The Alpha's Blood debt Vessel

The corset was so tight Giovanni could barely get a full breath of air. She stared at herself in the mirror, the white lace mocking her. Today was the day she became a Van-Doren. Today, she became the Luna to the most powerful Alpha in the Northern territories.

She should have been glowing. Instead, she was shaking.

"Hold still, Giovanni. You're acting like a pup in a trap." Yvette's voice was like ice water down her spine. Her aunt pulled the laces tighter, ignoring Giovanni's sharp gasp.

"I'm just... I'm nervous, Yvette. Russell hasn't spoken to me in a week. Not since the engagement dinner."

Yvette stepped back, checking her reflection instead of looking at her niece. "He's an Alpha. He's busy running an empire and a pack. He doesn't have time to whisper sweet nothings in your ear. You're lucky he chose you at all."

"I know," Giovanni whispered, trying to believe it. "I just want him to love me. Is that too much to ask?"

Yvette stopped, a strange, dark look crossing her face before she masked it with a smirk. "Love is for movies, Gio. In this world, we settle for respect and survival. Now, put your veil on. The Alpha is waiting."

The walk down the aisle felt like a fever dream. The cathedral was packed with hundreds of wolves, their gazes heavy and calculating. At the end of the long stretch of marble stood Russell.

He looked like handsome. His black suit was tailored to his massive, lethal frame. His dark hair was slicked back, highlighting a face that was as beautiful as it was terrifying. His grey eyes were fixed on her, but they weren't the eyes of a groom. They were the eyes of a predator watching a piece of meat.

When her father handed her over, Russell didn't even look at him. He didn't offer a smile or a reassuring squeeze. He simply grabbed her hand. His grip was so hard her bones creaked.

"You're trembling," he rumbled. His voice was a low, vibrational growl that made her inner wolf want to roll over and submit.

"I'm just happy," she lied, looking up at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

Russell's lip curled in something that wasn't quite a smile. "Happy. Right."

The ceremony was a blur of ancient pack vows. When it came time for the bonding, the air in the church grew thick with the scent of pine and blood.

"With this mark, I claim you," Russell said, his voice echoing through the silent hall.

He didn't wait for her consent. He leaned down, his hand wrapping around the back of her neck like a vice. He didn't kiss her. He bit. His canines pierced the sensitive skin of her shoulder, marking her as his. Giovanni let out a sharp cry, her knees buckling, but he held her upright, his strength overwhelming.

He pulled back, a drop of her blood staining his bottom lip. He looked satisfied, but his eyes remained as cold as a winter grave.

"Mine," he whispered, but it didn't sound like a promise. It sounded like a threat.

The reception was a nightmare of fake smiles and stiff poses. Russell spent the entire time huddled with Rector and Declan, discussing "stock projections" and "pack boundaries." He didn't bring her a drink. He didn't ask her to dance. He treated her like a piece of luggage he'd dropped at the head table.

"You look like you're waiting for an execution, not a honeymoon," a voice drawled next to her.

Giovanni looked up. Xavier, Russell's younger brother, was leaning against the table, a glass of dark liquor in his hand. He was just as handsome as Russell, but his eyes were full of a dangerous, mocking light.

"He's just busy, Xavier," Giovanni said, her voice defensive.

"Busy. Sure." Xavier leaned in closer, his scent of smoke and cedar clouding her judgment. "He's been 'busy' planning this for a long time, Gio. Just tell me one thing... do you really think you can handle being the Alpha's favorite pet?"

"I'm his wife. His Luna."

Xavier laughed, a sharp, barking sound. "Is that what they told you? God, you're even more naive than you look. It's almost a shame."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Xavier."

The name was a growl that cut through the music. Russell stood behind them, his aura so oppressive the people at the neighboring tables actually backed away.

Xavier didn't look intimidated. He just raised his glass. "Just Congratulating the bride, brother. She's... exquisite. A real prize."

"She's my prize," Russell snapped. "Go find your own."

