood behind a black curtain while waiting for the single-lot auction to begin. I was trembling in fear, and sweat ran down my forehead. I was wearing an above-the-knee fitted dress with a plunging neckline that put my cleavage on full display. I had never done anything like this before, and I felt like I was put in a deeply shameful situation. God! How had my life come to this? I whispered in my mind. "And now, let the bidding begin!" the auctioneer announced, drawing the curtain aside, completely exposing me under the blinding spotlight. In an instant, the crowd broke into laughter and whistles as their eyes fixed on me. My heart thudded in my chest, as if I wanted to back off the stage and run. But I couldn’t. My grandmother was in the hospital, and this auction was the only way to get the money for her emergency heart surgery. I closed my eyes, trying to gather strength, but her pale face flashed through my mind, her breathing labored as she struggled to speak. “Arabella, promise me you won’t do anything foolish just to pay for my surgery.” I promised her, but I lied. A week ago, the doctor told me that my grandmother needed emergency heart surgery. Without it, she might not survive. The hospital demanded a deposit we couldn't afford, and every attempt to borrow money had failed. I had sold nearly everything I owned, yet it still wasn't enough. Then someone told me about the auction, which later I found out was an underground activity. “One million!” The first bidder raised his paddle. “Two million!” “Three million!” Bids came one after another, accompanied by the occasional clinking of whiskey glasses. I glanced around the warehouse, taking in the men seated at the tables and standing near the walls. They wore black leather jackets, heavy boots, and silver chains. Tattoos crawled up their necks and arms, while the smell of cigarettes, alcohol, and expensive cologne filled the air. They were all bikers, but according to Marlene, the auction coordinator, they were far more dangerous than ordinary motorcycle gang members. They were werewolves. The most influential members of the five dominant werewolf packs in the region had gathered tonight. Each pack had sent four representatives: its Alpha, its Beta, and two Gammas. Twenty high-ranking werewolves in total, all belonging to rival packs that competed for power and territory. I heard stories about werewolves when I was a child, but I had always believed they were nothing more than legends. But now, they were right here in front of me, and it made me more frightened. Marlene's warning echoed in my mind. "The highest bidder will earn the right to negotiate a private contract with you, and you'll receive half the winning bid." But there was another rule that terrified me even more. If a rival Alpha challenged the winner, the two men would have to fight. The victor would earn the right to negotiate the contract." "And what happens to me if the challenger wins?" I asked her. Marlene's hesitation had frightened me more than her answer. "You'll have to hope he's someone you can trust." Remembering her words, I gripped the fabric of my dress more tightly. My body went cold as I hung onto every single bid. “Five million!” The voice came from a man seated near the front. I turned toward him. He wore a black leather vest over a fitted shirt, and dark tattoos extended from his neck to his wrists. A silver ring bearing the insignia of a wolf gleamed on his finger. "Alpha Jack Raven of the Blood Moon Pack offers five million!" the auctioneer announced. A murmur spread through the warehouse. Even the other bidders seemed reluctant to respond. "Alpha?" I whispered. I heard the title before, but hearing it attached to the man staring at me made it feel far more frightening. Alpha Jack Raven rose from his chair and approached the stage. The way he looked at me was unsettling, as if he already controlled my fate after the bidding ended. "Five million going once!" the auctioneer called. No one raised a paddle. My palms grew damp. I looked around desperately, hoping someone would offer more, but the other bidders remained silent. "You are mine now, Miss Arabella," Alpha Jack Raven said, his voice dropping to a low register as his gaze locked onto mine. A triumphant smile spread across his face. "Five million going twice," the auctioneer uttered, but still everyone was silent. Alpha Jack Raven's confidence grew as the auctioneer prepared to announce the final bid. But before anyone could speak, a bone-rattling roar of a motorcycle shattered the silence. Every head turned toward the entrance. A tall man was standing there, his face completely hidden behind a helmet. “Who is he?” some asked, while others just shook their heads, completely clueless. “Ten million!” he said in a deep, commanding voice as he stepped closer. My breath caught in my throat. I couldn't believe someone would bid the highest amount. No one moved. Even Alpha Jack Raven, who was confident enough to win, was unable to speak. The auctioneer swallowed. "Ten million, going once!" I stared at the stranger, trying to see through the dark visor. Who was he? And why was he willing to spend that much money on me? "Ten million going twice!" No one raised their paddle. Alpha Jack Raven shouted, “Wait! He just showed up out of nowhere and barged in!” My knees trembled as I watched him storm toward the stranger. Just moments ago, he had been staring at me with those hungry eyes, convinced that I would soon belong to him. Now, his face was twisted with anger, his pride wounded by the rival bidder's winning price. “I challenge you!” Alpha Jack roared, pointing an accusing finger at the stranger. “Take off your helmet and fight me! Whoever wins gets to take Miss Cross!” The stranger remained motionless. He stood beside his motorcycle, one gloved hand resting casually on the handlebar. His broad shoulders and imposing height made him look intimidating even from a distance. Unlike Alpha Jack Raven, who was practically trembling with rage, the stranger seemed completely unfazed by the challenge. “Are you finished barking?” The stranger removed his helmet. The entire warehouse fell silent. One man stumbled backward. Another lowered his head, his face suddenly drained of color. “No way,” someone whispered. “Alpha Caster Blackwood?” The name spread through the crowd like wildfire. I stared at the man who had just risked a confrontation with Alpha Jack Raven as though it were nothing. Then his piercing blue eyes found mine. And for one inexplicable moment, I forgot how to breathe. He was undeniably handsome, with a powerful build, yet something about him terrified me. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and a faint scar ran along his left eyebrow. His fitted black shirt, stretched tightly across his broad chest, displayed a silver signet of an Alpha. Another man stood up and came closer to him. "Alpha, we thought you would not come." Alpha Caster remained silent. He studied me for a moment before his gaze shifted to his hand. His fingers trembled slightly before he clenched them into a fist, concealing the weakness that seemed to threaten his composure. "It has to be her," he said to the man beside him. I frowned. "What are you talking about?" His piercing blue eyes returned to mine, then he walked towards me and whispered in my ear. "I've been waiting for you, Arabella. And now that I've found you, there's no way I will let you go."