1. Tayla

Chapter one

Tayla

Inside the half-lit dressing room, the final touches of makeup adorned my face for the ballet dance. Everything was set to begin soon. Standing before the floor-length mirror, I carefully brushed my silk-like hair, each stroke filled with nervous dread. I took a deep breath in and held it.

The elderly instructor finally appeared, holding my costume in his gnarled hands. With a slight tremble, I accepted the shimmering short gown and held it an arm’s length to examine the details.

It was a masterpiece of delicate pink lace surrounding the skirted edge and sparkling crystals across the bodice. I had never seen anything like it in my life. It was a shame it was to be worn for tonight’s bidders….to be worn for men who wouldn’t appreciate it’s beauty.

I made my way to the inner room, slipped into my dancing gown that stopped a little short of mid-thigh, and instantly felt the fabric cling to my body like a second skin. Tonight marked the occasion when every Alpha would select a ballerina to perform for them in their private quarters.

With the immense power and influence presented that night, no common person would dare to defy their choices—including us ballerinas. Whether we wanted to dance or not wasn’t even an option. The occasion was held in honor of the Alpha of the Silvermoon pack.

That evening, I couldn't shake the unsettling feeling of being scrutinized or seen as nothing more than an object meant to please them in bed. The private dance, of course, was expected to lead to more. The knowledge of that made me feel ill.

I was not here because I loved ballet; I was here because I needed the money. I was only doing this for my father, to clear the huge debt he owed. I longed to break free from all of this and start life afresh. But for now, I was trapped doing this performance until everything settled.

My biggest worry was the final number—in order to get a high bid, I would need to tap into my graceful side. At the end of the night, I was going to give the bidder the old bait and switch. I was ready for the private dance after the auction and also ready to get away before he became too “hands-on.”

Please, Let this one dance clear all of my father’s debts.

The dark secrets I had heard whispered about the balls and the Alphas’ treatment of the ballerinas weighed heavily on my mind. I feared for myself and the other women.

Tonight, I refuse to become a pawn in any of their games .

With a determined resolve, I reached for the sleep tincture and hid it in the bodice of my gown.

I can do this.

Calm washed over me as I made my way out of the room. For all the night had in store for me, I was ready. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I noticed a small smile grace my lips.

Twirling back and forth in the stunning pale pink tutu dress that hugged my body in all the right places, I couldn't help but admire the beauty of the ensemble and the body underneath it. With a final glance at my reflection, a sudden touch on my shoulder shook me out of my thoughts. I turned my head to see my aged instructor standing behind me.

“We will be going down in a few minutes,” he said gently.

I nodded my head and stood behind the other young women. As the double doors opened, we walked out of the dressing room and down the hallway. We made our way in a line downstairs to the ballroom, where the Alphas sat in a row of ornate chairs, waiting for us.

My heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nervousness as I took in the sea of faces before me. This was my first time being auctioned off, and the seriousness of the moment filled my heart with dread.

But I was determined. I would gather enough money to pay off the debts my father owed and be done.

Taking a deep breath, I scanned the crowd that filled the room to burst and felt the eagerness crackling in the air. Soft strains of music filled the room, accompanied by a dazzling display of crystal chandelier lights casting their brilliance upon us.

I danced. With each graceful movement, I allowed myself to be swept away by the ache of the violin. From the corner of my eyes, I could see the other ballerinas dancing with the rhythm of the music.

I moved my hips, swaying seductively as I captured the attention of the crowd. My slender hands gracefully traced a delicate pattern as I swirled around. When I twirled, my dress spun along with me, and I gasped at my own beauty, how I loved ballet under different circumstances. Taking a step back and forth en pointe, I allowed my toes to kiss the ground as much as my feet allowed me to.

My gaze fell on a pair of dark eyes that sent shivers down my spine. They looked like the eyes of a predator ready to devour its prey. The man was staring at me intently, and I had to look away before I got distracted.

As we continued dancing, I maintained the delicate smile on my face as much as possible. Finally, once the dance was over, we took two steps backward before bowing our heads to the Alphas.

Hearing the sound of my instructor's shoes clicking against the ground as he walked downstairs, I felt my heart pounding.

We continued to stand there with our hands gracefully placed at the side of our bodies. Feeling the tension surrounding me, I took a deep breath and bit my bottom lip.

My eyes scanned the room again, taking in the Werewolf Alphas, who watched us with hungry eyes.

I didn't trust any of them; their expressions were not of admiration for dance but were rather filled with a disturbing lust. Would I be able to do this?

I felt my heart sink as I sucked in a panicked breath. Could I possibly decide not to continue with the auction again? Was it too late?

From a platform, the instructor signaled for the bidding to commence, and the auctioneer took over. As the Alphas began to bid on the ballerinas one after another, I stood there trying to calm my heart.

I noticed the predator’s eyes again. The eyes belonged to an Alpha seated amongst other men instead of with the other Alphas. He appeared to be in his early twenties.

There was something about him that caught my attention…something different from the others who were bidding with greedy eyes. His intent was hard to describe, and he looked…oddly scruffy. He was a man or wolf, I should say, that I had not met before. But rumors circulated about some of these Alphas…

A royal dark blue tunic and pants clothed his body, but it looked disheveled and worn. His long black hair, tied back messily, added to his odd presence, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of uneasiness as my gaze lingered upon him. He seemed out of place among the others.

