Chapter 5

Valerie 

He carried me across the room as if I weighed nothing at all, throwing the doors of his private chambers open before kicking them shut behind us.

The room was vast, bathed in soft amber candlelight, dominated by a massive, wrought-iron four-poster bed. My heart hammered against my ribs, the fresh mark on my neck throbbing with a dark, intoxicating heat that made my entire body flush.

He tossed me onto the silk mattress, towering over me as I scrambled back against the headboard, breathing heavily.

Dimitri untied his cuffs, dark eyes locked onto mine like a predator watching its trapped prey. But the warmth in his gaze suddenly cooled, replaced by an ice that sent a chill straight down my spine.

"Let's get one thing straight right now, sweetheart." 

"This is purely business."

 "What?"

"You're here for one purpose," Dimitri continued, stepping closer until his shadow completely engulfed me. "You are here to give me heirs. 

 "You are here to do a job. Don't fall in love with me, and don't expect romance. You are here to give me heirs and neutralize the madness in my blood."

My jaw dropped. The sheer arrogance radiating from him was suffocating. I had just been tossed aside by Dante, dragged into this room against my will, bitten, and now he was giving me terms like I was a contracted employee?

"And when it's done?" I asked, my voice trembling with shock and anger.

"If you survive the process, and if you eventually cure my curse, I'll let you go," he stated flatly. "You will be compensated. You can disappear anywhere in the world, far away from Dante and this pack. Until then, you belong to my bed."

I stared at him, the fear suddenly evaporating, replaced by rage.

"You're sick," I breathed out, pushing myself up onto my knees.

Dimitri tilted his head, his jaw ticking. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," I snapped, glaring right into his pitch-black eyes. "You bite me without my permission, you claim me, and now you tell me I'm just an incubator for your heirs? You're a psychopath."

 Dimitri was suddenly on the bed. His large hand wrapped around my throat. The sheer force of his Lycan aura crashed down on my shoulders, forcing a whimper out of my lips.

He leaned in, his face inches from mine, his breath fanning across my trembling lips.

"Listen to me very carefully," he growled."Don't you ever use that tone on me again. I am your Alpha, and you will treat me with respect. Do you understand?"

I swallowed hard, tears of frustration stinging the back of my eyes. I couldn't speak. The dominance rolling off him was entirely consuming.

"I asked you a question, Valerie," he whispered, his thumb pressing dangerously against my racing pulse. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," I choked out.

"Good."

His eyes dropped to my lips. The coldness in his gaze melted back into that terrifying, dark hunger. The scent of cedar and spice wrapped around my senses, dulling my anger and replacing it with a treacherous, burning heat. It was the mark. The bond was forcing my body to respond to him.

He didn't ask for permission this time.

Dimitri crashed his lips onto mine. It was a punishing, demanding kiss, completely lacking in tenderness but overflowing with raw, addictive passion. My mind screamed to push him away, but my hands betrayed me, sliding up into his thick, dark hair.

He groaned. His hand released my throat, sliding down to grip my waist, pulling my body against his hard muscles. The kiss deepened, tasting of copper and mint. My heart was thumping so fast as his other hand tangled in my robe, pushing the silk off my shoulder.

I was drowning in him. The ruthless Lycan King who had just insulted me was now unraveling every defense I had with a single touch.

"My King," a guard’s voice called out from the hallway, sounding terrified to be interrupting. "Forgive me. But it is urgent."

Dimitri didn't pull away completely. He kept his forehead pressed against mine, his breathing ragged, his eyes squeezed shut in irritation. "Speak," he barked, his voice laced with warning.

"She has arrived, Sire," the guard stammered. "Your mate is here. She is waiting in the main hall."

The air left my lungs.

Dimitri's eyes snapped open. The lust, the hunger, the dark possession that had just been burning for me vanished instantly.

He pulled back, entirely ignoring the cold air that rushed over my skin where his body had just been. 

"Tell her I will be down in two minutes," Dimitri ordered, his voice suddenly filled with an emotion I hadn't heard from him yet—desperation. A soft, protective urgency.

"Yes, Sire." The guard's footsteps hurried away.

I sat there on the rumpled silk sheets, my robe hanging off my shoulder, my lips bruised and swollen from his kiss.

Dimitri didn't even look at me. He didn't offer a word of explanation. He just swiftly buttoned his cuffs, ran a hand through his messy hair to fix it, and strode toward the doors.

"Wait," I whispered.

He didn't stop. He opened the door and walked out.

He had a fated mate.

A real mate. Not a tool. Not a business transaction. A mate he actually cared about. A mate he rushed to see the second her name was spoken.

My hand touched my burning neck where he had just marked me. A sudden, sickening wave of emotion crashed over me, making my throat burn and my eyes well up with hot tears.

Why did my chest hurt so much? I hated him. I had only known him for a day. He was arrogant, ruthless, and he had just bought me to use as a breeder.

So why was I sitting here, trembling with jealousy? What the hell was wrong with me?