The first thing Astra felt wasn't the silk sheets or the soft hum of the penthouse's climate control. It was the heat.
It was a thick, heavy warmth that seemed to radiate from her very bones, a lingering fever from the moment her wolf had finally shredded through a decade of silence. Her limbs felt like lead, heavy and uncoordinated. When she tried to open her eyes, the morning sunlight hitting the floor-to-ceiling windows felt like a physical blow to her retinas.
"Don't move," a voice commanded.
It wasn't a roar this time. It was a low, rough velvet sound that made the fine hairs on Astra's arms stand up.
She turned her head slowly, her neck popping with the effort. Dante Sterling was sitting in a leather armchair three feet from the bed. He had discarded his tuxedo jacket and his tie. His white shirt was unbuttoned halfway down his chest, wrinkled and stained with what looked like... her scent.
Astra pulled the duvet up to her chin, her heart starting that frantic, uneven thudding again. "What happened?"
"You shifted," Dante said. He didn't look away. His amber eyes were fixed on her with a predatory focus that made her feel like she was still standing naked in the vault. "In front of the most powerful Alphas in the tri-state area. You didn't just shift, Astra. You exploded. Your scent... it hit that ballroom like a shockwave."
Astra's memory came back in jagged, painful flashes. Silas's sneer. Dante's growl. The sudden, agonizing heat in her blood. And then, the smell, the forest after rain, the sweetness of a hidden bloom.
"The mark," she whispered, her voice cracking.
She lifted her right hand. There, etched into the pale skin of her palm, was a perfect, silvery crescent moon. It wasn't a tattoo; it looked like it was burned into her skin from the inside out.
"The Lunar Bloodline," Dante said, his voice dropping an octave. He stood up and walked toward the bed. Every step he took felt like a claim. "The 'Wolfless Scavenger' is actually the last descendant of the High Omegas. The only wolves capable of balancing an Alpha King's power."
Astra scrambled backward until her headboard hit the wall. "I didn't know. I swear. My parents... they told me to hide it. They said if anyone knew what I was, they'd hunt me."
"They were right," Dante said, sitting on the edge of the mattress. The weight of him made the bed tilt, pulling Astra toward him. He reached out and grabbed her wrist, his thumb pressing firmly against the silver moon on her palm.
A jolt of pure, unadulterated lightning shot up Astra's arm. It wasn't pain. It was a connection so deep it felt like her soul was being tugged toward his.
"The contract is dead, Astra," he murmured, his thumb circling the mark. "You aren't my 'aide' anymore. You aren't a debt-bond slave."
Astra felt a flicker of hope, but it was extinguished as soon as she looked into his eyes. They weren't kind. They were possessive.
"You're my fated mate," Dante said. "And in the world of Alphas, that's a life sentence."
"No," Astra gasped, trying to pull her hand away. Dante didn't let go. His grip was a velvet vice. "I did this for Leo. I signed a paper to save my brother's life. I didn't sign away my soul to a man who treats people like corporate assets."
Dante leaned in, his face inches from hers. She could smell the sandalwood and the sharp, metallic tang of his arousal. "You think I wanted this? My pack needs a queen who is a warrior, not a girl who picks through trash for copper wire. But the moon doesn't care about my business plan, Astra. My wolf recognizes you. He won't let another man touch you. He won't even let you leave this floor without his permission."
"Then your wolf is a tyrant," Astra snapped.
Dante's nostrils flared. A low, warning growl vibrated in his chest, a sound so primal it made Astra's own wolf want to bare her throat in submission.
"He's a King," Dante corrected. "And right now, he's the only thing keeping you alive. Seraphina and the Council are already meeting. They want you gone, Astra. An Omega of the Lunar line is a threat to the current power structure. They'll say you're an abomination. They'll try to 'nullify' you."
"Nullify?" Astra's blood went cold. She knew that word. It meant a forced extraction of a wolf's spirit, a process that usually left the host a hollow, mindless shell.
"I won't let them," Dante said, his voice softening just a fraction. He reached up, his fingers brushing a stray lock of hair away from her damp forehead. "But you have to play the part. No more janitor clothes. No more sneaking around. You are Astra Sterling now. You will stand by my side, and you will pretend to love me until I can figure out how to keep the Council from killing you."
Astra looked at him, really looked at him. He was beautiful in a way that hurt to watch. He was a billionaire, a king, a monster, and her mate.
"And my brother?" she asked, her voice small.
"He's in the best facility in the city. He's already responding to the first dose of the serum. He's safe... as long as you stay here."
It was a threat wrapped in a promise. The ultimate golden cage.
"Fine," Astra said, her jaw tightening. She met his golden gaze with a defiance that made his eyes widen in surprise. "I'll be your queen. I'll wear your dresses and your silver collars. But don't expect me to be grateful, Dante. You bought my life, but you'll have to earn the rest."
Dante's lips quirked into a sharp, predatory smirk. He stood up, towering over her.
"I look forward to the challenge, Astra. Now, get dressed. We have a press conference in an hour. The city needs to see their new Alpha Queen before the rumors turn into a riot."
As he walked toward the door, he stopped and looked back over his shoulder. "And Astra? If you ever try to run again, I won't send the guards. I'll come for you myself. And my wolf isn't as patient as I am."
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Astra alone in the massive bed. She looked down at the silver moon on her palm. It was glowing, a soft, pulsing light that matched the beat of her heart.
She wasn't a scavenger anymore. She was a weapon. And she was going to make sure Dante Sterling realized that before she was done with him.