The Luna they betrayed became Untouchable

Chapter 21: Chapter 21

The auction hall was unlike anything Evelyn had ever seen.

Tier upon tier of polished black stone rose in circles around the central platform, where every treasure would be displayed under crystal lanterns.

Thousands of wolves filled the seats. Representatives from every major House in the realm.

Evelyn adjusted the silver mask over her face as she stepped inside with Tristan at her side. For a moment, she simply took it all in.

"So this," she murmured quietly, "is where fortunes are made."

"And destroyed," Tristan replied.

Her eyes swept across the enormous arena. Only then did she notice something unusual.

"The first row is empty."

It wasn’t just empty—every seat closest to the auction platform had been deliberately left vacant, despite the thousands already crowding the hall.

Tristan followed her gaze and hummed. "The Supreme Alpha," he replied.

Evelyn knew Alpha Lucien was an arrogant man with a chip on his shoulders, but this? She hadn’t thought about it.

"I heard the Supreme Alpha is attending, can you believe it?" someone whispered next to them.

"I heard he’s attending himself, the first time in years."

"They say something at today’s auction caught his attention."

"What could possibly bring Lucien here personally?"

Evelyn tuned their words out. She wasn’t going to think of that arrogant, uncouth man here.

Evelyn lowered herself into one of the middle rows while Tristan took the seat beside her, close enough that anyone wishing to reach her would first have to go through him.

Minutes passed, and the auction ground continued to fill up with even more people.

Suddenly, every conversation died instantly, and all eyes turned toward the entrance.

It was the Supreme Alpha and the First Houses Alphas.

Lucien entered first, and the entire arena rose to its feet like they’d been bewitched.

He walked with the effortless authority of a man who had never once questioned whether he belonged at the top of the realm.

His long black cloak swept behind him as he made his way toward the reserved front row, not even acknowledging the other Alphas.

Evelyn’s mouth soured. This man was even worse than she thought.

A step behind him was Kael Ashbourne. Unlike Lucien’s quiet dominance, Kael carried himself with unmistakable pride.

His chin remained lifted, head straight and shoulders squared. At his side walked his Gamma, Aldric.

Tristan’s eyes lingered on the man walking beside Kael. "Aldric," he murmured quietly.

Evelyn followed his gaze. "He stayed."

Tristan gave a small nod. "It seems so."

Neither of them said anything more. There had been a time when Tristan and Aldric had trained together. They had shared battlefields, victories, even drinks after successful campaigns.

Now they stood on opposite sides of a divide neither of them had imagined crossing.

As Lucien approached the front row, his pace slowed almost imperceptibly.

His head turned suddenly, his eyes settling on the silver-masked woman seated several rows behind him.

Evelyn’s breath seized for a second as their eyes met. Yet she kept her ground—looking away too fast would have made him suspicious.

A second later, Lucien looked away. Even through the mask, something about the woman tugged faintly at Lucien’s instincts, but it vanished as quickly as it came.

Tristan leaned closer. "My Lady. Don’t look at him again."

"I wasn’t planning to."

"We’ve already drawn enough of the Supreme Alpha’s attention."

A faint smile touched Evelyn’s lips. "I doubt he spared me a second thought, if he saw me at all."

"If we’re fortunate," Tristan replied, "he didn’t."

The moment the First Houses took their seats, the hall settled once more.

A silver-haired woman dressed in deep crimson stepped onto the central platform.

She smiled warmly, her voice carrying effortlessly throughout the vast arena.

"My Lords... Welcome to the Howling Auction."

"We have gathered the rarest relics, the finest craftsmanship, and treasures collected from every corner of the realm. Our hope is that each of you leaves today with something worthy of your name."

She swept one hand toward the first velvet-covered display.

"Shall we begin?"

Two attendants wheeled the first display onto the platform before lifting away the velvet cloth.

Nestled atop an ebony pedestal rested a crystal no larger than a man’s fist.

