Chapter 2 0002

LILA

"Mom, what's he talking about?" I stepped out from my hiding spot as soon as he left, my heart pounding in my chest.

"You're getting married to the Alpha," Mom announced, her voice dripping with bitterness.

I tilted my jaw in disbelief, my mind reeling. "Is this a joke? I'm not getting married to anyone! I'm not even eighteen for another three days!" I shouted, my frustration bubbling over into sheer panic.

"Don't you get it? Would you rather be a Luna and rule our entire pack, or be banished with me to jail?" Mom snapped, her words catching even herself off guard.

"I don't care! That's your mess, not mine!" I screamed, tears of anger and betrayal streaming down my face. "You looted from the pack, you committed the crime, so you should face the consequences! Why would you sell me off to an Alpha to cover up for your mistakes?" My voice cracked as I realized how desperate she was to sacrifice my future for her own.

"You didn't mind the lavish lifestyle you've been living, did you?" she shot back, her eyes narrowing. "How much is that jewelry you have on? Five dollars? Please. Everything I do is for us. Do you think, after being raised with a silver spoon, that you'd survive out in the wild? This is the only way out. Mother knows best."

I wanted to yell, to scream at her and tell her she was wrong, that she didn't know best. But all I could do was stare at her, my heart breaking into pieces.

"I'm not surprised you were truly sucking cock just to get where you are. You're quite the desperado," I spat, using Alpha Rafael's cruel words against her.

The hurt in my voice was clear, and I knew it was a slap in the face for her. But it was the only thing I could say to relieve the pain clawing at my chest.

I turned to walk out, but before I could take a step, she grabbed me and shoved me against the wall, a hot slap landing on my face.

I saw red.

**

I stood at the altar, feeling the weight of the ivory gown clinging to me like an unwelcome embrace.

It was my eighteenth birthday, and yet here I was, dressed in white not for celebration, but for submission. Around me, members of the pack whispered, their voices a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

"Why her?" I heard someone mutter, their words like venomous darts aimed at my heart.

"Alpha Rafael could have had anyone, and he chooses her?" Their words stung, but I refused to let their judgment break me.

I lifted my chin defiantly, my gaze sweeping over the assembled guests. Their eyes bore into me, some with pity, others with open disdain. I knew what they saw – a girl they deemed unworthy, plain and unremarkable compared to their powerful Alpha.

But I didn't care about their opinions. I clenched my fists, feeling the fabric of the gown bunching beneath my fingers. This wasn't how I imagined my birthday, nor my wedding day.

Yet, here I stood, ready to exchange vows with a man I barely knew.

As I walked down the aisle, each step heavier than the last, the whispers followed me like a shadow.

"She's not even pretty," I heard someone say, their words cutting through the air like a blade.

I felt the urge to scream the F-word at them all. Not that I ever wanted to marry that arrogant Alpha in the first place. Despite my disdain for him, ruining my future was the last thing I wanted. Yet, here I was, a pawn in the game my mother had set in motion.

The crowd's jeers pierced the air, pulling my attention away. There he was-the devil himself. His long legs moved with an unsettling grace as he strode towards the altar. His hair, curled back and flowing, framed a face that was irritatingly handsome. Was this really my future husband? Handsome was not a word I'd ever use for the man standing before me.

"It's just a contract marriage," he boomed, his voice cutting through the noise. "You didn't need to make such a fuss." He gestured at the half-crowd filling the courthouse.

"You asked for it," I shot back, my voice laced with indifference. If he wanted a marriage, he got one. Why whine like a spoiled brat?

His jaw tightened, but he didn't bother responding. Instead, he marched over to the lawyer, muttered something, and signed the papers. When it was my turn, I scribbled my signature without glancing at the terms.

His smile was anything but friendly. It was the kind that sent icy shivers down your spine. His eyes, dark and menacing, locked onto mine. "You'll start paying your dues. I'll make sure you won't be able to leave my bed, just like your mother," he whispered, his breath hot against my ear.

I should have been scared, right? But my heart fluttered, a swarm of butterflies erupting in my stomach. The F does he think he's messing with?

"Fuck you," I muttered, just loud enough for him to hear.

His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in a glare. My heartbeat quickened as he stepped forward, his turquoise eyes burning into mine. He looked ready to devour me.

One minute I was standing an inch away from him, the next, his firm hands gripped my waist, yanking me close. His cold eyes bore into mine, and for a moment, my heart froze. Anger, hate, and disgust filled his gaze. It was as if I'd overstepped my boundaries, and he couldn't wait to punish me.

"Beg," my wolf Lora spoke for the first time in three days.

"I-" But before I could finish, his lips crashed onto mine, claiming them with a fierce possessiveness.

His kiss wasn't romantic. It was fierce, a raw declaration of ownership. His lips pressed hard against mine, sending a clear message: I was his.