Chapter 2 002

Alera's Pov

After Darius had rejected me in front of everyone, I thought nothing could hurt worse. But I was wrong. The pain kept twisting, deepening with each passing hour. I wasn't just rejected; I was discarded by him, and by everyone else who once mattered. I wasn't worthy of love. Not then, not now. It was a truth that pressed heavily on my chest, but I had no choice but to live with it.

My thoughts were interrupted as I stood at the Ironclaw Kingdom's auction house. I was no longer a person, just a commodity, something to own, something to break. A broken Omega. The auctioneer's voice cut through the air, almost mocking me with its cold indifference.

"Next, a rare gem," the auctioneer called out. "A strong, unbroken Omega. Worthy of only the highest bidder."

I didn't flinch. What was left to be ashamed of? My heart had already been shattered. Now, I felt like my soul was being sold, piece by piece, to the highest bidder.

I kept my head high, but every pair of eyes on me felt suffocating. As soon as I stepped onto that stage, I was no longer a person. I was a price tag, a possession to be bought.

"Starting bid, fifty thousand," the auctioneer announced, his voice smooth but devoid of humanity.

The bids rolled in, cold and heartless. A hundred thousand. Two hundred thousand. The men in the crowd ogled at me like I was nothing but an object, and I couldn't look at them for fear of what I might see in their eyes.

But then, a voice; a commanding, powerful voice cut through the noise.

"Two hundred fifty."

I looked up, startled. The crowd shifted, parting as a tall figure appeared at the back of the room. There was an aura about him that stilled the entire hall. Kael Derrick, the Lycan King. His presence was impossible to ignore. He didn't walk; he commanded attention with every step.

"Three hundred."

The bidding war stopped. The room held its breath. Kael Derrick had just declared his intent with a single word. He was buying me.

"Sold," the auctioneer stammered, his voice shaking under Kael's gaze.

I couldn't move. My legs felt weak, and my mind was spinning. I had been bought by the Lycan King. It didn't seem real. How had I gone from being Darius' rejected mate to the possession of a king?

Kael's gaze met mine as he walked toward me, and I felt the weight of his stare like a physical force. His eyes weren't filled with lust like the others, nor were they filled with pity. They were calculating, intense. He wasn't interested in who I was; he was interested in something I couldn't yet understand.

"Come," he commanded, his voice low, dangerous.

Without a choice, I followed him. What other option did I have? Everything had already been taken from me. All I could do was obey.

Kael's grip on my arm was firm, but not unkind. His touch sent a chill through my body. As I stood before him, his presence was overwhelming, suffocating. There was power in him-raw, untamed power-and he radiated it without effort.

"You're mine now," he said, his voice carrying a finality that sent a shiver down my spine.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. "What do you want from me?"

He smirked slightly, though the expression didn't soften his features. "Everything."

The word hung in the air, thick with meaning. What did that even mean? What could he possibly want from someone like me?

He didn't elaborate, only gestured for me to follow. My legs felt like jelly as I stumbled behind him, each step taking me farther from the life I had known. His guards led me to a room, and once inside, I was left alone with my thoughts.

I sat on the edge of the bed, hands clenched at my sides, as the door closed behind me. The silence was deafening. The cold weight of my situation was sinking in. I had been rejected. Sold. The sting of Darius' words still rang in my ears, but now there was something else gnawing at me-a sense of uncertainty. What was Kael's game? Why had he chosen me?

I barely had time to think when there was a knock at the door. I froze. Who was it now?

The door creaked open, revealing Ivy-Darius' lover, the woman who had always looked at me with disdain. She sauntered into the room, a smug smile playing at her lips.

"Well, well, well," she purred, her tone dripping with mockery. "Look who's been picked up. Did you think you'd be free after Darius cast you aside? Poor, pathetic Alera. Always so desperate to fit in."

I didn't respond. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, but I refused to let her see my weakness.

Ivy's eyes roamed over me, clearly enjoying the discomfort she was causing. "I heard you were sold. Can't say I'm surprised. Darius never wanted you, and now you're just another toy for the king. How does it feel, Alera? To know that he not only rejected you but got rid of you completely?"

I clenched my jaw, refusing to let her see how much her words hurt. "Are you done?" I asked, my voice colder than I felt.

For a moment, Ivy seemed taken aback. But it was brief, and soon her smirk returned, even wider now. "Oh, you're even more pathetic than I thought. But don't worry, I'll be around. Someone has to keep you grounded in reality."

She turned, her laughter echoing as she left, and I was once again alone in the room. But her words lingered, a bitter reminder of my place.

I sank back onto the bed, my fists clenched tight. She was right about one thing-I wasn't in Ironclaw anymore. But what did that mean for me now? Kael had bought me. But why? What did he want with me?

The room was silent, empty, and cold. My heart ached with the memories of Darius' rejection, but I refused to cry. I wasn't going to give Ivy, or anyone else, the satisfaction.

But something in me, something deep and buried-stirred. I wasn't done yet. Not by a long shot.