Aria
The slam of the door echoed like a warning shot.
Matthew’s hand let go of my wrist the moment we crossed into his private chambers. The room was dark, lit only by the flicker of a low-burning fire in the hearth. Shadows danced across the stone walls, thick curtains drawn tight to keep out the world—or maybe to trap me in it.
He paced. Like a storm trapped in a cage, his footsteps were sharp and agitated. Muscles tight beneath his black shirt, fists clenched at his sides, jaw ticking. His golden-brown eyes didn’t meet mine, but I could feel the heat of his anger like it was something alive.
“I didn’t want this,” he growled.
My heart pounded so hard it hurt. “Then let me go.”
My voice cracked on the last word. I hated how small I sounded. His eyes snapped to mine.
“No,” he said sharply. “You think it’s that easy?”
I stared at him. “It should be. If I make you this angry… if you hate the bond that much—then just let me go.”
His hands gripped the back of a chair like he might tear it in two. “You don’t understand,” he bit out. “This was never supposed to be a choice.”
“I didn’t choose it either,” I whispered, taking a small step forward. “I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for you.”
That hit something. He turned away again, dragging a hand through his hair. His voice dropped low, rough with something that wasn’t quite pain—but close.
“There’s another Alpha,” he said tightly. “From the Red River Pack.”
I blinked. “What does that have to do with me?”
He finally turned to face me, eyes burning. “He heard about you. That you were… here. That you’re unclaimed.”
My breath hitched. “And?” I asked, heart racing.
Matthew’s gaze darkened. “He requested to visit. To meet you.”
I stepped back. “Why?”
He didn’t answer right away. When he did, his voice was quiet—but full of rage.
“Because he thinks you’re available.”
My mouth went dry.
“He wants to court you. Form an alliance through mating. And if I don’t claim you—if I don’t show that you’re mine—they’ll try to take you.”
I stared at him, the room spinning slightly. “So I’m a pawn now. A token in your politics?”
He took two steps toward me, eyes flashing. “You’re my mate.”
“Then why haven’t you acted like it?” I snapped. “Why did you humiliate me? Why let your father speak about me like I’m nothing?”
His jaw tightened. His breath came heavy.
“Because of this bond… it wasn’t supposed to be you.”
Those words cut deeper than claws.
Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them back. “I know I’m not what you wanted.”
“No,” he growled. “You’re not. But you’re what I got.”
Silence dropped between us like a wall. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t speak.
And then he moved. Quick, without warning. He crossed the room in two strides, grabbed my wrist—and before I could pull away, he sank his fangs into the side of my neck.
I gasped.
The pain was sharp, but the rush of heat and power that followed stole the air from my lungs. My knees buckled. Fire surged through my veins. Every nerve in my body lit up, the bond locking into place with finality I couldn’t stop, couldn’t change.
I felt it. The seal. The Claiming. The tie that now bound me to him fully. My mate.
My Alpha.
Matthew’s grip loosened, and he stepped back. His mouth was stained red. His eyes—empty.
“Now you’re mine,” he said coldly.
I reached up, touching the fresh mark on my neck. It pulsed beneath my skin, aching. Burning.
He didn’t touch me. Didn’t look at me like I was his. Just the opposite. He turned away, fists at his sides.
“Don’t forget,” he said, voice sharp as a blade, “I did this for the pack.”