Chapter 127: Chapter 127

Ryan, Arielle, Alexander and Vanessa are sitting across the room. The table next to them is intended for the Golden Hunters, but it is empty, no one is present from their pack.

Arielle like always has outdone herself with a look that looks like it took hours to perfect but I know it took her less than three hours because she has a baby to tend to and several pack members that act like children, needing her attention every second.

Next to Arielle is Vanessa, Beta's lovely wife who looks equally as stunning with her mask on her forehead. From afar, it looks like they're just having a nice chat but I know them well enough to note they're having a great chat, shittalking the women they don't like and their crappy outfits.

“This is what I dread most, but don't worry the after party will be great.” Kingston whispers in my ear, slightly startling me.

“You can enjoy it, ” I retort, relaxing in my chair. “I will be going home, I have things to do.”

“The auction hasn't even started yet,” he argues, his face crinkling underneath the mask.

“I mean afterwards you idiot,” I counter, setting my phone on the table. This looks like the start of a highly heated argument, one that needs my full attention and will get it because I will ruin Kingston's mood for the night, to the point where none of the women eyefucking him get to actually fuck him.

“Look who's talking,” he snorts. “I will be tempted to buy things just wait, you'll even buy space on the moon.” he grins.

I snarl, bumped he wasted a potential argument with his early nice retort to me but I want to argue, I'm in the mood to argue and believe me, by all means I will find a way to establish a silent upheaval between us.

“I already have a moon, the best one there is.” I tell him, my gaze shifting to Mirabelle momentarily. She doesn't bother peeking at me, she and Emily are analyzing something on Emily's tablet critically. I thought Emily wasn't going to come but here she is, working with Mirabelle.

“So, when people ask about Karla's mom, am I allowed to describe you in raw, truthful words or must I sugarcoat everything and tell them you're a sweetheart, just like my daughter?”

Leaning my arms on the table, I smile. “Only if I can tell them I'm unsure of how a duck in a rundown suit generated the perfect swan KK is.”

“I- '' Kingston begins, halting to look at himself through the mirror of an empty tray in a waiter's hand as he walks away.

My lips stretch into a grin, declining in my seat as I relish in the second of doubt Kingston just had about his looks. Sometimes, it's almost too easy to get in his head.

Mirabelle's POV

The auction is yet to begin, Emily is silently watching the Camilla and Kingston dynamic unfold. They've been arguing for a while now, their arguments attracting more than enough attention for my liking. I've chosen to ignore their bickering but now Camilla and Kingston are conflicting not only verbally but physically too. Kingston started it, he poked Camilla's arm and of course, she took to the next level and pinched at him arm, her foot kicking his underneath the table.

“Stop it,” I whisper-yell. Both Camilla and Kingston's mumbling turns mute as they give me their sole attention. “Can you two behave like an Alpha,” I say to Camilla, my gaze veering to Kingston. “And her chief trainer and not, some fucking toddlers.” I warn, making both readjust themselves in their seats.

I regret my words instantly, perhaps I should have let them argue to their heart's content because now, all I see is the cold look of Alpha Camilla.

Adrian really ruined my best friend and I strongly resent him for it. Camilla looks so full of life, but deep inside she feels dead.

She acts like she feels nothing but I know that's not the case, I want to suggest a therapist for her like I did Emily who has made absolutely no progress because her copying mechanism is solid but I can't, she wouldn't take it well.

Kingston and Camilla are looking at each other with sulking faces, silently shit talking to me and my nagging trait.

Someone claps, it's loud, so loud it silences our room. Successfully veering everyone's gaze to him, on the stage. I bite my lips, choking on the compliment I want to hand the man on stage but then I remember, he could be my stepfather despite his youthful looks.

“Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen,” Cameron greets. His hand rightly wrapping around the microphone. “Before we get started in a minute,” he begins. Taking a pregnant pose and lowering the microphone when someone joins him on stage, whispering into his ear before leaving the stage.

King Cameron Hearst raises his microphone once again, “I have just been notified that Midnight Saints won't be in our midst tonight, they're dealing with an emergency but they express their deepest gratitude and greetings to all as well as a generous donation to the Hearst foundation.” he says, earning applause from the crowd.

I turn to Camilla, she's not clapping, not showing any emotion, she's just existing, here, in the moment.

“Alright, so our first item is three weeks at the Rhein Vacation House.” King Cameroon began, diving straight into business. I've been to two of these auctions over the years, and both times I attended, no time was wasted making jokes to lighten the mood, they simply went right into it. “Can we start the bidding at say one thousand dollars?” Cameron says, lowering his microphone to focus on the bidders.

Someone says three thousand, another doubles up on that bid but the winner bids twice as much for it. The auction goes on and on, with people bidding way too much for way too little, except for Camilla, Emily, Kingston and I, we are simply watching it all unfold.

“Elestern Farm house is up for sale, can we start bidding at nineteen point five thousand,” King Cameron announces, getting an instant bid from the pack behind our table. People are lazily bidding small on the farm, with a bid of forty five thousand being the highest. “Come on people, this is Evergreen Farm House it is a beautiful farm with a beautiful house and not many neighbors can we bid higher ?” King Cameron urges.

