Vanished Sisters: The Lycan King's Slave Island Chapter 101

Natasha's POV

Lord Gregor shrugged. "The male slaves' nudity is less critical than the females'. If Lord Caelan is satisfied with a partial viewing, I have no objection."

"Very well," Victoria said. She turned to me. "Remove your tunic. You may keep your trousers."

*Oh God. Oh thank God.*

With shaking hands, I pulled my tunic over my head.

The binding around my chest was visible now—wrapped tight to flatten my breasts. But in the dim light, from a distance, it could pass for an undergarment.

*Please don't look too closely. Please don't notice.*

"Turn," Victoria commanded.

I turned slowly, showing my back, my sides, my front again.

Whispers rippled through the crowd.

"He's quite beautiful."

"I'd love to see what that pretty mouth can do."

"I bet his ass is so fucking tight that I couldn't even last one minute."

My face burned with humiliation.

"We'll start the bidding at one hundred gold crowns," Victoria announced.

"One hundred!" someone called immediately.

"Two hundred!"

"Three hundred!"

The bids came fast and furious. Higher than any of the previous male slaves had gone.

"Five hundred!" a Lord called.

"Six hundred!" a female Lycan countered.

I stood frozen on the platform, my arms wrapped around myself, as they haggled over my price like I was a piece of art.

The numbers climbed. Seven hundred. Eight hundred. Nine hundred.

*Too much attention. This is too much attention. I need to be forgettable, unremarkable, and instead I'm—*

"One thousand gold crowns," Lord Caelan's voice cut through the chaos.

Silence fell.

One thousand was significantly more than anyone had paid for any slave today. Even the beautiful Eleanor had only gone for eight hundred.

"Caelan," one of the other Lords said slowly. "Are you serious? One thousand for a boy?"

"I'm quite serious," Caelan replied calmly.

"But you're not even interested in boys," another Lord said, confused. "I've never known you to purchase male slaves for... personal use."

Caelan smiled. "Perhaps I'm simply interested in trying something new. Life gets dull when you experience the same pleasures repeatedly. And this one is quite beautiful, as you all noted."

"Still," the first Lord persisted. "One thousand seems—"

"Are you questioning my right to spend my money as I see fit?" Caelan's tone remained pleasant, but there was an edge to it now.

"No, of course not. Just—seems excessive for a boy, that's all."

Caelan shrugged. "Loneliness makes fools of us all. Perhaps I simply want some pretty company. Is anyone going to bid higher?"

Silence.

No one wanted to compete with one thousand gold crowns for a male slave.

"Going once," Victoria called. "Going twice—"

I felt a flood of relief so intense I nearly collapsed.

*It worked. He did it. I'm safe. I'm—*

Movement caught my eye.

Selene was standing up from her seat. She moved with deliberate grace, walking toward the dais where the Grand Lords sat.

*No. No, what is she—*

She stopped beside Lord Sebastian, leaning down to whisper in his ear. Her eyes flicked to me several times as she spoke.

Sebastian's expression changed. His casual interest sharpened into something more focused. More intense.

He looked at me—really looked at me—for the first time since I'd stepped onto the platform.

Our eyes met across the hall.

His gaze was piercing. Analytical. Like he was seeing something others had missed.

And then he smiled. Slow and predatory.

*Oh no. Oh God, no. What did she tell him?*

Selene straightened, a satisfied smile playing at her lips. She walked back to her seat, her movements elegant and unhurried.

"Sold to Lord Caelan for—" Victoria was saying.

"Wait," Sebastian's voice cut through the hall like a knife.

Everyone fell silent.

Sebastian stood from his seat on the dais, his eyes still fixed on me. "Caelan, my friend. Would you be willing to yield your claim on this... charming boy?"

The hall was absolutely silent now. Every eye turned to either Sebastian or Caelan.

Caelan's face had gone carefully blank. "My Lord Sebastian, I've already bid on—"

"I know what you bid," Sebastian interrupted smoothly. "And I'm not contesting the sale. I'm asking—as a favor between friends—if you'd be willing to let me have him instead. I find myself... intrigued."

*No. No, no, no.*

"I'll compensate you, of course," Sebastian continued. "Whatever you paid, I'll reimburse you. Plus an additional two hundred gold crowns for the inconvenience."

Caelan hesitated. I could see the conflict in his face. The knowledge that he couldn't refuse a Grand Lord's "request" without serious consequences.

"Sebastian," he said carefully, "I'm sure there are other slaves who would—"

"I want this one," Sebastian said flatly. The friendly tone was gone now, replaced by naked authority. "Will you yield, or do I need to exercise my right as Grand Lord to simply take him?"

*He can do that. The rules Victoria announced—any Grand Lord can claim any slave regardless of bidding.*

I looked at Caelan desperately.

Our eyes met. And in his face, I saw the answer.

He couldn't help me. Not against a Grand Lord. He had no power here.

Caelan's shoulders sagged slightly. "Of course."

"Excellent!" Sebastian clapped his hands together, looking genuinely pleased. "Slave! Yes, you. Come here."

He was looking at me. Gesturing me forward.

*This is it. This is where I die.*

My legs moved on their own. Walking toward Sebastian. Toward my doom.

The crowd parted, creating a path. I could feel hundreds of eyes on me as I walked.

When I reached the dais, I stopped, my head down.

"Look at me," Sebastian commanded.

I raised my eyes.