Xavier smirked, his eyes lingering on Giovanni's neck before he walked away. Russell didn't look at her. He grabbed her arm, his fingers digging into the lace of her sleeve.

"We're leaving," he commanded.

"But the party isn't over-"

"I said we're leaving, Giovanni."

He dragged her through the crowd, barely giving her time to say goodbye to anyone. They were ushered into a black SUV, the silence inside the car even more suffocating than the church.

When they arrived at his private estate-a massive, sprawling fortress of glass and black stone-Russell didn't wait for the driver to open her door. He hauled her out himself.

He marched her up the stairs and into the master suite. He threw her into the room, the heavy doors slamming shut behind them.

Giovanni turned, her heart racing. "Russell, what's wrong? Why are you so angry?"

He began unbuttoning his vest, his movements slow and deliberate. He looked like he was stripping for a fight, not a wedding night.

"I'm not angry," he said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "I'm focused."

"On what?"

He walked toward her, and for the first time, Giovanni felt her wolf howl in warning. She backed up until her heels hit the edge of the massive bed.

"On the reason you're here," he said. He reached out, his hand wrapping around her throat-not to choke her, but to force her to look at him. "Do you have any idea what you're worth to me, Giovanni?"

"I... I love you, Russell. I'll be the best Luna I can-"

"I don't need a Luna," he interrupted, his face inches from hers. His breath smelled of expensive bourbon. "I need an heir. A strong, Alpha-blooded heir to secure my legacy against my brother and the council."

"And we'll have one," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears of relief. "We'll have a family."

Russell let out a dark, chilling chuckle. He leaned down, his lips brushing against hers, but there was no heat, only ice.

"You don't get it, do you? You're not a queen, Giovanni. You're a vessel. And tonight, I'm going to fill you."

He shoved her back onto the bed, his weight following her down instantly. He pinned her wrists above her head with one hand, his eyes flashing that terrifying, predatory gold.

"Wait," she gasped, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Russell, please, let's just slow down..."

"The clock is already ticking," he growled, his hand ripping the delicate lace of her wedding dress down the middle.

As the silk tore, the bedroom door creaked open.

Giovanni's eyes widened. Standing in the doorway was Yvette, holding a tray with a long, silver needle and a vial of clear liquid.

"The Alpha is ready for the first injection, Russell," Yvette said, her voice devoid of any emotion.

Giovanni froze, her blood turning to lead. "Injection? What... what are you talking about? Yvette?"

Russell didn't even look back at her aunt. He kept his eyes locked on Giovanni's terrified face, a cruel smirk finally touching his lips.

"It's time to start the cycle, Giovanni," Russell whispered.

The sunlight hitting the floor was too bright, too cold, and far too early. Giovanni shifted under the heavy silk sheets, her body aching in places she didn't know could hurt. Every muscle felt like it had been put through a meat grinder.

She was nineteen years old. She had spent her entire life being told that her wedding night would be the start of her real life. Her father had promised that the Van-Doren name would protect her, that she'd never have to worry about the pack's scrap-heaps again.

She felt like a fool.

The shower was running. Through the frosted glass of the bathroom door, she could see the silhouette of the Alpha. Even through the steam, his presence was suffocating.

Giovanni sat up, clutching the sheets to her chest. Her shoulder throbbed where he had marked her. The skin was hot and swollen, the jagged puncture wounds of his canines a permanent brand of his ownership.

The water stopped. A moment later, Russell walked out with a towel wrapped around his low waist. His chest was a roadmap of scars from battles and pack wars. He didn't even glance at her as he walked to the walk-in closet.

"Russell?" her voice was a dry rasp.

He stopped, his back to her. The muscles in his shoulders rippled. "You're awake."

"My shoulder... it hurts. And the injection Yvette gave me. I feel sick."

Russell finally turned around. He looked at her with the same clinical interest a scientist might give a lab rat. There was no romance in his eyes. No "good morning, wife."

"The sickness is a side effect of the fertility boosters," he said, his voice flat. "It will pass by noon. Yvette will be here at one for the second round."

