Chapter 2

*Adele's Point of View*

My wolf’s voice rang clear in my head.

I know, I answered silently, frozen.

Say something, she urged.

I could not.

Demarion yanked the bag from my shoulder and turned away like nothing had happened. He tossed it into the trunk and climbed back into the driver’s seat.

“Let’s go,” he said flatly.

I hugged Paul again, holding on like I might never let go. He kissed my head once more.

“I’ll call you,” I whispered.

“I’ll be waiting,” he said.

“I would like to get home today,” Demarion said coldly.

I pulled away and walked to the car. The door did not open for me. I climbed in myself, biting back a comment.

We drove in silence.

After a while, he spoke. “We need to talk. I have rules. Everyone in my pack has a role. Yours comes with conditions.”

I turned slightly toward him, listening.

“If you follow them, your stay will be… manageable.”

His voice was deep and smooth, even when it sounded sharp.

“Only speak when spoken to.

You will address me as sir.

You stay in your room unless I call for you.

You do not enter my office without permission.

You do not enter my room. Ever.

You show respect to Serena, my parents, my beta, and me.

You will not interact with other males in my pack.

You do what you are told.

Stay out of my way.”

Each rule landed like a blow.

“Failure will be punished,” he added, never looking at me.

“What?” I breathed.

He ignored me.

My heart pounded. “Demarion,” I said, my voice trembling. “We are mates. I felt it. You felt it too. This has to be a joke.”

His grip tightened on the steering wheel.

“That is sir,” he said, his voice darkening. “And I do not have a mate.”

Something inside me shattered.

The road blurred.

And for an unbearable period of time, my heart stopped beating the way it used to.

After Alpha Demarion laid out his rules, the drive became unbearable.

Questions crowded my mind, one after another, but every time I opened my mouth, I remembered his cold voice. Only speak when spoken to. So I stayed quiet.

The road stretched on endlessly. Trees blurred past the window. The silence pressed against my ears. When I reached for the radio, desperate for noise, his hand moved faster. He turned it off without looking at me.

I pulled my hand back and stared at my lap.

Minutes turned into hours. My throat burned with thirst. My stomach twisted with hunger. My bladder ached, but I said nothing. Fear kept my lips sealed.

Demarion drove like a man lost in his thoughts. His jaw was tight. His eyes were dark and distant. His knuckles were white around the steering wheel, like he was holding himself together by force alone. He never once glanced my way.

Eventually, exhaustion won. I leaned my head against the window and drifted off.

I did not sleep long.

“Miss, please wake up.”

A gentle hand shook my arm.

I blinked and sucked in a sharp breath. My surroundings were unfamiliar. Panic rushed in fast. “Where am I?” I demanded. “Who are you?”

“We have arrived at the Red Moon Pack,” the girl said calmly. “My name is Cindy. I am assigned to help you. If you need anything, you may call for me.”

She smiled, soft and nervous at the same time.

“Thank you,” I said, unsure.

Her lips parted to reply, but she froze.

“I would like to enter my home today, Cindy.”

Demarion’s voice cut through the air like a blade.

“Yes, sir,” Cindy said quickly. Her eyes widened as she turned to me. “Please come. The master does not like waiting.”

Her grip tightened around my arm, no longer gentle. She rushed me out of the car and hurried after Demarion, who walked ahead like he owned the world.

And then I saw it.

The word Castle did not even begin to cover it.

The estate stretched wide and proud beneath the midday sun. Perfect green lawns rolled outward, trimmed so neatly they looked unreal. Flowers bloomed in every color, blending together like a painting. Butterflies fluttered lazily above rose bushes. Water danced in tall fountains scattered across the grounds, catching the light as it fell.

Gravel crunched beneath our feet as we followed the path. Everything gleamed. Everything felt untouched.

When we reached the massive double doors, Demarion stopped. Cindy yanked me to a halt a few steps behind him.

He turned.

For the first time since the drive, his eyes met mine.

The force of his stare stole my breath. Power rolled off him, heavy and commanding. I dropped my gaze without meaning to.

“Look at me when I address you.”

My eyes lifted on their own.

He studied me in silence. Heat crawled across my skin. My cheeks burned. His gaze moved slowly, and wherever it lingered, my body reacted. My heart raced. My stomach flipped. My hands grew damp.

I hated myself for it.

I clasped my hands behind my back and bit my lip, holding myself still.

“As I said before,” he continued, his voice firm, “you will address me as sir. You will show respect to those above you. Serena, my parents, my beta.”

His eyes hardened. “Inside, you will meet Serena and Kade. Remember. Only speak when spoken to.”

He turned away and opened the doors.

Something sharp twisted in my chest. It was not physical. It felt like rejection. Like being pushed away while still being held close.

I followed him inside.

The castle was even more breathtaking from within.

My jaw dropped before I could stop it. Light poured in through tall windows, spilling across pale walls. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, scattering soft colors across the room. A grand staircase rose ahead of us, wide and elegant. To one side, a dining hall stretched farther than I could see. To the other, a living room dressed in white and blue.

I stood frozen, trying to take it all in.

“What is wrong with her?” A woman’s voice snapped me out of it.

Cindy leaned close. “Please close your mouth,” she whispered urgently.

“She looks like she has never seen wealth before,” the woman said again, amused.

“Trust me,” Demarion replied. His tone changed, warmer than before. “She hasn’t.”

My heart dropped.

He turned, wrapping his arms around a woman’s waist. He stood behind her, close, possessive.

“Baby,” he said, looking at her, “this is Adele Vernon. The matter I told you about.”

The woman made a small, irritated sound.

“Adele,” Demarion continued, “this is Serena. She is my mistress.”

The word hit me like a slap.

Mistress.

Serena turned her sharp gaze on me. “Are you stupid?”

The insult rang clear.

“Excuse me?” My voice rose before I could stop it. “Who do you think you are calling me stupid?”

The sound of skin striking skin echoed through the hall.

Pain exploded across my cheek.

“Watch your tone,” Serena sneered. “You slut.”

My vision flashed red.

I struck back without thinking.

“And you keep your hands to yourself.”

She gasped, clutching her face. “Babe,” she cried dramatically, turning to Demarion. “You are not going to let her do this, are you?”

Demarion’s eyes locked onto mine.

Dark and dangerous.

“Do not worry,” he said calmly. “She will be dealt with.”

And I knew then.

I was truly alone.