Page 4 of Omega Captive of the Golden Dragon (Alpha Dragons #3)

CAYLEN

I packed in a rush.

“Take only essentials,” Erl said when he got on the phone with me. “We have an immediate buyer.”

It didn’t surprise me he wanted to sell me so fast. Money first. That was the way Erl ran the pack. But I had counted on that. I needed to leave now. A clean break. No goodbyes. Not even to my weeping parents in the next room.

I grabbed my backpack with a change of clothes and some toiletries.

I would have to leave behind everything else, including my prized rock collection.

I moved toward my window, pausing before the shelves of minerals, then grabbing my favorite crystal, a polished palm-sized quartz point with gold filaments running through it.

I quickly threw it into my pack, then climbed out my window and ran through the tree shadows toward Cornerstone Road where Erl said he’d have a car waiting.

Tears streamed down my face, but I didn’t look back.

A black limo sat at the curb, engine humming, exhaust sending little plumes of white clouds into the air behind it. Two men, dressed all in black, got out and hustled me into the back. I sat on black leather seats with them facing me.

I frowned at them. “I came of my own free will. I’m not going to run away.”

“Erl’s instructions,” one replied.

“He didn’t bother coming himself, I suppose,” I said.

“Of course not. It is the middle of the night. But a private plane is being readied for you as we speak.”

Private? I must be bringing in a lot of money for them to provide that. I suppose they couldn’t get rid of me too soon in order to fill their coffers.

I shook inside—deep muscle knotting shudders—but I stuck out my chin, head up.

I wasn’t going to let these bulked up guys see me any other way.

Their pack leader was throwing me out like last night’s trash.

He didn’t even recognize me as enough of a person to send off himself.

Well, I refused to play into that. I vowed to show only dignity and self-respect as I walked alone to my fate.

One of Erl’s minions accompanied me onto the plane. He didn’t say a word to me during the entire flight. What a rude babysitter.

The sun was just about to come up when the plane landed, the sky all soft green and pink at the horizon.

Three dragon shifters greeted me on the tarmac and hustled me into another limo.

One of the dragons wore shiny gilt robes and spoke rapidly to me, his eyes big and bright as if he was overly excited.

“I’ve got buyers lined up for this morning. There will be no time for sleep or food. You’ll need to be prepped fast. Are you a crier? I don’t like them to see that unless your tears are silent and beautiful. So if you need to cry, get it over with now.”

My throat tightened in fear. I didn’t feel like crying in front of these strangers, but I didn’t know how I’d react with buyers looking at me, or maybe even touching me. What if I lost it?

I gulped, then spoke firmly, not looking any of them in the face.

“If I cry, I cry.”

The gilt dragon guy tittered. “Feisty? Good. They like that.” Then, without warning, his hand snapped out and he grabbed my chin, tilting my head to face him.

“Gorgeous, too, aren’t you? You’d think that would be an asset.

” His hand loosened but still held my chin.

“It is for me. It brings more money. But don’t forget,” he hissed.

“The pretty ones tend to go to the rougher clients, or the alphas with kinks for messing up perfection.”

I balked, my cheeks heating.

“See?” the omega slave dealer continued.

“Like that reaction right there. So hot and enticing to the rough ones.” His thick eyebrows narrowed.

“Best watch yourself pretty boy. If the breeder farms are looking for wolf stock who can provide litters, they’ll bid high, too.

Many cage their breeders. They’ll let the alphas rut you until you’re filled with babies. ”

My mind went blank for a moment. Bile rose in my throat. Before I knew what I was doing, I pulled back from his grip and spit at him. It sprayed his face.

One of the suited men grabbed me and slapped me before I could see the slaver’s reaction. A split-second later, I heard him squeal, then shout for tissues.

It was rather cramped as the slaver’s guards held me down on the floor of the limo for the rest of the ride.

When we stopped, I was manhandled out of the limo.

I expected to see a seedy alley with rundown warehouses where criminal business was done.

Instead, we were in a parking lot behind a resort hotel with ocean sounds crashing behind us.

The sun was up now. Everything was bright and shiny as I was led to a back entrance and pulled through kitchens redolent with breakfast aromas of fried eggs, bacon, sausage and pancakes.

My stomach growled. I hadn’t eaten since an early dinner the night before. At the same time, the thought of a meal right now made my entire body feel sick.

The men dragged me through employee hallways, past cleaning closets, laundry rooms and linen storage. Finally, I was thrust into a room where a dozen young men sat on chairs and couches. All were wearing gilt, silvery robes. All were omegas. Like me.

A man stepped forward, leading me away from my guards. “Hello. You’re the last one? Good. Let’s hurry and get you ready.” He looked at the guys behind me. “I’ve got him now. He’s not going to make any trouble.” He glanced at me. “Are you?” Then back at the goons. “You can wait outside.”

He took my hand and rushed me to a table where more silver robes were neatly folded. “Take your size, please, and change. Leave none of your other clothing on.”

I held out my small backpack with everything I brought. “What about this?”

“It will be delivered to your new home. If allowed.”

“If allowed?”

“Yes. Some alphas will allow you to keep things from the past. Others are not as agreeable.” He unfolded a robe and held it up to me, forcing me to take it in one hand.

“Hmm. This looks like a good fit. Go on, now. Change. Quickly.” He clapped.

“Quickly. Leave your pack with me. I’ll label it. What is your name?”

If I thought I wouldn’t cry before, now was the time I felt the tears draw up in the back of my throat. “Caylen.” My voice sounded raw and distant.

