- CHAPTER TWO -

Sloane.

The cab ride to the Capital Estate was a blur of neon signs and pounding rain. My mother's words echoed in my head like a loop.

'I married the Alpha.'

My stomach churned with a toxic mix of dread and disbelief. My mother, Anya, a werewolf socialite who avoided anything to do with the wolf world for twenty years because she ran away with a human, had just married the most powerful pureblood in the Realm.

It didn't make sense.

She hated wolves.

The cab pulled up to the massive iron gates of the Alpha's estate. Two guards, built like brick walls, stepped out of the sentry booth, their eyes glowing faint yellow in the dim light. They scanned the cab, their noses twitching, before nodding to the driver. The gates swung open with a low, metallic groan.

The mansion was a sprawling monstrosity of dark stone and towering spires, half hidden by a thick layer of fog. It looked less like a home and more like a fortress.

I paid the driver, grabbed my purse and stepped out into the biting cold. The guards didn't miss a beat, they were tracking my every move. The air here was thick with the scent of pine, damp earth and untamed power.

This was indeed the Alpha territory.

The heavy oak front door opened before I could even reach for the knocker. My mother stood on the threshold, her green eyes wide, her blonde hair slightly disheveled. She wore a long, elegant silk gown, but her hands were trembling.

"Sweetheart! You're here!" She gasped, pulling me inside. "Oh, Thank God. I was so worried."

She hugged me tight, smelling faintly of jasmine and something else - a heavy, unfamiliar musk that made my wolf bristle.

"Mom, what the hell is going on?" I whispered, pulling back. "You married the Alpha? You hate wolves."

"It's complicated, baby," she stammered, her gaze darting to the wide, curved staircase that led up to the second floor. "He's...he's different. And I needed to protect us after... after what happened since your father's passing,"

I frowned. "Dad was human. Plus, he died years ago. And we lived in the human realm, until you moved here four months ago and I decided to have fun by moving in three weeks ago. Now you're getting married?"

"Sweetheart, I know it's crazy but you have to-" She was cut short when a low, resonant chime echoed from the grand entrance hall. A butler, tall and thin, dressed in a sharp black suit, stepped forward, clearing his throat.

"My sincerest apologies for the interruption, Luna," the butler announced, his voice carrying clearly through the quiet hall. "But the Alpha has just signaled for the official announcement."

Luna. The title hit me like a physical blow. My mother was now the Alpha's mate and queen. The Luna of the most powerful pack in the realm.

The heavy double doors of the grand ballroom swung open, revealing a glittering scene of pureblood wolves in formal attire. The music swelled, a formal string quartet.

My mother's hand trembled in mine. "We have to go. He wants me to stand beside him."

She dragged me forward, pulling me into the blinding light of the ballroom. I walked beside her, my heart hammering against my ribs, my eyes scanning the sea of faces, the scent of a hundred different wolves flooding my senses.

At the very front of the room, on a raised dais, stood a man. Tall, broad shoulders. Clad in a dark tailored suit.

My breath suddenly locked in my throat.

He stood beside a massive stone fireplace, his back to us, but the crushing weight of his dominance filled the entire room.

He was the center of gravity, the undisputed apex predator.

As he turned slowly. My vision blurred for a second, the glass of champagne in a passing waiter's hand slipped from my fingers, shattering against the marble floor.

He wore no mask now. His sharp angular jawline, his full, firm lips - they were unmistakeable. The same scent of crushed pine needle and dark whiskey.

He was the same man who had fucked me against a closed door five hours ago in a private suite at The Black Crest.

Holy shit.

He was the Alpha.

His eyes, dark as night even though they were green, locked onto mine. The cold, possessive gaze I had felt through the mask now burned with a chilling recognition. He didn't flinch. His expression remained utterly unreadable. His gaze swept over my mother, then returned to me, his dark eyes, glinting with a dangerous, unspoken warning.

My mother, oblivious to the silent current passing between us, squeezed my hand, her voice filled with nervous excitement. "Sweetheart, I'd like you to meet Alpha Raul. My husband and your new step father."

I said nothing and just stared in silence. I feared if I opened my mouth, the truth would spill.

Raul took a slow step toward us, his physical presence dominating the space. He stopped three feet away, his gaze fixed on my face.

"Careful, little bird," he murmured, his voice low enough that only I could hear. "Walls have ears in this house."

He turned to my mother, his expression softening into a polite, charming smile that made my stomach churn. "Anya, my dear. Allow me to introduce myself finally to your daughter," he said, taking my mother's hand. "I am Alpha Raul, Ruler of the Blackridge pack. And you, I believe, are Sloane."

He extended his hand toward me. His large calloused fingers wrapped around mine, squeezing lightly, the contact sent a sharp jolt through my system but I forced myself to remain still.

"Pardon me, my Alpha," I said with a small bow of my head.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Sloane," he said, his voice entirely devoid of the hunger that had filled it five years ago. His eyes held no recognition now, no heat, just a polite cold indifference that cut deeper than any insult. "My wife has told me so much about you."

"I wish I could say the same." I muttered.

He released my hand while my mother's grip on my arm tightened, her smile now nervous.

"Sloane, darling, why don't you go introduce yourself to Elder Vane?" My mother whispered, trying to push me toward the side of the room where the old elder from the club was already looking our way, a smug, possessive glint in his eyes. "He's the most respected elder here and the most trusted."

"I didn't grow up in your world, mom," I said in a low tone. "I don't know the politics of your pack elders."

Alpha Raul's gaze cut to me, sharp and dismissive. "Then you'll learn the rules fast. Your mother is Luna now. Her family is our family. You will show respect to the elders."

He didn't wait for a response. He turned, placing his hand on my mother's lower back, his posture shifting to that of a dominant, protective mate. He led her toward the center of the ballroom, leaving me standing alone, frozen, watching them.

My mind raced. The Alpha. My mother's husband was the same man I had just fucked. This was a nightmare. A cruel, twisted joke from the gods.

How was I going to be able to live in the house with a man whom I'm forbidden to touch, yet I crave him?