Page 16 of Destined Mate (Cross Creek Pack of San DeLain)

Clyde’s truck rumbled down the path, loaded with equipment, causing it to jostle and shake. More pack members followed in their vehicles. After parking, he waved to the nearby vehicles. “Get the fuck out and get to work!”

Clyde turned to Jerome, eyeing him like a bug under a glass as he walked over. “It’s going to take us about two hours to get this set up. Hope you’re nice and cozy.”

Jerome shrugged and looked away, feigning disinterest, as he watched Elmer’s truck also arrive. He sucked in a breath as Elmer strode up to them.

“All going according to plan?” Elmer asked.

“Everything’s here,” Albert said quickly. “We’ll be ready—no mistakes, Alpha.”

“See that you are.” Elmer looked straight through Jerome and then moved off to survey the scene.

Time passed quickly as lights went up and generators roared to life, buzzing in the night air like angry metal bees. Cameras perched on tripods stared down into the circle’s center where Albert was setting up a raised platform—a makeshift stage for this particular humiliation.

Jerome watched as wires snaked from one piece of equipment to another. The pack swarmed like ants as Clyde installed monitors while Henry and Al adjusted camera angles under Elmer’s watchful gaze.

Albert muttered under his breath constantly as he double-checked everything in sight, gesturing wildly whenever something looked wrong or wasn’t done fast enough.

As Elmer strode over to Albert for an update, Jerome couldn’t help but notice the tension radiating from Albert’s rigid posture.

He hunched his shoulders, and his voice wavered slightly as he detailed their progress, a sure sign of his anxiety.

“It’ll be perfect, Alpha,” Clyde promised as he clambered down from a ladder where he’d been hanging a cluster of LED lights.

Elmer inclined his head slightly. “It’d better. I’m trusting you to make sure nothing goes wrong.”

Jerome wondered how often the two betas ended up on the wrong side of Elmer’s claws.

The torches that were part of the stone circle were lit, and all vehicles’ headlights were turned off. Thei flickering flames danced against the dark night sky, casting an eerie glow over the ancient stone circle. It was positively medieval.

The flames emitted a sharp, acrid smell that was not quite unpleasant but also not entirely pleasant. It mixed with the earthy scent of the stones and the crisp night air.

“Don’t screw this up,” Albert warned sharply, yanking Jerome out of the truck and guiding him to the middle of the stone circle.

The cold, unyielding wood felt harsh under Jerome’s bare feet, a chilling reminder of what this seemingly mundane stage signified. As he stood there, silhouetted against the flames from the torches, his vision blurred as his captors blended with the chaos of cables and cameras.

He bit his lip. Damn if he would cry, even if they could hear how his heart pounded.

He saw Clyde making final adjustments and shouting out last-minute orders. Everyone moved quickly, instinctively, knowing that any mistake could end in bloodshed. Jerome watched them work. Clyde shot a nervous glance at where Elmer stood.

The pack moved outside the stone circle, huddling together. He only just now noticed that none of the women were there.

The feeling of being watched had Jerome looking around, and he met Elmer’s gaze. The alpha moved with predatory grace toward the stage where Jerome stood, waiting for this atrocity to start.

Elmer’s gaze flickered between the cameras and Jerome, as if assessing every possibility and angle. The air was thick with tension, and the weight of the moment pressed down on Jerome like a heavy cloak.

It was time.

“We go live in three, two…” Clyde nodded to Elmer.

“Thank you for joining us tonight. You have been invited to a most exclusive auction. What we offer you is a prize beyond any of your imaginings.” He gestured at Jerome. “A prized omega with the gift to see the future.”

Jerome shivered at Elmer’s voice. It was smooth with malice, almost amused.

“I will not waste your time going over his many attributes—you can see them for yourselves. Instead,” he drawled, “we will start the bidding. Let’s open it at five hundred thousand.”

Jerome’s senses prickled as if charged with static. There was no turning back now. Albert watched triumphantly from near Clyde, who sat at a laptop, eagerly monitoring the activity there.

“Alpha,” Clyde shouted suddenly above the growing din of buzzing gear. “They’re fighting over him already!”

“I told you,” Elmer gloated off camera. “Nothing like this comes onto the market often.”

Jerome hated standing on this stupid stage, hated knowing alphas were staring at him, undressing him with their eyes. Their stares felt like burning coals, each glance a violation. Sweat slicked his palms as he endured it and fought not to shift like his wolf wanted.

Elmer moved back on camera. “And the bidding is now at one million! Do I see more than one million?”

The pack shifted uneasily as they witnessed the auction. He could only hope they wouldn’t do something stupid and get themselves killed.

“One point five million!” Clyde called out from where he sat hunched over the keyboard, fingers flying across the keys.

Albert smirked at each new shout from Clyde.

“One point seven million. One point eight million! Two million!”

Jerome couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Who paid that kind of money?

Clyde shook his head in disbelief. “They’re still bidding.”

“Good,” Elmer gloated.

“Three million,” Clyde yelled out minutes later.

Sweat glistened on Jerome’s forehead. He wondered if it was from tension or excitement. Probably excitement.

This was twisted. It was like watching a grotesque movie unfold on a massive projection screen, each dollar amount more horrifying and unsettling than the last, leaving him with a deep sense of unease and dread.

“Four million! Alpha—four million!” Clyde was practically dancing in place with manic energy.

Every camera focused on Jerome—their vicious digital gaze capturing these supposed final moments of freedom.

“Anyone else? Last call. Anyone? At all? No? No one? Take a good look. He’s worth every cent. Okay then, if no one is interested, then… sold!”

“Looks like we have our winner,” Clyde crowed. “Congratulations to the Silverwoods!”

Jerome could see the pack name blink furiously on the screen as all other bids vanished entirely from view—leaving the winning bid: Four million dollars.

“Congratulations to our winner—payment due immediately! Once the transfer is complete, the product will ship,” Elmer said to the cameras. “Thank you, alphas, and good evening.”

Jerome’s throat tightened with anger. Product? The hell? And how many times had they done this? They moved like a well-oiled machine—like this was something they did regularly.

“Well done,” Elmer said to Albert and Clyde as he took out his cell. “And there’s payment. Nice and fast. Good. Now, get him ready for shipment. We don’t want the Silverwoods thinking they got scammed.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Albert said.

The pack started dismantling equipment, others preparing crates. Albert and Clyde moved to Jerome’s side.

“Come on,” Albert taunted. “Time to go to your new home.”