He tapped his tablet and made some noises with his tongue. “Okay. Got it. Now change. We have only minutes before the auction will start.”

“Where do I change?”

“Where you’re standing.”

“Right here? In front of everyone?”

“Kid, they don’t care. They’re all upset. I’m sorry but it’s the way. Many find great homes. You’re pretty. The odds are in your favor.”

That was the opposite of what the slaver had told me. I realized this man was in charge of keeping the calm. He was the liar.

I quickly undressed and put on the robe.

A thin, braided belt tied around the waist, but there was a slit up one side all the way to my waist, exposing my right leg and hip.

The material was diaphanous. All anyone needed to do to see the rest of me from the waist-down was to pull the front or back skirt aside.

My clothes lay in a pile around my feet.

“Go on,” the man said. “Put your clothes in the bin. I’m not picking up after you.”

My hands shook as I obeyed. I glanced about the room again to see how the other omegas were reacting. The atmosphere dripped with misery. Most had their heads bowed. Some were shaking with emotion. Two watched me with glazed, drugged eyes.

Would I be drugged, too?

I waited for the man to hand me pills and a drink. Instead, he motioned me to a chair. “Sit and be quiet about it or I’ll have to call the doctor. You don’t want that.”

I blinked, sitting fast. Did others fight and have to be sedated? No, I didn’t want any doctor.

But then again…. Maybe that would be better. My heart was beating so fast and hard I thought it would rip through my chest. My skin was clammy and hot. When I heard the door open and the call for the slaves, my vision blurred.

The goons returned, making sure everyone lined up straight and in some sort of pre-designated order. Then we were ordered out.

I was at the end of the row, blindly following the white robe in front of me.

Down another hall and through a pair of heavy double doors we went.

I could smell the ocean, the salt air dotting my cheeks and lips.

Sunlight streamed through a slatted, patio rooftop, warm against the top of my head. My skin went cold, then hot again.

I craned my neck to look beyond the omegas in front of the line. Through the blur of my shock, I saw what looked like a huge outside dining area. Fountains lined the background, the sound of splashing water making everything seem serene. It was anything but that.

Men sat at round tables facing a stage. The omegas were being led up back steps to the dais where there was a podium. Beside it, the slaver who’d met me at the airport stood beaming.

It all looked so ordinary. Like a daily occurrence at the hotel with event planners putting on a fancy breakfast and nice show. Except the show wasn’t nice in any way.

I started to trip and reached out to the omega in front of me to catch myself.

“Hey, asshole!” He turned, dark curls spiraling over his face, pupils blown, his rage quick. He had no empathy for me. He was dealing with his own shit.

“Sorry.”

The steps up to the stage seemed to wobble. Something hard hit my knees. What was happening to the earth beneath me?

“Caylen, get up. Caylen.” The voice came from a sort of echo chamber.

I opened my eyes to see the liar leaning over me. He put his hand on one shoulder. The other yanked at my arm. He was freakishly strong as he pulled me up to lean against the railing on the side of the steps.

“Up you get, now. Can you hear me? Can you walk?”

I blinked, trying to remake the world again.

But it was the wrong world, not the one I’d been promised when I was a little boy growing up in my pack.

Not the universe that held the possibility for me to have a career, to run through the wild north woods as the wolf I was meant to be.

It was all messed up, this new place, a nightmare unfolding that would never end.

I had second thoughts about running away to die of starvation in the woods. With what I faced now, it seemed maybe that would have been the better option.

Too late now.

"Caylen, can you understand me?”

I nodded, looking at the liar. “Yes.”

“Can you walk?”

“Yes.”

“Best go right up those steps, then, and catch up with the others. You don’t want to bring undo attention to yourself. The weird ones like that.”

I gulped and walked onto the stage, blinking through my daze. I caught up to the other slaves and copied their movements, facing out toward our audience.

The slaver I’d spit on in the limo stood at the podium laughing and bowing as a strange sound rose from the tables. I realized after a few dumbstruck seconds it was applause.

The slaver held up his arms and the applause dimmed.

“Gentlemen, we have a fantastic selection today, as you can see."

More applause, quicker to die down this time.

“You have been briefed on the protocols and how to make your bids. If you’ve been here before, you know how it all goes. The omegas will hold the line while those of you who wish to examine them come up to do so. Please keep it orderly.”

Chairs screeched back as people stood. A line formed by the side of the stage.

Within seconds, alphas were moving up and down the line, dozens of them. I was groped and petted, fingers going into my mouth. The first time a thumb went up my ass, I cried out at the forceful cruelty. The alpha in front of me who was examining my mouth gave me a hard slap.

“Shut up, omega.”

It was such a shock I nearly blanked out again. How I kept myself standing, I didn’t know.

No one had ever treated me this way before. I could do nothing but take it. Crude things were said. But one voice stood out, whispering softly in my ear. “I have you. Don’t worry. You’ll be taken somewhere safe. I promise.”

I looked up at the man, but he had turned away by then and all I saw was the back of his head. Dark hair. Wearing a black suit. He wandered off the stage and to a table that was in shadows.

How did that one know he would win me? How could he be so sure?

When the exams were finally done, I jumped in startlement as the slaver hit the podium with a gavel.

“Now that you’re all seated, the auction will begin. First up is a nineteen-year-old named Orin.”

A ringing in my ears made it hard to hear anything more. I looked down at the stage at my feet. That was all I focused on before my name was called to end the morning with the last omega for sale. Me.