"Our first item," the auctioneer announced, "a Spirit Core harvested from a Frost Rake of the Northern Peaks."

A murmur swept through the crowd.

"Forged into a weapon, it increases the wielder’s endurance. Ground into powder, it may be used in high-grade healing elixirs. Properly refined, it is said to strengthen a wolf’s connection to their beast."

Several Alphas immediately raised their bidding paddles. "One hundred thousand silver."

"One hundred and fifty."

"Two hundred."

The numbers climbed steadily until the crystal was finally sold to an Alpha from the western territories.

No sooner had it left the stage than another relic replaced it—an ancient war banner said to have flown during the First Alpha’s campaigns.

Evelyn watched without speaking, her hands folded in her lap.

She was so focused on the auctioneer that she almost didn’t notice the two men approaching her row.

One wore a white flowing tunic, his expression bright and almost annoyingly cheerful. The other wore a simple, unadorned black cloak, his face unreadable—perhaps because he had a shawl over his face, leaving only his eyes.

The white-clad man stopped beside her. "Excuse me," he said, his voice carrying a casual friendliness that felt entirely out of place. "Would you mind if we sat here? Everywhere else seems to be taken."

Evelyn looked at them and shook her head. Having two clearly masked people in one row would attract attention.

The man in white faltered a little. "There isn’t any more space except in front, and we can’t go there. Please, let’s just sit next to you, shall we?"

Evelyn glanced at the seats around and sighed internally. There were clearly other spaces they could sit, but having them stand for even longer would attract attention.

"Of course," she said.

The white-clad man smiled brightly and slid into the seat, while the black-clad man said nothing. He simply sat on her other side, his presence radiating a quiet intensity that made Tristan’s hand drift instinctively toward his sword.

The white-clad man leaned toward her.

"Quite a gathering, isn’t it?" he said cheerfully. "I’ve attended a dozen auctions over the years, but this..." He swept a hand toward the arena. "This is something else."

Evelyn offered nothing more than a polite nod before returning her attention to the platform.

The man didn’t seem discouraged. "My companion isn’t much for conversation, so I’m afraid you’ll have to tolerate mine."

"I’m here for the auction," Evelyn replied evenly. "Not conversation."

Without another word, Evelyn returned her attention to the stage. For several moments, only the auctioneer’s voice filled the hall.

An enchanted spear. A suit of scale armor recovered from the Eastern Marshes.

Each item drew fierce bidding and sold for a staggering sum.

Still... Evelyn never lifted her paddle. Beside her, the man dressed in black remained completely silent, yet she could feel his gaze, heavy on her.

Her brows furrowed... what was it with these two men?

Finally, she turned her head, and their eyes met.

"What?"

The man regarded her for another heartbeat before speaking for the first time.

"You haven’t bid."

"No. Now, if you’ll please."

It didn’t deter the man. "Nothing has interested you?"

"No." She gritted out through clenched teeth. Perhaps, after spending years with Kael, her patience level had deteriorated.

"What about the Spirit Core?" he asked. "Or the scent-changing oil? I heard it can fool even an Alpha’s senses." He tilted his head. "Surely a woman with your... presence... has some desire to acquire power."

Evelyn’s jaw tightened. "I don’t recall asking for your thoughts or opinions. Now, if you’ll please."

For the first time, the corners of his eyes creased slightly. "As you wish."

He leaned back, his gaze trailing hers to the first row, on Kael Ashbourne.

Then, almost imperceptibly... his eyes returned to Evelyn. Interesting...

On the platform, the auctioneer smiled as attendants wheeled away another sold relic.

"My Lords..." She paused deliberately, allowing the excitement to settle.

"It is now time for today’s final item."

The atmosphere inside the arena changed instantly.

Kael’s hand closed around his bidding paddle. At the front row... Lucien folded his hands before him.

Every eye fixed upon the enormous obsidian chest being carried slowly onto the platform.

The Red Wolf Sword had arrived.

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