Lost in my thoughts, I barely registered the words that escaped his lips before he stood up suddenly, drawing the attention of the instructor, who waved in acknowledgment.

“Three thousand gold coins going to Alpha Asher in three…. Two… One….” the auctioneer announced, sealing my fate with a single bid.

I shook my head and felt my body shake. Time to move forward with the plan.

For some reason, I wasn't happy with the fact that he wanted me to dance for him. He looked like the type of man who could strangle someone to death for disobedience. And his messy appearance put me off.

There was something about this man that frightened me like he had nothing to lose.

As he slowly made his way towards the stage, I couldn't tear my eyes away from him. My curiosity was piqued as I awaited his approach, eager to get a closer view of Alpha Asher.

As Alpha Asher drew nearer, his broad, imposing shoulders and muscular build spoke volumes of his strength and power. His lips pressed into a thin line of disdain, and his face sported a scruffy beard.

His eyes, which had seemed predatorial from a distance, looked a little kinder up close. But still, they bore into my eyes with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine; it was as if he could see through my very soul.

There was an air of heaviness about him as though he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

His expression looked grumpy. But an edge of danger was there, too. My fear did not subside.

A wave of repulsion washed over me as Alpha Asher drew closer. The mere thought of dancing for him in his private quarters filled me with disgust.

What if he just wanted me for my body and not to watch me dance? Would I have time to slip him the sleeping potion?

Just as I opened my mouth to speak to my instructor, to tell him I couldn’t do this, I don’ t know why but I could not say no to this man. It felt like a spark within me…or was it just desire? Why would I desire this mess of a man? I pushed the feeling to the back of my mind.

As the instructor acknowledged Alpha Asher's bid with a bow of his head, I felt a surge of conflicting emotions. It was too late. I knew that for certain.

On the one hand, the amount Alpha Asher was willing to pay me brought a flicker of excitement because I knew it would alleviate my father’s debts. On the other hand, the thought of being subjected to Alpha Asher filled me with dread. How would I be able to escape this nightmare? When would all of this nightmare end?

As Alpha Asher nodded to me and walked away, I remained standing, torn between following him and canceling the bid.

But deep down, I knew that canceling was not an option—not with the debts owed to the dance instructor, Paul. Resigned to my fate, I took a hesitant step forward, bracing myself for what lay ahead.

Just then, Asher turned around, frowning deeply as he gazed at me.

“We will have the dance in my bedroom upstairs,” he said.

I walked behind him upstairs, the sound of his large footsteps echoing in my ears.

The dread of having to be with him the entire night consumed my thoughts. My mind then drifted back to the sleep tincture I had carried along with me. It would work. It had to.

Relief flooded inside my chest as I followed him down the hallway. How was I supposed to make him fall asleep with the tincture herbs I had carried? Hopefully, he wanted a drink before the dance…

I would need to dilute it into something before it could work to make him sleep. I would probably put it in a glass of whiskey or gin to hide the flavor. But how would I be able to make him drink it for sure?

I frowned, feeling frustrated and scared with everything, as I clenched my hands into a tight fist.

When he opened the heavy bedroom door wide, I slowly walked into the large room before standing with my back against the wall in silence.

A dark chuckle escaped from his lips as he broke the awkwardness of the moment. “How about we both have the dance together in this room with the moonlight filtering in?”

I quickly shook my head. “That isn't the agreement.” He clearly desired me.

At the thought of his arms around my waist as we danced, I felt my skin burn red in anger. Looking at his clothes and hair, he clearly didn’t know how to take care of himself. But his eyes…were deep and gorgeous.

When he took a step closer, I frowned, taking two steps backward, distancing myself away from him.

“Don't be like this. You were so well behaved during the dance. What happened now?” He asked, tilting his head.

“You bid on me to dance in your room and not for us to dance together,” I said, breathing heavily.

I tried to be careful with my words so as not to say the wrong thing. He looked like he would anger easily. What if something happened and he tried to strangle me? I would not be surprised if he tried to harm me.

He gazed into my eyes, and my world froze. Why? Then he took another step closer, and I felt my head go dizzy. Just then, a knock rang out from the wooden door. I sighed in relief.

He frowned before turning around to open it, and I saw a maid walk in with a cup of tea.

My curiosity was piqued as I leaned forward to catch a glimpse of the teacup. The tea was a light red color to it. Wasn't the color of tea supposed to be light brown, though? What made this tea red?

My face pinched with confusion as I turned to Asher.

The maid muttered something to him, and he abruptly left the room.

I was left alone with the tray of tea. A sense of uneasiness washed over me. If I didn't do something quickly, he would return and force me to do things his way.

A tiny voice like a terrified child whispered into my head.

"You're going to get caught,"

"He will be able to taste the sleep tincture in the tea.”

My hands turned clammy as I pulled the small vile from my bodice and stared at it. My face turned pale, and I could no longer think straight with the flurry of thoughts running through my head.

I was scared at the idea of having to be with him throughout the night.

I shook my head, refusing to be forced into submission by this Alpha tonight. I began to walk towards the table. If I didn't do this now, then he would probably use me, I told myself. I slowly leaned closer and added some of the herbs to the tea. I felt my heart pounding fast as I quickly mixed the tea and herbs with a teaspoon before placing it back beside the cup.

Turning my head to the door, I speedily returned to my spot and waited for Asher to come back. But what if he doesn't drink the tea? Or what if he tells me to take a sip first? My eyes widened at the thought, and I could only hope he didn't ask me to drink from the tea first.