Chapter 2

Heat spread across my back. The fourth prophecy surfaced, and my mother’s voice whispered in my ears.

“Do not sever the mate bond… Don’t…”

I clenched my fists.

I knew her prophecies had always been right.

But I was done with this Alpha.

My white dress was stained with blood. Bracing myself against the table, I struggled to my feet, reached for my communicator, and called the clan elder.

I was discussing the dissolution of our bond with the clan elder when Lucian burst in with two guards.

He tore apart the blood seal we had just formed and caught my wrist.

“Come.”

The weight of his Alpha power bore down on me. I gritted my teeth and shoved him away.

Lucian frowned.

“You’re really going to sever our bond?”

“Yes!”

He gave a short nod, then turned to the elder.

“Help her form another seal, and you’ll answer to me.”

The elder went pale. He rose at once, bowing and murmuring apologies as he hurried out.

“Lucian!”

Lucian’s lips curved as though nothing had happened.

“Come along, my wife.”

I ignored him and turned to form another blood seal.

His fingers clamped around my wrist again.

“Nova!”

“Agree to it, Lucian.”

He destroyed the seal in front of me, then pinned me against the conference table.

“Do you have any idea that being my wife is the only reason you’re still alive?”

I frowned.

“If you sever our bond, you won’t even see your death coming!”

For an instant, his furious concern took me back.

Once, on a mission, I had charged in without silver armor to capture a rival pack’s leader. He had sounded just like this afterward, raging at me for risking my life.

Now he wanted me to give up my child for another woman.

I slapped him hard across the face.

“Who the hell do you think you are, telling me what to do?”

“Your husband.”

He bent and threw me over his shoulder.

My feet left the ground. I struggled, pounding his back with my fists, but he didn’t let go. He carried me straight out of the council chamber.

Back in our room, my pregnancy kept Lucian from losing control the way he usually did. It didn’t stop him from sinking his teeth into the mark at the back of my neck.

I sat on the bed, clutching my disheveled clothes together as he looked down at me.

“Stop talking about breaking the mate bond. Anything else, you can have.”

He turned to leave. I snatched the moonstone ornament from the nightstand and hurled it at his back.

It shattered across the floor.

Lucian paused, but he didn’t turn around. He opened the door and left.

Not long afterward, one priceless auction piece after another was carried into my room.

The maid stood to one side, carefully relaying his message.

“Your husband says you only have to ask if there’s anything else you’d like, ma’am.”

I straightened my clothes without looking at the gifts.

I could earn my own jewels and gold.

None of it could comfort me. I needed to let my anger out.