Page 16 of Betrayed Auctioned Mate

Byron fires from his position behind a crate, his aim precise, but Keira’s reflexes are faster. She doesn’t retreat or dive for safety—instead, she propels herself forward, rolling and coming up just behind Byron’s cover. Before he can adjust, she tags him with two quick shots.

“Byron’s out!” I call from the sidelines, my voice echoing across the gym.

Veronica and Rafael follow her lead, pressing forward to secure the position. The momentum has shifted. Bigby and Percy are still out there, but Keira’s quick thinking has given the Reds an opening. I watch her closely, the way she anticipates the next move, always a step ahead.

Bigby, ever the brute force, charges out from behind a barrier, intending to overpower them with his sheer size. But Rafael is ready. He ducks under Bigby’s swing and fires, tagging him clean in the back.

“Bigby’s out!” I shout, though my eyes remain fixed on Keira.

Percy, the last Blue standing, moves through the shadows, fast and elusive. But Keira has already positioned herself at the final checkpoint, waiting for him. I can see the calculation in her eyes, the way she’s reading the space, knowing exactly where Percy will appear.

And when he does, she doesn’t miss. With one precise shot, she tags him the moment he rounds the corner.

“Percy’s out! Reds win!” I announce.

For a split second, there’s stunned silence. Then, the Reds erupt into cheers, their exhaustion forgotten in the thrill of victory. From my vantage point, I watch as Keira stands at the center of it all, catching her breath, a small, satisfied smile tugging at her lips. She’s the reason they won, and she knows it.

Despite everything between us, I can’t help but admire her. But when she glances at me—maybe for some kind of validation—I look away before I can stop myself.

As the Reds celebrate their victory and the Blues commiserate exaggeratedly, I approach them, trying to focus on the team as a whole and not just the one person who has dominated my thoughts all day. My job is to give feedback, guide and push them, and not get caught up in my feelings.

Rafael grins as I approach, sweeping his long, curly hair out of his face. “It had to happen eventually.”

“Nice job, Rafael,” I say. If we were closer, and if I was the type, I might have clapped him on the shoulder, but I’m not, and so I don’t. “Quick reflexes with Bigby. You read the situation well.”

Veronica wipes sweat from her brow, a satisfied look on her face. She’s struggled with her fitness since she gave birth to Zelie, but I can tell she’s getting back to herself. I know Percy would kill me if she was ever injured during a drill, but I also know she can handle herself. I don’t worry about her.

“And you, Veronica,” I add, “Solid positioning. You kept the team secure and made sure no one got flanked. Good work.”

The Blues are gathering, too. Percy extends a hand to help Byron off the floor, both of them panting slightly. Bigby is already edging toward the sidelines, probably to get a look at his phone. It’s Rosa’s day off today, and she’s looking after Zelie and Kaila at the Vandenberg house.

I toss a towel in Byron’s direction. “Bigby, you put up a strong fight. Byron, your strategy was sharp, as always. Percy, good movement—you nearly had them at the end.”

Everyone’s still riding the high of the drill, the praise fueling their energy despite the exhaustion. But as I finish, I can feel the tension from one person: Keira.

She stands just a few feet away, her smile fading with each word that passes her by. I force myself to look in her direction, my chest tightening.

She’s waiting for me to say something, anything, but the words won’t come. How can I praise her without betraying everything else I’m feeling? How can I look her in the eyes and keep this professional when I’m barely holding it together inside?

Back in our army days, we had to communicate. It was what kept us alive. So why, now, can’t I speak?

I don’t. I can’t. I swallow the words I should say, the recognition she deserves, and move on to wrap things up with the others. I’m a coward. Even if I could speak, I wouldn’t want to. Whatever I could hope to say to her would be less than she deserves.

For a second, there’s silence. Then, I hear her exhale, and I turn just in time to see the hurt flash across her face. She doesn’t say a word—doesn’t need to. The disappointment and frustration are clear enough in the way she clenches her fists, in the tight line of her jaw. Without warning, she storms out of the gym, her footsteps echoing in the quiet that follows.

The others watch her go, confusion and concern spreading across their faces. Olivia opens her mouth like she’s about to say something but stops, glancing at me as if she’s trying to figure out what the hell just happened.

But I can’t explain it. Not to them. And certainly not to myself.

So, I let her leave, feeling the reality of my silence settle in me like a stone.

Chapter 9 - Keira

“This is ridiculous, and it needs to stop,” Aris says.

He’s not my alpha, but he shocksmeinto silence. A chill shoots up my spine—my stomach seems to swoop up into my throat, then back down.

Beside me, silent on the other side of the couch, Ado is unmoving. I wonder how long he and Aris have known each other. Is this the first time Aris has ever had to chew him out?

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