“Fifty thousand,” someone bids, the voice coming from behind us again.

Camilla snorts, “Fifty a farmhouse, shoot me.”

Cameron continues to urge people, the bid on the infrastructure going up by a hundred thousand every second until it settles on sixty three thousand dollars, an Alpha of one of the newly formed packs in the back somewhere, trying to show off is responsible for the bid.

“Sixty three thousand going once, twice and sol–”

“Eighty thousand,” Camilla declares, lifting her bid rose. Tonight instead of paddles, we're using roses to bid, you raise it and bid.

“Do I hear eighty five thousand?” King Cameron pauses, listening for any new bids but nobody dares up the bid, no farmhouse is worth that much money.

“Eighty thousand going once, going twice, and sold to Silverline.”

Everyone uploads, with Cameron moving on to a new bid. King congratulates Camilla on her first purchase of the night but I'm just trying to figure out why she contested that much for it.

“Eighty thousand, for a farm house?” I ask, slanting my head slightly at her.

In response, she shrugs. “The money goes to a good cause, plus I wanted a farm twenty seconds ago.”

The auction proceeds with me. Engaging myself too. I manage to purchase a fancy boat, Kingston bought two Vacation houses in different packs and lost a school to Camilla. Trust me, it was awkward having one pack bid against each other but these two don't care, they seem to forget everything when they argue with one another.

Camilla's tactic is impressive tonight. She's on a roll, so far she has only purchased three items, she is simply bidding to raise the expenditure but, as soon as it gets to sixty or past sixty thousand, she stops bidding.

“Our next purchase,” King Cameron begins. His hand shuffling at the cards in his hand. “This is a good one, my personal favourite, A.C.H Vacation house.”

Camilla tenses in her seat, her hand clasping the rose. “The Arieya Carmen Hearst vacation house has a wonderful view, a beautiful garden so beautiful it's the 8th wonder of the world. Can it start at 85 thousand?”

Arieya?

A.ray.yeah. Where have I heard that name before? It's not a very common name but I've heard it somewhere before, somewhere it sparked joy.

“Ninety thousand.” someone bids, I don't see who it was that placed the bid but another follows through with ninety eight thousand.

“One point five million,” A woman bids, taking the bid up by more than five thousand.

“3.8 million,” Another propositions, his rose staying raised as people gasp. I follow the sound of the bid request, my eyes fall on Alpha Ryan.

Camilla raises her rainbow collored rose, “five million.” she says bluntly, her hand lowering the rose.

“Six point five million,” he counters.

“Eight million.” Camilla bids, her tone wearied and demanding.

“Do I hear eight point five?” King Cameron inquires, his gaze roaming the room for an elevated rose.

“Fifteen,” Alpha Ryan lets out.

“Wow,” King Cameron grins, his hand fanning his face. “ This bid is a must watch folks, the highest bid we've had all night from Alpha Ryan.”

Camilla leans into my ear, “I want it at any cost.” She whispers.

I nod, unsure of why she's going head to head with her brother over a property that seems to have sentimental value to them both.

“Twenty five million, I'll write you a check right now.” Camilla asserts, wiggling her rose in the air.

I gasp at her bid, me along with a few others. Camilla will reduce our worth from the one point two billion we've acquired since our month we've operated Silverline to nothing but coins over this vacation home. Nonetheless, I'm not worried, I trust she'll take the net worth of Silveline to billions higher than she spends.

Alpha Ryan rises, his gaze falling at our table for the first time, King Cameron, can I have a moment with the lady before we sell our souls for it?”

I snort out a laugh, contributing to the laughter filling the room. King Cameron looks at his watch and raises the microphone closer to his mouth. “Of course, let's take a ten minute break, not in the rules but heck on with it.”

“Your brother seems to want it,” I say. My gaze drifting to Camilla.

In response she shrugs, her hand toying with the biding rose. “Too bad, I want it and I will get it, even if I have to sell my soul to the devil.”

“Didn't you already do that?” Kingston teases.

Camilla rolls her eyes, her and Kingston instantly gets into a heated argument about souls. I brush it off, my attention fixed on Alpha Ryan and Arielle walking towards us. I clear my throat, my hand tapping Camilla's thigh under the table.

Even with her mask, Arielle is recognizable, if there is one Luna you can't mistake for another, it is definitely her, she is honestly flawless. Plus, her scent is unique, her signature perfume greets you before she does. Camilla doesn't react to me, she proceeds to bicker with Kingston until Ryan's shadow falls on us, making her gaze shift to him, her eyes dilating.

“Excuse me,” Alpha Ryan begins, his hand resting on Arielle's waist.“ Can I have a word with you?”

Camilla nods, raising from her seat.

Arielle moves her mask up her face, resting it in her perfectly styled hair. “I believe we haven't been properly introduced, I'm Arielle.” she says, reaching her hand forward to greet Camilla.