Chapter 3: Marked

Jane's POV

My breath caught. A breeder? Did that mean...no, surely not. But curiosity burned within me. What business could this notorious Alpha have with my uncle?

Before I knew what I was doing, I found myself creeping through the dark halls towards the Alpha's private study. Strange, considering I normally went out of my way to avoid my uncle and his temper. But something compelled me forwards until I stood outside the heavy oak doors. 

Pressed against the wall, I strained to hear the muffled voices inside.

"...agreed on the terms, I trust?" A deep voice rumbled. It was icy cold yet seemed to vibrate through me, awakening something primal inside. Frey whined eagerly.

"Yes, yes." That was my uncle David. He sounded...nervous? An unusual tone for our commanding Alpha. "The girl will be yours for the season. But I expect something in return."

Girl? Price? My mind raced, not liking where this was headed. 

Their voices dropped too low to make out any more words. I had to get closer. Heart pounding, I began easing the door open. Too focused on listening, I didn't pay attention to my footing until it was too late.

My foot slipped off the edge of the ornate rug, hands flailing for purchase but finding only smooth wood. I tumbled through the door in an ungraceful heap, landing on something firm yet oddly soft. 

Blinking, I found myself staring up into endless dark eyes. My breath caught at the intensity in those icy orbs gazing down at me. 

This close, the sheer power radiating from the wolf was palpable. I shrank back instinctively, only then realizing I was sprawled across his lap. 

Heat flooded my cheeks. "I-I'm so sorry, I don't know how..." I stammered, trying to detangle myself from the awkward position I had fallen into. 

But an iron grip closed around my wrist before I could escape, rooting me in place. I froze. His hand was big enough to encircle my slender wrist fully, I noticed distractedly.

He scented me slowly, the rumble deep in his chest making me tremble. "What an unexpected surprise," he purred. "It seems the girl has been delivered right to me."

The smug pleasure in his tone confused me, but before I could puzzle it out, my uncle intervened. 

"You clumsy fool!" He snarled, grabbing my arm and wrenching me off the Alpha's lap. I cried out as he shook me roughly. "How dare you interrupt and fling yourself at our esteemed guest!"

"N-no, I didn't mean to, I just tripped..." I tried to explain, but my uncle was working himself into a rage. 

"Enough excuses! I won't have you ruining this deal with your stupidity!" He roared.

Deal? I glanced between them uneasily. Just what were they planning?

The dark Alpha rose to his feet in a fluid motion. Up close, his sheer size was intimidating. He towered over me by nearly a foot, his muscular frame evident even under his black jacket. 

"David," he interrupted my uncle's tirade, "control yourself. The girl clearly did not intend to intrude." Though his words were calm, there was a hint of command in them. 

To my astonishment, my uncle actually backed down under the Alpha's gaze. "Y-yes, of course," he muttered. Turning back to me, he added in a threatening growl, "We will discuss your punishment later."

I suppressed a shudder. That was sure to be severe.

The Alpha was observing me intently, those fathomless eyes wandering over my body in a way that made me uneasy. When he smiled, I caught a glimpse of the rumored black fangs. No...were his canines darker than normal?

Before I could get a proper look, he stepped closer, grasping my chin firmly as he tilted my face up. His touch was cold. 

"What is your name, little one?" 

His voice was deep and smooth as velvet. I sensed the underlying danger in it, but couldn't make myself pull away. Something about his commanding presence kept me frozen in place.

"J-Jane," I managed to whisper.

He inhaled my scent again. "Jane," he murmured. "You will do nicely." 

Do nicely for what? Alarm bells rang distantly in my mind, but his scent and nearness overwhelmed my senses. Pine and frost, with a hint of copper...

Seeming to read my thoughts, his lips curved into a knowing smirk that didn't reach his eyes. Without warning, his mouth descended, fangs grazing my sensitive throat. I gasped at the sharp points. Too stunned to move, I could only remain pliant as he indulged himself, nipping and sucking at my skin. 

