The Alliance

JULIETTE

The celebration ended in a jiffy, apparently, some of the noblemen had secured strong alliances for their daughters with the neighboring packs, basically selling them off for so-called peace.

The thought of it didn't sit well with me, but who am I to judge? My father didn't even offer me for marriage, instead, he gave me up as collateral for his foolish debts. So maybe those rich ladies had it better than I do.

Still, they deserved the right to choose because it is their future at stake. Betrothal was so old-fashioned, yet Darius seemed to cling to everything of the past, probably obsessed with the sick cultural practices of the then Alphas.

What he didn't know was that we needed change, from ourselves to the entire pack at large.

As the nobles began to disperse, Cole showed up, and it actually slipped my mind that he wasn't present all this time, and just how he showed up when the celebration ended.

“Alpha Darius.” He bowed the moment he stopped before Darius. “Can I speak with you for a moment?” he asked, pulling out a small red envelope, with a sigil I didn't recognize.

By now, the hall was empty, Darius, Cole and I were the only ones left. “Speak,” Darius said, his tone giving a hint of nonchalance. He stood up from his throne and tugged at my chain. I stood up as well, but didn't move.

Cole’s gaze found mine, and it was cold and filled with disdain. “Alpha Rowan has sent another message. It's an alliance.”

Darius's shoulders tensed almost immediately. “What alliance?” He asked, a chill surrounding his tone.

“He states that he has a beautiful sister he would love for you to wed. She is fit, beautiful, agile, and very fertile. He also claims that she will breed healthy and strong babies for you in your first year of marriage. All you have to do is give the alliance a chance.”

Darius scoffed, tapping his foot on the floor, “Write back to him, and make it clear that I once again, reject his offer.” He turned to me and roughly pulled the chains.

I staggered, but didn't fall, following behind him like an obedient servant as he strode out of the hall, leaving Cole behind.

Right before I passed him, Cole smirked, for reasons best known to him. I wasn't bothered by whatever hate he felt towards me, he was the least of my problems at the moment.

Rather, I was worried about myself; my heart had tugged faintly when Cole mentioned the alliance. For some reason, the image of Darius settling with another woman caused a nagging feeling in an unwanted depth of my heart.

Why?

That was the scariest question.

Why did I care? Why did I feel as though it isn't something I want? As much as I belong to him, He doesn't belong to me, he is not my property, it is the other way around.

Darius isn't happy with what Cole told him, it was very obvious, and this is where I shine, and be happy that something actually made him mad, instead, a part of me is sharing that feeling with him.

Stupid stupid Juliette, don't be such a fool. Darius has made himself my enemy, he's the first on my list of those I wish to destroy. He has caused me pain, and I will do the same, but ten times worse.

Fingers snapping in my face, jerked me back to reality. We had stopped at the large oak door of Darius's chamber, and he was staring at me, probably wondering what was going on in my head.

Rolling his eyes, he pushed the door open and stepped aside. “Go in.”

I dragged the heavy chains along, slowly striding into the room where I had spent the most gruesome seven days of my life.

The heavy door closed behind me with a loud bang, and my stomach twisted at the infuriating sound.

I stood still, as Darius walked past me to switch on the light.

My heart pounded in my chest as he turned to face me. His gaze was steady and unreadable. Then he commanded, cutting through the silence.

“Kneel.”

His command came at me like a piercing knife, but I held it off like a shield withstanding the blow. I lifted my chin and said, “No.”

Darius's eyes narrowed, but he gave off no angry energy. “Are you disobeying me?”

I raised my hands, “It is hard to do what you asked when I'm bound.” I replied, half the truth. I didn't want to kneel, but it was also difficult in the chains.

Darius took out the key and unlocked my chains. “Kneel.” He ordered again, and I grudgingly forced my legs to the ground, following his command.

He then went over to the nightstand and took something out of it. I couldn't see what he pulled out until he turned to face me, and my breath caught in my throat.

A cuff.

Without a word, he seized my wrists, pulling them behind me, and he cuffed my hands tightly, forcing my shoulders back.

Then he dragged me across the room, my knees scraping against the floor. I braced myself for the pain and cruelty of his temper.

However…

Darius stopped and pulled me up. His fingers reached for the back of my dress, finding the zip. I stiffened, my heart thundering in my ears, as his scent filled my nostrils at our proximity.

Slowly, he pulled it down, slackening the dress against my body. I immediately felt his cold hands on my back and I jerked, hitting my cheek on his hard chest.

He brought his hands to my shoulder and slowly slipped the dress down to my breasts, barely holding real coverage. His touch on my arm felt like fire across my skin, and it made my breath grow shallow.

I didn’t understand it. Why was my body reacting to him this way? I should be repulsed, disgusted, but instead…

Everywhere his fingers grazed left behind a warmth that spread through me, curling in the depths of my belly and making my skin feel tight.

I swallowed the spew forming in my mouth, finding my voice. “W. . . What are you doing?”

“Punishing you.” He replied smoothly, sending chills down my spine.

“But I haven't done anything wrong,” I argued, gazing into his eyes.

Darius's hands stilled, his jaw tightening, “You tried to escape from your owner.” He reminded me and my heart clenched. “And I haven't punished you yet”

“But I thought…”

“Shhh.” He placed his finger over my mouth. “Or I will extend your punishment.”

I lowered my gaze, but Darius grabbed my chin, pulling it up. “Do you want me to extend your punishment?”

“No.” I shook my head and he smiled.

“Why?”

“Because you keep hurting me,” I replied, my jaw trembling.

“Do you not like it?” he asked, tracing his fingers down to my dress hanging halfway. He pulls it down and rests his cold hand against my boob, making me jerk.

Tingles burned at my core and my cheek flushed hard.

But he kept a straight face, as if his hand wasn't holding a sensitive part of my body.

He leaned close to my ear, whispering, “Do you not like it when I hurt you?”

“No.” I breathed out.

He suddenly squeezed my breast, and an involuntary moan escaped my lips, and I cursed myself for reacting the way I did.

“Your body says otherwise,” Darius revealed the obvious, and then he pressed his lips against mine, sucking my lower lip, I gasped, and his tongue slipped into my mouth, the aftertaste on his tongue settled on mine. It was the red wine he had at the celebration.

Then he pulled back abruptly, his fingers circling my nipple while my whole body trembled with a hot sensation of his undoing.

“Do you understand what you are feeling right now?” He whispered against my lips.

I took a few seconds to reply, measuring my breath. “No,” I muttered.

“Neither do I.” He said and my heart skipped a beat.