Page 3 of Sold to the Alphas

Finnley grinned. “No need to pack, omega. You won’t be needing clothes for long.”

My face burned, but I refused to look away. This was the last thing I expected, and my brain couldn’t process my warring emotions. I wasn’t going to die today, but I had no idea what living meant from now on.

Marshall stood, his expression unreadable. “You’ll learn what happens to those who defy alphas,” he said coldly. “And it won’t be pleasant.”

The three turned, their decision final.

My fate may not have been death, but it wasn’t freedom either.

I had no choice but to follow them, but I swore to myself that no matter what they took from me, I’d find a way to hold on to the one thing that mattered most, the thing no other alpha had been able to take from me.

My fire.

2

Elisabed

The air between us was heavy as I followed August down the narrow, winding path that led to the house my family was staying in.

They had accompanied me on the two-day journey from Raol’s territory into neutral territory, but it was more likely they were doing it to escape the backlash from my attack than to offer me any support. They weren’t allowed to attend the trial, and I wouldn’t have wanted my sister to see it, anyway.

“Where is your family staying?” August’s low voice broke the silence.

I cleared my throat, the words feeling stiff. I had no idea how to act around one of the men who had, in a twisted way, saved my life. “Near the western edge.”

He nodded but didn’t offer any further commentary. I kept my gaze on the path ahead, the faint glow of the house coming into view through the trees.

The door to the small, weathered home creaked as I pushed it open. My heart thudded as I stepped over the threshold, leaving August outside. This wasn’t just a goodbye, as the alpha seemed to believe.

Ineededto talk to my father.

“Who’s there?” My father’s sharp voice called out from the back room, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps.

“It’s me,” I said, my voice steady despite the knot tightening in my chest at the thought of seeing my little sister for the last time.

“What happened? What was the sentence?” my father asked, appearing in the room and looking at me with narrowed eyes. My mother trailed after him, her face drawn with tension, and my little sister peeked out from behind her, looking relieved.

There was a good chance I wasn’t going to return from the trial alive, and they’d all known that as well as I had.

I set my jaw, refusing to flinch under his gaze. “The council has decided I’m leaving with three of its alphas.”

The room fell silent. My father’s expression twisted into a sneer, and I braced myself for the explosion. It came in the familiar form of a slap, fast and sharp and nothing I wasn’t used to. Tears formed in my eyes from the sting, but not a single one dared to drop. The power behind the slap had forced my head to turn, but I righted it and stared my father straight on.

“You’ve turned your back on us—on your pack!” His voice rose, shaking the walls of the small house. “You’ve shamed this family, and now you think you can just walk away?”

“I did what needed to be done,” I said, my voice tight, not showing an ounce of my pain.

“You did nothing but bring ruin upon us!” he yelled, spit flying from his mouth with the force of his words.

My gaze flicked to my mother, who said nothing, and then to my sister. She was trembling, clutching the edge of my mother’s apron. Her innocence, her fragility—that was why I’d done it. This scene was only making her feel worse.

“Shut up and listen to me,” I snarled. I was done letting the coward talk. “I did it forher.” I nodded toward my sister. “Raol wanted her, and you—” My voice cracked. He could physically hurt me all he wanted, but it was this betrayal that hurt the most. “You would have let him have her.”

My father’s face went pale for a moment, but his anger quickly surged again. He raised his hand again, screaming, “Don’t youdareaccuse me of such a thing!”

“You’re angry withme?” I asked, stepping closer, my voice trembling with rage. “This never would’ve happened if you’d done your job properly and protected us like you were supposed to. You’re nothing but a joke of a father. And you better care for her—keep her away from Raol when I’m gone—or I swear to you, I’ll find my way back andfucking kill you. And this time, I’ll finish the job.”

The room fell into a stunned silence.

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