Olivia’s POV

I woke up with a pounding headache and a foggy mind. Darkness surrounded me, and as I tried to move, I realized my hands and legs were tied. Panic surged through me. I opened my mouth to scream, but something shoved between my lips muffled my cry.

The hard surface beneath me shifted, as if I were in a moving car. Realization hit me: I was in a vehicle's trunk. My heart raced as I heard soft crying nearby. Turning as much as possible, I saw three other girls, tied up like me. Their scared eyes locked with mine, and I knew they were terrified.

I struggled against the ropes, but they held fast. My mind raced, trying to recall what happened. I remembered guards, a cloth pressed to my nose, a sweet scent—and then nothing. Damn it. I'd been kidnapped.

The car hit a bump, jolting us. One girl whimpered, looking at me as if I could save us. But I couldn't; I was just as helpless. I didn't even know how I'd gotten here.

Suddenly, the car stopped, and I heard footsteps. Before I could react, the trunk flew open, flooding the darkness with bright sunlight. I blinked, trying to adjust, but before I could react, four large men began pulling us out. I struggled, but a sharp slap across my face made me freeze.

“If you try that again, I’ll make you regret it,” one of the men growled, his voice chilling me.

We were dragged into a building, through a large room, and up some stairs. The men shoved us into a small room, and I hit the cold floor hard. Wincing, I saw other girls, their eyes empty, staring at us.

The men untied us but left strange collars around our necks. “Make a sound, and you’re dead,” one warned before locking the door.

I sat up, my heart racing. The other girls looked broken, defeated. Fear twisted inside me. I reached out to my wolf, hoping for help, but she was silent.

“My wolf,” I whispered in panic, trying to reconnect, but it was useless.

A quiet, dry, angry laugh came from the corner.

“First time?” a girl asked, her voice raspy. I saw her—maybe a year older than me, or perhaps she just looked older. Her clothes were torn and stained, one eye swollen, but she held herself with a grim awareness the others lacked.

“What—what do you mean?” I asked, my voice hoarse.

She tilted her head, revealing a metallic band around her neck, like mine. “That collar blocks the bond. Your wolf, your mind link, any help… gone.”

She whispered, “But that doesn’t mean you won’t go into heat. Remember, today’s the full moon.”

My stomach dropped. I touched the cold metal. How could I have forgotten? Today was the full moon, and I would be in heat tonight!

My fear intensified.

“What do they want from us?” I asked, my voice shaking.

The girl sighed, her eyes tired. “In a few hours, they’ll sell us. Auction’s in a few hours. Virgins to the highest bidders, the rest… disposable toys.”

Her words hit hard. I looked at the other girls, some crying, others staring blankly. Tears burned my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I had to stay strong. I had to escape.

The girl shook her head. “Don’t bother. People have tried, and it never ends well. This place is guarded, and we’re powerless with these collars.”

The blood drained from my face.

“You’ve got the look of someone important,” she added, her eyes on the faint markings on my neck. “Pack ties?”

I hesitated. “I’m… mated. To the triplets of the Full Moon Pack.”

That made her sit up. “Well. That makes you valuable. And very dangerous. Don’t let anyone know; they’ll use you as a pawn to reach your mates.”

I swallowed hard, feeling the collar’s weight. Without my wolf, I was weak, human. I couldn’t contact the triplets for help. I'd always wanted to leave them, but not like this—kidnapped and sold as a slave. Tears fell uncontrollably as I thought of my mother. She would be heartbroken. What if we never saw each other again? I was all she had left. I thought of the triplets. Had they noticed my absence? Were they even searching for me? Perhaps they thought I ran away.

Goodness, who did this? It wasn’t the triplets; yes, they hated me, but not this much. If not them, who? Anita? Yes, it had to be her! But how? How did she get those men in guards' uniforms? How did they sneak me out?

I was still processing this when three women marched in, each with a long whip.

“The auction starts in three hours, but first, we differentiate the goats from the sheep. All of you, up and take off your clothes,” the middle-aged woman with piercing brown eyes ordered. The other girls quickly obeyed, terrified.

