A Mate's Betrayal, An Alpha's Claim.

Camila's POV

The morning air inside the cabin was still and heavy, thick with the scent of burning wood. I had barely slept, my mind circling the same terrifying truth—today was the auction. Today, I was being sold.

I sat in silence as a plate of food was placed in front of me. Real food. More than I had eaten in weeks. My stomach twisted, unsure whether to trust this kindness or reject it.

"Eat," a woman's voice instructed.

I looked up to find one of Alpha Nathaniel's workers watching me with a blank expression. Judging by her looks, she wasn't a slave, but she wasn't free either.

I hesitated. Was this another game? Another test of obedience?

But the hunger won. I picked up the fork with unsteady hands and took a bite. The warmth of the food spread through me, chasing away the cold that had settled in my bones for so long.

Nathaniel was feeding me. Dressing me. Preparing me.

For what?

I already knew.

After I ate, I was led to a large wooden tub near the fire. A bath—my first real bath in longer than I could remember. I scrubbed away the dirt and the past, the water turning murky. When I stepped out, my skin was raw from how hard I had scrubbed.

That's when I saw it.

The dress.

It was draped over the wooden chair near the fire, made of deep emerald silk. The kind of fabric meant for wealth and power. The kind of dress I had never worn before.

"Put it on," the woman said.

I stared at it, my stomach churning.

Dressing me up. Bathing me. Feeding me.

It wasn't kindness. It was preparation.

For the auction.

For them to parade me in front of Alpha Greene and the others.

A sharp pain spread through my chest, but I swallowed it back. There was no point fighting now. I was out of choices.

So, I did as I was told.

The journey to Silvercrest Park was quiet.

Nathaniel rode beside me, his presence overwhelming even in silence. Warriors flanked us on either side, their sharp eyes watching everything. But none of them looked at me.

Not yet.

I recognized the land before we even arrived.

Silvercrest Park.

Alpha Greene's territory.

The moment we crossed into it, dread coiled deep in my stomach, squeezing my lungs. My hands trembled in my lap, my nails digging into the fabric of my dress.

And then—

A shout.

"She's here!"

My heart lurched as Silvercrest warriors rushed forward, their hands gripping their weapons.

I barely had time to react before one of them stepped toward me, reaching for my arm.

"She's a runaway! Alpha Greene ordered her capture—"

A low growl rumbled beside me.

Nathaniel didn't move. Didn't raise his voice.

Yet the air shifted, thick with dominance.

"She is with me," he said.

The warriors hesitated. Their instincts screamed at them to obey their Alpha's orders—but this was Nathaniel Blackwood.

A warrior swallowed, lowering his head. "Alpha Greene will want to see her."

"I know," Nathaniel said coolly. "And he will."

The warriors exchanged uneasy glances but stepped back.

I let out a slow breath, my pulse still thundering.

But it wasn't over yet.

Inside the grand hall, the scent of expensive whiskey and power filled the air. Slaves were lined up at the far end, some trembling, some empty-eyed. Men—Alphas, Betas, and warriors—gathered in seats arranged in a semi-circle.

Nathaniel walked forward, his grip firm on my wrist, guiding me toward an empty seat.

"Sit," he ordered.

I obeyed without thinking, my heart slamming against my ribs.

Then the doors swung open.

And he walked in.

Alpha Greene.

His eyes found me instantly.

His face twisted in something unreadable, but I could feel the rage simmering beneath his cold expression. He took one step forward, his lips parting—

Nathaniel shifted.

"She. Is. With. Me."

His voice, dark and absolute, cut through the tension like a blade.

Alpha Greene's jaw ticked, his gaze flicking between Nathaniel and me.

He wouldn't challenge Nathaniel. Not here. Not now.

But I could see it in his eyes.

This wasn't over.

And then—

Another arrival.

The doors opened again.

Aiden. 

He walked in, his steps easy, his expression unreadable. But he wasn't alone.

Sasha clung to his arm, her smile sickly sweet. Their fingers were entwined. Their bodies close.

Too close.

The room blurred around me.

I had expected pain. Expected betrayal.

But seeing it—feeling it—was worse.

My vision swam, my nails biting into my palms.

Had this been planned all along?

Had they wanted me gone so Aiden could be free to have her?

Alpha Greene had been pressing him to marry Sasha for months. And now, here they were, standing together, looking…perfect.

Like they belonged together.

Like I had never mattered.

Aiden didn't even look at me.

Not once.

I swallowed hard, forcing my face into a blank mask.

I would not break here.

I would not let them see.

"The auction will now begin," Alpha Greene's voice rang out.

I stiffened.

Then his gaze landed on me again, and a slow smirk curled his lips.

"There is one particular slave," he announced, his eyes glinting with something cruel. "One that is worth far more than the rest."

A chill ran down my spine.

He meant me.

My throat closed, my pulse hammering as whispers filled the room.

Then the bidding started.

Numbers were thrown out—one after the other, climbing higher, spiraling out of control.

Alphas. Betas. Strangers.

They were all trying to buy me.

But Nathaniel sat still. Unmoved.

Until, finally, he spoke.

And when he did, his voice cut through the noise like a knife.

"Five hundred thousand."

Silence.

A heavy, suffocating silence.

Alpha Greene's eyes darkened, his lips curling in displeasure.

No one could match that bid.

No one would dare to.

I was his now.

And just like that…

I was no longer Silvercrest's prisoner.

I was Nathaniel Blackwood's.

A sharp movement caught my eye.

Aiden. 

His knuckles had gone white against the arms of his chair, his jaw locked so tight it looked painful.

He was furious.

But he didn't speak.

Not yet.

Not until he finally turned—and looked at me.

The moment our eyes met, something dark and dangerous flickered in his gaze.

Then, slowly, his lips parted—

And the next words that came from his mouth shattered the last fragile piece of my heart.

"No. This isn't happening."

The room turned deathly quiet.

Nathaniel didn't move.

I didn't breathe.

But Aiden did.

He stood.

And when he did, his rage was unmistakable.

I braced myself.

Because this?

This was far from over.