Chapter Eight
Tyrone
I couldn’t believe how easy this was. If only everything in life was this easy. Have a dream. Follow the clues. Life turned out wonderfully.
This way to get our omega wasn’t ideal, but we were going to make it work. This ragtag, rebellious group of alphas would get who we came for.
“Who is that?” Cannon asked me, nodding toward the man who had hovered to the right of the stage, giving our omega the most disgusted of looks.
“Not sure. But he was there in my dream. I think he’s dangerous. It’s just a feeling I get. I’m not sure he’s going to do anything today but we have to keep an eye out, even after we get her home. I have a feeling he’s not going to let her go so easily.”
“You didn’t tell us about him.” Cannon wasn’t wrong.
“I know. It didn’t register until I saw him. My focus was on her.”
“They’re starting to take bids.”
They were but, to my joy, no one was bidding. Maybe it was her babbling about silly things or the way she stared into space, in a haze of sorts. Who knew how long it had been since someone slapped her across the face. Maybe she had a concussion.
Cannon raised our paddle, marked with our registered bidding number, as the auctioneer called out the lowest price he could offer. She had a reserve on her and thank the goddess we could afford it.
And after Cannon’s bid? Silence.
She had successfully run them all off from bidding on her.
Fine by us.
The mallet slammed on the desk, making the sale final. Not the way I wanted to find and woo our omega, but we were living in weird times where omegas were viewed as commodities instead of living people who could choose their own future.
I hoped she chose a future with us. My dreams told me she would.
We didn’t wait for the end of the auction.
There was no one else we wanted to see and the whole thing was gag-inducing.
As a pack, a sleuth, we made our way to the office and paid what we’d bid.
Thank goodness it was only a fraction of our combined finances.
Now, we would have some cushion to take care of whatever needs she had.
The stern-looking woman stared at us from above her reader lenses. “Number, please.”
We gave her the paddle and our registration card.
She cleared her throat and out came the man who was standing to the right of the stage with our omega behind him.
We were handed a receipt and gave over the money.
Not nearly as much as what we would’ve paid, but it was done and we could get her the hell out of here.
“There has been some mistake, gentlemen. What you bid was far too low for Millie. She is priceless to me.”
Millie. That was her name.
“You’re the one who is mistaken.” Cannon stepped forward and squared off his shoulders in front of the man.
My bear buzzed inside me. Though all of us were alphas, Cannon had the whole leadership and dominion thing down pat.
The man took a step back. “The receipt is signed and stamped. We have paid in full. You can read the sign, can’t you?
” Cannon pointed to the sign above the woman’s head that read: All Sales Final.
“No. No. This can’t be. I am her father, and I want to nullify the sale right this instant.”
Even the woman was perturbed with him, though she was the one who gave him the signal to come out. “You cannot, sir. The bidding was fair. The reserve was met. The money was paid. We go by a set of rules here, and they have abided by them all.”
“But there is a bride price. My Millie is untouched. She has been raised to be the perfect omega. She has an education.”
“Really?” I asked, putting my hand out for our omega. She was ours now and would never stand in someone else’s shadow ever again. Especially not this jackass’s. Millie took my hand and came to stand next to me. I ran my hand gently over her bruises. “She doesn’t seem untouched.”
Her father put his nose in the air as though he had the upper hand. He did not. “Every omega needs discipline. It was our right.”
“And now those rights have been revoked. And the auction price serves as the bride price.” Felix snarled at the man.
“You won’t get away with this. An unnamed sleuth no one has heard of? I will see this undone.”
Ugh, I knew this fucker was going to give us trouble. Today wouldn’t be the end of it.
“In the meantime, we’re taking our omega home. Millie?” Our sweet omega looked on the verge of tears. “Do you want to say goodbye to your father?”
She shook her head so hard, it gave me a bit of a headache.
“Then it’s settled. Come on, Millie. We’re going to take you home.”
She walked so slowly. Poor thing. She must’ve been starved, and we could probably only see a few of the bruises on the outside. Not to mention the ones on the inside.
We got her to the truck and Felix wrapped her up in a blanket after helping her with her seat belt. “Are you hungry?”
She didn’t shy away from him. I hoped she knew that we were here for her good, not to hurt her.
“Yes,” she said, no louder than a whisper.
“Let’s stop somewhere and get her something to eat before a wind gust takes her away from us,” Cannon offered. He hadn’t touched her yet. Her scent was faint, but all of us were already affected by it.
She was probably on suppressants and scent blockers, otherwise, all the alphas in the place would’ve fought over the omegas to the point of death. They were already evil and on the verge of being monsters. Their scents would’ve driven them over the edge.
“First, we have to get her far away from here,” I said.
Millie gave me a bit of a nod. We had things to share but first, there were her needs to take care of. I would have to tell her how we found her, and she would tell me how she spotted me in the crowd.
At least we got her out of the devil’s hands.