Giovanni's heart skipped a beat. "Second round? Russell, I don't understand. I'm healthy. Why am I taking medicine? I thought we were going to... you know. Naturally."

Russell walked over to the bed. He leaned down, pinning her against the headboard with nothing but his shadow. He smelled like expensive soap and the metallic scent of an Alpha's power.

"Natural is slow," he murmured. He reached out, his thumb brushing over the mark on her shoulder. He didn't do it gently. He pressed down until she winced. "I don't have time for slow. I need the bloodline secured before the council meeting in the fall. You will take whatever Yvette gives you without question."

"You're scaring me," she whispered, tears pricking her eyes. "This doesn't feel like a marriage. It feels like a job."

"It is a job," Russell snapped, pulling his hand away as if she had burned him. "You were brought here for a purpose, Giovanni. Don't make me regret choosing you over the others."

"The others?"

He didn't answer. He turned back to the closet and pulled out a crisp white shirt.

"I have to go to the city. Declan will be outside the door. You stay in this room until Yvette arrives."

"I wanted to see the gardens," Giovanni said, her voice small. "My father said the estate was beautiful."

Russell paused while buttoning his cuffs. He looked at her through the mirror, his expression unreadable. "Your father said a lot of things to get that check cleared. You stay in the room, Giovanni. That's an order from your Alpha."

He didn't wait for her to cry. He didn't wait for her to argue. He grabbed his coat and walked out, the click of the door lock echoing like a gunshot in the silent room.

Giovanni sat in the middle of the massive bed, feeling smaller than she ever had in her life. She was the Luna of the most powerful pack in the state, and she was a prisoner in her own bedroom.

An hour later, there was a knock on the door. It wasn't the heavy, rhythmic knock of a guard. It was light. Playful.

The door opened, and Xavier stepped in. He wasn't supposed to be there. Russell had said no one but Yvette and the guards.

"You look like a lost puppy," Xavier said, leaning against the doorframe. He was holding a tray with a single cup of tea.

"You're not supposed to be in here," Giovanni said, wiping her eyes quickly. "Russell will be furious."

"Russell isn't here," Xavier smirked, walking toward the bed. He set the tea on the nightstand. "And I've never been very good at following my big brother's rules. Drink. It'll help with the nausea."

Giovanni looked at the tea suspiciously. "How do you know I'm nauseous?"

Xavier sat on the edge of the bed, much too close for comfort. "I know everything that happens in this house, Gio. I know about the injections. I know about the contract. And I know that you're sitting here wondering why your 'happily ever after' feels like a nightmare."

"He's just stressed," she defended, though her voice lacked conviction. "He has a lot on his shoulders."

"He has ice in his veins," Xavier corrected. He reached out, his fingers trailing along the edge of the silk sheet she was clutching. "He doesn't see you, Giovanni. To him, you're just a box to be checked. A means to an end."

"Stop saying that. He marked me. He claimed me."

Xavier leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "He marked you because he had to. Do you even know who you replaced? Do you know about the girl who was in this bed before you?"

Giovanni froze. "What girl?"

Xavier's eyes flashed with a cruel sort of pity. "The one who wasn't 'functional' enough. The one who couldn't handle the injections. My brother doesn't accept failure, Giovanni. If you don't give him what he wants, you'll disappear just like she did."

"You're lying," she breathed, her heart racing.

"Am I?" Xavier stood up, heading back to the door. "Ask Yvette about the 'previous brides' when she comes to stick that needle in your arm. See if she can look you in the eye."

He paused at the door, his hand on the handle.

"By the way," he said, looking back over his shoulder. "The tea isn't from the kitchen. I made it myself. Unlike Russell, I actually prefer my women to be conscious and comfortable."

He slipped out just as the sound of heavy footsteps approached the hallway.

A moment later, the door swung open again. It wasn't Xavier. It was Yvette, and she wasn't alone. She was followed by two omegas carrying a medical kit.

