Chapter Nine
Joe didn’t return the night of the auction and neither did anyone else, not even to bring Kai some food or water. No matter how hard he strained his ears, he couldn’t hear Joe and that frightened him. What had they done to him? What would happen now?
He fell into an uneasy sleep just before dawn, every distant sound waking him as his subconscious searched for Joe even while he slept. In the short time he’d known the beta, he’d grown to like him; his company, his voice, his stories. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed the company of other shifters, how much he’d hated being alone, until Joe.
The next day one of the guards opened the door sometime around midday, freed his hands, and set a plate of food and a bottle of water on the floor. He ignored Kai when he pleaded with him to know where Joe was, shutting the door in his face.
Kai only ate when his stomach started to cramp, hoping it would lessen the pain. He still couldn’t shift and now, without Joe there, he was starting to feel ill again.
That night was a long one, the minutes crawling by as his body was wracked with shivers, his head and stomach aching, his skin crawling. He called out for Joe, sobbing the beta’s name, but there was no reply.
Marcus came by early the next day, letting Kai out to use the bathroom. Being on his feet felt like a huge effort but he didn’t want to risk the guard’s wrath, cleaning up as best he could. Freshly showered, he was escorted back to his room where Marcus waited with another needle. He took the injection with a small whine.
“Where’s Joe?” he asked the other shifter. “What have you done with him?”
“He cost us a lot of money,” Marcus replied. “You played your part too, but I can forgive that a little easier. Your value is greater than his and we don’t want to mark up that pretty face, do we?”
He caught Kai’s chin between thumb and forefinger, turning it this way and that.
“Eat your food,” he said, gesturing to a paper plate sitting on the floor, “then change into these.”
He let go of Kai and shoved a bundle of clothes into his arms, before turning and leaving.
Kai sank to sit on the floor, the clothes clutched in his arms. No fox, no Joe. Kai hadn’t felt that lonely since his dad had died.
His stomach hurt too much to eat, his whole body ached, and he curled up.
He was woken by curses from the two guards who towered over him.
“He’s not even dressed. Marcus will be furious if this guy is kept waiting.”
Groggily, Kai tried to get his bearings.
“Joe?”
“Shut up,” one of the men said. “And get those clothes on.”
Kai struggled to his feet and tried to change but only succeeded in dropping the clothes he’d been given to the floor. With another curse, the guard grabbed hold of him, tearing off the shirt he was wearing. With fumbling fingers, Kai got his pants off, accepting each item of clothing and tugging them on despite his shaking.
“What’s the matter with him?” one of them asked.
“I don’t know. We’d better give him something to pep him up a bit. Marcus is already furious. If the omega spoils this viewing, I don’t know what he’ll do.”
A small silver flask was produced from somewhere and pressed to Kai’s lips. He tried to pull away, but he was held fast, and the flask was tipped. Burning liquid slid down his throat, warmth following, and he coughed.
“There, that’s better. Settle your nerves.”
But it wasn’t Kai’s nerves that were the problem. And oddly, it wasn’t the liquor they’d poured down his throat that helped, it was their hands restraining him, even that small bit of contact was enough to buoy him, allow him to pull himself together.
“Another auction?” he asked fearfully. Would they be selling Joe again too?
“Private viewing,” one of the shifters said with a grunt, shoving Kai out of the door. “After your friend's little stunt, Marcus wants rid of the two of you before you cause any more trouble.”
Marcus was waiting for them outside a door Kai hadn’t seen before. He looked Kai up and down. “Not bad. Nothing a stint in Ash’s chair wouldn’t improve but we’re short on time.”
He caught Kai’s chin, his fingers digging into Kai’s skin.
“Now, you listen carefully. You and your friend Joe are close, right?”
Kai nodded, echoing Joe’s lie from before. “Mates.”
“So, you don’t want anything bad to happen to him?”
He shook his head, a shiver of fear running through him.
“Then I want you on your best behavior in there. You smile, you flirt, you do exactly what the alpha wants. You keep him happy, you’ll keep me happy. But if I’m not happy, it won’t be you I take my anger out on, it’ll be your mate, Joe. Are we understood?”
