Chapter 4: The Unwanted Instinct
The moment the penthouse elevator doors sealed shut, the mask Alistair Thorne wore in public began to crack. The cool amusement that had glittered in his golden eyes during Sera's triumphant humiliation of Mark was replaced by a familiar, dangerous irritation.
He released her arm,the spot where his hand had rested instantly growing cold,and strode toward the living area, stripping off his custom tuxedo jacket and tossing it onto a minimalist velvet sofa.
"You performed admirably, Seraphina," Alistair stated, pouring himself a clear drink from the bar. His voice was flat, purely transactional. "The public display of ruthlessness was precisely what was needed. My business partners are convinced you're either a calculated genius or completely insane. Either way, they won't challenge the marriage."
Sera sank onto the sofa, the silk of her expensive dress rustling faintly. The adrenaline rush from the public confrontation was fading, leaving her exhausted and suddenly very aware of her surroundings,the cold, pristine perfection of the Alpha's fortress.
"I kept my end of the bargain," she said, pulling off the diamond necklace with a sense of relief. "My revenge is secured. Now, we proceed with the contract: strictly business, no intimacy."
Alistair turned, his platinum blonde hair catching the soft light. He walked toward her, and the distance felt instantly suffocating.
"Your performance was necessary, but your scent is a problem," he growled, not as an insult, but as a statement of fact. His golden gaze dropped to her throat, a possessive, predatory look that made the fine hairs on her neck stand up. "You smell like victory and defiance. It's… distracting."
"I am your Mate, Alpha," Sera countered, summoning the newfound strength she'd displayed in the ballroom. "You chose a human. You deal with the scent."
Alistair braced his hands on the back of the sofa, trapping her in a cage of his formidable presence. His scent,pine and primal musk,was overwhelming, a direct assault on her senses.
"The Mate bond doesn't care about the contract, Sera," he hissed, his voice dangerously low. "It screams for possession. It demands the right to protect you, to mark you, to claim you. Do you understand the control required to resist the physical command of instinct?"
Sera met his eyes, her icy blue gaze unwavering, despite the violent tremors his proximity caused in her stomach. "You made a contract, Alistair. You promised no intimacy. Control your instinct, or break your word."
The tension snapped tight, thicker than the air itself. Alistair's jaw tightened, his control visibly wavering for a dangerous moment. Then, just as swiftly, he retreated, spinning away with a force that rattled the nearby crystal glasses.
"Get some rest," he ordered curtly. "Tomorrow, you will meet the rest of the Pack's inner circle. They will not be as polite as Mark Reynolds."
* * *
The next morning, the domestic tension was palpable. Alistair was absent, having left early for the office,a place Sera now owned part of.
Sera, now dressed in expensive but practical clothes chosen by Vivienne, was navigating the enormous kitchen when the first challenge arrived.
The door flew open and a woman entered. She was stunning,tall, athletic, with raven black hair and fierce green eyes that radiated pure disdain. She was clearly a wolf, moving with an aggressive grace that Sera lacked.
"You," the woman snarled, crossing the expensive marble floor. "The human intruder. I am Elara, Beta female of the Thorne Pack. I demand to know what charade this is. The Alpha cannot choose a brittle human like you as Luna."
Sera gripped her coffee mug tighter. This was the test Alistair had warned about. She refused to cower.
"Good morning, Elara," Sera replied calmly, using the refined tone she had practiced for the ballroom. "I am Seraphina Thorne. Your Alpha chose me. And as for what I am? I am the woman who owns your Alpha's respect and your allegiance by contract. I advise you to address me appropriately."
Elara laughed, a short, sharp bark that transformed her face into something feral. "Respect? The pack only respects strength! You smell like cheap perfume and weak blood. You are a vulnerability. You are a threat."
"Then you should be grateful for my vulnerability," Sera countered, slowly setting down her mug. Her icy blue eyes held Elara's aggressive green ones. "Because if I am a threat, Elara, it means I am strong enough to challenge you. And if you challenge me,the Luna,you challenge the Alpha himself."
Elara's eyes flashed, and a low, warning growl escaped her throat. She took a step closer, invading Sera's personal space, radiating pure wolf power. "Be careful, little human. The contract doesn't cover disrespect to the Pack hierarchy."
"And your disrespect doesn't cover insubordination to the Luna," Sera retorted, standing her ground. She was terrified, but she focused on the pure, cold logic that had always been her armor. "If you try to remove me, you destabilize the Alpha. If you hurt me, you die. I am Alistair's weakness, but that makes me his ultimate protection. Now, step back, Beta. Your scent is unpleasant."
The silence stretched tight. Elara was visibly shaking with fury, astonished by the human's unflinching audacity. After a long, silent standoff, Elara spat a furious, untranslatable curse under her breath.
She spun around and slammed the door behind her, leaving Sera alone, trembling, but undeniably victorious.
Sera gripped the marble counter until her knuckles were white. The Luna's first strike. She had survived, but she knew this was only the beginning. Her war had just begun, and the enemy was inside the gates.
END OF CHAPTER FOUR.