Zoya's POV
I heard howls and chatters in the dark tunnel that my father stepped in, the guards forced me and when we got here, they left me in my father's care.
He didn't bother to look at me because he knew I couldn't run away.
I was blindfolded, I didn't know where I was or the way back home.
"Father, where is this place?" My voice echoed.
"A place where you will meet your other half." He sneered and opened a broken wooden door.
As we stepped in, it looked like a whole new world, people drinking happily and music blaring in the air.
When they noticed my father, they didn't stop greeting and bowing to him, while some loose wolves tried to sniff me.
"You're here." A man who looked like the manager of the inn smiled at my father and he nodded.
"Take me to the place." My father commanded him.
We followed the man to another section in the same inn.
There, I saw handsome men and women who were wolves. It was like a bid gathering as they were all seated, facing the platform while the bidder set up the stage.
"What are we going to get today?"
"More slaves or new inventories?"
I heard some people in the gathering grinning happily when my father grabbed my arm, startling me.
"You." He began. "Go and stand on the stage." My father commanded coldly.
"What?" I almost gasped, staring at him in disbelief.
"You heard me clearly, the highest bidder will be your groom and you will be sold to him." He explained rashly and I laughed in disgust.
"Really? Are you trying to sell me to someone I don't know because of money?" I stared at him in disbelief.
"He told me he will be here and he will pay as much as he can to make sure he claims you. But, he wants it to be more fun." My father grinned.
Honestly, I almost slapped him if not for the respect I had for him.
"Father, this is human trafficking!" I reminded him curtly.
"How can you sell your child off to a stranger because of the so-called pack need?" I began, shaking my head.
"I even thought it was a forced marriage whole thing, but do you have to make me feel so useless?" I cried at his face and he smirked.
"Don't embarrass yourself further. Get up to the stage!" He shunned me, looking away.
I think something was wrong. No father would push his child to hell!
"I'm sorry but I'm not doing this, father! I can't let you have your way this time.
When he saw that I kept on resisting and fighting off, he signaled the bid man to come over.
"Want something?" The bid man asked, giving him a calm look.
"Yes." He paused. "I want to sell my daughter to the highest bidder." My father spilled, with a wicked smile enveloping his face.
"Interesting." The bid man rubbed his beard and gave me a long look.
"Good height, good shape, pretty face. Good product." The man chirped in happily.
"Product?" I scoffed.
"Get her on the stage!" The bid man commanded and some guards started dragging me away.
"Father! Father!" I struggled with them and eyes started coming over to my direction.
Shame. Anger. Regret.
My father laughed as though he didn't know what was happening as he sat down.
I was the only human standing on the stage and everyone looked anxious to claim me.
The man started with rare inventories and expensive materials.
"So, who will take this rare Porcelain cup from 1900 China? Bid starts from $1,000!" He announced.
"$1,200!"
"$1,500!" People started lifting their cards that had numbers written on them.
The bid continued until the man finally got his winner.
"$20,000 million wins!" He announced.
Inwardly, I almost gasped.
Why would one waste such money for this piece? Was it that necessary?
While I was thinking, a loud growl disrupted not only me but everyone.
The ground shook and everyone trembled.
"He is coming!"
"He is coming!"
People started shaking frantically including my father, though he had a smile on his face.
"Who is coming?" I wondered inwardly as a very huge figure stepped into the gathering.
It was a male Lycan, looking huge, scary and beastful.
He was so tall that his head touched the roof of the room, he had nothing on because he was an animal.
Couldn't he transform into a human or something?
He looked so disgusting that I had to lower my gaze.
Who was he? Was he the ten thousand years old Lycan King I have been hearing about?
"I… I will start the bid for the female she-wolf." The bid man stuttered, waving at me to come forward.
I was reluctant.
I looked at the crowd, all eyes were on me and I noticed that I was the remaining "product" left to be sold.
This was what my father wanted, selling me off as a slave without caring what route my life took afterwards.
I stepped onto the stage, locking eyes with the Lycan and for some reason, something nudged me from inside.
What was that?
"The second daughter of Alpha Arlon, strong, beautiful and two thousand years old in the wolf world." He introduced me, after exaggerating.
"Bid starts from $10,000." He announced.
"What? Is that what I'm worth?" I thought inwardly, giving him a dirty look as I swallowed hard.
I looked at my father, his legs shook constantly and he grinned, staring seriously at the Lycan.
I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
"$25,000!"
"$26,000!"
"$35,00!"
"$100,000!" The Lycan King growled and everyone gasped, unable to stare at him because of fear.
"$100,000, going. $100,000 going? $100,000 gone!" The bid man hit the mace, meaning I have been Sold to the Lycan King.
"$250,000!" While my heart was pounding heavily over the fact that I would be sold off to an animal, a loud voice erupted in the hall as a tall masculine figure approached us. The Lycan growled.
"I can make it up to $300,000. This woman is mine." The strange man said, he didn't look bad. He was handsome, his brown sharp eyes and small matte lips. His curly black hair rested on his face and I didn't know why I was intoxicating on him when I was supposed to think how I would get through the Lycan and stranger.
"How dare you?" The Lycan questioned in annoyance.
"She is mine! I'm sorry the bid is over." The Lycan king said angrily.
"But I bid higher than you." The man curled his lips.
I had never seen someone so fearless even when he came in contact with the Lycan king. Who was he?
"Don't. You. Dare." The Lycan's tone became serious.
"$100 million and that's final. Else, no one is going home with her." The Lycan faced me.
"She might die." I gasped at his last statement.
I stared at the stranger who had confronted him but he suddenly became docile, staring at me pitifully.
"$100 million gone! The she-wolf has been claimed!" The bid man announced with a loud voice.
"WHAT?!" I screamed at the top of my voice and my father's provoked eyes locked with mine as the Lycan approached me.
"How can you sell me off to this beast? He isn't even human!" I cried out, shamefully and dolefully. My eyes cringed as they slowly turned red, tears gradually gathered in them.
A cold heavy hand rested on my shoulder, it sent shivers up my spine.
"Let's go home, sweetie." The Lycan spoke, his voice hoarse and affectionate. When did it change?
"Home?" I couldn't tell what was going on. For some reason, I felt at peace even when his physique wasn't welcoming.