Will's Instinct was now screaming -YOURS!-
In the background, the auction continued at a furious pace.
-"The last of the Banemen Godslayers bid a dieumort, a god-killer."
-"The Pravus Rule bids two million as well as a barely used Bridefinder talisman."
-"Rodrigo Gamboa bids two tankers full of Colombian marching dust."
Will dimly wondered if that last one was a joke.
The bidding reached eight digits, yet he and Munro still hadn't found her. They followed her scent toward the front, now shoving creatures out of the way.
Will drew deep of her once more and nearly stumbled. "Munro, did you catch that scent? She's-"
"Human," Munro finished, the word like a death knell.
"If I canna control my beast . . ." Bucket List Will. It'd be best for her no' to know me. Let her go. "I would kill a mortal."
"We'll figure it out. Will, I'll help you through this. I vow it. But for now, we just need to find her."
They were closing in on the stage when a last flurry of bids came through. Soon everyone would leave-and then how would he find her? Will scrubbed his hand over his face, casting a confused glance at Munro. "Where the hell is she?" Then he turned, frowning at the small female coming into view.
The one on the stage. The one strung up against a pole-with a black bag over her head. She wore a filmy gown over a pink bra and black panties. She was petite, with tanned skin and the most incredible legs he'd ever seen on a female. Her heart was racing.
Daughter of Webb. They both drew up short.
The sublime scent was coming . . . from her.
This couldn't be possible. After waiting lifetimes for her, he'd found his mate in the offspring of a male so vile Will couldn't say his name without rage bubbling up inside him. "That fiend's daughter is my eternal mate?"
Munro uttered his thoughts, words that Will knew he regretted the second they'd left his tongue: "This is so fucked."
Will couldn't even process all that he was feeling. Disgust was there, along with the deepest welling of disappointment he'd ever experienced.
"Why did they black-bag her?" Munro bit out in Gaelic, sounding outraged.
"Because that's what was done to the Order's prisoners. To me!" When the breeze blew her white frock up above her knees, Will noted more of her shapely thighs, his predator's gaze locking on them. He reacted, hating himself.
"Will, it does no' matter who she is-you have nothing to lose with her. I'll put it simply: she canna be worse than a pit of mystical flames. And that's your only other option on the table."
The witch announced, "The bidding is concluded! Congratulations, Pravus Rule, you have purchased Daughter of Webb. Thank you to everyone for attending this House of Witches-tee-em-production, and be on the lookout this week for our service questionnaire. Pravus, please claim your prize."
At that, the mortal's heart sped up even more. She screamed, but she sounded gagged under that bag. He thought she'd yelled, "Let me go, you sick pricks!" And then she started struggling.
Hard. Her wrists were bound, looped over a spike above her head. She thrashed to free herself.
"I should leave her arse to the Pravus." Even as Will said this, his body readied to fight for her. His Instinct was clamoring for him to save her, to cherish her. His beast prowled inside him, frantic to protect her. Will's claws lengthened along with his fangs, his muscles increasing in size.-YOURS!-
Two centaurs leapt atop the stage. One said, "I'm Lord Velees of the Centaureans, and I claim her for the Pravus."
Claim her? The fuck that would be happening!
A Cerunno slithered up to the pole. "I underssstood that we would have her firsssst."
"Then you misunderstood." Velees unhooked her bound wrists from the spike. Immediately she flailed against him, kicking at the centaur. Blood began dripping from beneath her wrist shackles.
-Protect!-
When he gazed up at her little mortal form, fighting so bravely-even in the face of her fear-he found himself a bit . . . awed.
"Will, your female is a terrified girl not twenty feet from you. Her name is Chloe. Gods, man, she's so bluidy young."
Chloe.
"Right now, brother, she's losing a fight that is yours to win for her."
Not for long. Will's beast was uncontrollable on the best of days; now, for the first time in Will's existence, he had a mate to protect. It would rise up like horror embodied against anyone or anything that kept him from his female.
Munro clamped his shoulder. "I assume you're going to steal her from the Pravus first and ask questions later?"
He couldn't answer, already turning. When his beast clawed at its cage, Will was happy to let it free.
Chapter Eight
When Chloe had heard the word "purchased," something in her snapped.
This Velees guy gripped her around her waist, lifting her off her feet, tucking her against his bare chest. Still she fought and kicked. "Don u tou ee!" she screamed into her gag, thrashing against him with all her might. "Leh ee o!"
Screaming, thrashing-
Her foot struck what felt like the barrel chest of a horse. Her mind denied this-the man who had her was simply riding a horse, like a cowboy. A shirtless cowboy, of course.
Even over her frenzied fight, she heard people close to the stage gasp. Murmurs arose, cries. She could see nothing.
Then came the unholy roar of some beast.
A familiar roar. She'd heard one like it the night of the championships. Just as before, chills raced through her.
Silence fell over the crowd. After an extended moment, what sounded like chaos erupted.
-"Run! The Lykae's turning!"
-"Ah, gods, don't get between them!"
-"She's MacRieve's mate!"
Mate? Lykae? What had she read about them? Each had a beast housed inside-and each one sought its fated mate above all things. And she was this one's female? Hysterical laughter threatened, until she heard a low, feral growl.
The ground shook as people fled. What the hell was happening?
Velees snapped to some unseen person, "Mind yourself, wolf." But he was backing away, with Chloe clamped tightly against his body. Hooves stamped the stage.
"I'll snap this mortal's neck." Velees continued his steady retreat. "Another step closer, and she's dead!"
In a beastly, grating voice, the Lykae answered: "Mine."
That one word had Velees yanking her into his side and leaping off the back of the stage to hit the ground running-as if for his life. He yelled, "Cover me from the wolf!"
At that, she heard the clomping of hooves, a herd of them. As what sounded like a brutal fight broke out, a man yelled back, "Cerunnos attacking from the south!"
Were these beings now going to battle over her? The Lykae howled as if fighting his way closer.
Velees abruptly turned in another direction, flinging her with him. She thrashed to get the bag off her head, but it was tied on. Can't see . . . can't see!