The first thing Alice Sterling noticed when she entered the underground auction was the smell.

Blood.

Smoke.

And something animalistic beneath it all.

She pulled her coat tighter around herself and kept walking.

No one here looked at her twice.

That was exactly what she wanted.

The abandoned warehouse had been transformed into an illegal marketplace hidden beneath the city. Men in expensive suits stood beside criminals with weapons tucked beneath their jackets. Money changed hands in quiet whispers. Behind thick glass cages, supernatural creatures were displayed like merchandise.

Alice had heard rumors about this place for months.

Tonight, she had come to see if they were true.

Her fingers tightened around the small black purse hanging from her shoulder.

Inside was almost everything she had left.

Money she'd spent years saving.

Money that was supposed to become the beginning of a new life.

Tonight, she was prepared to spend it on something else.

Someone else.

A loud metallic clang echoed through the room.

The crowd fell silent.

A man stepped onto the raised platform.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen."

His smile was cold.

"Tonight's final auction will be something special."

A curtain behind him lifted.

Alice stopped breathing.

Two cages stood side by side.

Two men were inside.

No.

Not men.

Wolves.

Even in their human forms, there was something unmistakably wild about them.

The first was tall and broad-shouldered, his silver-white hair falling messily over his forehead. His wrists were bruised, and dried blood marked one side of his face.

But his eyes were what caught Alice.

Gray.

Cold.

Furious.

He wasn't begging.

He wasn't afraid.

He was staring at the crowd as though every person in the warehouse was beneath him.

The second wolf sat against the bars of his cage.

His hair was darker—black threaded with gray—and one leg was twisted awkwardly beneath him.

Unlike his brother, he looked exhausted.

His blue eyes were dull with pain.

Alice's chest tightened.

"They're twins," the auctioneer announced. "Rare bloodline. Extremely valuable."

A murmur moved through the crowd.

"Both have exceptional strength."

The auctioneer smiled.

"But unfortunately, only one is available for purchase tonight."

Alice's eyes snapped toward him.

Only one?

She stepped closer.

"Why?"

The auctioneer's gaze landed on her.

"Because the injured one is considered damaged goods."

Alice looked back at the second wolf.

Damaged.

The word made something inside her burn.

He wasn't merchandise.

He was a person.

"How much?" she asked.

The auctioneer smiled.

"Which one?"

Alice's gaze returned to the silver-haired wolf.

He was watching her.

Not pleading.

Not asking for help.

Just watching.

"I'll take him."

A few people laughed.

The auctioneer raised an eyebrow.

"You haven't heard the price."

"I asked how much."

"One hundred thousand."

Alice swallowed.

She had that much.

Barely.

The auctioneer's smile widened.

"Two hundred."

Her heart sank.

The man beside her whispered, "Don't waste your money."

Alice ignored him.

She stared at the wolf behind the glass.

The silver-haired man suddenly stepped forward.

Chains rattled around his wrists.

His eyes locked with hers.

And for one impossible second—

Alice heard a voice inside her head.

**Run.**

She froze.

The wolf's lips hadn't moved.

Yet she had heard him.

Clearly.

**Run before they make you their next prisoner.**

Alice's pulse thundered.

She should have walked away.

Every sensible instinct screamed at her to leave.

Instead, she lifted her chin.

"Two hundred thousand."

The room went silent.

The auctioneer blinked.

"Are you certain?"

Alice placed her purse on the table.

"Yes."

The bidding ended almost immediately.

No one wanted to challenge her.

The auctioneer smiled as if he'd just won something himself.

"Congratulations, Ms. Sterling."

The cage opened.

Two guards grabbed the silver-haired wolf.

He fought immediately.

The sound of metal hitting concrete rang through the warehouse.

"Hold him!"

Alice flinched as the guards forced him down.

His gray eyes found hers again.

There was hatred in them.

And something else.

Something she couldn't understand.

"Get your hands off him!" Alice snapped.

The guards looked at her.

The auctioneer chuckled.

"He's yours now."

Those words made her stomach twist.

"Yours."

Alice stepped forward.

"Take off his restraints."

The auctioneer laughed.

"You bought the wolf. You didn't buy our trust."

"I paid two hundred thousand dollars."

"And?"

Alice's expression hardened.

"And if he leaves this building with another bruise, I'll make sure everyone in this room knows exactly what kind of business you're running."

The auctioneer's smile disappeared.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Finally, he gestured toward the guards.

"Release him."

The chains dropped.

The silver-haired wolf stumbled forward.

Alice expected him to run.

Instead, he stood directly in front of her.

He was taller than she'd expected.

Much taller.

His silver-white hair fell across his eyes as he looked down at her.

"You shouldn't have bought me."

His voice was low.

Rough.

Alice stared up at him.

"Why?"

"Because I'm not grateful."

"I didn't buy you because I wanted gratitude."

His jaw tightened.

"Then why?"

Alice didn't know how to explain it.

Maybe because she knew what it felt like to be unwanted.

Maybe because she'd spent years watching people take things from her mother's life until there was almost nothing left.

Maybe because she'd walked away from her father's house carrying one suitcase and had promised herself she would never stand by while someone else was powerless again.

She simply said:

"Because you needed someone to."

Something changed in his eyes.

Only for a second.

Then the wall came back.

"I don't need anyone."

Alice almost smiled.

"Good."

He frowned.

"Good?"

"Because I don't need another person depending on me."

For the first time, the corner of his mouth moved.

Not quite a smile.

But close.

Then a scream echoed from behind them.

Alice turned.

The injured twin had collapsed inside his cage.

Her heart stopped.

"Wait."

She rushed toward him.

The auctioneer grabbed her arm.

"You bought one."

Alice looked at the injured wolf.

Then at the silver-haired one beside her.

The brothers stared at each other through the bars.

And suddenly Alice understood.

They weren't just brothers.

They were bonded.

Whatever happened to one affected the other.

The silver-haired wolf's expression changed.

Fear.

Real fear.

"Don't leave him."

Alice looked at him.

"You said you didn't need anyone."

His eyes hardened.

"I don't."

He looked toward his brother.

"But he does."

Alice turned back to the auctioneer.

"How much for him?"

The auctioneer smiled.

"That one isn't for sale."

Alice's blood ran cold.

"Everyone has a price."

"Not him."

The auctioneer leaned closer.

"That wolf belongs to someone much more powerful."

Alice looked through the bars at the injured twin.

His blue eyes slowly opened.

He looked directly at her.

And then—

A strange warmth spread through Alice's chest.

Her heartbeat stumbled.

The injured wolf's pupils widened.

The silver-haired wolf suddenly grabbed her wrist.

His expression had gone pale.

"What did you do?"

Alice stared at him.

"I didn't do anything."

He looked at her hand.

Then at his brother.

For the first time since she'd entered the auction, the anger disappeared from his face.

Only fear remained.

Because something had happened.

Something neither of them understood.

And somewhere deep inside Alice—

Something had awakened.

"The auction hadn't just given her one wolf."

"It had tied her fate to both of them."