Caleb’s POV
I stared down at my plate, poking at the strange lump of meat before me. “What the hell is this?” I muttered to Lily, raising an eyebrow. It looked like something straight out of a mystery box.
She grimaced and bent closer, sniffing at her portion. “I’d rather not know,” she said with a smile, pushing it away. I couldn’t agree more.
Why couldn’t they just throw some burgers on the grill and call it a night? Instead, we were stuck with some bizarre concoction that was destined for the trash.
The presentation was wrapping up, and the palpable anxiety in the room grew as everyone eagerly waited for things to get moving.
“So, if we’re supposed to be eating dinner now, what exactly are we doing on the date?” Caden asked from beside me, sounding just as unimpressed with the meal as I was.
Lily sighed dramatically. “Getting a damn pizza, I hope. But apparently, they’ve got some ‘activities’ lined up. It’s all random.”
I couldn’t help but grin at how beautiful my mate looked, and that appetite of hers was damn attractive. I’d lost count of how many times I’d gone out with girls only for them to push their food around the plate, never really eating. But Lily? She was about staying healthy, not starving herself to fit some ideal. It turned me on more than I cared to admit. And any shifter worth their fur knew how important it was to have a healthy mate.
The announcer’s voice pulled me back to the present, and I focused on the stage. “Now we’ll be serving dessert, and in ten minutes, we’ll begin the bidding. Get out your checkbooks, folks! If anyone doesn’t have a paddle, now’s the time to come up to the table.”
As the cheesecake and brownies were brought around, I didn’t care who was watching. I cut a piece of cheesecake, offering Lily a bite. Caden did the same. Who cared if the other women at our table weren’t thrilled? After our kiss in the bleachers, I knew this was going down, no matter what.
Lily might still need a little convincing, but I had plans. A little surprise, to be exact, and there was no doubt in my mind it would work. Tomorrow, I’d personally introduce Lily’s editor to Ivana Moon, the editor-in-chief. Together, we’d iron out a story we could all live with, one that would also benefit the pack. My parents were big on image, even if they never said it outright. No one liked looking bad, especially not with the kind of influence they wielded.
But there was still the issue of that stolen interview. What the hell was someone planning to do with it, other than piss us off? It made no sense.
*Can we leave yet?* Fang groaned, his impatience echoing in my mind.
“Human shit,” I muttered back. *We’re so close, just a couple more hours of kissing asses, and we’re done.*
I kept my focus on Lily, unable to tear my eyes away from her. Sure, her dress showed way more skin than I’d ever be comfortable with, but it was more than that. She seemed… tense, on edge, like she was waiting for something. But it didn’t feel like it was about us, and that threw me off. What could it be?
Once we were mated and could mind-link, I knew she’d open up more. She’d have no reason to hold back, and I’d get to know what was truly going on in her head.
“Lily, are you-” I began, but was quickly interrupted.
The announcer’s voice rang out, cutting me off. “Now for the best part of the evening: the auction! We drew names, and Caden Ashford… you’re up first! Please join me on stage.”
Everyone clapped, and Caden stood, blushing as he made his way to the stage. I didn’t have a bidding paddle, but Liam did. I’d already given him the green light to bid whatever was necessary for Lily. It would be weird if my parents tried to bid on her, but I had a feeling they might.
The announcer’s voice rang out again, louder this time. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of your future Alphas of Blood Moon, Caden Ashford! He’s 21, about to graduate from university, and ready to settle down. He’s an architect and contractor with a passion for bringing his designs to life.”
A few women raised their paddles eagerly, and I chuckled. Lily smirked, clearly entertained by the spectacle. But I didn’t mind. I couldn’t help myself-my hand slid under the table to rest on her thigh. And just like that, she reciprocated, her hand moving dangerously close to my growing need. I shifted slightly, giving her better access as she began rubbing me through my pants. I tried to inch my hand higher, but she swatted it away and crossed her legs.
*She’s not denying me later,* I thought with a smirk.
The bidding for Caden quickly escalated, and I relaxed into the moment, enjoying the sensation of Lily’s touch despite the hundred or so people in the ballroom.
“Seventy-five thousand from paddle 79, do I hear eighty?” the announcer called.
“Damn,” Briar muttered, shaking her head.
Dahlia was practically beside herself, and I had to admit, the energy in the room was palpable. My eyes never left Lily, who was watching the whole thing unfold with amusement.
“Sold! Seventy-five thousand!” the announcer called, and the crowd cheered.
I shook my head, grateful that at least the cheesecake had been worth it. I leaned closer to Lily, kissing her hand as she gave me a sly smile.
“You take my fucking breath away,” I whispered into her ear.
Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly turned her attention back to the stage, but it didn’t stop the burning desire inside me.
