Tasha stared at the steaming stray he had placed on the bed. The scent of grilled meat and honey mingled with the tension in the room. Her lips pressed into a line, her hands pressed into the bedsheets. But she wasn't going to sit there silently like some scarred little pet.
She lifted her head to meet his gaze.
"Who are you?" she asked firmly, her voice clear. "And why did you bite me? Why am I being kept here like some lost puppy?"
"You should stay away from my brother. He's not as nice as he looks."
"He tricked me."
"You wanted to leave. He used that to his advantage."
Kael stood at the doorway, his broad chest to her. His golden eyes glowed faintly. "You're my mate."
She gasped and laughed, her voice coming out awkward and breathy. "No, oh, no. You probably need a therapist. A good one. There's nothing like mates because that's a fairytale nonsense."
His expression didn't change. But before she could say another word, he crossed the room in two powerful strides and scooped her into his arms. She gasped, instinctively holding onto his shoulders.
"Mate," he growled again, low and deep like thunder under his breath. Then, he pinned her gently but firmly onto the bed, hovering above her. His scent surrounded her, wild and intoxicating. His gaze locked with hers, sharp as a blade yet searing with heat. Their noses brushed, and their breaths mingled. Something strange stirred in her stomach. The urge to close the space, to kiss him, and to taste the heat in his mouth.
She shook her head and shoved against his chest. "Get off me! What did you do to me?"
He didn't bulge. He looked at her like she was his next breath.
Then, a knock on the door.
Kael closed his eyes briefly, jaw tight, and pulled himself off her. He reached for his shirt, dragging it over those maddening muscles, and opened the door. A man stood there, average height, hair neatly combed, his clothes tidy and formal. He leaned in and whispered into his ear.
Kael gave a nod, cast one glance over his shoulder, eyes lingering for a second too long, and stepped out of the room without a word.
The man entered instead. He bowed politely. "My lady." he said gently, "do you require anything?"
"Yes. A car," she said without hesitation. "I'm leaving right now."
The man shook his head slowly. "I'm afraid that's not...possible."
"Excuse me?"
"I understand this is overwhelming," he said with a professional calm. "But you've been marked by the Alpha. That bite you received wasn't an accident. It was a mark of a mate."
"I think you both need therapists," she muttered. The man didn't flinch.
"For years, every wolf in this pack has found their mate. But the Alpha...he remained alone. Cursed, some believed. But now..."
He hesitated, eyes gleaming with something reverent. "Now it seems that you may be the one."
Tasha stared at him like he was describing a cult ritual.
"I know how this sounds," the man added. "But if you won't be running off again, perhaps Alpha will allow me to show you around the penthouse. And help you understand."
She opened her mouth to argue but stopped herself. There were too many questions to ask.
"Then, lets start with your name."
"Nico, my name's Nico."
Tasha walked beside Nico, the Alpha's butler and she couldn't help but look around.
The walls were impossibly tall and intriguing. They passed intricate tapestries and paintings, some of men with glowing eyes, others of wolves with shining eyes. The air felt charged, as if the house was alive, watching her every move.
"If you hadn't come with me," she said, trying to start a conversation. "I wouldn't have known my way around."
Nico smiled faintly. "You still might, my lady. This place has moods."
She raised a brow. "Moods?"
He didn't answer. He gestured to a wide double door. "This is the main dining room. If you're invited, you'll eat here."
The doors creaked open slightly as he pushed one. Inside was a grand hall with a long mahogany table set with drinks and cups. A few servants bustled quietly around.
"Don't interrupt meals. And don't sit where you're not placed."
She swallowed and nodded.
He showed her the lower wing next, where the servants' quarters lay in a quiet, shadowed corridor. She peeked inside one of the rooms.
"You'll only be brought here if the Alpha permits it," he added quickly. "For now, you stay in your room."
"What about the people in the other rooms?"
Nico's footsteps paused for a second. "Best to stay away from places you do not know. Some visitors are not as gentle as the Alpha."
They passed through another corridor with a locked iron gate at the end, which led to the garden. Flowers bloomed in strange, vivid colors. A small fountain trickled with water, its sound soft and calming. She turned to Nico, forgetting where she was.
"If I asked him nicely, do you think he'll let me go?"
He didn't speak immediately. But he sighed, folding his hands behind his back. "You misunderstand, my lady. It's not about permission. Not anymore."
"Then, what is it about?" she almost screamed.
"You're bonded to him. He found you. And he marked you. That means you belong here."
"I don't belong to anyone. I'm just trying to fix my life and earn money. A lot of money, Nico."
"You do now," He said simply. "Even if you do not want it, the mark pulls you. The more time you spend away from him, the more you feel it. The ache in your chest? That heat that creeps up your spine when he's near? That's bond settling in. Fighting it will only make it worse."
"So, I'm trapped?"
Nico glanced at the woods just beyond the garden wall, the trees dark and ancient.
"Better to be here than out there," he said. "The forest and beyond are no place for a Luna. Not with what stirs in it."
She folded her arms. "What stirs in it?"
"You don't want to find out now that you're marked."
When Nico led her back to the Alpha's room, Tasha stayed quiet. Her thoughts were blank. He opened the door gently, as if she were a fragile guest. She stepped inside without a word, and he gave a small nod before retreating, the door clicking shut behind him.
She waited. Counted.
She stood swiftly and stuffed her feet into the soft boots she saw in the room.
No guards.
Just the wind whispering outside, and the distant sound of leaves brushing the penthouse walls. She crossed the hall silently, retraced her steps through the corridors, down two flights of stairs, and finally to the garden Nico had shown her. She found the small iron gate at the far end. With a sharp breath and a desperate shove, it creaked open just enough to slip through.
The path turned wild quickly, the trimmed edges giving way to thorns and towering trees that whispered ancient warnings. Her boots crunched on twigs. Her breath puffed in the cold. She followed the path that curved beyond the garden, across a rough field, to a thin road where she was attacked.
Freedom was just across it. She stopped for a breath, her hands on her knees. A sharp, searing squeeze in her chest like something clawed its way from the inside. She winced, pressing her palms to her ribs.
Then, she heard it. A long growl from the trees. Her heart thudded in panic, and she ran. "Just one car, please... anyone."
But the road was empty.
Kael stood before her, his arms crossed.
"How... did you-"
"The moment you stepped out of the room, I felt you tearing away from me."
Her legs gave out slightly, and she stumbled back. "This isn't normal. This is wrong. I'm not-"
Pain twisted in her chest again. She gasped, clutching her side. Kael caught her warmly in his arms.
"Your body is rejecting the distance," he murmured. "I warned you. You belong with me now."
"I don't belong to anyone," she snapped. But the ache in her heart told her a different story. Kael held her closer. His eyes flicker to her lips, then back to her eyes. She could see he was fighting to control the wolf within. But instead of fighting, she wanted to close the space between them.
"Take me back," she whispered finally, voice cracking.
His arms wrapped tighter around her. "Go to sleep, my own."