Chapter 2

When I finally emerged, dripping and shivering, I wrapped myself in a thin towel and stepped into the hallway—

And nearly collided with him.

Alpha Zane stood there, phone pressed to his ear, his voice sharp with barely contained rage. “What do you mean it’s still not successful? I’ve tried everything. Every ritual, every damned method—”

He stopped mid-sentence when his gaze landed on me.

I froze. Water dripped from my hair onto my face, then to my shoulders, pooling at my feet. I was painfully aware of how I must look—a soaked, half-naked mess standing before the Alpha who’d just humiliated me in the worst way possible.

His eyes swept over me once. Assessing.

Then he looked away, as if I wasn’t even worth acknowledging, and continued down the hall while still barking into his phone.

I stood there, dripping and trembling, until his footsteps faded.

Only then did I allow myself to breathe.

The next morning, I woke to ice water splashing across my face.

“On your feet, useless girl.” Head Servant Geraldine stood over me, empty bucket in hand. “Just because you worked late doesn’t mean you get to sleep in.”

I hadn’t slept in. It was not time for the usual hours to wake up. But arguing with Geraldine was like arguing with a wall—pointless and likely to get me hurt.

So I dragged myself out of bed, changed into clean servant’s clothes, and threw myself into the endless cycle of chores: scrubbing floors, hauling laundry, preparing meals for wolves who’d never consider me as anything more than part of the furniture.

By midday, my back screamed and my hands were raw. I was elbow-deep in dishwater when one of the Alpha’s personal guards appeared in the kitchen doorway.

“You.” His voice cut through the chatter. “The Alpha wants to see you.”

Every conversation in the kitchen stopped.

I turned slowly, suds dripping from my hands. “Me?”

“Yes, you. Get cleaned up and report to his office immediately.”

The moment he left, the whispers started.

“She’s in trouble,” one servant hissed. “He’s probably going to punish her for barging in yesterday.”

“Maybe he’ll exile her,” another suggested hopefully. “Good riddance.”

“Or maybe,” Geraldine said, her voice dripping with venom wrapped in sweetness, “he wants her for… other purposes.”

That suggestion sent a ripple of laughter through the room—all of it cruel.

“Please,” another servant scoffed, flipping her hair dramatically. “The Alpha’s type is slim, gorgeous, irresistible. Clearly me. He’d never touch something like her.”

Heat burned my cheeks, but I kept my mouth shut. Defending myself would only make it worse.

I dried my hands, changed into the cleanest dress I owned, and made my way to the Alpha’s office with my stomach in knots.

Why does he want to see me?

The closer I got, the faster my heart raced. Was I being punished? Exiled? Had yesterday’s humiliation not been enough?

When I reached his office, I found not just Alpha Zane waiting, but also Beta Ezra and Head Servant Geraldine—who looked far too pleased with herself.

The Alpha sat behind his massive desk like a king on a throne. His eyes lifted when I entered, and that familiar flicker of disgust crossed his features before his expression went carefully blank.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

Then, his voice cut through the silence—sharp completely void of emotion.

“I called you here to inform you that we are getting married.”

The words hit me like a physical blow.

Married. To him. To Alpha Zane.

My knees wobbled. My breath caught. Behind me, I heard Geraldine choke on her own spit.

“I’m sorry, Alpha,” I managed, my voice shaking. “I… I don’t think I heard you correctly. You want to marry… me?”

His jaw tightened, a muscle ticking in his cheek. “You heard correctly.”

“But… why?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.

Beta Ezra stepped forward, his expression grim. “The High Priestess has spoken. After years of trying, she’s confirmed what we’ve suspected. You, Tiana, are the only woman capable of bearing the Alpha’s heir.”

The room tilted.

“That’s impossible,” I whispered. “I’m just a—”

“A servant,” Zane finished coldly. “Yes. Believe me, if there were any other option, I’d take it.”

The words shouldn’t have hurt. I’d known for years that I was nothing to him. But hearing it stated so plainly, so cruelly, in front of witnesses…

“This isn’t a love match,” he continued, his voice detached. “This is a contract agreement. You will bear me a son. When the child turns two, you’ll be given a settlement and released from this pack. Until then, you belong to me. Do you understand?”

I stood there, frozen, as the weight of what he was saying crashed over me.

This was my dream—the fantasy I’d nursed since I was fourteen years old. To be his. To stand at his side.

But not like this.

Never like this.

“Do you understand?” he repeated, his tone sharpening.

I forced myself to meet his eyes. “What if I refuse?”

The temperature in the room dropped.

Alpha Zane rose slowly from his chair, his full height and power radiating off him in waves. He rounded the desk with predatory grace, stopping close enough that I had to tilt my head back to maintain eye contact.

“Refuse?” His voice was soft. Deadly. “You think you have a choice in this?”

“I—”

His hand shot out, wrapping around my throat—not squeezing, but the threat was clear. “Let me be very clear, Tiana. You will marry me. You will bear my heir. And if you try to refuse…” He leaned closer, his breath hot against my ear, he let out a mocking chuckle. “I can bet you don’t want to know what will happen.”

Tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

“You have until noon,” he said, releasing me with a slight shove. “Sign the contract, or face the consequences.”

He returned to his desk, dismissing me with a wave of his hand as if I were nothing more than an inconvenient piece of paperwork.

Beta Ezra handed me a thick document. “Read it carefully.”

But I didn’t need to read it. I already knew what it would say.

I was being sold. Reduced to a womb. Given an expiration date.

As I turned to leave, clutching the contract to my chest, one thought echoed through my mind:

I have to get out of here.