3 | Act of Deception

DOMINUS MARUTO 

“I have her now. Start preparing for the ritual, Cena.”

“She finally said yes?” Cena asked, surprise in his voice as he handed me my coffee. “I can’t believe it. After all these years watching from the shadows, you finally pinned Cedar Blake.”

I nodded slowly, sipping from the mug he gave me. The coffee was hot and bitter, just the way I liked it.

“Did you tell her?” he asked next, narrowing his eyes at me.

I didn’t answer immediately. I sat back in my leather chair, staring at the lawyer seated across from me, reviewing the contract I had drafted years ago. Every line, every clause, every hidden detail had been prepared long before Cedar knew she’d need saving.

I knew this day would come.

The day Cedar Blake would be mine.

Not just as Luna of the Oakwood Pack, but as the final piece in my long, strategic game. A step closer to my redemption. And to my rise.

Malik, my lawyer, looked up. “Your contract is ready, Alpha.”

I stood and shook his hand. “Expect your payment tomorrow.”

He nodded, packed up his briefcase, and quietly let himself out of my office.

As the door clicked shut, Cena turned back to me with a sharp look. “So?”

I picked up the contract, flipping through the pages, inspecting my years of careful planning. Then I selected my favourite pen from the rack and answered, “I told her nothing. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

Cena exhaled sharply, unimpressed. “Won’t it? She accepted the offer blindly. She has no idea what she’s getting into.”

“She’ll read the contract before signing it. That’s fair enough.”

He crossed his arms, one brow lifting. “You and I both know that’s not what I’m talking about. But you’re Dominus Maruto. You always do what you want. I’ll stay out of it.”

He picked up the pen rack and headed toward the library, but not before throwing me one last knowing glance. “Just promise me you’ll tell her the truth when the time’s right.”

I didn’t answer.

Because the truth didn’t matter right now.

What mattered was that I had Cedar. Under my roof. Bound to me, even if she didn’t fully understand the depth of it yet.

I’d waited for this.

I had everything: wealth, power, and control. I ran this pack from the comfort of my home, and my name alone made others tremble. I didn’t need to chase power anymore.

But Cedar… she was different.

I didn’t want to conquer her. I wanted her trust. I wanted her to come to me freely, so that when she looked into my eyes, she’d see stability. Safety. I’d be her only anchor in a world that had broken her over and over again.

The 100-day contract was more than just a strategic move, it was all the time I needed to change everything. Once the full moon rose, the ritual would begin. And if the moon goddess accepted the offering, nothing, not even the gods, could deny me the power I craved.

And once I had that…

The world would bow.

With a smile tugging at my lips, I left my office and headed into the main house. I imagined Cedar was already in the dining room, overwhelmed by the luxury and attention. The slaves had orders to treat her like royalty, and I knew that kind of shift would hit her harder than any words I could speak.

“Alpha Dominus!” the doorman greeted, pulling open the large door as I stepped inside.

There she was.

Cedar sat at the end of the long table, eyes scanning the extravagant setting in front of her. Her expression was soft, shy almost, until her eyes met mine. Then, like a frightened animal, she straightened, unsure whether to rise or bow.

I motioned for her to stay seated.

“It’s ready,” I said, placing the contract and pen in front of her as I took the seat opposite. “You can read through it carefully before signing.”

She looked at me, her lips parting slightly. “Thank you… for everything. I can't thank you enough for saving me, not to mention the life of freedom and... access you've offered me. I never imagined this.”

She picked up the pen, her hands shaking slightly, then began to flip through the contract.

“You don’t have to thank me,” I replied calmly, though my eyes never left her face. I studied her expressions closely, watched every flicker of hesitation, every moment of doubt.

She looked up once, brows furrowed, then quickly lowered her gaze again. Her eyes moved over the words, then, too soon, honestly, she began signing in the spaces marked for her signature.

I let out a quiet breath as I turned to my food and began eating, feeling victorious. Her facial expressions told me everything before I even had to sneak into her mind. She hadn’t fully read the fine print, but that didn’t matter now.

“Done,” she said softly, placing the pen down.

Our eyes met again. She tried to smile, but winced and reached for her jaw.

She was still hurting.

I knew what they did to her. The beatings. The humiliation. Her own pack had hated her for something her parents had been falsely accused of. They would’ve buried her alive if given the chance.

But now she belonged to me, and if anyone was ever going to make her feel helpless again, it would be me.

“Let’s eat,” I said gently, covering her hand with mine. “You’re one step away from reclaiming your life. From destroying every last person who tried to take it from you.”

I slid her chair closer with my other hand. “I bet you want to start with the ones who watched your family crumble. Start from the roots. Find the real culprit. Feed the truth to the twin alphas until it chokes them. Tear everything they care about apart.”

She trembled.

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, tears of grief, fury, and something deeper. Longing. Hope. She was already mine, even if she hadn’t said the words.

I could feel it.

And I knew, deep down, she found me fascinating. Maybe it was the way I appeared to her that first time, shirtless, powerful, untouchable. Or maybe it was something else. Something deeper. Either way, I had her now.

And soon... I’d have all of her. Or that part of her that matters most. That I really want. That has always been the reason why I have been watching her. Waiting for her.

***

“I present to you, Mrs. Dominus Maruto! The Luna of Oakwood Pack!” Cena’s voice rang out across the hall, echoing like a bell as glasses were raised for a toast.

The room was filled with pack members. Every last one of them was present, by my order. I didn’t want whispers or rumours. This marriage needed witnesses.

Even if it was temporary. To make it feel real, so she feels important and trusts me.

At first, there was silence. Then murmurs began. Shock rippled through the crowd like a wave. I scanned their faces, some confused, some furious. But as soon as they met my eyes, most of them fell silent again.

Then… she stepped forward.

Her eyes were dark, burning with rage. She stared straight at Cedar, fury bubbling beneath the surface. Her jaw trembled, her body stiff. She turned to me, her stare sharp and bitter… then walked out without a word.

Cedar looked from the woman’s retreating figure to me, stunned. Her expression shifted, questions forming in her eyes.

I knew this would happen.

I should’ve warned her.

But this wasn’t about transparency. This wasn’t a love story. This was a business arrangement.

Later, when we were finally alone, she turned to me.

“Who was that?” she asked, her voice low, steady, her eyes locked on mine.

I looked at her, silently weighing my answer. She had no idea what she had signed up for.

But soon... she would.