Chapter 3

Damian's POV

The sun was just coming up over the city when I opened my eyes. I had barely slept, the sound of the auction still echoed in my head, the crowd, the voices, the final silence when I said my price. I could still see her on that stage, she was small, trembling, covered in bruises but with those strange silver blue eyes that refused to bow.

My mate.

I stood in front of the mirror, buttoning my black shirt slowly. The reflection staring back at me was calm, collected, everything an Alpha King was meant to be. But inside, my chest was not steady.

It had been years since the bond inside me had stirred at anyone’s scent. Yet the moment she had stepped on that stage, the pull had been instant; it was wild and undeniable.

I wasn’t supposed to find her like that, bound and humiliated. Bought but it happened, and now she was mine.

A knock came at the door.

“Enter,” I said.

Ethan walked in, head slightly bowed. “She is here, Alpha, she just arrived.”

“Where?”

“In the hall, dressed as you ordered.”

“Good.” I turned toward him. “No one else comes in, bring her up and leave immediately.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

He left, and the room went silent again. I poured myself a glass of water and stared out of the window at the busy streets below.

Humans moved freely under the morning sun, unaware of the wolves that lived among them. Power here was hidden. Our kind had learned to live in shadows, wearing normal clothes, running companies, controlling politics from behind closed doors.

Minutes later, the sound of footsteps made me turn and then the door opened. She stepped inside, for a moment, I didn’t move. Her long chestnut hair was slightly tangled but clean.

She wore the simple white dress I had ordered soft fabric, no jewels. Her skin was pale, yet there was something about her that made everything else fade.

Aria.

She froze when she saw me, her breathing changed. I saw her hands tremble before she clenched them into fists.

“You,” she said quietly, her voice was hoarse.

I didn’t answer, I watched her walk in, every step was cautious, like she was waiting for another order, another punishment. But when our eyes met, her body stiffened. She gasped, it was a small sound, almost like a cry.

Her lips parted. “No… this can’t be…”

The air between us shifted, I felt the bond snap into place my wolf stirred, pressing at the edge of control, recognizing her completely.

She stumbled back, shaking her head. “No, I can’t, you… you are my-”

“Yes.” I said, my voice calm but firm. “I’m your mate.”

Her knees weakened. “That’s not possible, It can’t be you, I don’t want this.”

“Doesn’t matter what you want,” I replied, stepping closer. “Fate is already decided.”

She backed away until her shoulders hit the wall. “You bought me, you think that gives you the right to say that?”

“I don’t need to think about it,” I said. “I feel it and so do you.”

She shook her head violently. “No! I don’t want to be anyone’s property. I will find a way to pay you back, just let me go please.”

I stared at her, unreadable, the fire in her eyes didn’t match the fear in her body. I admired that even when she was broken, she refused to submit.

“You can’t pay me back,” I said flatly. “You can’t buy freedom from the bond, you belong here now.”

“I don’t belong anywhere!” she shouted, tears forming in her eyes. “I never asked for this life. I just want to be free.”

“You think I wanted this?” I said sharply. “Do you think I planned to find my mate in a damn auction?”

She flinched at my tone but held her ground. “Then reject me.”

I looked straight at her. “You don’t understand what you are saying.”

“I do.” Her voice trembled, but she didn’t stop.

“Reject me, and I will leave, you will never see me again.”

She took a deep breath, her hands clutching her chest as she whispered the words. “I, Aria-”

Before she could finish, her body convulsed. A cry escaped from her throat as she collapsed to her knees. Her fingers clawed at the floor, her eyes were wide with pain. Blood dripped from her lips as she coughed violently, gasping for air.

I stayed where I was, my fists tightening.

She tried again, forcing the words out, but the pain only grew worse. Her half-human blood couldn’t handle the rejection of an Alpha King. The bond was too strong, too absolute.

“Stop,” I ordered, stepping forward.

She coughed harder, trembling. “Why- can’t-I-?”

“Because I’m the Alpha King,” I said quietly. “You can’t reject me, Aria.”

She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. “Please… I don’t want this.”

Her body was shaking so hard that she could barely speak. I could feel her agony through the bond, it was sharp and raw.

I knelt slightly, watching her. “You will learn to live with it.”

Her breathing grew weaker, she tried to crawl away, dragging herself toward the door.

“I will find a way,” she said, voice fading. “Even if it kills me.”

I reached out, catching her wrist before she could move further. “You won’t die,” I said coldly. “Not from this, you are stronger than you think.”

She tried to pull away, hitting my arm weakly. “Let me go!”

“Enough.”

I tightened my hold just enough to stop her. When she still struggled, I struck it was not hard enough to harm her permanently, but enough to make her body go still. She collapsed against the floor, her breathing was shallow.

For a while, I just stood there, looking down at her. Her hair spread across the carpet, her face was pale but peaceful now that the pain had stopped.

I lifted her gently and laid her on the bed. Her pulse was steady, her breathing was slow. I sat on the edge, watching her as this fragile creature who carried half-wolf blood, half-human fear.

The bond inside me pulsed again, reminding me that she was mine, even if she hated it.

I brushed a strand of hair from her face, then stopped myself. Touch wasn’t something I allowed easily, I wasn’t the comforting kind.

Still, I couldn’t look away, still she had tried to reject me, no one had ever done that.

I leaned back, exhaling slowly. “You are not going anywhere, Aria,” I said quietly, more to myself than her.

“You will stay right here until you understand what you are.”