Her Second Chance is Four Vampires

Auction

Penelope's pov

Darkness. Cold.

I guess this is where it all ends. This is where I'm going to die. With bright lights flashing on my eyes, nearly burning them and my arms bound to my back so tight that blood had stopped flowing to them a while ago. I didn't know it was possible to feel dead while your heart worked. But you learn something new every day. The pack, wild coyote- a foolish name for a bunch of assholes- are in deep debt with a neighboring pack.

If they get the money by the end of this week, there will be problems. And like the wise man our alpha is, he's forcing me to sell my body and virginity.

My mother thought I would be safe after her death. In a way, I blame my parents for this. They should have taken me and ran off. They shouldn't have stayed in the pack. It would have been a far better life than the one I've received here.

Shaking my head, I glanced down. Fear threatening to knock me out from seeing how high I was placed. Being tied is one thing, but being placed in a cage and hoisted up into the air is another thing. My breath is stuck somewhere in my throat, I can't feel my hands.

And I've cried so much, I can't cry anymore. They've dyed my hair black, placed me in a red dress to make me look more presentable.

I've never felt so violated and angry in my life. Yet I am helpless. The alpha have made his decision to earn through my suffering. What more can I do?

Just wait to see what happens. What happens when I'm bought and given away to someone. All those dreams of my first love, my first kiss, my mate, my first time, have been shown the door.

Life is great. I wish I could say that without laughing bitterly.

I closed my eyes and blocked out all sounds. My ears were re opened when a loud bell rang, too close for my liking.

I bit my lip to keep from screaming.

This time when I glanced down, there were people staring back at me. All of them too old to be here or too creepy.

One for them, a particular man with a brown mask covering the right half of his face trained his eyes on mine. I couldn't see his expression, his face blocked off.

My skin crawled, he might be the worst of them all.

"We'll be starting off our biding for our first specimen. An omega of hours. A fast runner. Quiet. And very obedient. She'll do anything for food, so-" he clicked off his tongue and the men laughed. He being the alpha. Ryker's bastard father.

Parents murderer.

I could list more names.

It wouldn't matter. He won at the end. This world has no place for good people.

"Let's start the auction on a small price. 100,000 dollars?"

A man towards the end of the left row raised something up. It had a number on it.

"We have 100,000 going to number fifty. Do I hear anything higher?"

"200,000!"

"Splendid offer. Do I hear anything higher than that?"

"500,000!"

A gasp shot out across the room. They seemed stunned but then I watched smiles break in their faces. Some stole looks at me before more numbers were called.

This went on for five full minutes. I counted each second like my life depended on it.

Because it did.

"850,000!"

The alpha was reveling in all of this. No doubt the pack would still have spare change by the end of this.

"Do I hear anything higher than 850,000?"

This time silence was clear. No one wanted to pay anything higher. I should be glad that someone was willing to spend more than five dollars for me. I'll be sure to send them my thanks when I'm dead.

I rolled my shoulders, everything hurt. s**t. The ropes burned into my skin from how tight it is.

"850,000. Going once."

My heart punched my ribs so hard, it hurt.

"Going twice."

Another thump and I wanted to shout at my body to stop. I know the situation is bad. There's no need to make it worse.

"Six million dollars."

I batted my eyes. What? I must have misheard. I've never been in a place where silence was louder than anything else. Even my own skittered breathing couldn't compare to this.

I couldn't find the person from my position. It felt uncomfortable to even twist my neck.

"E-excuse me?" the alpha stuttered for the first time.

"You heard me loud and clear." A sophisticated tone, I picked up. This man wasn't speaking loud, but he knew we could all hear his words.

"Two million dollars. Um going once-"

"No one's going to outbid me. And I said six million. So just say sold and let's get to the finalizing of my new purchase."

There's such a deep command in his voice. Like everything has to go his way or no way at all. I respected that amount of power as much as I feared it.

I allowed my eyes to close, unable to cry or do anything.

"Sold!" The alpha obeyed. Shockingly.

The cage begun to descend and I awaited my new life.

Six minutes later someone is running up to the cage to let me out. They turned me around, slicing through the thick rope careful not to touch my skin. Such fake tenderness. I don't even know this wolf.

I was led away from the stage, my body shaking and struggling to move on its own.

I walked behind this wolf, a female, until we were out of the building. Is this the back route?

The only thing I could see was Ryker, and two black cars. When the female bowed, and let go of my hand, I came face to face with a man that I've only ever heard stories about. A man I've only seen on the news, and in magazines.

