Finally she opened her mouth to speak to this man staring her down.
"Come to have a look at me? Maybe see what you're buying before you pay your money down?" She sneered
Taken aback by her tone and words James's head snapped up and he met her eyes.
"I beg your pardon miss? Pay? Money? I have no clue what you're saying!" He said in annoyance as much as confusion.
"I'll bet you don't. Hanny knows I'm now of age. Tell me, how much did she offer me up for? What's the bid at now? I'm betting she's asking a lot. I've seen the way they stare. They are all waiting to get their hands on me. But I'll fight back! I don't care if they kill me! I won't let them do it!" She spat out at him.
"What ARE you taking about woman?" Sam finally spoke up.
Jessa's head swung towards him just noticing him for the first time. He was a shorter blond copy of the other man. But his eyes were coffee brown. Not an unpleasant color. He was slightly softer in the middle than his friend. She rolled her eyes.
"It's pack tradition. I'm sure everyone knows by now that I was rejected by Heath. As a rejected omega my virginity will be sold to the wolf with the highest bid. Don't play dumb." She retorted with razors dripping off her tongue.
"WHAT?!?!" Both men exploded at once.
"Pack tradition? What kind of crap is this? What do you mean sold? That's barbaric! It's wrong!" James ranted as he paced back and forth. Even Sam was unable to calm himself or the alpha down. Then he happened to notice that her feet were bound with silver shackles.
'Look at her feet! They've put her in silver shackles! Omg they're burnt completely up!' Sam yelled in mindlink.
"Girl, what is your name?" James demanded in alpha tone.
Jessa's eyes went wide as she realized these weren't members of her pack. These were outsiders and one was an Alpha! She immediately lowered her head and put her eyes to her feet.
"Jessa sir" she replied.
"Jessa I need you to do me a favor. Stay still. My Beta is going to look around for the key and get this chain and shackle off you. Do you know where it is?"
"Hanny has one key and Luna Kelly the other. I'm sorry but there's no way to remove it. I'm used to it sir, please don't trouble yourself. I'm just a lowly omega. A slave. I only have to stay alive to save myself and my siblings." She said sadly.
"You have siblings? Are they also omegas? The warrior said you were found." James questioned
"I was. Another omega took me in. She raised me until her death. She raised me alongside her daughter Amelia. Later we took to looking out for another orphaned boy, Caleb. He's an omega too. His parents were killed in a rogue attack. He's only fifteen and Amelia is eighteen like me. They're all I have. Please, don't trouble yourself." She said her sadness increasing.
"Sam give me a hairpin. I can remove these. Go find the girl and boy. We're taking them both. Go!" He demanded as soon as he was given the pin.
He set to work on the locks as Sam set off to find the other two. He expertly shoved the pin in place and released one shackle then set to work on the second.
Jessa had no idea what this man intended to do with her and her siblings, but any fate would be better than whatever Kelly and Hanny had in store for her. She could only pray they were good. As she felt the other shackle fall away he plucked her right up and carried her in his arms towards the front of the packhouse.
Once inside he was stopped and confronted by Hanny. She was furious that this intruder had the nerve to free Jessa from her imprisonment. Who exactly did he think he was? She immediately mindlinked for Luna Kelly to come to the front hall. She stood guarding the door as Sam came forward with Amelia and Caleb.
Sam took stock of the situation immediately. There was a she-wolf standing in front of the door blocking the Alpha's departure. Her stance was threatening. It immediately put him on the defense. Trouble was brewing.
They were soon aware of the tapping of heels and a much heavier footfall coming from the stairway behind them. Luna Kelly and Beta Julien stepped forward and stood beside Hanny.
"What's going in here?" Luna Kelly demanded.
"I caught these scum attempting to abduct three of our omegas Luna!" Hanny said.
"I see, Alpha James, Beta Sam, why are you stealing our omegas?" Luna Kelly asked with her voice dripping venom with each word.
"We found this girl chained up outside. Her wounds are extensive and she's clearly been abused. I should ask you exactly why she's been treated so poorly!" Alpha James replied with just as much hatred in his voice.
"This girl is a murderer and a troublemaker. I will punish her as I see fit! Are you questioning my authority as a Luna?" She raged
"I'm questioning your capability as a Luna quite frankly!" He snapped back.
Both Julien and Hanny growled and bared fangs at his words. How dare he? Alpha or not he had no say on this territory and certainly no right to insult their Luna! Julien mindlinked Alpha Mark to come at once.
"How dare you? This is my pack and my territory! You would dare to stand here insulting me to my face?" She seethed.
"I most certainly would. Your actions are cruel and unforgivable! I know of this girls origin. Your evilness has made her life unbelievably miserable. I would suggest you move aside and let us leave or there will be trouble. I don't think I have to remind you that our pack's numbers are much stronger and more powerful." James said threateningly.
Just then from the top of the stairs Alpha Mark appeared. He took note of the scene unfolding below him. It seemed Alpha James has taken to Jessa and her siblings. He secretly smiled inside. Maybe the kid would catch a break now. He was certainly getting too old for this anymore. Lucian would be taking over in just a few short days now and he would be free of all this nonsense!
Mark cleared his throat and descended the stairs. He looked at Kelly and Julien then to Alpha James. After a moment he spoke:
"Alpha James, it seems you've taken a liking to a few of our omegas. It is not uncommon for packs to trade omegas and slaves. These three are quite a set. Their loss would be costly for us. What would you propose?" He said
"I would spare you the attack I could deliver and still end up with them. I offer you a pass from the justice this girl deserves as well as the punishment your mate certainly does. I'm not a hard man, but this is all I'll do!" He said.
"No! She is worth a great deal of money right now!" Luna Kelly spoke up.
"Your woman still doesn't know her place does she?" James mumbled.
"Silence Kelly! I know about the sick bets and bids you have going. I put my foot down here. No more. No more selling the omegas to the highest bidders to do with what they want. No more. You've been abusing this girl far too long. It stops now!" Mark commanded. "As for you Hanny, you're dismissed from the role of training omegas. I don't know how you play into this Julien but you can leave now."
Julien turned and strode away. There was nothing he could do and he certainly didn't want to go down with them. Truth was, he was just a coward underneath it all.
Mark returned his attention back to his wife and Hanny.
'I'll deal with you two later, and as for the three omegas, I'll just ask that you please reconsider my plea as payment?' He said
James thought a second and decided to answer later once he had Jessa and her siblings safely away. He nodded his head curtly and walked them out the door to his black stretch Expedition.