"Time for your treatment, Giovanni," Yvette said, her face a mask of professional coldness. "Lie back and relax. This one might sting a bit more than the last."

Giovanni looked at the tray, then at the door, then at the silver needle Yvette was preparing.

"Wait," Giovanni said, her voice trembling. "Yvette, who was here before me? Xavier said there was someone else."

The room went deathly silent. Yvette's hand stopped mid-air. She slowly turned to look at Giovanni, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"Xavier has a big mouth," Yvette hissed. "And you have too many questions for a girl who was sold for her silence."

Yvette nodded to the two omegas. Before Giovanni could scream, they grabbed her arms, pinning her down to the mattress.

"No! Let me go!" Giovanni struggled, but the omegas were stronger.

Yvette stepped forward, the needle gleaming under the chandelier. "Don't fight it, dear. The Alpha wants a son. And one way or another, we're going to make sure he gets one."

As the needle pierced her skin, the front door slammed open downstairs. A man's voice roared, but it wasn't Russell's.

"Where is she?" the voice screamed. "Where is my daughter?"

Giovanni's eyes widened. That was her father's voice. But he sounded terrified.

"Stay still!" Yvette barked, pushing the plunger down.

Darkness began to creep into the edges of Giovanni's vision as the drug hit her bloodstream. Through the haze, she saw the bedroom door burst open. Her father stood there, blood dripping from a wound on his head.

The darkness didn't last long, but the fog it left behind was thick and suffocating. When Giovanni's eyes finally flickered open, the ceiling was spinning. Her body felt heavy, her skin humming with a strange, frantic heat that made the silk sheets feel like sandpaper against her thighs.

"She's coming around."

The voice was cold, clinical. Yvette.

Giovanni tried to sit up, but her limbs felt like lead. "What... what did you do to me?"

"I gave you what the Alpha paid for," Yvette replied, stepping into her line of sight. She was adjusting a blood pressure cuff on Giovanni's arm. "That injection wasn't just a vitamin boost, Giovanni. It's a hormone catalyst. It's designed to force your body into a receptive state. Your wolf should be screaming for a mate right about now."

Giovanni's heart hammered. It was true. Deep in her chest, her inner wolf was pacing, agitated, her senses heightened to a painful degree. Every scent in the room-the lavender polish, the metallic tang of the medical kit, Yvette's sharp, beta scent-was overwhelming.

"I feel... sick," Giovanni whispered, her hand moving to her stomach.

"That's the 'heat' hitting your system," Yvette said, packing her bag. "It's artificial, so it's going to be twice as intense. Try to stay hydrated. The Alpha will be back shortly to check on you."

The door clicked shut, leaving Giovanni alone in the vast, silent room. She rolled onto her side, clutching a pillow, trying to breathe through the waves of heat rolling over her. She felt dirty. Not just because of the drugs, but because of the way they were treating her-like a prize mare being prepped for the stud.

The heavy oak doors creaked open.

The scent hit her before he did. Forest floor, expensive tobacco, and that dark, spicy musk that belonged only to Russell. Her wolf let out a low, involuntary whine of submission.

Russell walked in, his suit jacket discarded, his white shirt unbuttoned at the collar. He looked tired, but his Alpha aura was so potent it made the air vibrate. He didn't say a word. He walked to the edge of the bed and looked down at her.

"How do you feel?" he asked. His voice was a low rumble that vibrated right through her skin.

"Why are you doing this to me, Russell?" she choked out, her eyes watering. "Why the drugs? Why the locks? I'm your wife. I'm your Luna."

Russell's eyes darkened, a flash of molten gold swirling in the grey. He sat on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight. He reached out, his large hand cupping her face. His skin was burning hot, or maybe it was just her reaction to him.

"You're my vessel," he corrected, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. "Being a Luna is a title of power, Giovanni. You haven't earned that. Right now, your only job is to survive the night."

"I hate you," she whispered, even as her body betrayed her, leaning into his touch.

