The trip was terrifying since they didn’t know where they were going. Their fate was unknown. None of Teru’s pack had ever been in a vehicle before so a few of them got motion sickness from the constant rocking and swaying.

Eventually, Lucas woke up. He groaned. Once he came to, he frantically searched the group until his sight found Teru. He mumbled but it couldn’t be understood, as the loud engine drowned out all the sounds. His eyes rolled in the back of his head and he passed out again.

Time passed slowly before the truck stopped to let them do their private business in the bushes. Their hands remained bound. When Teru was released from the hogtie, his muscles throbbed from being in the same position for so long. They didn’t have to worry about him fighting back though. He was exhausted from the truck’s hot stuffiness. It was sweltering in there.

Continuing on their way, he peeked through a rusty hole. More cars of all sizes had joined them on the road. In the distance were shimmering structures touching the evening sky. He thought such things only existed in picture books!

They were skyscrapers. This was a city.

They approached a high, barbed wire gate. The drivers talked with the guards. The huge doors opened to let them through. They zoomed by walking people. It was difficult to tell from the speed they were going, but he was positive he saw chains attached to their necks. The sounds were completely new—honks, sirens, and so on.

The truck slowed down at another gate. Past it, the area was fancy with shimmering lights, impeccably arranged plants, and water shooting from the ground. Cars were lined up in front of a tall building, waiting to drop off the people. But instead of joining that line, they went around the back.

“What’s happening?” someone dared to whisper. No one could answer, scared out of their wits. By this time, Lucas had woken again.

When the engine shut off, everyone perked up with anticipation. The back doors swung open. A new vampire in black clothes inspected the dirty humans with a flashlight. He and the two drivers exchanged words and pointed at Teru. The light shined on him, blinding his eyesight.

“Everyone out!” he barked but no one could move. They were all totally petrified.

“The hard way, I see,” the bloodsucker scoffed in annoyance. He snapped his fingers. Suddenly, a flood of other vampires came into the truck. Teru’s pack members hollered at being yanked up and thrown down the truck’s steep drop to the ground. If he had landed any harder, his ankle would’ve broken!

“Be careful with that one! Don’t damage it!”

Who, me?

The lights from the metal poles shone above them. Bugs flew around the bright bulb. The pack members looked at it in a trance. This was their first time seeing electricity.

“In a line! Move it!”

They stumbled and tried to get up as told. It wasn’t fast enough. The vampire kicked one of them in the stomach. “Faster!”

Once in a crooked line, they were blindfolded. Lucas leaned back and grasped the bottom of Teru’s shirt. He was trying to comfort him, but the alpha was about to hyperventilate himself. They were herded inside. The temperature was suddenly warm.

And the smell… what was this? It was a mixture of sweet, musk, sweat, and rut. Given the thick concoction of pheromones, there were many alphas here. It was suffocating his sensitive nose.

What is this place?

Then, troubling noises came as they turned right or left several times. People cried, some laughed, and cackled. The lustful moans made him question what they were doing.

“Stop!”

Their blindfolds were jerked off.

“Betas in the front!”

Twelve betas were ushered through a gray door. Teru looked inside before it closed. He saw many normal humans of all ages on a big stage with seated spectators watching them.

His pack…

Are we being separated?

The remaining people were roughly pushed forward. Some tripped. A few hallways away, they stopped in front of a more posh door. It was shiny and gold. The vampire pressed the button on the wall, creating a buzzing sound. The door slightly opened to reveal another bloodsucker with a feathered mask covering the top half of his face.

“How many?”

“Four alpha males, one alpha woman, and one male omega.”

“An… omega?” His gaze went to Teru immediately. “That one will reach a high price. Maybe the highest in this auction house’s history if he’s untouched.”

“I checked. He isn’t marked. Makes you wanna try him out yourself, right?”

“My boss would kill me.” The masked vampire laughed. He stepped aside and pointed from left to right in the mysterious room. “Bring ’em in. Alphas to the left. Omega to the right.”

On cue, humans emerged. Three of them went to Teru. They were betas. He eyed their revealing outfits. The man had black straps zigzagging across his body. Those were attached to a small cloth barely covering his lower half. Two girls wore a black, sheer one-piece with leather straps connecting to their knee-length socks. The shoes looked uncomfortable, with sharp heels connected to the bottom.

How are those even practical?

He blushed when seeing their low cleavage.

How are they supposed to go hunting in that get-up?

All of them had yellow collars fastened around their necks. The trio guided the omega away. He and Lucas were yanked apart, outraging his friend. He attempted to pull Teru back to him.

“You bastards! This is so messed up!” he seethed, displaying his alpha canines. Musky pheromones wafted from him.

“Back in line, you little shit,” the masked vampire growled, pulling violently on Lucas’s hair, taking out many strands. Lucas didn’t back down and snarled with unwavering eye contact. This was becoming a full-on challenge.

