Sold To The Billionaire Alpha
Chapter 30

Orchid

I was lying on Orion’s chest, his hot skin and taut muscles under my cheek the palm of my hand. He was stroking my hair with one hand and my back with the other. Several of the night gowns he had gotten for me were backless and a bit sheer. My eyes fluttered closed. I was usually an insomniac but it was a struggle to stay awake when in Orion’s embrace. He made me feel complete and content though I loathed to admit it. I had to keep reminding myself how I had gotten here. Kidnapping. Was I really going to stay with him? I wanted to. I also wanted to sneak away to see my surprise but I was afraid he would think I was trying to escape if he noticed my absence. He was taking a long time to fall asleep.

“Aren’t you tired?” I whispered against his skin.

“Aren’t you?” He chuckled.

“Not really,” I said softly, looking up at him.

He smirked, interpreting that to be an innuendo.

“I did not mean it like that,” I said, resting my cheek against his chest again.

I was exhausted but I kept fighting sleep. At some point, I must have drifted off. I awoke with a start. Orion’s chest rose and fell slowly. I looked up. His eyes were closed. He was sleeping peacefully. I wriggled out from under his heavy arm, contorting my body to do so. I sighed with relief as I stole out of the room and into the hallway. Where was my surprise and what could it be?

I had learnt to navigate the mansion better. I knew where Orion’s study was. I ran to it as quietly as I could. I peaked through the keyhole. Maybe the presents were right on the desk. The desk had the usual papers on it. I tried to open the door. It was locked. It had a keypad as well as a traditional lock and key. I did not have the key of course so I studied the keypad. What would Orion’s password be? It had to be six digits. I gasped. Maybe it was my birthday? I tried that. It read: Pass code incorrect. Two more tries before alarm. s**t. Maybe he was not as obsessed with me as I thought. I wondered if it was the first day I came here. I tried that. Incorrect again. This was my last try. If I were wrong, it would sound the alarm. I tried the date he claimed to have first seen me, the night that weird man had tried to follow me and Orion had taken care of him unbeknownst to me back then. Pass code correct. Entrance granted.

I squealed in triumphed and then quickly clasped my hands over my mouth. I looked around the hallway. No one was around. I entered his study, shutting the door behind me. There were maps on the walls showing his territories. One wall was lined by bookshelves. The centre of the room boasted a huge desk with a large office chair. I sat in it and spun around. I tried to go through his drawers for clues but they were locked. I sighed. This was futile. I kept the light off in case someone passed by in the hallway and saw the light from under the door. My eyes widened as I spotted names I recognised on a post-it on his desk.

Kat

Daisy

My friends. I furrowed my brow. A scary thought entered my head. Were the Caros going to kidnap my friends and sell them too? I had to warn them. There was a phone on the desk. How did I call another realm entirely? It was worth a shot. Orion had said something about having an inter-realm plan. I dialled Kat’s number. I did not know Daisy’s number by heart. It rang. I waited with bated breath.

“Hello? Orchid?” Said Kat, her voice hoarse as though she had been drinking.

Orion

I woke up with a start, panting and drenched with sweat. I had had a nightmare. I never had them when Orchid was with me though. Dread slid through me. I searched the bedsheets. They were empty. She was gone! My roar made the whole estate shake.

I woke the whole mansion up, room by room, banging on every door. I wanted everyone looking for Orchid. Cook, maid, guard. I did not care what their day job here was. They were all to wake up and look for my Luna.

“ORCHID!” I shouted at the top of my lung’s in my alpha voice, making the mansion rumbled while everyone scurried about.

Orchid

Kat was here. At the mansion. In this realm. Orion had brought her here! She and Daisy were both here. Was my mother here too? Daisy seemed to think she was here to stay in a bunker for an earthquake while Kat mentioned my birthday party. What was really going on? I was whispering into the receiver.

“Daisy, don’t be ridiculous,” I hissed. “What earthquake? Orion would have told me if…”

I felt a searing pain in my tummy. I screamed. What was that? I dropped to the ground. The mansion was shaking. Everything in the dark study trembled. Books fell off the shelf.

“Orchid! Orchid! Are you okay?!” Screamed Kat from the other end of the receiver.

“It’s the earthquake!” I heard Daisy screech hysterically. “We have to get to the bunker!”

I crawled towards the phone. It was hanging from its cord, dangling, partially touching the carpet. I was panting.

Orchid, where are you?

Orion’s voice was in my head. Was I having auditory hallucinations? Chest pain, abdominal pain, both of sudden onset and severe with auditory hallucinations. I was trying to diagnose myself when the door flung open.

“I knew it!” Came a voice I recognised.

I looked up to see Perseus looking at me triumphantly.

“I knew you were snooping around again!” He said, shaking his head.

