Chapter 4

Chloe's POV

The servants finished dressing me and stepped aside.

I barely recognized the woman staring back from the mirror. My hair had been styled, and the simple clothes I'd arrived in had been replaced with a clean dress.

I didn't know what kind of Alpha I was about to face. But judging by the effort Balthazar had put into preparing me, I already knew he intended to sell me for as much as possible.

Balthazar studied me from head to toe.

His eyes narrowed.

"No. That won't do."

He turned toward the servants.

"Clean her up properly. Cover the bruises. The dress is wrong. She needs something that shows her worth. If we're presenting merchandise to the Alpha, then package her like it."

The servants immediately went back to work.

They covered my bruises carefully and replaced the dress with something more fitted and expensive.

By the time they finished, I felt less like a prisoner and more like merchandise being prepared for display.

I didn't understand why any of it mattered, but Balthazar clearly wasn't taking any chances.

He turned toward me.

"You'll serve Alpha Gideon while we discuss business. Keep his glass filled, don't speak unless you're spoken to, and don't do anything stupid."

Gideon.

My stomach dropped. He was coming back.

I had thought his interest in me had ended when he walked away yesterday.

I swallowed. "What happens if I make a mistake?"

His expression hardened. "You saw what happens to disobedient women here. Don't give me a reason to make an example of you."

The threat was enough.

I followed him toward the main building without another word.

The moment I entered the room, my eyes found Gideon.

He sat on a large leather chair dressed entirely in black, his broad shoulders relaxed as though he owned not only the room but everyone inside it. His heavy combat boots rested against the marble floor, and several men wearing the black wolf crest stood behind him.

Balthazar, who terrified everyone in his territory, immediately became more careful in Gideon's presence.

Then Gideon's eyes landed on me.

That strange feeling returned.

My chest tightened so suddenly that I struggled to breathe, and an unfamiliar weakness spread through my legs. I tried to steady myself, but my knees gave out before I could understand what was happening.

Balthazar shoved me forward. My knees buckled, and I fell directly beside Gideon's combat boots.

Embarrassment rushed through me.

Balthazar cursed quietly behind me, but I barely heard him. Gideon was staring down at me with those cold eyes, and being this close to him made the strange sensation inside me even stronger.

I placed one hand against the floor and tried to stand.

"Stay."

His voice stopped me.

Before I could look up, the tip of his boot slipped beneath my chin. Gideon slowly raised my face with it, forcing me to meet his gaze.

My entire body stiffened.

There was something humiliating about being inspected this way, yet I didn't dare push his boot away after Balthazar's warning. My body trembled as I forced myself to remain still, terrified of what one wrong move might cost me.

Gideon's gaze moved slowly across my face.

"Have you ever been in a relationship?"

I blinked.

Of all the questions I expected from him, that wasn't one of them.

"No."

His eyes narrowed.

"Never?"

I shook my head. "I've never been in a relationship."

My words seemed to strike a nerve. His jaw tightened, and the look in his eyes turned cold enough to make me wonder what I had said wrong.

Without warning, Gideon moved his boot and shoved me aside. I caught myself with both hands before my face could hit the floor.

What was wrong with him?

If he didn't believe me, why did he bother asking?

I pushed myself into a sitting position, only to catch Balthazar's pointed look toward the wine bottle. Remembering his warning, I got to my feet and poured wine into their glasses.

Neither man paid attention to me after that.

"The eastern routes remain valuable to both of us," Balthazar said. "I assume that's why you returned."

"Thirty percent," Gideon replied.

Balthazar frowned. "That wasn't our agreement."

"It is now."

"That's unreasonable."

Gideon finally looked at him. "So were the shipments you moved through my territory without declaring them."

Balthazar went silent.

I watched from beside the table as the color drained from his face. Gideon hadn't raised his voice once, yet Balthazar suddenly looked like the weaker man.

"Thirty percent," Balthazar finally agreed.

Gideon gave a slight nod and returned to his drink.

He never looked at me again.

Maybe I'd been wrong. Maybe he really hadn't returned for me.

By the time he left the room, I had almost convinced myself that Balthazar had been wrong.

Gideon hadn't returned for me.

He had returned to renegotiate his business agreement.

Balthazar's pleasant expression vanished the moment Gideon was gone.

"Take her away."

A guard immediately grabbed my arm.

"Where?" I asked.

"Processing."

That word made my stomach tighten.

Balthazar barely looked at me. "The next buyer is waiting. There's no point wasting any more time on her."

The guard began dragging me toward the door. I went quietly, my stomach twisting at the thought of what awaited me.

We had almost reached the exit when hurried footsteps sounded behind us.

"Lord Balthazar."

Balthazar stopped. "What?"

I turned to see a man glance briefly at me before looking at Balthazar.

"I'm Ken, Alpha Gideon's personal guard. He left me with one instruction."

Balthazar's eyebrows lifted.

Ken pointed toward me.

"He'll take the girl."

My heart stopped.