FRAGILE

Chapter 4: A Transaction between Men

Levi lay curled on the cold basement floor, the rough concrete pressing uncomfortably against his body as he tried to will the fear away. His mind raced, his breath coming in shallow gasps as the weight of everything pressed down on him. The humans. They were coming for him, and tomorrow, his world would change again—this time, for the worse. His thin body, already trembling from the constant ache of countless bruises and cuts, felt heavier under the oppressive air of dread.

His collar felt tighter than ever, the iron pressing into his skin, making each breath just a little more difficult. It was as if the weight of his fate was slowly choking him. Tomorrow, he would be sold off, no longer the Omega of the pack, but something worse—a possession for humans who saw him as little more than an animal.

The words of the Alpha echoed in his mind: He's yours.

The pack didn't care anymore. He had never been part of them—just a burden they tolerated until they could profit from his misery. The cold truth of that realization stabbed deeper than any of the beatings they had given him.

The door to the basement creaked open again, and Levi's heart lurched as heavy footsteps echoed down the stairs. He knew who it was without needing to look. Kian. The Beta always carried an air of malice with him, and Levi had learned to read it from the very first step.

Kian stepped into the dim basement, his boots thudding on the stone floor as he approached Levi's cage. His sneer was as cruel as ever, his lips curling back as he reached for the key that hung from his belt. Levi's heart raced in his chest, a wave of nausea rising as Kian unlocked the cage door and swung it open.

"Get up," Kian snapped, his voice harsh.

Levi scrambled to obey, his body weak and aching from the endless cycle of abuse. He moved too slowly for Kian's liking, and a sharp kick to Levi's side sent him stumbling forward, a gasp of pain escaping his lips. Kian grabbed him by the collar, yanking him upright with a brutal force that made Levi's head spin.

"We don't have all day, Omega," Kian growled, dragging Levi toward the stairs. "The Alpha wants you ready for transport. Consider yourself lucky—you won't have to deal with us anymore."

Lucky. The word felt like a sick joke.

Levi staggered after Kian as they made their way back up to the surface. The sunlight hit him again, harsh and blinding after the darkness of the basement. He blinked rapidly, trying to adjust, but his eyes remained blurry, his head swimming with the fear that threatened to consume him.

The pack was still gathered in the courtyard, their eyes cold and indifferent as Levi was dragged across the open yard like a piece of discarded refuse. He didn't look at them—he couldn't bear to. He knew the disgust and disdain in their eyes would only remind him of the truth he already knew: he didn't belong. He never had.

Kian shoved him toward a group of humans standing by a sleek black car parked at the edge of the clearing. The men were talking in low voices, but the moment they saw Kian approach, one of them stepped forward. Thomas, the man who had bought him. His cold, calculating eyes swept over Levi with an almost clinical detachment, as though inspecting livestock.

"Here he is, as promised," Kian said, his tone all business now. He shoved Levi forward again, causing him to stumble and fall to his knees in front of Thomas. "One Omega, just like you ordered."

Thomas nodded, his expression unreadable as he pulled out a thick wad of cash from his coat. He handed it to Kian without a word, his eyes never leaving Levi.

The exchange felt surreal to Levi. His life, his very existence, had been reduced to a handful of money and a transaction between two men. The humiliation of it stung, but he was too numb, too broken, to even register it fully. He felt the same as he always had—worthless, nothing more than a tool to be used and discarded.

Kian took the cash and gave Thomas a satisfied nod before turning away, his part in this finished. Levi's eyes followed him for a moment, watching the Beta's retreating form with a hollow sense of finality. This was it. The pack had washed their hands of him, sold him like the burden they always claimed he was.

Thomas's rough hand grabbed Levi by the collar and yanked him to his feet. The man's grip was unyielding, his fingers digging into Levi's skin as he pulled him closer, inspecting him one last time.

"Obedient, huh?" Thomas muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Levi didn't respond. His throat felt tight, the weight of the collar pressing harder against his neck. Thomas gave a small, satisfied nod and jerked his head toward the car.

"Get in," he ordered, his voice cold and devoid of emotion.

Levi hesitated for only a fraction of a second before moving. He had no choice. Resistance was pointless, and he knew it would only earn him more pain. His legs felt like lead as he approached the car, his body trembling from the overwhelming fear that clung to him like a second skin.

Thomas opened the door and shoved Levi inside without a second thought. The interior of the car smelled of leather and smoke, the seats too soft for someone who had spent most of his life on cold concrete floors. Levi curled into himself, his small frame trembling as the door slammed shut behind him.

Thomas climbed into the driver's seat, the car roaring to life with a low hum. Levi could barely hear anything over the pounding of his own heart as they pulled away from the pack's territory, the place he had known as home for so long fading into the distance behind him.

For a moment, Levi felt a flicker of something—freedom, maybe? But it was quickly swallowed by the crushing weight of reality. He wasn't free. He had only traded one prison for another, and the humans would be even crueler than the pack ever was.

As the car sped down the road, Levi pressed his forehead against the window, the cool glass offering little comfort. His world had collapsed around him, and now he was truly alone. Sold, discarded, and forgotten.

And for the first time, Levi wondered if death would have been a kinder fate.