Dahlia's POVLola licks her canine like a hungry animal, but I know I won because she is hesitating."You are only a slut that stole his attention, for now!" Lola hisses viciously, "He has many before you, and there will be many after. You know who will remain on his side? Me!""Let me guess, because he loves you? Is that why he's not with you?" I snort with sarcasm. He might adore her more than others, but he doesn't love her. He loves no one. That man doesn't have a heart."That's right," Lola answers in a dreamy voice, genuine pride glowing in her eyes, "he keeps himself at distance because he is afraid that he might hurt me."I suddenly pity the girl. She's obviously driven lunatic by her tormenting desire for her Alpha."You wouldn't understand," Lola shakes her head at me, "His father killed his mother with bare hands. He doesn't claim me only because he worries that he has the cruel blood of his father running in his veins."I roll my eyes impatiently, getting tired of the gir
Dahlia's POV"I knew you were bold AND stupid, but to hit a grown wolf?" Alpha Damon leans on the door frame with a cold smirk, his arms folded in front of his chest, "I guess you are bolder and stupider than I thought."Lola bursts into laughter.I grit my teeth to not show my pain, hiding my dislocated wrist in my other palm."Give me," His eyes land on my wrist, Alpha Damon holds out a hand to me and I back away a step by instinct. Even this irritates him.Striding over he leans into my face, his voice low and dangerous: "If I want to hurt you, do you think you even have a chance to resist?"No. If Lola can tear me up, he needs only his Alpha Aura to put me in excruciating pain. I lower my eyes and bear my neck to submit, and he snorts coldly."What happened?" Alpha Damon asks Lola with a frown."She said she doesn't like other women in the house. I guess I feel hurt and talked back..." Lola answers tamely, genuine sorrow in her voice. I want to applause for her brilliant acting.
Dahlia's POVWhen I enter the dining room he is already in the most honorable seat. In front of him, the fine silvers line neatly, and he sits there with his elbow on the arm of the chair, two fingers supporting his temple. He is reading a file in his hand.Elegant. That must be the first word that pops into anyone's head when they see this man.I'm in a strapless black dress, his favorite style. On my wrist, I warp a strap cut out of the 2.5 million dollar piece to cover the bruise.He puts down the file when I stop at his side, his eyes land on the red bow on my wrist, waiting."I'm sorry for ruining the dress," I start with the tamest opening I came up with after an hour-long drafting.I have come to accept my fate in the three-hour-long bath this afternoon.He is not the best choice for a mate. In fact, he just might be the worst. But he IS my mate, and there is no way to change that. That, and the fact that I'm left all alone in the world with no one to help me, and no chance to
Dahlia's POVI take my time with my meal, not sure where to go from here.There is no way left to go.I sat for so long I start to shiver. Winter is coming, and the room gets freezing cold fast after the fire is extinguished. Of course no one came for me. Not him. Not even a maid.I stand up with a deep breath, making up my mind. So his interest in me ran out, so what? I won't live in fear. What's there to fear, at this point?I already died once. I watched everything I had burned to the ground. Even the last piece of my old life, our land, is now lost.What more can I lose?I rub my arm for warmth as I stomp my numb feet till I can feel my body again. I stride out with my chest up high. No matter how much he hates me right now, I have the mate bond on my side.So long as he still wants my body, I would have a chance at making peace with him.To my surprise, he is waiting for me in the bedroom.Though not dripping, his hair is visibly wet. He has showered. Yet the man is now fully dre
Dahlia's POVI didn't need a shower, but I stood under the water for an hour.I have never felt this way to anyone.Being a wolfless, I have known since I was a child that I can never feel the magical "mate pull" that every kid is excited about since they can understand the word "love". I have always actively avoided getting close to any opposite sex because the higher chance is, that they belong to someone else, or soon will be.Mom said experiencing a relationship is important, but I never understood why until now--The result of lacking experience is that I can't even distinguish whether I really felt something toward that ruthless devil, or I'm picking up Stockholm syndrome.The longer I stand there, the less real it feels. In the end I started wondering whether he really chuckled. That's how I know I can't postpone anymore.I don't know why but I slip out on tiptoe, knowing he is hearing everything no matter how light I am.He is lying on the bed, almost solemnly with his body st
Dahlia's POV"I--" I almost snap, only to contain myself at the last second, "She insulted me, so I did what I could to return the favor. I didn't know I should be punished, so no, I'm not."Whatever faint feeling I had for my "supposed" mate died the second he said that! I should remember that he is just a jerk and I won't forget again!I try to jump down but he grabs the root of my thigh and stops me, an evil smirk on his lips: "You are not seducing me? You stripped in front of me with your clumsy attempt at being cute, and now you just deny everything?"What?!It took all my willpower to not slap him in the face, but I can't stand being in such an intimate position anymore, not when he just sees me as a shameless whore!I struggle but to little use. He throws me on the bed and presses over me, my chin gripped in his hand as he growls at me: "Lola told you, didn't she?! Don't lie to me!"I freeze in fear, so scared I even forget to struggle. Is this it? Is he going to kill me? Tears
Dahlia's POV"She hated my father, and therefore me. She thought he kept her around just so he could get an heir from her, his true mate, so she wanted the heir gone. She tortured me with every chance she could get. Once she put a silver needle in my food and I swallowed it. A wolf doesn't die that easily. So I sat there for hours, feeling the silver burn my insides as the needle pierced everywhere it could before it stuck in my stomach. My father punched me in the gut and it pierced out of me, from here. I was six. That's the story of my father killing my mother." Alpha Damon leans back in an elegant move, arms folded in front of him as if telling a joyful bedtime story to a child, when the story was the cruelest I can imagine.Unable to even find my voice, I cover my mouth with shaking hands, tears rolling down beyond my control."The world takes my father as a murderer, a cruel mate, a ruthless Alpha," He lets out a cold sneer, "but they don't know that he killed her to protect me.
Dahlia's POVTo break an awkward silence, he reminds me calmly: "You don't want me to spend the night here." I might have said that once, but that was when I resisted him as the cruel ruler over me, a bullied sex slave!His tone is still the usual, calm and cold without emotion, but now when I hear this tone that he used to tell his story, I can't shake off the feeling that there hides a deep sorrow behind its calm surface."Didn't I say I didn't know this was your room?!" I snap at him.He lets out a light laugh, leaning close with his sightful eyes looking into mine as if he can see through my soul: "Is this your way of saying thank you for the land?"If I say yes, it feels like I'm paying him back with my body; but if I say no..."I didn't give you this for your gratitude," He says with a cold sneer, the smile in his eyes fading.He knows what I didn't say -- if he didn't give me this gift, I wouldn't have asked him to stay. I can't say he is wrong."Why?" I get stubborn, won't le