Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

HAZEL PRATT

Desperation clawed at me. When the house finally fell silent, I slipped out of my window. I had no idea where I was going, but I knew I had to run. I would rather die than be given to the Rogue King.

I ran blindly through the dark, my heart pounding in my chest. Eventually, I found myself heading toward the Beta's house.

Things had been awkward between the beta and I since he proposed his feelings to me. I didn't like him romantically so I didn't validate his feelings. But now I was in deep shit and he was the only person I could turn to.

I prayed the Moon Goddess would make him help me.

When I knocked on Sylvester’s door, he answered with a look of surprise. "Hazel? What a pleasant surprise.”

I forced a smile, “Hey Beta Sylvester.”

“What are you doing here?”

I glanced around me quickly in fear that I was being followed. “Please, may I come in? I will explain.”

He led me inside, concern etched on his face. "What brings you here at this hour?”

Tears spilled down my cheeks as I explained everything, my voice breaking. “Lucian plans to give me to the Rogue King to settle a debt. Please, Sylvester, you have to help me.”

His brows furrowed in confusion. “What? Why would he do that?”

I sniffled. “He probably thinks I'm not worthy enough. I don't know why he would do this now.”

Sylvester watched me with pity in his eyes. He offered me a handkerchief which I thankfully accepted and blew my nose.

“What sort of debt requires you to be paid as settlement?” He inquired but I was as clueless as he was. I had no idea what debt my stepfather couldn't pay back.

His eyes softened as he watched me and I was grateful he wasn't judgemental.

“I'm a mess, aren't I?” I asked.

“Puffy eyes, red face, asides that, you don't look bad. Just try to be at ease okay,” he said while squeezing my hand gently.

I chuckled lightly. “I can't. In no time they'll be looking for me and if they know I tried to escape, that's the end for me.”

“You don’t deserve that, Hazel. I’ll report this to the Alpha. We won’t let your position be exchanged.”

Relief washed over me, and I allowed myself to hope. “Thank you,” I whispered, my tears flowing freely.

He shrugged his shoulders. “It's nothing okay. Don't thank me too much.”

We sat in silence for a while and he comforted me till my sobs seized. “If you want, you can pass the night at mine.”

“I'd be grateful.”

He offered me a drink, his voice gentle. “Here, this will calm your nerves.”

I drank gratefully, recognising the taste– cinnamon. I placed the rest of the content and stared at the Beta. We talked for a while and I could feel myself slipping away slowly. I was sure I couldn't hear most of the things anymore and I pinched my skin hard so as to stay awake.

My vision blurred, and I slipped into unconsciousness.

***

When I awoke, I found myself in an unfamiliar place. The harsh lights and murmurs of a crowd told me I was in an auction house. Panic gripped me. Where was I? Where was the Beta?

Had he tricked me? Was this how he wanted to help me?

It wasn't long until I realised I wasn’t being taken to the Rogue King. But that would be okay. Someone better would buy me; there's no one as cruel as the Rogue King.

I sat there, staring at the other girls. “Move to room thirty five to get your dress, the auction will start in the next thirty minutes!” a fat woman shouted.

I followed the crowd, observing the small, old room.

They handed me a dress, ushering me out as quickly as I came in. The dress was a long sleeveless white dress, it fell to my ankle, making it hard for me to walk. As I took a step, I felt my bone snap and I stopped.

Something was happening to me. I was in pain. My head ached. My fingers hurt and I stared at them and almost jumped in fright when I saw claws appearing. “No,” I whispered and clenched my fists tightly.

“Hazel,”

It was a faint whisper and I raised my head to see who it was that had called my name. But it was a girl that was glaring daggers at me as though we weren't in a similar position.

“Move, will you?” She snapped at me.

“I'm sorry,” I whispered and took a step forward.

I opened my hand to stare at my fingers. They had returned back to normal. I was trying to figure out what had happened when I heard the voice again. It was soft. “I'm isis. Your wolf.”

***

I could hear the rumbling crowd as I stood in line, waiting to be bought.

What if the person I'm sold to is also cruel? I thought. My hands are free and although the dress is tight, my legs are also free.

A man came in from the left side of the room, he left the door opened and sunlight streamed in from the gap.

I slowly pulled my dress up to my thighs and observed the faces of everyone there, no one was watching me. My throat tightened.

We were given numbers that were fastened to our clothes like a brooch and we were asked to stand properly. “Smile,” One of the women said to me. “Don't you want to be bought? Isn't that why you're here?”

The auctioneer began, his voice booming around as he began to auction items. It hurt watching but I couldn't care right now. I never pictured my fate as this but I guess this was the way it was meant to be.

People filed in more and put down their prices. If the amount was too low, some rich man would jiggle a bag of coins and place his price and of course, the rich won.

“Sold,” the auctioneer said loudly and I glanced at the girl who was beside me as she went to stand at the forefront. She was bought for a cheap amount after too many negotiations and it seemed that the auctioneer was desperate to get rid of her.

He eyed the bag of gold coins greedily and counted the money to ensure it was complete before handing her over to a man who could barely carry herself.

People were items too and they had a price tag. If they weren't needed anymore, they were auctioned in the hope that they could be bought. And at that point it wouldn't matter who was buying you. All you wanted was to leave.

That was exactly what I was.

“Fifty two,” the auctioneer said loudly and my heart missed a beat. I almost thought it was me. But it wasn't. It was the girl before me. I was twenty five.

Fear was visible in her eyes as she stood at the forefront and was asked to spin. I could see the humiliation and the silent tears as they dropped down her cheek and it caused my insides to churn.

“She's perfect and without flaws. She isn't cheap,” The auctioneer said. “Which means, she is expensive.”

“I'll take her for fifty,” someone proposed.

“Sixty!” Said another.

“Hundred,” another man said. He had soup in his beards.

The auctioneer growled but there was nothing he could do. No one was willing to pay higher for such a beautiful girl. “Sold,” he said and removed the brooch then pushed her forward to meet her owner.

I observed the strategy here. It was a market. It was like placing a teddy no one wanted on the shelf of a store. It will grow old with time and not look as pleasant and it may be archaic at that time. When finally someone comes for it, they wouldn't want to pay the regular price for it because it was old and not as pleasing to the eyes. But for teddy, he was glad that it had been taken and had somewhere to go even if he wouldn't be given fair treatment.

The auctioneer’s voice droned on, but no one seemed interested in me. I resigned myself to the fate of being a slave, clinging to the hope of eventual freedom.

Slowly and slowly everything on the stage was clearing up. I began to feel awkward. Even bicycles have owners. Wasn't I worth more than a bicycle and a wooden bucket?

The auction was nearly over, and I turned away in despair when suddenly, a voice rang out, raising an absurd amount of money.

My heart stopped. It couldn’t be me, could it?

“Her. I want her and her alone,” the voice demanded.

I turned to see who had placed such an amount of money on my head. No one had been willing to spend more than twenty and yet someone was placing a thousand.

A stench filled my nose. It was foreign but sweet like the spices my mom used to have in the kitchen. It was a combination of sweet things and it was intoxicating. It invaded my senses, my being and it made me excited.

My nose twitched as I tried to pick out the scent, my eyes scanning the crowd. My eyes connected with the cruel Rogue King himself. My heart sank and I shook my head vigorously as I felt the magnetic pull. His demeanor, the way he kept a straight face sent a chill down my spine while my legs wobble. I became scared that they would betray me while I stared at the most beautiful man I had ever met.

And what made the whole thing suffocating was that, this beautiful man standing right in the crowd was...

He was my mate.