Olivia’s POV

My legs were weak, my body aching under the weight of fear, exhaustion, and the cruel choker silencing my wolf. I could barely breathe. The room was filled with the murmurs and whispers of men eager to own me, to take me as their prize. I hated it. I hated my helplessness, my powerlessness to stop it.

The announcer’s voice boomed through the hall, thick with excitement. “Next up is a rare gem, a virgin… who will take this precious gem home? And bidding starts now!”

My heart stopped, then raced uncontrollably. This moment would decide my life. I felt sick. My gaze flickered over the crowd, searching for hope. For a fleeting second, I imagined the triplets appearing like knights in shining armor. But all I saw were hungry eyes, greedy smiles, and faces filled with lust.

The bidding began, the air thickening. Prices were thrown out carelessly, men shouting to claim me. Each bid sent a wave of fear crashing through me. How could they bid on a person like this? Like I was something to be bought and sold?

“300,000!” one man yelled from the back, and my stomach twisted.

“400,000!” another voice rang out, closer this time.

My chest tightened as the numbers climbed. I squeezed my eyes shut, but it didn’t help. My fate slipped further from my grasp.

Ten men had already bid, and I could hardly breathe. I forced myself to look up, searching for strength. That’s when I saw him.

Piercing hazel eyes.

My breath caught as I locked eyes with a man sitting quietly in the corner. His presence was overwhelming, even from a distance. He didn’t look like the others—he wasn’t yelling or bidding. He just sat, his gaze never leaving me. It was unsettling, yet strangely familiar.

What shocked me most was that he wasn’t bidding. His eyes were intense, stripping away layers of me, but they weren’t filled with lust like the others. His desire was different—more dangerous, more powerful—and I couldn’t understand it.

Who was he?

As I stood helpless, a shiver ran down my spine. His eyes never wavered, and for a moment, I thought I saw something flicker in them—something raw, something possessive.

His stare felt like a burden, making it hard to think, hard to breathe. And yet, I couldn’t look away.

Just then, someone whispered in his ear. Even then, his gaze didn’t leave me.

My heart pounded so loudly I thought he might hear it. But why wasn’t he bidding? Surprisingly, I wanted him to.

I swallowed hard, trying to pull myself together. This wasn’t the time to be distracted. The bidding continued, prices rising higher and higher.

“700,000!” a man shouted from the front, grinning.

My breath hitched as the auctioneer’s voice rang out, “Going once… going twice…”

This was it. I was about to be sold. Nausea rose as the hammer lifted, ready to seal my fate. I closed my eyes, bracing for the sound that would change my life.

But then, just as the auctioneer was about to slam the hammer down, a voice cut through the silence. A voice that froze the room.

“One million!”

My eyes snapped open in shock. The hall went silent, every head turning toward the voice. I did too, and my breath hitched when I realized who it was.

It was him—the man with the piercing hazel eyes. He’d been so still, so quiet, and now… he’d bid the highest. Higher than anyone could have imagined.

I stared at him, my heart racing, my head spinning. One million? Who was this man? Why had he waited so long and bid so much?

He hadn’t looked like he cared, hadn’t moved a muscle, and now he was willing to pay more than everyone else combined.

The other men exchanged glances, some grumbling, others stunned. No one dared to outbid him. They couldn’t. It was over.

The auctioneer, clearly taken aback, stammered, “One… one million… going once… going twice… sold!”

The sound of the hammer echoed, but all I could hear was my own pounding heart. I’d been bought. I fucking belonged to him now.

The choker felt tighter. My body felt weak, like I might collapse. I tried to steady myself, but my legs were shaking.

The man stood, and as he walked toward the stage, the crowd parted, afraid to get too close. He moved with calm, controlled grace, his eyes still locked on me. Every step sent another wave of anxiety crashing through me.

When he reached me, my breath caught again. Up close, he was even more intimidating, more tempting, more breathtaking.

Tall, broad-shouldered, with a presence that filled the room. His dark hair framed his face, but it was those hazel eyes that held me captive.

He looked down at me, his expression unreadable. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence suffocated me until, finally, he spoke.

“You are now mine!”