Sold To The Alphas

Kaia

I didn’t have much experience with a wolf in my head. I did know that fighting her was a mistake. The second I put on my clothes, she went silent. She was freezing me out.

I had picked the bright red dress Selene pointed out. It was tight with a low neck. I braided my hair back, leaving my neck bare to the biting night air. The wind was sharp. It sent a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

At the fights, the other girls looked effortless. They didn't wear makeup. Even the Luna looked natural. Ravenna didn't touch the stuff. They looked so cool that I almost felt like a try-hard. I had even told Selene to keep her cherry chapstick for Cain.

But I had spent all this time getting ready. For what?

"It’s my pleasure," Lorcan said. He reached out and ran his fingers through my hair. His touch was heavy. "Your hair is amazing, Kaia. You are stunning. I’ve never seen anything like you."

My cheeks burned. It was the second time he’d said it. It felt like a dream.

"Thank you," I whispered. My face was on fire.

The talk had been easy before this. He told me about growing up in the pack. I liked hearing about him and Ravenna. He was the protective brother. She was the sister trying to keep up.

He wasn't what I expected. I thought a future Alpha would be a jerk. I expected him to be loud and bossy. Instead, he was quiet. He was proud, but he was kind. Maybe it was his sister. He knew she watched his every move. Ravenna was the blunt one. Lorcan was the one who held back.

I had spent seventeen years around a father I didn't understand. Their honesty was a shock. It was a lot to take in. I never had to guess what they were thinking.

I liked the way he spoke. I especially liked the way his hands felt in my hair.

"We have a legend here," Lorcan said. He pulled his hand back. "About white wolves."

"Tell me," I said. My eyes went wide.

Selah actually perked up. She gave a mental snort, but she was listening.

"The Silverbacks were all black once," he began. "But there was a pack of white wolves across the sea. One summer, an iceberg broke loose. Two pups were trapped on it. A male and a female. They drifted for days until they hit our shore. Our pack took them in. They stayed. They mated. Now, every wolf here is grey with a white stripe on their spine. That’s why we’re the Silverback pack."

I didn't blink. I hung on every word. Then Lorcan lost it. He started laughing. It was loud and deep. My heart sank. I felt my lip curl into a pout.

"It’s just a story, Kaia. We don't have stripes. I'm just messing with you," he said. His eyes were dancing.

"Oh." I looked back at the lake. I felt like an idiot. "A fairy tale then."

Or a lot of inbreeding, I thought.

"We tell the pups," he said. The moonlight made his smile glow. "My family has the oldest bloodline. Every Alpha has been black. Even me."

I nodded. I wasn't sure if I believed anything now.

"I bet your wolf is beautiful," he said. He went back to stroking my hair. The heat was back. "Mine is dying to meet her."

"They’ll have to book their own date," I teased.

I was acting cool, but I was melting. His touch was like a flame against my skin.

"I think Shadow would like that," he said.

I tried not to look at his mouth. His eyes were dark. Almost black.

'Don't even ask,' Selah growled. She was back in a bad mood.

"Kaia, can I be honest?" Lorcan’s lips parted. They looked soft and pale in the dark. His tongue flicked out to touch the corner of his mouth. My eyes followed the movement. "Can I kiss you?"

The wind was freezing, but my face was hot. His mouth stayed open. It was a silent invitation. I tilted my head and looked at him through my lashes.

Selah huffed. I blocked her out.

I wanted this. I nodded.

Lorcan leaned in. His lips brushed mine. It was light. It was soft. For a second, I wondered if he had even touched me.

Then he moved. His fingers slid from my hair to the back of my head. He pulled me closer. He pressed his mouth harder against mine this time. My eyes drifted shut. I took a sharp breath. His scent was everywhere. My lips started to tingle. I kissed him back. I let my mouth part as he pulled away.

It had all the ingredients for a perfect first kiss.

I felt nothing.

The physical heat was there. Our lips touched. But inside? It was like kissing a wall. It felt like kissing my brother. Or worse. It felt like kissing Cain.

Lorcan pulled back. He looked unsure. He cleared his throat and stared at the ground. He didn't look me in the eye. I could tell. He didn't feel the spark either.