Kai nodded again.
“I need to hear you say it,” Marcus said.
“I understand. I’ll behave.” He wouldn’t be the reason Joe was hurt.
“Good, very good. In you go.”
The door opened, and he was pushed inside. It closed behind him.
He breathed a sigh of relief on realizing the room was empty. There was a door opposite the one he came in and it too was shut tight. The room was very different to the cell he’d just vacated. There was a couch against one wall and plush carpet on the floor that felt soft under his feet. The lights in the room were brighter than in the corridor and there was a full-length mirror on one wall. Kai was a little shocked when he caught sight of himself. They’d dressed him in tight black jeans this time and a shirt of shimmering, see-through, blue. It was strange seeing himself like that and he couldn’t take his eyes from his reflection.
The second door opened, and he jumped, backing away toward the far corner as someone stepped inside. It was an alpha; tall, strong, and confident. He strode inside and shut the door, pausing when he caught sight of Kai who was all but hiding in the corner. Remembering his promise to Marcus, he made himself step forward until he was near the center of the room. He kept his eyes on the floor and couldn’t stop himself from shaking. The fear wasn’t as bad as he’d expected when faced with the alpha looking to purchase him.
He took a half step back when the alpha closed in, but the other shifter was faster, catching hold of him and keeping him in place. Kai held his breath as the alpha leaned in close, scenting him.
“Kai?” the alpha whispered softly, and Kai caught the scent of wolf and, oddly, paint.
“A… Axel?”
“Shh. That’s right. Stay calm, keep your head down, keep pretending you’re scared.”
That wasn’t hard with the blood and adrenaline thrumming through Kai’s veins.
“How?”
Axel cradled him closer pressing a kiss to Kai’s cheek before whispering in his ear.
“Long story. We’re here to get you out. Where’s Joe?”
Kai tilted his head up meeting Axel’s eyes for the first time. Something inside him melted, the last of the fear chased away. He ducked his head again before murmuring his reply.
“I don’t know. Here, somewhere. We’re kept in rooms downstairs. They separated us after he sabotaged the auction. I… I think they hurt him.”
Axel’s arms tightened around him. “It’s okay. We’ll find him. I just need you to be brave a little longer, to hold on a little longer, and we’ll get you both out of here.”
“We can’t shift,” Kai added, in case it was important. “They keep injecting us with something that stops us changing.” A wave of pain traveled through him. The alpha felt it, hugging Kai for a moment before letting go, one hand cupping his cheek.
“Good to know. Okay, I need to play the part of prospective buyer now, since I’m pretty sure they’re watching.”
Kai nodded slowly as Axel stepped back, looking him up and down.
“Turn around in a circle, nice and slow.”
Kai did, feeling a little foolish when he caught sight of himself in the mirror.
When his back was to Axel, the alpha stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder, and guiding him toward the mirror.
“Our friends are going to help get you out. Hunter, Jensen, Max. It’s going to happen fast and when it’s time to run you need to be ready.”
Axel urged Kai’s head forward, scenting his neck as he spoke to mask their conversation.
“I will be.”
The alpha let him go and he turned slowly to face him. “Joe said you’d come. He said you’d never stop looking.”
Axel smiled at him. “He was right about that.”
There was a knock on the door, three sharp raps.
“Time’s up. I’ll see you again soon, Kai.”
Turning, he strode away, back to the door he came in. As soon as he’d left, the other door opened, the two guards there to escort Kai back to his cell.
“Can I see Joe, please?” he begged them as they walked.
The two looked at one another before one of them shrugged, stopping in front of a closed door.
“One look can’t hurt.”
The door swung open and Kai gasped. Joe was lying on the floor, unmoving. Kai could see a bruise on his jaw and blood down the side of his face. When he moved closer a hand yanked him backward.
“Joe!”
The beta didn’t stir, and the guard closed the door, forcing Kai onward.
“You won’t be seeing your little friend again, Marcus found a buyer for him, he’ll be gone soon.”
“No!”
They shoved him into his cell and he threw himself at the door in a futile attempt to escape. Axel didn’t know. If they didn’t make their move soon, Joe would be gone.