Chapter 2

That night, I never opened my eyes.

Even then, I knew the man holding me wasn't Aaron.

Aaron would never have hands that were so restrained. He would never pause when I frowned, never ask if I was hurting. He only knew how to take and take, to treat my compliance like something he was owed.

Kevin was different.

He knew I had mistaken him, and he still let the whole thing happen.

That made me hate him just as much.

The next morning, I woke in bright sunlight.

The room was empty, with nothing left but the creased sheets and that lingering scent of cold pine in the air.

I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window and spotted Aaron in the courtyard below at a glance.

He leaned against his car, smoking, his expression tight with irritation.

I took a quick shower, then changed into Kevin's white shirt. It barely covered my thighs.

I didn't bother hiding the bruises along my neck, collarbone, and waist. I left them exposed, stark against my skin.

When Aaron pushed the door open, he saw me just as I was gripping the stair rail, making my way down slowly.

He stopped dead.

The moment his eyes landed on the marks covering me, his gaze darkened, turning sharp and dangerous.

"What are you doing here?" There was a thread of tension in his voice that he couldn't quite hide.

I pressed my lips together and glanced at the staff passing nearby, then lowered my head without answering.

As I stepped closer, I caught sight of the unfamiliar mark beneath his collar. It was a bite left by another she-wolf.

I acted as if I hadn't seen it.

Instead, I reached out and lightly tugged at his sleeve, my cheeks flushing as my voice turned soft and aggrieved.

"Aaron, you went way too far last night. My back still hurts. I can't even make it to my morning herbalist class. You need to ask my instructor for leave."

His brows snapped together instantly. His hand clamped down on my shoulder, his grip so tight that it nearly crushed bone. "What are you talking about? When did I touch you last night?"

I looked up at him, wide-eyed, full of dependence. Rising onto my toes, I leaned in close, my voice dropping so only he could hear.

"Why are you denying it? After you took me away last night, you were like a different person. The way you had complete control over me last night… I really liked it. It's just… You were too rough. It still hurts a little."

As I shifted slightly, something slipped from my pocket.

With a soft clink, it rolled right to his feet.

A platinum cufflink engraved with the Redwood Pack's wolf crest. Kevin's initials were carved into it. He was the only one in the entire pack who had it.

Aaron stared at the cufflink, then back at the marks all over me. The color drained from his face, turning a sickly gray. His jaw locked tight, veins standing out along the back of his hand.

And I, like a fool who noticed nothing, kept driving the knife in deeper.

"But honestly, last night, you finally felt like a real Alpha heir. Before that, you were always missing something."

He stared straight into my eyes. I could feel the tremor running through him, the wolf inside him howling in fury.

It took a long moment before he suddenly shoved me away. The force sent me stumbling back, nearly falling.

"Stay here. Don't go anywhere."

He turned and left, almost like he was fleeing.

I watched his retreating figure, the smile at my lips slowly freezing over.

This was only the beginning.

If he treated me like something he could toss aside, then he'd better be ready for it to come back and bite him.