The heavy door slammed shut behind him, and the echo rattled in my bones. For a long moment, I just stood there, clutching my arms around myself, staring at the place he'd left.
The room was silent, but it wasn't comforting. It felt like being buried alive.
I tried to calm my breathing. Tried to remind myself that I wasn't his possession, no matter what words he spat at me. But the heat still lingered on my skin, the bond buzzing in my chest like a second heartbeat. I hated it. Hated him.
I paced the room, searching for an exit, a weapon, anything. The balcony doors opened onto the night air, the moon hanging high and cruel above. I stepped outside, gripping the stone railing, staring at the forest below. Wolves howled in the distance—his wolves, his territory.
Even if I escaped, I wouldn't make it far.
The door creaked again. My heart jumped, but it wasn't Kane.
Two women entered, both dressed in black leathers, their hair braided tight. Warriors. They smelled of blood and earth. Their eyes, golden with wolf light, locked onto me with open hostility.
"So it's true," one sneered. "The Alpha brought home a stray."
"I'm not—"
Her hand struck faster than I could dodge. The slap sent me stumbling into the wall, my cheek stinging.
"You don't speak," she hissed. "Not to us. Not to anyone. You don't belong here."
The other woman circled me, her nose wrinkling as if I carried filth. "The Alpha may have claimed you, but that doesn't make you pack. You're nothing but a weak, pathetic human."
My hands balled into fists, rage sparking through the fear. "Touch me again and I'll—"
The first woman laughed, a sharp, cruel sound. "You'll what? Bite?" She shoved me against the stone, her claws extending just enough to nick my skin. Warm blood trickled down my throat.
The scent of it made both their eyes flash brighter.
The second woman leaned closer, inhaling deeply, her lips curling into a smile. "She bleeds easy. Maybe the Alpha will tire of her when he realizes how fragile she is."
I struggled, but their strength was inhuman. The chain Kane had dropped still clinked faintly on the floor, mocking me.
Then the door banged open again.
This time, it wasn't Kane.
A tall man stepped in, broad-shouldered, his hair the same shade of ink as the Alpha's but his eyes were amber, not silver. He radiated power, though not as crushing as Kane's.
"Enough," he growled.
The two women immediately stepped back, bowing their heads.
"She provoked us, Beta," one muttered.
His gaze slid to me, and for a fleeting second, there was something almost kind in it. Almost. Then it hardened.
"Get out."
The women fled without another word, leaving me pressed against the wall, shaking with fury and humiliation.
The man turned fully to me, studying me like a puzzle he had no patience for. "You must be Lena."
"And you are?" I snapped, though my voice cracked.
His mouth twitched in something that wasn't quite a smile. "Elias. Beta of Bloodfang. Kane's second."
My stomach twisted. Another wolf. Another enemy.
He stepped closer, folding his arms. "You're not safe here."
The laugh that burst from me was bitter. "Really? I hadn't noticed."
His eyes flickered with something unreadable. "You don't understand. The pack will never accept you. They'll test you. Break you. If you survive, maybe they'll tolerate you. If not…" He let the silence finish the threat.
"Why are you telling me this?" I demanded.
He studied me again, his gaze sharp, calculating. "Because the Alpha may have claimed you, but that doesn't mean he can protect you from everyone. And when he fails, you'll need allies."
I froze, my heart pounding. "You're offering to be one?"
Elias didn't answer. He just turned toward the door. "Prove yourself, Lena. Or you won't last the week."
And then he was gone, leaving me more shaken than before.
The room felt colder. The bond pulsed like a brand on my chest, reminding me I wasn't free, wasn't safe, wasn't anything but trapped in a cage made of teeth and claws.
I curled up on the edge of the bed, exhaustion pulling me under, though sleep was anything but peaceful. My dreams were full of silver eyes, bloody chains, and the sound of wolves tearing through the dark.
The next morning, voices woke me. Loud, angry, rising from the courtyard below. I rushed to the balcony, peering down.
A circle of wolves in human form gathered, their attention fixed on Kane. He stood tall, shirtless, his muscles carved in moonlight, his silver eyes glowing.
At his feet lay the bodies of two rogues, broken and bloody.
He raised his voice, carrying over the crowd. "This is what happens to anyone who dares threaten Bloodfang."
Cheers erupted from most of the pack. But some faces remained grim, hostile, their gazes flicking to me where I stood above.
One of them shouted, "And what about her? She's the real threat. A weak mate will destroy us!"
The crowd roared in agreement. Dozens of eyes turned on me, full of hatred, suspicion, bloodlust.
Kane followed their stares, his gaze locking onto mine.
And then, to my horror, he smiled.