Page 32 of Betrayed Auctioned Mate

If last night hadn’t happened, I would have stuck it out.

But I can’t imagine being there, less than a mile from him, and watching Ado risk his life right now. It would fray my nerves so badly that I worry I might just burst into tears in the middle of the mission. I can’t afford that. I care too much about this job.

The tracker dots continue to move across the map. Ado’s icon blinks steadily, far ahead of the others. I bite my lip. Maybe I could call to remind him to slow down. But speaking to himright now would distract both of us. He knows what he’s doing and doesn’t need me babysitting him.

My thoughts drifted back to last night, to how he held me and looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered. And now, he’s speeding toward danger, and I’m stuck here, powerless to help if something goes wrong.

I shake my head, trying to clear it.Focus, Keira. You have a job to do.

The comms crackle to life, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Keira, you copy?” Percy’s voice comes through, steady and calm.

“Copy,” I reply, my voice clear despite my anxiety. “You’re approaching the outer perimeter. No movement on the internal cameras yet. You’re clear. The entrance you’re looking for is the lot beside the gondola station. You’ll be driven up the mountain after you provide the documentation, we gave you concerning your ‘job’ serving.”

“Roger that,” he says. “We’ll keep you posted.”

I keep my eyes on the monitors, scanning each feed for any sign of movement. People are beginning to trickle in now—tall, suited men with shadowed eyes. The mansion is vast, with plenty of places to hide, and I know the team will need every bit of intel I can provide to navigate it safely, as well as my coaching, since all I’ve done for days is research the potential attendees and I can guide them through interactions.

The extraction points around the perimeter are secure, at least for now. The vans will soon be in position, and the rest of the team will be ready to move in when the time comes.

The comms go quiet. Then Rafael’s voice cuts through. “Hey, Keira, how’s the view from the command center? You getting bored yet?”

I allow myself a small smile. “Bored stiff, actually. But someone’s gotta keep you guys out of trouble.”

“Trouble? Us?” Rafael’s tone is teasing, but there’s an edge of tension underneath. “Never. We’re professionals.”

“Yeah, right,” I reply, trying to keep the mood light. “Just stay focused, okay?”

“Always,” he says, and then the comms go quiet again.

I settle back in my chair, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling gnawing at me all day. Everything seems fine. The mission is going according to plan. But I can’t shake the sense that something’s coming, something I won’t be able to stop.

For a moment, I consider asking Aris to take me off the next mission, too. Maybe I need more time to get my head straight and figure out how to deal with everything that’s been weighing on me lately. But then, I push the thought away. I know I won’t ask. I can’t keep running from the field forever.

Suddenly, a noise pulls me from my thoughts. A soft creak, barely audible over the hum of the monitors.

I freeze, listening intently. The pack center is supposed to be empty—everyone is either on the mission or stationed outside for extraction. No one else should be here.

Another sound, this time louder, from somewhere above me. A faint shuffle, like someone moving carefully, trying not to be heard.

They must be on the floor above.

My heart skips a beat. I stand up slowly, removing my headset and setting it down on the desk. My eyes flick toward the stairwell at the back of the room, the only way up to the top floor from here. This building is almost brand new, far too modern to be creaking and settling in the evenings.

It’s certainly a person. Whether it’s friend or foe, I don’t yet know. Maybe it’s Linnea—but I can’t see why she’d be here when Aris told me she’s at home tonight, taking care of Araya, Kaila, little Percy, and the babies and then taking the rest of the night to herself.

I slip toward the door, every muscle in my body taut. It could be nothing—a townsperson or a stray animal that got in somehow. But I can’t ignore the thrum of anxiety in my chest that tells me otherwise.

I creep up the stairs, each step deliberate, careful not to make a sound. The light from the lower level barely reaches this far up, and the hallway at the top of the stairs is cloaked in shadow. I strain my ears, listening for any sign of movement, but the only sound I hear is my own breathing.

It’s dark, too dark to see clearly, but the feeling of being watched is unmistakable. I hear my heartbeat in my ears. Whoever’s up here, they shouldn’t be.

A faint shuffle ahead.

My eyes strain to adjust to the dim light. The hallway is too dark to make out anything clearly. Breath catches in my throat as I pause, trying to listen again. But the only sound I can hear is the rapid thudding of my own heartbeat.

A figure lunges at me from the shadows.

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