Page 5 of Lycan Prey (Little Secrets Duet #1)

Rhett holds his hand up to silence me, his aura rushing out and crushing me.

I hate that I was made a rogue. It has made my own aura non-existent until Rhett marks me; now I rather be a rogue.

“If you behave, I might consider not banishing you once your debt is paid, considering you have nowhere else to go after turning your back on your old pack.”

My heart shatters. “You sold me? I’m your mate! How could you sell me and believe that… that whore over me?” I scream, my voice raw with pain and anguish.

Rhett sneers, his eyes filled with contempt.

“The only person who will be a whore around here is you when King Soren picks you up tomorrow.” I gasp, remembering Soren and his son Max from earlier.

I suddenly feel sick; the same man who bought me a coffee has bought me as his sex slave?

Horror washes over me, but that explains the man’s aura, the control he has over it, and how everyone ran from him.

“Tomorrow?” I gasp, trying to piece together my morning and how it has turned so horribly wrong.

“Yes, tomorrow. You have no idea how humiliating it is knowing my mate stole from me and the King!”

My gaze darts back to him; a cold, cruel smile spreads across his face. “Don’t worry, he assured me you would be punished, that you earn back your debt. Lucky you, Aubrey, you get to lay on your back for the next five years for the King and his men,” he laughs.

“I bet you wish you fucked me now; maybe I might have kept you as my whore. Don’t worry, though, by the time the King is done with you, no one will want you.” His words feel like a death sentence, a cold, harsh reminder of the betrayal and cruelty that now defines our relationship.

Rhett’s face is stone-cold as he signals security to take me away. “Take her to the holding cells at the packhouse and keep her there until King Soren retrieves her tomorrow. I’ll deal with rejecting her tomorrow. I have a meeting in ten minutes with the King to discuss her punishment.”

It is as if I’m looking at someone who is a master of disguise but whose true colors are now visible. The illusion of Rhett Miles shatters, proving what I thought was love was just a mirage. To think I foolishly threw away my entire life for this man only for him to sell me like I’m property.

I glance to the door to see it blocked by two huge, burly men, one being Nathan, from the first floor.

There is no escaping. Rhett then picks up his phone and dials a number while leaning against his desk.

There is no fixing this, not after what he’s done.

The mate bond means nothing to me… why would he even try to protect me?

“Phillips?” Rhett speaks, and his eyes move to me, a cruel smile on his lips. “Tell him I have her. We’ll meet you at the drop-off site,” Rhett tells him. I widen my eyes in horror.

He truly sold me, sold his mate! My breath comes in sharp gasps as panic overwhelms me. Rhett, however, hangs up and moves closer.

“Let’s see how long you hang onto your precious V-card once your new owner gets his paws on you,” he mocks. Tears burn my eyes, anger fueling my next move, and before I realize what I’m doing, I slap him… hard… across the face.

The resounding clap of my hand hitting his cheek is loud in the quiet room as the guards behind me gasp. Rhett presses a hand to his cheek in utter shock, which lasts a second and then wears off. He moves before I can react, grabbing my hair and making me cry out.

Rhett’s grip on it tightens as he pins me down onto his desk, pressing my face into the smooth wood surface. I struggle against him, but his strength is too much for me to overpower. Tears spill from my eyes as I realize the truth of how little he cares for me.

“Or maybe I’ll take it, so you have something to remember me by,” he snarls.

Bianca shrieks and grabs his arm, trying to pull him off me.

“Rhett, what are you doing?” she panics, her eyes wide with fear.

Rhett only pushes her away roughly.

“Stay out of it, Bianca,” he growls, his eyes blazing with anger and possessiveness. “Though I may take you as my Luna, you have no say in what I do with my mate.”

Tears continue to stream down my face as I lay helpless beneath him.

Rhett’s hand moves down to my backside, squeezing it roughly as he leans closer to my ear. “I guess, I’ll see you bleed after all,” The statement fills me with disgust and revulsion. How can someone who claims to love me be so cruel?

“How could you do this?” I sob out, the question more pleading than angry.

Rhett pulls away from me, standing straight and smoothing out his suit jacket. He glares down at me with cold disdain in his eyes. “It’s just business, sweetheart.”

Rhett’s grip tightens, and I struggle against him until Nathan speaks up. “Alpha, I think your guests have arrived.”

Rhett stops. I can hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears like a drum. He shoves me, and I hastily stand, rushing toward the doors. I would rather take my chances with the guard.

“Send them in,” Rhett rumbles. Nathan nods, seizing my arm. “I’ll see you later, Aubrey. After all, I now have to punish you for thinking you can put your hands on me.”

I gulp as Nathan yanks me out the door, only to realize Nathan has lied about anyone waiting to see Rhett.

I glance up at him.

“What were you thinking?” he hisses at me, leading me to the elevator. I wasn’t thinking clearly.

Anxiety courses through me fiercely the closer we draw to the elevator, and I must act fast if I want to escape my guards.

As security officers drag me into the elevator, I know this is my only chance.

I did not throw away my Alpha title to be pimped out by my mate and sold off like some rogue whore.

I keep my eyes ahead as I slip my hand into my bag and grasp my deodorant can. I bide my time until the elevator doors open.

As soon as the elevator dings, signaling we’ve reached the foyer floor, my finger slips over the plunger. I spray Nathan in the face, temporarily blinding him.

I hastily close my eyes to avoid getting any in them.

The smell of the artificial lavender assaults my nose.

I ignore it, focusing on freeing myself from Nathan’s grip.

He stumbles back, yelling in surprise and pain.

Using that to my advantage, I knee the other officer in the groin, causing him to crumble to the floor.

Nathan lunges at me; however, my years of training as an Alpha’s daughter kick in, and I see it coming.

I sidestep Nathan’s attack, giving me the opportunity to kick him in the stomach, causing him to double over.

I then knee him in the face. The other officer, still clutching his groin, tries to grab me.

I quickly react by gripping his hair and slamming his head into the elevator wall.

With the two of them incapacitated, I step over their slumped bodies and scoop up my handbag.

Taking a deep breath, I straighten my posture and calmly walk out of the elevator.

I can feel the eyes of the people in the lobby on me as I saunter out as if nothing happened.

I lift my chin and keep my gaze ahead, not stopping until I reach the glass sliding doors. The moment I step outside, I run.