13

Katarina’s POV
After what felt like an endless journey, we finally arrived at the Silver Moon Pack’s territory. I peered out the sedan window, my eyes searching the dense forest, curious about how much farther we had to go. The silence in the car was peaceful, yet filled with anticipation.
When we reached the heart of a small town, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Even though we visited each year for the Ball, I’d never had the chance to explore the area. My excitement dimmed as we continued driving, the red brick buildings vanishing into the distance, replaced by a wide road leading deeper into the woods.
Alpha Dominic’s voice suddenly filled the car, making me jump slightly. I kept my eyes on the trees, noticing a rust-colored wolf effortlessly keeping pace with the sedan. After another thirty minutes, we passed through a massive gate, and I stared in awe at what lay ahead. The Silver Moon Pack’s territory was like a hidden town, nestled deep within the forest. The enormous silver gate at the entrance was wide enough to accommodate four cars side by side, though with all the wolves around, gates hardly seemed necessary.
As we drove through the town square, I noticed how eerily empty it was. Not a single soul was in sight. A grand marble fountain dominated the center, with a tiny angel at the top shooting a stream of water from its bow.
“I instructed everyone to stay away,” Alpha Dominic said, almost as if he had read my thoughts. He didn’t look at me, but the way he said ‘instructed’ sent a chill down my spine. I had a feeling his orders were far from gentle.
We finally stopped in front of a massive white house-the pack house. It was nothing like I had imagined. It was more like a modern mansion, with tall windows that reached my height. Alpha Dominic opened my door, but I avoided his gaze, trying to hide how flustered I felt around him.
My nerves tightened as we entered the pack house. The two men from yesterday were nowhere to be seen, and I wondered if they were Alpha Dominic’s Betas. I followed him silently as he carried my bags up a flight of stairs, down a hallway, and into a random bedroom. My mind raced at the thought of sharing a bed with Alpha Dominic. My wolf was thrilled at the idea, but I wasn’t ready for that. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans, trying to calm myself.
The bedroom was beyond anything I had expected. It was enormous-practically an entire house in itself. The first thing I noticed was the huge, fluffy bed, covered in white blankets with a canopy draped down from the bedposts. There was even a living room area in the bedroom. I realized with relief that I couldn’t smell Alpha Dominic’s scent anywhere in the room.
As I continued to take in my surroundings, I noticed Alpha Dominic watching me. His silver eyes were focused on my face, but something about his expression made me uneasy. It was as if he was debating something internally, and then he finally reached a decision. Whatever emotion I had glimpsed vanished from his face, replaced by a chilling hardness.
A shiver ran down my spine as his eyes grew cold. This was the Alpha that everyone feared. My mate was gone, replaced by the ruthless leader of the Silver Moon Pack.
“You have one week to acclimate. After that, I expect you to fulfill your duties as my mate,” Alpha Dominic said, his deep voice cold and detached, sending a shiver through me.
It took a moment for his words to sink in-my duties as his mate. I felt like I had been dunked in ice water. My hands turned cold as I clenched my fists.
“Is he serious?” Rose, my wolf, asked, disbelief clear in her voice.
“What’s he planning? He won’t force us, right?” I stammered, unwilling to accept that my mate could do something like that. My mother’s warnings echoed in my mind, leaving a bitter taste.
“W-What?” I stammered, staring at his expressionless face. “You can’t just force me to-” My voice trailed off, but I knew he understood what I meant. His silver eyes hardened further, and his tone turned cruel.
“I can, and I will, little mate,” he practically sneered. Fear mixed with anger surged through me. After the way he had treated me when we first met, I had hoped I might be an exception to his cruelty. The realization that I was wrong both angered and devastated me.
“Is this how the mighty Silver Alpha treats his mate?” I spat, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. My emotions had always been tied to my tears, and any strong feeling made me cry. What kind of deadly werewolf was I? Get me mad enough, and I’d bawl like a baby. But this time, I refused to cry. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of thinking he had upset me.
Suddenly, I found myself slammed against the bedroom wall, Alpha Dominic’s hands on either side of my head, trapping me. His cold silver eyes bore into mine, his face inches from my own. I held my breath as his mint-scented breath washed over me. I couldn’t let the mate bond take control. He might be my mate, but I was my own person, and I made my own choices.
“What did you say, little mate?” His voice was low, dangerous, his eyes darkening as he stared at me. I bit down on the inside of my cheek, hard enough to draw blood, determined not to submit.
There was no way I’d willingly give in to this tyrant.
“You heard me,” I shot back, though my voice came out more as a huff than a growl. As I inhaled, his minty scent filled my nose, making it even harder to resist the pull between us.
“You will submit to me, little mate, and you will fulfill your duties whether you like it or not,” Alpha Dominic growled, his eyes no longer the bright silver I had grown accustomed to. They were stormy, filled with something dark. I wondered what his wolf thought of his behavior. Was his wolf just as heartless? His voice carried the command, trying to force me to comply. But he didn’t know my secret. No one did. Not even Raven and Gideon. No one knew I could resist an Alpha’s command. I had long given up trying to understand why. Maybe I was just different, or maybe the Moon Goddess had made a mistake with me.
“Don’t count on it,” I growled back, clenching my teeth against the power of his voice.
I saw a flicker of shock in his eyes, momentarily lightening them back to their usual silver. But the emotion vanished as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by that cold, cruel look.
“You will learn to respect me, little mate. I’ll let this slide for now, but watch how you behave in the coming days. I won’t hesitate to punish you,” Alpha Dominic said slowly, his voice soft but menacing. His eyes never left mine.
I stayed pressed against the wall as he walked away and left the bedroom without another word. As soon as he was gone, my legs gave out, and I slid down to the cold floor. Blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay, I promised myself that I wouldn’t let him make me cry.
His ultimatum weighed heavily on my mind as I finally got up and made my way to the inviting bed, hoping for a few moments of peace.