Bloody Monthly.

The king of the south. The king of vampires. The only vampire king from the direct bloodline of the first vampire.

Every wolf's nightmare, King Alfred Salvatore.

My heart sped up, like it had taken a boost and was running a marathon for its life.

"Do you speak little thing?" Tall and mighty, he belittled me with his words. I wanted to shrink into my own skin.

"....." my mouth falls open but nothing comes out. My brain is too focused on what he could do to me with his blood red eyes and his empty expression, that somehow looks like he's pissed off.

"She can speak, she's just-"

"I don't recall asking you to talk." He shuts Ryker down, and I take a little bit of satisfaction in seeing him cower like a b***h.

If only I could be the one causing him to act like that.

"I can talk." I finally find my voice.

"Name."

"Penelope Rogan?"

"Hmmm. The file says you're eighteen?"

I nod. His state hardens letting me know I've made the wrong move. "Yes sir."

"Good. Get in the car, you belong to me now."

"Yes sir."

A little smile tugs up his lips, it's faint and my god- it is sadistic. Geezus.

He steps to side, allowing me to walk towards one of the cars with the back seat door open. I slide towards the end, and placed in my seatbelt.

I'm small in the car. Like a tiny person in a big jeep.

I'm not even that short but I feel like I am.

The king shocks me by entering the car, his body fits it perfectly. This care was made for a man like him. A man this tall. The door locks, silence follows us as the engines revs and the car starts to move.

"Would you like you know where I'm taking you?"

I'm about to respond with a gesture of my head when he side eyes with me, and I felt my heart almost implode from how frightening that look was.

"Yes. I would like to know."

"You learn fast. That's good." He praises, all I can do is thank him. What else can I say? "We're going to the United kingdom."

Oh god.

No.

If this world disagrees on everything, they will all agree that the UK is a bad spot for anyone who isn't a vampire. Because they run it.

"We're going to England. Don't worry, I want nothing to do with your virginity."

My surprise can't be masked. "Really?"

"What would I want with a child's virginity? I bought you for a different reason. If you do it right, I will give you own personal paradise, away from it all."

Huh?

"You'll grant me freedom, if I do what right?"

"I don't want to discuss this when we arrive at my palace, because we'll be preparing you for your enrollment into Havoc Academy."

Panic restarts in me. Havoc Academy breeds the vampires that terrorize wolves today. They raise and train vampires to hate everything that isn't their kind. They call us peasants.

Trust me I know.

Once every year, all the great schools in the world comes together to prove who is superior.

The tournament is broadcasted for everyone to see.

Havoc Academy has won for the past ten years. They're clearly doing something right in that school because they keep providing superior vampires and the world already has enough.

"I can tell you're familiar with it. Your job is simple. I will even have a contract, holding me accountable if I don't give you your freedom at the end of it. If you do it right, you can have anything."

I'm both curious and terrified. I want to know. What does he want me to do?

"I need you to pretend, convince the entire school, that you are my son's mate."

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused. Pay attention. I don't repeat words."

My throat bobbed. I do not have choice. If I'm being honest, which is something I'm always doing, I'd take this over losing my virginity to... no offense.... a vampire.

"You will pretend that you are mated to my son. And you will do it right! That means public dates, keeping your grades in his level, handholding, kissing, anything that involves the public, you will do. Let then think, you're madly in love."

I am the worst person for this job.

"Uh- how long do I need to do this?"

"Four years."

I almost choked on my spit. This time I kept myself from shouting out.

"Four years?"

"Yes. When you're both graduating, leave the rest to me. I have a plan on how to remove you from the equation then, so he can find his real mate. But for the next four years, you will be his mate. And not a single person, not even Weston, must know."

"Then how will I convince him that I'm his mate? if he doesn't even know."

"That's easy. I told him I'm bringing in the perfect bride for him. So he'll address you as mate."

This is all too much for one brain. And all so confusing. "Why can't he know?"

That same side eye makes me focus my eyes on the seat in front of me.

"That is not your business. Four years, do your job, and you will never have to worry about anything. I'll pay you every month to sustain yourself, and you'll get an end payment by the time the contract comes to its end. Then you'll part ways. And take this to your grave.

Are we clear on that, Miss Rogan?"

I swallowed. I don't suppose he'll give me time to think this over. "Crystal."

"Good."

The king says nothing more and my head spins around trying to make sense of what he's just said.

He's hiring me to deceive his son, and everyone in Havoc Academy?

But why me?

He didn't have to come this far, but he did.

Why didn't he just get a vampire to do it?