He moved his hand from her face to her neck, his fingers brushing against the mark he had left earlier. Giovanni let out a soft gasp, her back arching instinctively. The "artificial heat" was screaming now, demanding the Alpha's touch.

"Please," she breathed, not even knowing what she was asking for.

Russell's expression didn't soften. He looked at her with a terrifying, predatory hunger, but his heart stayed behind a wall of ice. He leaned down, his lips hovering just an inch from hers.

"You want me to touch you?" he asked, his voice a lethal caress.

"I... I can't think straight," she confessed, her hands trembling as they reached up to touch his chest. His heart was steady, a slow, powerful thrum against her palms. "Everything is so hot."

"That's the wolf in you, little one. She knows who her master is."

He didn't kiss her. Instead, he grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head, his eyes locking onto hers. The dominance in his gaze was absolute. He was a billionaire in the boardroom, but here, in the dim light of the bedroom, he was all wolf.

"Do you know what happens to Omegas who can't provide a strong heir, Giovanni?"

She shook her head, her breath coming in shallow pants.

"They get sent to the fringe packs," he whispered. "To the mines. To the breeders who don't care if they survive the birth. If you want to stay in this palace, if you want to wear that lace and eat at my table, you will give me a son that carries my Alpha gene."

"Is that all I am to you?" she cried, a tear finally escaping and rolling into her hair. "A machine? A way to keep your brother from the throne?"

Russell paused. He looked at the tear, his jaw tightening. For a split second, the ice in his eyes cracked, and she saw a flash of something else-something raw and tortured. But just as quickly, it was gone.

"You are mine," he growled, his head dropping to the crook of her neck. He inhaled sharply, scenting her, marking her with his smell. "And tonight, we make sure the world knows it."

He released her wrists, but before she could move, he pulled her flush against him. The friction of his clothes against her sensitized skin made her cry out. He wrapped a hand in her hair, pulling her head back so she had to look at him.

"I'm going to make you forget your own name," he promised, his voice dark and jagged.

He leaned in, his mouth finally crashing onto hers. It wasn't a soft, romantic kiss. It was a battle. He tasted of power and rain, his tongue sweeping through her mouth as if he were trying to claim her soul. Giovanni wrapped her arms around his neck, her wolf howling in a mixture of agony and ecstasy.

The chemistry was undeniable, a physical pull that ignored the cruelty of their situation. For a moment, Giovanni forgot the needles. She forgot the contract. She forgot the "vessel" talk. She just wanted him.

Russell pulled back, his eyes glowing bright gold now, his breathing heavy. He stood up, but he didn't leave. He started unbuckling his belt, his gaze never leaving hers.

"Get on your knees, Giovanni," he commanded, his voice vibrating with Alpha authority.

The sheer power of the command hit her like a physical blow. Her body moved before her mind could protest, her knees hitting the plush carpet at his feet. She looked up at him, her heart in her throat, her wedding dress torn and hanging off one shoulder.

Russell reached into his pocket and pulled out a heavy, silver collar. It wasn't a piece of jewelry. It was etched with ancient runes-suppression runes.

"What is that?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

"Insurance," Russell said, his voice cold as the grave again. "To make sure you don't shift and ruin the process."

He stepped closer, the silver cold against her throat.

"Wait," she gasped, her hands moving to stop him. "Russell, please, not a collar. Anything but that."

He didn't listen. He clicked the lock, the heavy metal snapping into place.

Suddenly, the front gate alarm began to blare throughout the mansion. A red light flashed in the hallway.

Russell's head snapped toward the door, a feral snarl ripping from his chest. "Declan! Status!"

The intercom on the wall crackled to life. "Alpha! It's Xavier! He's at the gate with a Council! They're claiming the marriage hasn't been consummated and they're here to take her for testing!"

Russell looked down at Giovanni, his eyes full of a murderous rage. He grabbed her by the hair, forcing her to look up at him.

"You have ten seconds to decide, Giovanni," he hissed, the silver collar glowing faintly against her skin. "Do you go with them and face the Council's 'tests,' or do you show them exactly who you belong to?"