“You’ve really done it now. Orion is furious,” he said.

“Help! Something’s wrong with me!” I squealed.

Perseus sniffed the air. His eyes widened.

“Is that her?” Came the voice of a male guard I did not recognise.

“Get all the unmated males away from here! Clear the hallways! NOW!” Roared Perseus, making the mansion rumble again.

Orion and Perseus were doing that. They made the place shake sometimes. It was a wolf thing. I had only seen them do it though. None of the others could. I tried to get up but I was struggling.

“But, Alpha Orion said…” protested the guard.

“I’ll mind-link him! Go! Now!” Ordered Perseus, his eyes turning black.

Mind-linking! Was Orion mind-linking me?

Orion, I tried.

Baby! Oh! Thank God! Baby! Baby! Where are you? He asked.

Perseus would rat me out anyway.

I’m in your office. Please don’t put me in the dungeon on my birthday. I wasn’t trying to run away, I pleaded, close to tears from the pain and the stress.

No, Baby, no! I’ll never do that again! I’m so sorry! I’m coming!

Orion’s heavy footsteps alerted me to his presence. He hesitated a few feet from me.

“Help,” I said softly.

He was panting. Sweat dripped down his temples.

“Orion!” I cried.

I felt feverish now. I was a doctor but I could not treat myself and my symptoms were puzzling.

“I think I need a doctor,” I mumbled.

“How is this possible?” Orion asked Perseus.

“I…I have no idea,” said Perseus.

He was really mad at me to leave me on the ground like this. I started to cry. He scooped me up immediately. I sighed in relief. The pain eased a little as I felt his warmth.

“Mmm,” I said, feeling tingles all over.

I was burning up but Orion’s presence soothed me and cooled me down a little.

“Keep all the males away from our floor,” said Orion.

“All the unmated ones,” clarified Perseus.

“NO! Every single one,” said Orion, walking briskly with me through the hallway.

“Do you need me to bring Rose to look after her and you can stay with me. I can keep you away from her if you can’t handle…” began Perseus.

“No!” Said Orion. “I have to stay with her. She…we’ll be ok,” he said. “Send a female pack doctor please and get Bisa.”

“Ok,” said Perseus. “I’m on it. Should I stay away too?”

“No of course not, Brother, I’m not that paranoid,” said Orion.

“Just making sure,” chuckled Perseus.

The brothers went their separate ways. A m**n escaped me. I writhed in Orion’s arms.

“Is it my appendix?” I thought out loud.

“No, Baby,” said Orion, his voice husky.

His low voice made me wet. He rushed me into our room and lay me on the bed. He went to shut the door and lock it. As soon as he parted from me, the pain erupted all over me like I would combust.

“ORION!” I shrieked, sitting up and trying to run to him.

He flew towards me and forced me to lie down again.

“Shh, shhh. Baby, please, shh,” he cooed.

He pulled me against him and pulled the covers over us. I wiggled about and got tangled up in the covers so that my skin wasn’t on his skin. I g*****d and ripped the covers off and threw them on the floor. I straddled him. He was in a robe. Underneath he was shirtless with boxers on. I pushed the robe off his shoulders and ran my hands along his rippling muscles. I was shivering but I was not cold and I was roasting but it was not a fever.

“What is this?” I asked, as I followed my urge to rock my h**s against his, rubbing my core against the bulge in his boxers.

He g*****d and grabbed my h**s stopping me at first until he gave up and helped me rub myself against him more.

“Heat. You’re in heat,” said Orion.

Heat? Like a cat? Like an animal? My mind was fuzzy. I needed this pain to be over. Was it my birthday already? It was probably after midnight!

“The pack doctor is coming,” he said reassuringly.

“For what?” I asked now that I knew the cause.

“To administer something to help you relax to get through the days of your heat,” said Orion apologetically. “I didn’t expect you to go into…you’re human. I’m sorry I wasn’t prepared,” he grunted, his face strained with effort of holding himself back.

I probably smelled different. Every time I moved and my aroma wafted towards him his eyes darkened.

“Days,” I gasped.

“I’m sorry,” whispered Orion as though he felt at fault.

“There’s no…um…cure,” I said softly, pondering the obvious.

I knew what the cure must be.

“The only thing that will truly satisfy the heat is…well, mating,” said Orion, looking at me with wide eyes.

There was a knock on the door.

“Send them away,” I said. “With your mind-link.”

“Don’t be embarrassed, Baby. I sent for a female doctor. She can also tell you of her experiences,” said Orion.

“Send her away,” I said again.

Orion sighed.

“Now!” I snapped.

Orion reluctantly mind-linked to her to send her away. I could see his eyes darken as he communicated with her.

“Is she gone?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said, his voice strained.

“Now, take me,” I instructed.