Chapter 2

ALYSSA

Duncan didn’t look like he was happy to see me though. And his next words confirmed my thoughts.

“You actually brought her?” he asked, his cold gaze glued on mine, but I didn’t have the time to focus on the queasy feeling in my chest at the question because the second Duncan’s voice rolled out, deep and commanding, something inside me snapped awake.

My wolf.

The same wolf that had been weak and sick for months suddenly stretched inside me like it had been reborn, claws scraping at my insides and tail swishing with excitement. It wasn’t afraid of him. Goddess, no… it wanted him. It wanted to submit, to roll over, to be claimed by this man standing like sin itself at the entrance of his palace.

The shock of it almost showed on my face, but I caught myself in time. I schooled my features into neutrality, refusing to give either of them the satisfaction of knowing what just happened inside me. Especially Father.

Duncan’s eyes swept over me again. Heat curled low in my belly, but I forced myself not to move or breathe too hard.

“She doesn’t belong here.” His words were clipped and merciless, thrown like daggers at Father but never breaking his gaze from mine.

Father ran a tired hand down his face. “Duncan—”

“No,” he cut him off, folding his arms across that broad chest. “She’ll be a distraction.”

The word distraction made my core tighten. If only he knew he was the distraction.  If only he knew that just standing this close to him, just hearing his voice, was enough to unravel me from the inside out.

I raised my chin, masking the feeling in my chest. “You don’t have to worry, Alpha Duncan. I didn’t come here willingly.” My voice was sharp, but inside, my wolf purred, shamelessly leaning into his dominance.

For a moment, something flickered in his eyes—annoyance, maybe curiosity—but it vanished as quickly as it came.

Father exhaled heavily. “She stays, Duncan. Until this war is over. We already talked about this.”

Silence stretched between them, Duncan’s jaw working as he stared me down. The longer he looked, the harder my pulse hammered. My wolf pressed harder against me, betraying me with its hunger.

“Get it together, you horny wolf!” I scolded her, but her response was a sharp purr instead.

She wasn’t helping matters here.

Finally, his lips curved into a smile. “Fine. She stays.” His voice dropped lower, making goosebumps rise along my skin. “But don’t expect me to make her comfortable.”

My stomach twisted. Goddess. He had no idea what just the sound of his voice did to me.

I swallowed down nothing and exhaled as I followed them into the palace.

When we finally entered the palace, Father pulled me aside before Duncan could say anything else. His eyes were soft but tired, his hands gripping my shoulders in the gentlest way possible.

“Stay out of trouble, Alyssa,” he said firmly, his tone carrying that finality I hated. “Promise me. Do not challenge him. Do not wander outside the palace grounds. Just… keep your head down until I come for you.”

I nodded, though I didn’t mean it. My wolf stirred impatiently, still purring from Duncan’s voice, clearly not interested in “keeping its head down.”

Father kissed my forehead, lingering there for a moment like he was afraid to let go. When he finally pulled away, he gave Duncan a long look—the kind of look men gave when they were entrusting their most precious treasure. Duncan said nothing, just gave a curt nod, his jaw tight.

And then Father was gone. Just like that, I was left standing in the middle of Duncan’s world… with Duncan.

The silence was deafening. He stared at me, eyes dark. My chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, every nerve on fire from being under his gaze.

I should have looked away first, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. The pull was too strong. It was Duncan who finally broke the stare, his eyes flicking away as if dismissing me entirely.

“Listen carefully,” he said, his tone cold, all Alpha and no warmth. “While you are under my roof, there are rules. You will follow them without argument.”

I arched a brow. “Rules?”

His gaze snapped back to mine, sharp enough to cut. “One, you will not leave this palace without my permission. Two, you will not interfere with my warriors or my training grounds. Three, you will stay out of my way.”

I crossed my arms, a smirk tugging at my lips despite the way my insides burned from his authority. “Stay out of your way? You make it sound like I’m some helpless pup.”

“You are,” he said flatly.

The sting of his words should have silenced me, but instead, it lit a fire in my chest. “You think I can’t handle myself?”

“I know you can’t,” he replied without missing a beat, his tone final.

I lifted my chin stubbornly. “Well, lucky for you, I wasn’t planning on following your rules anyway.”

He stepped closer, towering over me, his presence making the air heavy. “You’ll follow them,” he said quietly, but the power behind the words rolled through me like a command meant for my wolf. My knees nearly buckled, and I bit down hard on my lip to stop myself from reacting.

This darn wolf! What the heck was her problem? It wasn’t like Duncan was our mate.

“Over my dead body,” I whispered back, though my body betrayed me with a shiver.

His jaw clenched, his eyes raking over me once more before he finally turned and started walking. “Come. I’ll show you to your room.”

I hesitated before following, hating the way my pulse jumped at his back, broad and powerful as he led me through the palace halls. Every step I took echoed with the same terrifying realization… living here under his rules wasn’t going to be the problem.

The real problem was surviving the way my body and wolf reacted to him.

The walk to my room was silent. Duncan didn’t spare me another glance as he led me down long corridors lined with silver-carved doors and heavy tapestries that looked like they’d been there for centuries. His footsteps echoed with authority, each stride purposeful, while I trailed behind, trying not to look like I was watching the way his shoulders moved beneath his shirt.

When we stopped at the end of the hall, he opened a door to a spacious room. The bed was large, draped in rich velvet, and the air smelled faintly of cedarwood, his scent lingering in the walls. My chest tightened.

“This will be your room,” he said, gesturing around the room. “I’ll have maids sent to attend to you. They’ll bring whatever you need.”

“I don’t want maids,” I cut in quickly, folding my arms.

His eyes narrowed slightly. “You’ll need them.”

“I said I don’t want them.” My voice was firm, my chin tilted in defiance. “I can take care of myself.”

For a long moment, he just stared at me, the weight of his gaze pressing into me until my pulse stuttered. Then, with a low exhale, his lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile but close enough to make my chest flutter.

“Stubborn,” he muttered, almost to himself, before turning away. “Suit yourself.”

He left without another word, his steps fading down the hall until the silence wrapped around me. I leaned against the bedpost, exhaling a huge breath.

A sharp, searing pain suddenly tore through my side, making me clutch at my ribs as my knees buckled. My wolf. The presence that had been pacing restlessly inside me since Duncan’s voice first reached my ears… was gone.

Just like that, she went silent.

The sudden emptiness ripped through me worse than the pain itself. I couldn’t feel her anymore—no warmth, no purrs, no restless clawing. Nothing. It was like she’d slipped back into the sick, dormant state she’d been trapped in before.

I squinted my eyes, my heart thumping wildly in my chest.

Could it be what I think it is?