The next name called was Dahlia, who had a strong showing but was eventually claimed for $25K. And then it was my turn.
“Caleb Ashford, come on up!”
I sighed, adjusting my suit jacket as I stood. I was already exhausted from the day, but it was time to play along. My date was going to be a magic show and a stroll along the pier, a photo session included. Just get through it, I told myself.
When the bidding started, I grinned and waved at my parents. Violet, ever the wild card, shouted, “Twenty thousand!”
The laughter around the room was almost as loud as the sudden increase in bids. It quickly climbed to $100K, and I finally found myself standing beside a woman I didn’t know, but who was clearly eager to claim her prize.
“I won an Alpha!” she squealed, throwing herself at me.
I chuckled, gently patting her back and then prying her off me. Shit, I’d have to shower now. No way in hell was I mating tonight with another female’s scent all over me.
“Shall we take a seat for a moment?” I asked, casually pulling an empty chair closer to her table and settling into it.
My gaze naturally shifted toward Lily, who had already made her way to the side of the stage. She looked absolutely irresistible-impossible to ignore. A surge of jealousy coursed through me, not that I had any real claim on her yet, but damn if it didn’t gnaw at me. Whoever her date was, it better be Liam.
“Last but not least, we have Lilith Emory!” the announcer declared, his voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. “She’s 21, about to graduate, and has been an investigative journalist for the university paper for three years. Her date will be a scenic boat ride around the pier to take in the city’s nightlife from the water. Who’s ready to bid on this one?”
Before the announcer could finish, the room erupted into chaos. Men shouted, bidding in a frenzy as the MC struggled to regain control. Among them was a professor, who threw in an aggressive bid of fifty thousand, looking thoroughly annoyed when it was outbid. The chaos lasted until only three men remained in the running-one of them being Liam.
“I’ve got one hundred ten thousand,” the MC announced.
*Keep bidding, Liam. I’ll throw a million at it if I have to,* I sent over the mind-link, confident that they wouldn’t care whose name was on the check as long as it cleared.
Just then, my eyes locked onto the projector screen behind Lily, which flickered to life. I froze. It was a video of my backyard from last night.
*Shit!*
I bolted to my feet, my instincts driving me forward, as the men on stage continued to bicker. There, on the screen, was Lily-unaware-kissing Briar, the entire ballroom watching as if it were a public spectacle. The crowd stirred, murmuring, as I pushed through the crowd, my heart pounding.
“One hundred fifty thousand!” Liam shouted, his voice carrying over the noise.
The males on stage paused, glancing at the screen. I wanted to tear the damn projector out. What the hell was going on?
The video continued, showing a drunk Lily launching herself onto Quinley, the hem of her dress hiked high, her bare backside exposed for all to see. My blood boiled. The crowd gasped and whispered, but all I could see was red. No one-no one-was going to embarrass my mate like this.
Lily covered her mouth in horror, her shock clear on her face, as a voice called out, “Two hundred thousand!” I clenched my fists. *Is he turned on by this?*
Before I could act, the man grabbed her hand, pulling her toward him. Lily squealed in protest, and the crowd murmured. I couldn’t take it anymore. I ripped the cords out of the projector, fury surging through me, but not before Lily saw the footage. That was it. Someone was going to pay for this.
I raced toward the stage, my body moving on pure instinct. “Get your hands off my mate!” I shouted, shoving the man away. Caden was right behind me, pulling Lily free from the stranger’s grasp, his voice a growl of fury.
Lily was in tears, her face streaked with shock and humiliation. *Liam, get her out of here. Put her in the limo. I don’t care if you have to carry her,* I ordered over the mind-link, my voice raw.
Then, Violet-a force of nature in her own right-launched herself onto the stage, barefoot and furious. She stood between Caden and the man, her posture demanding attention. I wasn’t laughing, but I was damn proud. The third bidder wisely fled, knowing he didn’t want any part of what was unfolding.
“Enough,” I commanded, my voice like ice.
“How was I supposed to know?” the man babbled, trying to explain his actions. Caden didn’t even flinch as he let the man go.
“Now you know,” Violet snapped, hands on her hips, her expression unyielding.
I would’ve found it amusing if I weren’t so enraged. But I couldn’t care about anything else at that moment. Lily was my only focus.
Caden and I sprinted off the stage, desperate to find her. I was ahead of my brother when I spotted something out of the corner of my eye-movement at the edge of the woods. A woman, barefoot and in a simple dress, was clearly trying to shift.
I stared, my instincts bristling. *Is that… Quinley?*
Caden’s voice snapped me back to reality. “Fucking Quinley!” he hissed, his tone filled with disgust.
I watched, my pulse racing, as Quinley completed her shift and bolted into the woods. A seething, primal anger swept over me. *That bitch.*