My first kiss was a total flop.

'No good,' Selah growled. Her anger hit me like a physical weight. She paced in the dark corners of my mind. She was huffing. 'Push him off the cliff.'

"Maybe it takes time to grow?" Lorcan asked. He ran a hand through his hair. He gripped the back of his neck and looked at me.

"Maybe," I said. I bit my lip.

The silence was thick and awkward.

...

I paced across the floor of Selene and Cain’s room. I was still stuck in that red dress. My fists were tight. I swung my arms to try and shake the tension from my shoulders.

"I don't get it," I groaned. I ground my teeth together. "He’s perfect. The night was perfect. He even kissed me."

"He kissed you?" Selene asked. Her eyebrows shot up. She looked thrilled.

Cain looked like he had just swallowed a lemon. His face twisted. His nose wrinkled in disgust. "Is that supposed to be a good thing?"

I grabbed my hair and pulled. I squeezed my eyes shut until white spots flashed behind my lids. "Yes. No. I don't know!"

I was spiraling. I kicked my shoes off. They hit the stone wall with a loud crack and thudded to the floor. It didn't help. Selah’s voice was a smug echo in my head. 'I told you so.'

My skin felt too tight. My muscles twitched. Pacing wasn't enough to stop the storm. I dug my fingers into my scalp.

"He asked first," I mumbled. I was talking to myself now. "He must like me. I like how he looks. Anyone would. It was a good kiss. Except..."

"Except you felt absolutely nothing," Selene said. Her voice was quiet and calm.

I stopped. It took a second for the words to sink in. I opened my eyes and saw her looking at me with pity. She sat on the edge of the bed with her hands folded. Cain’s lip was twitching. He coughed to hide a laugh.

"Yeah," I sighed. I ran my fingers through my hair to kill the braid. "What is wrong with me? And don't tell me it's because I didn't use the chapstick."

"I wasn't going to say that," Selene said. She gave me a small smile.

I didn't smile back. I kept clawing at my hair. "He is everything a girl wants. He’s a warrior. He’s strong. He has muscles for days. He’s nice. He listens. But..."

"But nothing, Kaia," Selene said. She stood up and walked over. She put her hands on my shoulders. Her touch was soft. It wasn't rough like Cain’s. It helped dull the sting of my bruised ego. "He isn't your mate. That is okay. You can still talk to him. Something might grow later. Your human side likes him. That’s a start."

The tension in my neck started to bleed away. It worked better than Cain’s muffled snickering.

"Honestly, I think I had more chemistry with Jarek at dinner," I muttered. I started pacing the stone floor again.

This whole night was a wreck.

"Watch it with him," Cain warned. He narrowed his eyes. "I didn't need a link to see what he wanted. Don't embarrass your father by chasing the wrong wolf."

"Go out with Lorcan again," Selene urged. "Give it time. Even if you’re just friends, he is a good person to have on your side."

"I will," I groaned. I let my chin drop to my chest.

What am I doing?

'Not mate,' Selah grumbled.

I knew the talk was over. I grabbed my shoes and headed for the door. "Goodnight. Thanks."

I shut the door behind me. The weight hit me all at once. I should have listened to my wolf. I let my hormones make a mess of things.

My father told me I could make my own choices now. That felt heavier than any cage. A knot tied itself in my stomach. I knew the truth. I was terrible at making decisions.

Kaia

Ravenna was already there when I reached the gates. She leaned against her silver Audi, arms locked over a black leather coat. Her eyes tracked me like I was a target she’d already missed. She looked ready to kill; I just looked tired.

I was still stuck on the night before. My head was a mess of things said and unsaid with her brother. I tried to swallow the nerves. I didn't want to look like a failure in front of his sister.

I’d bolted out of bed, shoved food down my throat, and dressed fast. I wasn't even late.

"You're behind schedule, Flower." She didn't wait for an answer before sliding into the driver's seat.

"I thought I was on time," I muttered. I climbed in, my fingers shaking so hard I had to hunt for the seatbelt buckle.

"On time is late." She didn't look at me. "Move."

The car surged forward. She drove like she hated the road. We hit the cliffside path and the world turned into