THE LUNA HE BOUGHT

​I stood in the center of the Alpha suite, staring at that white lace dress on the bed like it was a pile of ash. It looked like a gothic dress from the 80s.

​My skin still felt cold from where his fingers had clamped around my wrist earlier. I paced the room, my heels clicking sharply against the hardwood.

I stormed out of the room, trying to start another war.

Instead, I saw my parents.

"Ava?" my mom called out, relief flooding her voice.

"I know, he threatened to exile you. I can't believe he'd do that to two of the oldest pack members."

"Ava, listen to me," my mother pleaded, stepping forward " We had to sign the contract. We saw the way he looked at you at the coronation. We felt the power of the bond. You can't run from fate."

"Wait, wait. You did what?" I turned to my father. "Jaxson threatened to exile you! That's the only reason I'm still in thid miderable town."

My father shook his head slowly, his eyes full of a pity that made me want to scream. "He didn't have to threaten us, Ava. He came to us this morning. He showed us his intentions. He promised us that under his rule, our family would never want for anything again. All we had to do was ensure you stayed where you belong."

​The realization hit me like a physical blow to the stomach.

​Jaxson didn't even have to lift a finer. He bribed them.

​"He bought you," I whispered. "Your own daughter, and you sold me for a seat at the Alpha’s table."

​"We did it so you'd be safe!" my father roared."That human world was a lie, Ava! You were sleeping with a man who couldn't even protect you from a common cold, let alone a rival pack. Here, you are a Queen. Here, you are whole."

​I backed away, the hallway suddenly feeling miles long, the wallls closing in. They had done it once again. They ruined my life once again.

​A heavy hand landed on my shoulder. I didn't have to turn around to know the scent.

​"Your parents are wise, Ava," Jaxson murmured, his voice hot against my ear.

​I looked at him, and it was then I realised that this wasn't just the boy who bullied me in highschool, he was a monster who had systematically dismantled every escape route I had. He hadn't just taken my freedom; he’d taken my home.

​"You're all monsters," I choked, looking from my parents to the man beside me.

Jaxson didn't say anything. He just stared at my parents with a look of satisfaction.

"I don't care what you think, Ava." he said finally. "Now go into that damn room and get ready for the meeting."

​I looked at him, my eyes blurring for a second before they cleared with a cold, sharp precision. 

​"Fine," I said, calmly.

​His eyes narrowed. "Fine?"

​"You want a Luna?" I stepped back, smoothing the emerald silk over my hips. I didn't look at my parents. They were dead to me now. I only looked at him. "Give me five minutes alone to get ready. I’ll wear the dress, Jaxson. I'll give the pack exactly what they’re waiting for."

​A dark, victorious smirk spread across his face. He thought he had finally broken me. He thought the weight of my family’s betrayal had crushed me.

​"Five minutes," he conceded, stepping back to let me pass. "Don't be late."

​I walked back to the suite, my heart thundering against my ribs. I closed the doors and locked them, the click echoing in the silent room.

I didn't head for the bed where the white lace lay.

​I headed for the vanity.

​My hands were shaking as I opened the top drawer. My fingers brushed over velvet boxes and expensive combs until I found what I was looking for.

​Heavy, silver-handled dressmaking scissors.

​The cold metal felt right in my palm. I gripped them, the blades shimmering from the afternoon light. I walked over to the bed, staring down at the white silk. It represented everything he wanted me to be: pure, submissive, and his.

​A knock sounded at the door. "Ava? It's time." Jaxson’s voice.

​I looked at the scissors. I thought about the way his throat had moved when he talked about pinning me down. I thought about the way he’d stolen my life, my family, and my future with a single signature.

​I wanted to feel the resistance of something giving way under my hand. I wanted to see him look at me and feel the same shock I had felt when I saw my parents just now.

​"I'm coming, Jaxson," I whispered, my voice as sharp as the steel in my hand.

​I raised the scissors, the blades yawning open. I didn't think about the cost. I didn't think about the consequences. I just thought about the look on his face when I walked into that hall.

When I walked out of that rooom, Jaxson wouldn't be the only one bleeding.