“You are lucky you’re an alpha. You’re a precious commodity. I would’ve killed you otherwise. Say goodbye to your boyfriend. He’ll be getting a new home within the hour.”

“Ah!” Teru gasped when the servants suddenly veered him to the right, entering the darkness. His chest tightened with fear. He heard Lucas yelling for him. The further they walked away, the more he couldn’t hear his voice anymore.

They entered a room with white, glistening floors and gold furniture. Small balls of electricity lit up the space above them like works of art.

“I’ll prepare the bath,” the man said. He went over to a giant bowl and twisted some handles. Water spewed out as if it were magic. They forced him to sit on a chair as it filled up.

“We’ve never used this room before,” a woman commented while organizing an even more skimpy outfit with jewelry.

No way that is for me, right? Right?!

One of them poked his nape’s birthmark. “Hopefully, this ugly blemish won’t deter buyers. His skin seems perfect besides that. No alpha bites, bruises, nothing.” She forced his mouth open by squeezing his cheeks together. “His teeth are surprisingly healthy, but let’s brush them anyway. Who knows what his diet has been? Probably animal shit.”

The other woman sneered. “I think there hasn’t been an omega sold here in decades. He could have missing limbs and he’d still sell. A birthmark is nothing.”

“A-are you blood slaves?” Teru wanted to know.

They looked at him quizzically, not expecting him to speak.

“He can talk?” one whispered to the other.

“No. We chose this.” The women began stripping him. “We volunteered to become servants. No blood giving is required. That’s what yellow collars symbolize.”

They wanted to live in this vampiric society. That’s crazy!

“Why would you volunteer?”

“It was either this or continue being hunted like animals out there. Betraying your pack’s location means you get to survive and not become a blood slave. Now be quiet. We need to hurry. It’s almost time for the auction to start,” the man rudely said while cutting Teru’s shirt off.

He removed Teru’s necklace and then his knapsack tied around his waist.

“Wait! Please!” he sobbed and reached for them. “Don’t take those.”

“Sheesh, you’ll get them back. Your possessions will be given to your buyer. Well, except for the clothes. Those will be burned since you’re likely infested with fleas.”

The servant snickered while doing their work on him. Something sharp pinched his skin. There was a needle… inside! He flung his arm to get it out.

What are they doing?!

They held him tighter. “Stop moving so much!” After stealing his blood, the man announced, “Alright, the sample is drawn for the STI test. Now to check if he’s ever taken another alpha or not in the back.”

“Taken another alpha?” What in the world does that mean?

Teru didn’t like the sound of that at all. The door was left open. He snatched his bag and sprinted away while the betrayers were distracted with the samples.

“Shit! Get him!”

The male beta quickly tackled him. The side of Teru’s head smacked against the rock-hard ground. His brain rattled, ears ringing. Heavens, that hurt! He puked. The servants yelled at each other but he couldn’t understand because of the high-pitched sound in his eardrums.

He remained out of it, as every nook and cranny on his body was scrubbed, lotioned up with a flowery scent, and dressed in nothing but leather straps. Jewels were tediously placed on his wrists, ears, and throat. They applied powders and paints on his face. He let them handle him like a puppet. He was unable to fight. Teru’s head was in agony.

Then they dragged him off to the next room. There was a line with seven alphas and one beta waiting near the stairs ahead. Their wrists were tied and chained to each other. They were in similar outfits as he was. Most of them were from his pack.

The person at the end stood up straight as Teru came closer—Lucas.

The servants placed him last in line and shackled his hands, too, but not with the others. After they left, Lucas held Teru’s face in his hands. The chains clanged.

“Teru, oh my god! Are you okay?”

The omega smiled. “You’re here. You look nice. No dirt.”

Lucas was concerned. “What did they do to you?”

“I don’t feel good. My head…”

His friend checked Teru’s head and bristled when he saw the injury. “You’re bleeding here. Did those betas hurt you?”

Lucas was abruptly ushered up the stairs with the chained line. Since Teru wasn’t tethered with them, he stayed where he was.

A woman’s voice echoed through the corridor. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this evening’s premium human auction at the Nashville Auction House. We have alphas and high-quality betas waiting for their new homes. Tonight, there is a special grand finale.”

“The rules are clear about bidding. Per usual, when the auction is finished, please proceed and pay for the goods at the entrance hall. Your human will be collected there unless you specify it. Let’s begin. First up is a beta female. She was found in northern Indiana and has an O negative blood type, around 27 years old…”

One by one, the remaining alphas were unchained individually and escorted around the corner. The whole time this happened, Lucas didn’t break his eye contact with Teru from the top of the stairs.

It was Lucas’s turn. Before he disappeared to go on stage, he mouthed, I’ll find you. I promise.

Once he was out of sight, Teru trembled uncontrollably and released bitter pheromones.

Apparently, Lucas was popular. The bids for him continued to go up and up. The auction for him lasted longer than the previous ones. There was congratulatory clapping for the winner.

Teru was the last to be featured. The omega was the “special grand finale.”