When he finally released me, the spots he had worried between his teeth throbbed. His eyes were pure black now, pupils dilated with desire. A wild, reckless part of me thrilled at being the object of such possessive hunger. 

But the logical part of my mind reasserted itself enough to stumble backwards out of his reach. He let me go, licking his lips with a satisfied rumble. 

"She tastes as sweet as she looks, David," he remarked to my uncle casually. "I will take her."

My mind was too fuzzy to make out his words, but one thing was clear - I needed to get as far away from him as possible. 

Thus spinning on my heel, I fled from the study. I heard my uncle shouting after me, but didn't stop running until I reached the safety of my room. Slamming and locking the door behind me, I collapsed on the bed, trembling uncontrollably. 

What just happened? The Alpha's scent and touch still clung to me, making rational thought difficult. 

The morning rays filtered through the small attic door, rousing me from restless dreams haunted by fathomless dark eyes and the graze of sharp fangs. I lay there for a moment trying to calm my racing heart, confused by the lingering thrill the memories invoked. 

Frey stirred, also unsettled. Neither of us could make sense of what had transpired last night after the disastrous mating ceremony.

Heavy footsteps on the stairs jolted me upright. David never came up to the attic this early unless I was in trouble. I braced myself as the door swung open, but instead of anger, my uncle's expression was...pleasant?

"Good morning, Jane," he rumbled. "Come downstairs, breakfast is ready."

I stared at him warily. No shouting or accusations? And inviting me to eat at the table instead of my usual scraps in the kitchen? Something wasn't right.

But I had no choice but to follow him downstairs to the dining room. My eyes widened at the spread laid out - plates heaped with sausages, scrambled eggs, stacks of buttery pancakes and jars of honey. My mouth watered from just the aroma.

David took his place at the head of the table while I hesitantly sat across from May and Tia. Their hostility seemed subdued this morning. Tia even gave me a small smile as she passed the platter of sausages. I nearly dropped it in surprise.

As we ate, an uneasy tension filled the air. I focused on enjoying the best meal I'd had in ages, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Finally, David set down his coffee mug with a heavy sigh. "Jane, there's something we need to discuss."

I tensed, fork halted halfway to my mouth. Here it comes...

"Due to your foolishness last night, you've landed yourself in quite the situation," he began sternly. My shoulders hunched, remembering the mysterious meeting I had accidentally interrupted. 

David leaned forward, fixing me with a grave look. "The guest you so rudely stumbled upon was Alpha Damon, here seeking a...companion."

I recalled the icy Alpha's hungry eyes devouring me, his lips and teeth grazing my throat. A shiver ran through me.

"And it seems you've caught his interest," David continued. "He's requested you as his breeder for the season."

I choked on my bite of pancake. Breeder? That's why the cruel Alpha had looked at me with such intent, talking of heirs. He wanted me to… have his child? 

"No!" I gasped out through coughs. "I won't, I refuse!"

David's expression darkened. "You don't have a choice in the matter, girl," he bit out. "He already marked you. The contract has already been finalized. Refusing an Alpha, especially one as influential as Damon, would mean war."

My stomach dropped. I glanced desperately between them, but no one spoke up to defend me. May simply gave a smug little smile while Tia avoided looking at me. They had all agreed to sell me off without my consent.

"Please," I begged softly. "Isn't there any other way?" 

David slammed his fist on the table, making me jump. "Enough! You will do this, unless you want to bring ruin upon us all." His tone left no room for further argument.

I hung my head in despair. In one careless act, I had sealed my own fate. I would be sent away from the only home I'd ever known to be used by a cruel stranger, forced to bear his child. The injustice of it all burned bitterly inside me.

We finished the meal in tense silence. As Tia cleared away the plates, David turned to me grimly. "Pack your things. The Alpha's men will arrive before sundown to collect you." 

Numbly, I returned to the attic that had been my room since birth. How could this be happening? Only last night I had dreamed of finding my true mate, a wolf who would cherish me. But instead, I was being sold off like cattle to breed for a monster.