A Luna for Alpha Kieran-Chapter 121: Dash...

Autumn didn’t think twice.

She ran.

Her body moved before her mind could catch up. The stall of trinkets rattled as she shoved past it.Beads scattered...feathers flew.

"Pup...WAIT!" The red head tried to lunge after her, taken completely by surprise.

But she obviously didn’t wait to explain.

Autumn ducked past a rack of chainmail necklaces, sending them flying into the air like tossed salad.

The vendor shrieked as the chains clattered to the ground, "What in the Moon’s name... " But he shut up real quick, bowing instead of cursing, when he realised that it was a Royal from the Skarthheim pack!

"After her!" A loud chorus echoed just behind him.

"She bolted! She fucking bolted!Thorgar is going to skin us alive! "

"PRINCESS?Wait for us!Wait up! "

But they were large. Trained to stalk, not sprint (in an open field yes,but definitely not through narrow meandering alleyways).

Shit!

Autumn darted through two carts carrying sizzling meat skewers."Oi!! You...YOU SPUNY LITTLE..."

But before the vendor could understand who he was yelling at...CRASH!

Autumn didn’t even look back. She skidded around a corner, almost skipping. "Move!I said MOVE you lazy ass morons!!Move faster! "

Her steps were guided by instinct... desire...a burning need.

" She is headed east! Form a wedge!"

" Wedge? Aye???Have you been drinking since sun light,yeh???What’s a wedge gonna do? Besides...you are not even a damn general!"

They tripped and flew into a tent post, arguing mid chase.

The post cracked without a doubt.Then it snapped the wires holding it as well.

The entire canvas dropped like a rug being yanked off a table, trapping three other warriors beneath it.

Autumn had no idea about the mess she was leaving behind...her breath came in gasps. Her chest ached from running.

The babies kicked wildly, as if they too could feel him...their father...so close...in this strange land. How? How did he find her?

The thought that he had actually come for her was enough... it was enough to make Autumn literally forget everything... all pain... all sorrow... anything that ever felt like betrayal.

By this time, the entire bazaar had erupted into chaos in her wake. Someone had tripped over a crate of writhing eels, sending the entire stall crashing into a display of glass vials filled with glowing liquid...most definitely potions. Lethal kinds. The crowd shrieked as the liquids mixed, exploding in a puff of neon smoke.

"OUT OF THE WAY!"

The red head bellowed, shoving the group of gaping onlookers aside ,rushing after Autumn like his life depended on it.

Autumn wove between stalls, following the pull of the bond.

Closer. Closer!!! And faster got the beating of her heart.

Her steps faltered...she was in such a rush...oh she was. Couldn’t wait...couldn’t waste even a single second.

She whipped around, chest heaving. He was so close...but where was he???

She caught sight of another passage...narrower, winding further, flanked by carved totems and hanging hides.

The bond pulled her in that direction like a hook caught in a fish’s throat.

Someone carrying a tray of supplies stepped into her path.

Autumn screamed, "SORRY!!" and dodged left.

But unfortunately,she clipped the edge of the tray.

Tinkle...tinkle...SMASH.

"WHAT THE ACTUAL... "

Autumn’s steps skidded to a halt. Not because of what the merchant was yelling... but because of what she saw.

She saw the Auction Hall... the gigantic skull, opening its mouth like a door.

Then whimpers and broken sobs followed...Autumn’s blood turned to ice.

She stood frozen on the spot, her fingers trembling at her sides, as handlers dragged line after line of shackled girls through the archway. Some stumbled. Some tried to howl. Some didn’t move at all...their eyes hollow, their bodies limp as rag dolls.

Autumn watched as one tried to pull away.A handler backhanded her so hard her head snapped to the side.

Autumn flinched.

"Ahhh! Princess! There you are!" The redhead stumbled to a stop, breathing like a dying ox. Her pause had given them just enough time to finally catch up.

The rest of her escorts stumbled in behind him, panting and wheezing, some coughing violently from the toxic fumes of the earlier explosion.

"Fucking hell! It burnt my lungs.." one growled, leaning against a wall.

"You are fast,princess," another coughed, slapping his chest. "Like...hells, girl. That was impressive actually!!!"

Autumn didn’t respond.

She hadn’t even blinked.Her eyes were glued to the front...carefully watching what was happening.

"I know you like to play," the red head said again, stepping closer. His grin was gentle, like a man indulging a naughty pup. "You are so playful. Just like your Da. But please don’t do that outside the pack." His voice dropped slightly.Warning.Laced with concern. "It’s not safe. Especially when they learn who you are."

Autumn didn’t turn to him.

She was still staring." What’s happening there???What are they doing to them?"

The red head blinked. "Hmm?"

She finally turned to face him. Her eyes—wide, glassy, but clear. "The girls," she said slowly. "What are they doing to those girls?"

"The Auction you mean?"

" This is the...auction???" she repeated.

He scratched his beard. "Aye. The lot of them.Rare bloodlines, some. Others good for labor, broods, servants, you name it. It’s all monitored, of course. Proper trade. Not some back alley raid, mind you."

He chuckled like he had said something reassuring.But Autumn was still frozen.

Her hand curled into a fist.

He didn’t notice.He cheerfully continued with his explanation."You would be surprised what some of these fetch. There is this old elf lord from the Salt Islands.Freak pays a whole fortune for the blind ones. Says they are better listeners." He spat. "Weird bastard...What a cunning way to raise the price of defective lots.But this time...I heard they brought some great stock..."

"They are not stock!"

" Huh??? You said something, Pup? "

" I said... they are NOT stock!! "

Silence fell over the group.

Finally the red head raised both hands in peace. "Aye, of course. Of course. No offense meant. But that’s how the system works out here. It’s not like the New lands, pup.You will know our curse... you will learn why we are the way we are now... "

Before Autumn could retort... they heard a terrifying yell coming from inside... followed by a roar... And then all the handlers darted inside... All at once!!!

Autumn buckled... Shit!!! Kieran...

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