I stood frozen, my heart pounding. The other girls, pale with fear, hurriedly obeyed, their hands trembling. The middle-aged woman watched us like a predator, her whip tapping her palm.

I didn’t move. My mind raced, my body frozen. Then I felt the whip’s sting. A gasp escaped my lips.

“I said undress!” the woman barked.

With shaking hands, I slowly undressed. I couldn’t stop the tears. It wasn't just the humiliation or fear, but the crushing weight of hopelessness. How had my life come to this?

Once undressed, the women inspected us, their hands cold and rough, checking for things I didn’t understand. The room was silent except for sobs and the occasional whip snap.

When they reached me, I stood still, forcing myself not to cry. The woman glanced at me, her eyes narrowing.

“Still a virgin?” She seemed confused. “You’re marked but still a virgin…” She trailed off, her eyes fixed on the triplets’ marks on my neck. I wished I could tell her I was their mate. Perhaps that would help, but she pushed me aside. “This one is still a virgin,” she said, cold and detached, as if I were livestock.

I was pushed aside, joining other girls. My stomach twisted with fear. What did this mean? What were they planning?

The non-virgins were moved to the other side, their heads bowed. I caught the eye of a girl no older than me. She gave me a sad look, as if she understood our fate.

After the inspection, the woman with the whip smiled cruelly. “You’ll be treated well if you behave. But if you try anything stupid… you won’t live to regret it.”

I swallowed hard and closed my eyes, wishing it was a dream.

“Go in there and clean yourselves up,” she ordered, pointing to a door.

We shuffled into a small, cold bathroom with stalls. No one spoke. I washed, the coldness stinging, but I barely felt it. My mind raced, trying to understand.

When I finished, I stepped out, shivering. The women waited, holding thin, see-through dresses. I felt sick putting it on. The fabric offered no cover; I felt more exposed than ever.

“Hurry up,” a woman snapped, her whip tapping her leg. The other girls dressed quickly, exchanging scared looks, but no one spoke.

The woman with cold eyes looked at us, her smile making my skin crawl. “Good,” she said. “Now you look presentable. Come with me.”

My heart pounded as they led us out. I didn’t know where they were taking us, but I knew it would be a nightmare. We were led through a hallway, and a woman pushed open a door and ordered us in.

The room inside was colder, with rows of chairs against the walls. We sat down. No one spoke. The fear in the air was thick and suffocating. I sat, my heart pounding, looking at the other girls. Some stared at the floor, too scared to lift their heads. Others cried silently.

I swallowed hard, my thoughts drifting to the triplets. Would this be the end? Would I never see them again?

Tears blurred my eyes. When I said I wanted to disappear from their lives, I didn't mean this—sold as a slave.

Soon, the women started calling girls one by one, leading them out. Each time the door opened and closed, it sent a wave of panic through me. I didn’t know where they were taken or what happened behind those doors, but their expressions showed it wasn’t good.

I sat, trying to stay calm, but it was impossible. Every second felt like an eternity. My mind raced, thinking of my mother and the triplets. I tried to reach them, but the choker stopped me. I sighed, wishing I’d wake up, but deep down, I knew it was real.

Then, it was my turn.

One woman called me, her voice sharp and commanding. My legs felt weak as I stood, forcing myself to walk. The other girls' fear reflected my own.

As the door creaked open, I was shoved into a room full of people. My breath caught in my throat. Rows of well-dressed men and women sat in plush chairs, their eyes cold and calculating, reviewing me like a prize. The lighting was dim, but it couldn’t hide the greed and hunger in their gazes.

I stood trembling, trying to cover myself with the thin dress. The room was eerily silent except for whispers between bidders and the soft hum of bids. My heart pounded, fear surging through me. This was the auction.

A man stood at the front, overseeing the event like a business transaction. He glanced at me briefly before turning to the audience. “Next up,” he said with a smirk, “a rare find, a virgin, strong, and in good health. Let’s start the bidding.”