Keeran's POV
The office was quiet, too quiet for the weight hanging in the air.
Outside, the city bustled like nothing was wrong. But inside, I was suffocating under the pressure of a curse no one dared speak too loudly about.
Liam stood near the shelves, arms crossed, giving me that look. The one who said he'd already rehearsed this conversation a dozen times before bringing it to me.
"Just say it," I muttered without looking up.
"You're almost thirty," he said carefully. "The Elders are restless. The pack's starting to think if you're going to take a Luna."
I exhaled sharply through my nose.
"Why does it matter? All she-wolves are the same. They want the same damn thing."
He didn't argue because it was damn true.
The curse had haunted my bloodline for generations, silent, cruel, and unbreakable. It skipped around like a shadow, unpredictable and unrelenting. My great-grandfather died without ever finding his mate. So did my uncle. And now it was me.
I turned 28 two years ago. And the older I got, the more the bondless ache in my chest grew sharper. My wolf was restless. Starved. He wanted his mate, and she was nowhere.
I'd searched. I had combed through pack alliances, open territories, and even rogue outskirts. Nothing. No scent, no pull. No instinct that told me she existed at all. That's when I knew I inherited that damn curse.
"I'm not just single," I said flatly. "I'm fated to be alone. That's what the curse is."
Liam leaned against the wall, his voice low.
"And what happens if you never find her?"
I turned from the window, meeting his gaze.
"Then I lead alone. I die alone. And this pack will outlive me like it did the rest of my family."
He didn't like that answer, but we both knew it was the truth.
"You've built everything with your own hands, Keeran. You've never needed a Luna to prove your worth. The pack respects you."
"But I'm not an immortal. I wouldn't be here forever. That's why I need an heir," I cut in.
He didn't reply.
I stepped away from the window, tension building behind my ribs. I admire Liam still not cowering in fear despite my temper.
"Then I should probably train one of my nephews," I said,
Liam gave a short nod.
"Is that your final decision, Alpha?"
"Do I have a choice? It's not like I'll find a she-wolf that doesn't want power and money. It's not like there's a she-wolf who doesn't know me."
The weight of the curse didn't just hang over me, it pressed in every time I closed my eyes. I was running out of options. But Liam, ever the opportunist, had that sly smile again. The kind that made you suspicious even when you wanted to trust him.
"You know," he said, leaning against the edge of my desk with a casual air, "there are ways to get what you want without waiting for fate to decide."
I raised an eyebrow, folding my arms.
"I don't want to buy a mate."
He chuckled softly.
"It's not as… crude as it sounds. I have contacts. People who deal in rare things, wolves from distant packs like Asia and Africa, unclaimed or rogue. If you're serious about having an heir even with this curse, I can find you a mate who fits your needs."
I frowned for a bit and looked at him. He was serious.
"I don't want someone near the pack. I don't want a Luna who's tied to local politics or baggage."
Liam nodded, unfazed.
"Understandable. I can source her from anywhere. Maybe a remote northern territory, maybe an isolated rogue group. No strings attached, just what you want. Healthy, strong, compatible."
I studied his face for a moment. There was no malice, just cold efficiency.
"Are you saying this is… legal?" I asked.
"Legal enough," Liam said with a smirk. "No paper trail. No pack drama. Just a clean deal. You pay, I deliver."
I let out a breath, knowing that desperation was creeping in where resolve used to be.
"Show me what you've got."
Liam's smile widened.
"That's the spirit."
The casino lights were all for show.
Flashy. Loud. Distracting. Designed to make humans feel like they were on top of the world, drunk on adrenaline. I didn't even glance at the tables.
Liam was already waiting by the bar, nursing a glass of something amber. He straightened when he saw me, tossing a nod toward the back hallway.
"It's about to start, Alpha."
I followed him past the velvet rope and through a door guarded by a man whose eyes told me he wasn't human, and that he didn't need to be to break someone in half. No one stopped us. No one even spoke.
Down the corridor, the lights dimmed. The music has faded. What looked like a service elevator opened with a soft chime. Once inside, Liam pressed a small brass key into a hidden panel behind the floor buttons. The elevator dropped not up, not to another floor below, or underground.
I felt the shift in the air the moment we passed beneath the casino's shell. The scent changed, no more stale alcohol and sweat. Down here, it was sterile.
Liam adjusted his suit jacket.
"They're cycling through southern regions tonight. Mostly unregistered wolves, low-profile. We're not looking for drama. You said you wanted someone distant. Someone clean."
I nodded but didn't respond.
My gut twisted. I didn't like this. I didn't like the idea of buying someone who didn't even know what she was being pulled into. But this wasn't about love. This wasn't about romance. This was about surviving a curse that refused to loosen its grip.
The elevator opened into a wide, dimly lit gallery. Velvet drapes. Private booths. Security on every corner.
The auction house was built like a theatre, grand, opulent, and predatory.
A woman in black greeted us.
"Alpha Keeran. Your seat is ready."
I followed her down the aisle while Liam walked beside me like this was just another business meeting.
We slipped into a private booth lined with smoked glass and silence. The lights were low enough that no one could see us clearly from below, but I had a perfect view of the platform at the center.
Liam leaned in slightly.
"Just watch. If one catches your eye, signal me. You don't have to commit. Not unless you feel something."
I didn't answer. A part of me hoped I wouldn't feel anything at all, and the other part was terrified that I might.