Page 24 of Party Girl: How a Naughty Omega Finds Love
“Candance.” The crier.
“Tiffany.”
The blonde tips her head. “Kiki.”
“I got caught partying.” I shrug. “I didn’t realize a drink had drugs in it, and now I’m here.”
Mila sighs. “I got caught with a delta.”
The rest of them tell their stories, almost ridiculous reasons to be deemed unfit for matching and most of them having to do with other men. Kiki kicked an alpha in the nuts, and she honestly doesn’t seem that bothered by being sent here. I wish I were as fearless as her. I’ve been in the warehouse long enough that I had time to feel sorry for myself. I’m done feeling bad about it now. Camila wants me broken, but I won’t give her that.
We fall into random conversations, each of us contributing in order to keep from freaking out about what’s about to happen. In a few hours, we’ll be sold to the highest bidder and that pack will be our fate. Around four-thirty, the door opens again. I brace for a wave of alphas, but a guard escorts an omega in the signature white dress from the Compatibility Ceremony toward the rest of us.
Her face is red and lined with anger. The beta drags her across the floor, and she scurries to keep up in the dainty heels she’s wearing. The rest of us watch as he attaches her to the same handrail.
“Don’t scream.”
For a moment, I think she might, but she grinds her teeth together.
“Good girl,” he snarks.
She jerks a little at that, but the guard is already on his way out.
“What’d you do to get in here?” Kiki asks the new woman.
“Fucked a beta at the Compatibility Ceremony and got caught.”
Kiki giggles. “Oh my God. So scandalous.”
The new woman gives her a curious look. “What did you do?”
Kiki tells her what she did, and the woman nods, a bit of a smile tugging at her lips.
“I have to pee,” Mila says, distracting me from my eavesdropping.
“You could go if you need to. I did.”
Her nose wrinkles. “I can’t.”
I get it. I told myself the same thing. After six hours though, I couldn’t hold it in any longer. Everyone falls into whispered conversation. Candace has a few more panic attacks about the auction. The closer the hour hand inches toward eight, the quieter she gets. Maybe she’s finally accepting her fate.
Around seven-thirty, alphas begin to arrive. I watch them strut toward the seats, chests puffed and eyes roaming over tonight’s selection. Their gazes are hungry, suits cheap and worn. Their smiles are wolfish and their collective scent makes my stomach turn. Omegas are supposed to be drawn to alphas, but I’m halfway to throwing up.
That’s probably the nerves.
A group of men, better dressed than the rest of the alphas, waltz in and take their seats in the middle of the crowd. They’re so out of place, but they don’t seem bothered by the scathing looks they get from the other men. I’m so busy staring at the crowd that I miss when one of Camila’s mates enters with his group of betas, until he crosses my line of sight. Eduardo’s steps are strong and proud as he steps onto the stage. He grins at the men and says hi to a few in the front row while the betas come over and cuff us all to a chain. The one at the head of the line grips the thick metal links and glares at me.
“Start walking,” he hisses.
I scowl at him but do as he asks. Eduardo goes through the opening announcements while we’re led onto the stage. The betas stand behind us, hands stuck to the chain to make sure we don’t run.
Where would we go?
In a room full of alphas, there’s no escape.
“Let’s start the auction,” Eduardo says into the microphone, settling the crowd. He turns and gestures to the guard behind me.
My heart jumps into my throat. He unhooks me from the chain and drags me toward Eduardo. I want to dig my feet in, but I don’t want to show my fear. The audience is full of predators, and they thrive on fright. I shoot the beta a scathing look that he misses.
