"Alpha's and Beta's, if I may have your attention," came the familiar voice of the substituting host, "We will start the bidding in five minutes. Beta's, please make a single file line at the bottom of the stairs."
Alex almost immediately turned to find the exit. If she left now, then no one would probably notice, but no sooner than she took a step in the direction of the door, she stopped. If she ran now, then she would miss her chance to have an audience with the Alpha Lord, the whole reason she had even agreed to this ridiculous event anyway. Ace had told her that after the bidding that he would introduce her to the Lord, all she had to do was make it through this. She had been through worse things. After it was over with, if Alex were bet on at all, then she would tell the man to go fuck himself and hurry home. Becoming someone's breeding partner was not on her list of things to turn into this evening. Cynthia spied her through the dozens of people and waved her over. Alex reluctantly moved her feet. It felt as if she was wading through wet cement, every step sealing her fate, inch by torturous inch. An eerie chill ran down her spine, something telling her to screw the Alpha Lord and get out of there; still, she made her way to where Cynthia stood.
The woman's smile was cold, "Are you ready? We have the chance to become mates to Alphas. How exciting is this?"
"I could think of about a million other things I would rather be doing right now." She muttered, looking around the room for Ace. The darn man was infuriating, nowhere to be found when she wanted to see him and everywhere when she did not.
"Do not sound so petty Alex, if you are worried about no one bidding on you, that is a reasonable fear." She stated as if giving serious thought, "But I wouldn't take it personally; there have been a lot of far more attractive females here tonight."
Breath in, breath out, Alex chanted in her mind. If she killed Cynthia here and now, it would make a big scene, she would ruin the beautiful dress she had on, and the blood would stain the floor. None of those things seemed so bad; in exchange for the brief satisfaction she would get out of murdering the bitch, she could live with the repercussions. The fates must have been smiling down on Cynthia's poor soul, for right when Alex was about to snap; she heard the man call out Cynthia's name. "So close," she mused to herself in disappointment. The bidding on Cynthia went fast. A handful of Alpha's put up a claim on her, and she ended up selling for 50,000. The look of superiority on the woman's face had Alex wanting to rake her nails down it and see what she really looked like under the pounds of makeup.
When Alex's name was called out, she noticed that hers was the last one. This bidding war was going to end with her. The thought of it being over was appealing but being the last to stand at the top of the stairs was not. By her count, all the Alpha's had already made their claims. Who was left to bid on her? There was a comfort in that assumption, so she embraced it fully. If there were no one left, then she would not need to confront anyone when she left. Even to a frozen, rotten sham of a hut, going home was better than standing in an oversized playboy mansion a second longer than necessary. Gritting her teeth, she looked up the stairs she was supposed to ascend. The walk of shame was more like it. Alex's movements were stiff and unflattering. She made no sensual gestures with her hips, as so many other girls before her had done. The goal was to look as repugnant as she could, let them all see the disdain on her face. She was clearly sending a message to everyone, do not make a bet on a losing horse.
Reaching the top of the stairs, Alex turned to face the sea of people; she kept her face impassive. There was no smile on her lips or light in her eyes; she did not fake a wave or beckoned to be picked with her body. "Alexis Darling, everyone, can we start the bidding at 10,000?" the host/auctioneer asked. There was nothing but silence among the Alphas. Most were not even looking at her, focusing on everything else around them but her. "Ah…5,000?" he tried again, blinking in confusion. "Look at all that fiery red hair, wouldn't some of you like to find out in the carpet matches the drapes?"
A collective stillness was the answer, no one making a sound. Alex bit her lip absently. She knew that this was exactly what she had wanted to happen, yet she could not help but feel a little hurt. The whole night she had tried being charming to the dance partners she had in order to get information, but she had tried. Even though being bid on was the last thing she wanted, it still hurts to confirm one's own shortcomings. This was evidence that she was not attractive enough for a man's attention, that Sam must have just been using her own feelings for him against her. Say a few pretty words in her ear and then make a demand on her while her guard was down. It was smart, it stung like hell, but she could not blame him.
"100,000." Came a calm, collected voice from the back of the room.
Alex's heart came to a full-blown stop, the blood drained from her face, and her eyes searched the crowd for the man that had spoken. If the room got any quieter, it probably would send a force rupturing open pandora's box from the intensity of the situation. Everyone was suddenly on edge, uneasiness filled the room, and Alex was prey to the feeling as well. The people parted slowly, and there in all his relaxed glory was Ace, lounging against the wall as if it had a built-in cushion especially for him. A low mummer broke out, but with one glance from those piercing violet eyes, the room fell silent once again. "100,000?" the host asked nervously, eyeing Ace as if the man had suddenly grown two heads.
"That's what I said Seymour, have you suddenly gone deft?" Ace snapped, his tone ice cold.
The mans eyes went wide, "N-no, s-sir," he stuttered swallowing hard, "100,000 sold to Alpha Lord Ryker." He announced.
Alex felt the floor give out from under her feet, the sense of someone catching her was in the back of her mind, but she gave herself over to the darkness.