The cold, sterile air of the auction hall pressed down on Ember as she stood at the back of the line, her wrists bound with thick chains that clinked with every subtle shift of her weight. The smell of expensive leather and the faint scent of tobacco and cologne lingered in the air, mixing with the sharp metallic tang of fear. Her heart raced in her chest, a dull, anxious beat that matched the rhythm of her thoughts.
One by one, the other girls were paraded before the eyes of the wealthy, powerful Alphas seated in the grand, polished chairs. Their faces were impassive cold masks, the faint gleam of lust hidden behind stone-hard expressions. Some of the girls stood tall, their bodies trained in submission, their faces hiding the terror they felt. But not Ember.
Her feet felt like they were glued to the ground, her throat tight with the knot of terror that had been growing inside her since she had arrived. The auctioneer's voice rang out, reverberating through the hall as he introduced the first girl. Ember's eyes flicked to the faces of the men, noting the way their gazes lingered.
A chill swept over her as she realized that, soon, her turn would come. And then she would be nothing but a commodity.
Her hands shook involuntarily, but she forced them to remain still, clenching them into tight fists at her sides. She had been an orphan since the age of eight, after the tragic accident that had stolen her parents from her. She had been passed from one relative to the next never wanted, never loved. But the rejection had never hurt as deeply as it did now, as she stood before the most powerful men in the world, each one sizing her up as though she were a piece of meat.
She could already feel the weight of their gazes like fingers scraping over her skin, appraising her value. She was young barely twenty, with soft, delicate features that carried the faintest touch of innocence. Long, black hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her dark brown eyes reflected a mixture of fear and defiance that she tried so desperately to hide. She had always been a shadow, a ghost in the rooms she was shoved into, a mere placeholder in the lives of others. But here, in this moment, she was all too real. And she felt the sting of their eyes on her, burning her very soul.
The first girl was sold her fate sealed with the sound of a hammer striking wood. Ember flinched, the reality of what was happening sinking deeper into her bones. One by one, the girls before her were bought and sold, their futures disappearing behind the dark doors of the hall.
And then it was her turn.
The auctioneer gestured toward her, his voice oozing with practiced charm. "Ladies and gentlemen, our final offering for the night Ember Fin. She is young, healthy, and " He let the words hang in the air, waiting for the bidding to begin.
Ember's stomach churned as she looked up, meeting the eyes of the men who sat waiting for her. Her mouth went dry as she could almost hear the murmurs rising among them. This wasn't the first time she had been objectified, but it felt different this time. The stakes were too high.
She saw the first man raise his hand. "Twenty thousand," he said, his voice deep and commanding, as though the price of her had already been settled in his mind.
Another voice, lower and more powerful, called out, "Fifty thousand."
A chill ran down Ember's spine. These men were playing with her life, bidding higher than the last. Each bid felt like a tightening noose around her neck. She didn't know what was worse the fear of what they wanted or the fear of never knowing what was coming next.
Then, from the back of the room, a voice cold, commanding, and filled with power rang out.
"Ten million dollars."
Ember's heart skipped a beat, the room suddenly silent as every pair of eyes turned toward the source of the voice. She couldn't see the man who had spoken, but the weight of his presence his power pressed down on her like a heavy hand. There was something different about him. Something… dangerous.
The auctioneer hesitated, his voice faltering for the first time. "Sold to Alpha Roman Moscow!" he declared, his words cutting through the tension like a knife.
Ember felt the floor beneath her feet shift, and she was no longer standing alone. A heavy hand gripped her arm, pulling her forward. Her body jerked with the sudden motion, but the grip did not loosen. She was being moved, guided like an animal led to slaughter.
Her mind was numb, the reality of what had just happened not fully sinking in. Ten million dollars. She had been sold for that much. She was nothing but a price, a possession to be bought, used, and discarded. The weight of the situation pressed down on her chest, suffocating her with each step.
Her head was spinning, and her breath came in ragged gasps. Her hands were still shaking, though she tried to steady them by clenching her fists tighter. She could hear the murmurs of the crowd as they began to disperse, the rustling of clothes, the echoing footfalls of the men who had just claimed her.
The room was fading, the lights blurring at the edges. Everything felt distant like she was living in a dream she couldn't wake up from. But then, the harsh voice of the man who had bought her jolted her back to reality.
"Walk," he commanded, his tone cold and unforgiving.
Ember's legs moved, her feet stumbling forward as she tried to regain her balance. She didn't dare look up. She had no idea what kind of man Alpha Roman Moscow was, but she already despised him. He had paid ten million dollars for her, and yet there was no sense of warmth in his touch. No kindness. Only ownership.
As they passed through the ornate hall, the grandeur of the surroundings was lost on Ember. The chandeliers above, the marble floors beneath none of it mattered. She was trapped, pulled by the chain of fate that had led her here.
Suddenly, they stopped. The door to a black, sleek car stood open before them. The scent of leather and polished metal wafted in the air, overpowering and clean, but still, Ember only felt dread.
Alpha Roman's grip tightened around her arm as he shoved her into the back seat, the motion rough and unforgiving. She was forced to sit, the cool leather beneath her skin a stark contrast to the fiery heat in her chest. The door slammed shut behind her, and the car engine roared to life.
A sudden thought flashed through her mind. Who was Alpha Roman Moscow? She had never heard of him before.
She turned her head slightly, catching the first glimpse of him through the rearview mirror. He was tall, his silhouette framed by the dim light that filtered through the window. Dark hair, sharp features. His eyes, though, were the most unsettling thing about him. They were cold hard.
For the first time, Ember felt the true weight of her situation.
"Who are you?" she dared to ask, her voice barely above a whisper.
A slight smirk curled on his lips. "I'm your worst nightmare."
The air in the car thickened with tension, and Ember's heartbeat pounded in her ears, each beat louder than the last. The words he had spoken replayed over and over in her mind I'm your worst nightmare. What did that mean for her future? What was he going to do with her?
His presence in the car felt like an oppressive force. Every breath she took seemed to be too shallow, as though the very air was charged with something dangerous, something unknown.
She tried to steady her nerves, but she couldn't escape the unsettling feeling that had settled deep inside her stomach. His eyes, still sharp and assessing, lingered on her, the silence between them thick with unspoken threats. She felt exposed, vulnerable, like an object for his pleasure.
Then, he spoke again, his voice smooth but cold.
"You're here because I wanted you." The words were like ice, biting through the air between them.
Ember swallowed hard, resisting the urge to recoil. The scent of him something earthy, powerful, and undeniably dangerous seeped into her skin. It was the scent of control. The scent of dominance. And it made her stomach tighten with a strange combination of fear and anticipation.
A bead of sweat formed at the back of her neck, but she didn't dare wipe it away. She couldn't afford to show weakness, not in front of him.
The car began to move, the smooth hum of the engine the only sound in the silence that stretched between them. The road outside blurred as they sped through the city, and Ember felt the weight of her fate pressing down on her.
They were heading somewhere. Somewhere far from everything she knew. But where?
The car slowed as they turned into a long, private driveway, hidden by trees on both sides. The mansion ahead was large too large to be anything but a statement of power. Its stone walls loomed like a fortress, and the windows were dark, giving the impression of a place that had not seen the warmth of sunlight in years.
Ember's breath caught in her throat.
This was where her new life began.