CHAPTER 3

Damon's POV

I stood at my office window, watching the sun rise over my territory. Sleep had eluded me again, but this time for a different reason.

The omega—Aria—had been in my fortress for exactly eight hours and thirty-seven minutes. Not that I was counting.

"Your morning coffee, Alpha King." My mother's former assistant, Beth, placed the cup on my desk with practiced precision.

I took a sip of the bitter brew, same as every morning for the past eighteen years. The taste had become a ritual, a reminder of discipline and control.

"Marcus," I called out, knowing my beta was hovering outside.

He entered immediately. "Alpha King?"

"Has she settled in?"

"Elena reports that Miss Bennett ate dinner and is currently sleeping." He paused. "She seems... resigned to the situation."

Resigned. The word left a bitter taste that had nothing to do with the coffee.

"The doctor will be here at nine," Marcus continued. "Should I escort Miss Bennett to the medical wing?"

"No. Have the examination done in her quarters. Less... clinical."

Marcus raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He knew better than to question my decisions, even if he disagreed with them.

"Anything else?" he asked.

I turned from the window. "Tell me about her. What did you observe during the drive?"

"She's proud," Marcus said carefully. "Scared but hiding it well. She didn't cry, didn't beg. Just stared out the window like she was memorizing the route."

"Planning to run?"

"Maybe. Or maybe just trying to hold onto something familiar before everything changed."

I set down my coffee cup harder than necessary. "She signed the contract."

"Her stepfather signed it," Marcus corrected, then quickly added, "Alpha King."

"The result is the same. She's here, she'll provide an heir, and then she'll have her freedom. Everyone gets what they want."

Marcus was quiet for a moment. "Do they?"

"Careful, Marcus."

He straightened. "My apologies, Alpha King. Will you be visiting Miss Bennett today?"

Visit. Such a polite word for what would need to happen.

"After the doctor's confirmation. Tonight, perhaps."

"Should I inform her?"

"No. I'll speak with her myself after the examination."

Marcus left, and I returned to my desk, trying to focus on pack business. Territory disputes, trade agreements, the usual complexities of running the largest pack in the northern regions. But my mind kept drifting to violet eyes that had stared at me with barely concealed horror when she'd realized what her stepfather had done.

Those eyes haunted me. Unusual for a wolf, almost otherworldly. And the way she'd smelled—honey and wildflowers, completely at odds with the dingy apartment she'd been living in.

My wolf, usually silent and controlled, had stirred when she'd walked into that room. Just slightly, like recognizing something familiar. But that was impossible. The curse made sure of that.

I pulled up her file on my computer. Aria Bennett, age twenty-two. Mother died six years ago, father unknown. Worked at a local clinic as a healer's assistant until recently. Clean background, no pack affiliations, no criminal record. The perfect candidate for what I needed.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Come in."

Elena entered, and immediately I knew something was wrong. She'd raised me, knew me better than anyone, and the look on her face was one I recognized—disapproval mixed with concern.

"Alpha King," she said formally, though we were alone.

"What is it, Elena?"

"The girl. Miss Bennett. She's... not what I expected."

I leaned back in my chair. "Explain."

"She's kind. Despite everything, she thanked me for dinner, asked about my family. She's terrified but trying so hard to be brave." Elena met my eyes. "She doesn't deserve this, Damon."

The use of my actual name made me stiffen. Elena only did that when she was truly upset.

"She'll be well cared for," I said. "She'll want for nothing."

"Except her freedom. Except love."

"Love is a luxury I can't afford, and she knew the terms when she agreed."

"She didn't agree. She was sold."

I stood abruptly. "Enough. This discussion is over."

Elena looked at me with those knowing eyes, the same look she'd given me when I was ten and insisted I didn't need anyone after my mother's betrayal.

"Just... be gentle with her," she said softly. "She's stronger than she looks, but strength has limits."

After she left, I tried to return to work, but concentration was impossible. At exactly nine o'clock, I made my way to the medical wing to speak with Dr. Morrison after the examination.

"Well?" I asked when he emerged from the guest wing.

"Miss Bennett is in perfect health," he reported. "And yes, she's untouched, as claimed. Strong omega genetics, should have no trouble conceiving or carrying pups."

Pups. Plural. I'd only thought about the required heir, but of course, there could be more.

"Her emotional state?" I asked.

Dr. Morrison hesitated. "Guarded. She answered my questions but volunteered nothing. I'd say she's in mild shock, which is understandable given the circumstances."

"Is she ready for... breeding?"

The doctor winced at my clinical term. "Physically, yes. Though I might suggest waiting a few days, let her adjust. Stress can affect conception."

But waiting meant more time to second-guess this arrangement. More time for her to plan an escape. More time for my wolf to act strangely around her.

"Thank you, Doctor. That will be all."

I made my way to the guest wing, needing to establish the parameters of our arrangement. Clear boundaries, clear expectations.

I knocked on her door.

"Come in," her soft voice called.

She was standing by the window, still in the silk pajamas Elena had provided. Her auburn hair caught the morning light, creating a halo effect that made my chest tighten oddly.

"Miss Bennett."

She turned, and again those violet eyes hit me like a physical force. My wolf stirred, restless.

"Alpha King." Her voice was steady, but I could hear her heart racing.

"The doctor has confirmed you're suitable for our arrangement."

She flinched at 'suitable' but lifted her chin. "When?"

"Tonight. Unless you need more time to adjust."

A bitter laugh escaped her. "Will more time make this any less transactional?"

"No."

She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly looking very young and very alone. "Then tonight is fine. Get it over with."

Get it over with. Like it was something to endure.

"I'll come to you after dinner. It will be... respectful."

"Respectful," she repeated, that bitter tone again. "How considerate of you to respectfully breed me."

Anger flared. "You agreed to this."

"I had no choice!" She whirled to face me fully. "My stepfather sold me like property, and you bought me. Don't pretend this is anything other than what it is."

"And what is it?"

"Me being used as an incubator because the mighty Alpha King is too broken to find a real mate."

The words hit too close to home. My wolf snarled, and I took a step toward her before catching myself.

"Careful, Miss Bennett. Your position here is dependent on your cooperation."

She lifted her chin defiantly. "Or what? You'll send me back to Victor? Go ahead. Prison would be preferable to this."

We stared at each other, the air between us crackling with tension. My wolf was acting strange, pulling toward her even as my mind insisted on distance.

"Tonight," I said coldly. "Be ready."

I left before she could respond, before I could analyze why her defiance made my blood heat, why her scent lingered in my nostrils, why my wolf was pacing like a caged animal.

The curse prevented me from finding my mate. I'd accepted that years ago.

So why did being near Aria Bennett feel like standing at the edge of a cliff, one step from falling?