ทัณฑ์สวาทอเวจี

PAULINE

A heavy slap across my face.

The sound echoed through the cavernous master bedroom of the Alpha’s estate, sharper and louder than the thunderstorm raging outside. My head snapped to the side, my neck stinging from the sudden, violent jerk. For a moment, the only thing I could hear was the high-pitched ringing in my ears and the thudding of my own heart against my ribs.

I didn't fall. I gripped the edge of the mahogany dresser, my knuckles turning white against the dark wood. My silk wedding veil, which had felt like a crown of lace only hours ago, now felt like a shroud.

"Do you know why I did that, Pauline?"

Ricardo’s voice was terrifyingly calm. It wasn't the roar of a wolf, it was the cold, calculated tone of a judge passing a sentence. He stood there, tall and imposing, his tuxedo jacket discarded on the bed we were supposed to share. He was unbuttoning his cuffs as if he had just finished a mundane task.

I tasted blood. I turned my head slowly to look at him, my vision blurred by unshed tears. "Ricardo... it’s our wedding night."

"Exactly," he snapped, his eyes flashing a dangerous amber. "And do you know what your brother did to Maria on their wedding night? He slapped her so hard she hit the floor. He told her she was nothing but a social climber who trapped him. He left her weeping in the dark while he went out to drink."

"Leo is... he was angry, Ricardo. He didn't want the marriage," I whispered, my voice trembling.

"And do you think I wanted this?" Ricardo stepped into my personal space, his scent of sandalwood and rain overpowering me. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up. "I am the Alpha of the Blue Sky Pack. My sister is my blood. When she cried to me about how Leo treats her, how he treats her like a stray dog—I made a vow. Every tear she sheds, you will shed ten. Every bruise she earns, you will earn two."

"She lied to you!" I cried out, the words bursting from me before I could stop them. "Maria framed Leo! She staged that scandal to force his hand because she’s obsessed with him. She’s not the victim you think she is."

Crack.

He didn't slap me this time. He slammed his fist into the wall right next to my ear. I flinched, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Watch your tongue," he hissed. "My sister loves that man. She gave up her life at the clubs to be a wife, and he treats her like trash because of her past. If Leo wants to play the cruel husband, then I will show him how a real Alpha plays that role."

I sank to the floor once he turned his back. The heavy diamond on my finger felt like lead. This marriage wasn't a union; it was a hostage exchange.

"Get up," Ricardo commanded.

"Please," I sobbed, looking at the hem of my white gown. "I’ve never done anything to you. I’ve always respected you. Why me?"

"Because you are the only thing Leo loves," Ricardo said, turning around. There was a flicker of something in his eyes, was it pity? No, it was gone too fast. "He doesn't care about money. He doesn't care about territory. But he worships his little sister. If he hears you are suffering, perhaps he will think twice before raising his hand to Maria again."

"You're using me as a shield for her," I realized, the coldness of the floor seeping into my skin.

"I am using you as a mirror," he corrected. "Whatever happens in their house will happen in mine. If Leo takes her out to dinner, I might take you out. If Leo locks her in the cellar... well, you should hope your brother finds some kindness in his heart soon."

I looked at him, searching for the man I used to admire from a distance at pack meetings. "You used to be fair, Ricardo. People called you a just Alpha."

"A just Alpha protects his pack," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "And a brother protects his sister. Now, take off that dress. It’s a mockery."

I spent the rest of the night huddled in the corner of the room on a small velvet armchair. Ricardo didn't touch me again, but his presence was a suffocating weight. He sat at his desk, going through pack reports as if I weren't even there, as if my world hadn't just ended.

Around three in the morning, his phone buzzed. He answered it immediately.

"Maria? What’s wrong?"

I held my breath, listening. Even from across the room, I could hear her muffled sobbing through the receiver.

"He did what?" Ricardo’s face contorted into a mask of pure rage. He stood up, knocking his chair over. "He locked you out on the balcony? In this rain? Maria, stay calm. I’m handling it."

He hung up and turned his gaze toward me. My heart hammered against my ribs.

"Leo just locked Maria out in the storm," Ricardo said, his voice trembling with suppressed fury.

"Ricardo, please, I didn't do it! I’m right here!" I pleaded, backing away as he approached.

"I told you, Pauline. A mirror."

He walked to the large glass doors leading to the master balcony. He threw them open, and a gust of freezing wind and rain swept into the room, soaking the expensive carpet.

"Out," he ordered, pointing to the darkness.

"It’s freezing," I whispered, clutching my arms. "I’ll get sick."

"Then pray Leo lets her in soon," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Out. Now."

I walked past him, my bare feet treading onto the cold stone of the balcony. The rain drenched my thin nightgown in seconds, making it cling to my skin like a second, icy skin. He closed the door and locked it.

I stood there, shivering violently, looking through the glass. He sat back down at his desk. He didn't look at me once.

When the sun finally began to bleed through the gray clouds, the door clicked open. I was slumped against the railing, my skin blue and my teeth chattering so hard I thought they might break.

"Inside," Ricardo said.

I tried to stand, but my legs gave out. I expected him to leave me there, but to my surprise, he reached down and scooped me up. For a second, his chest felt warm against my frozen body. For a heartbeat, he felt like a husband.

But then he dumped me unceremoniously onto the bed.

"Maria is inside now. Leo let her in two hours ago," he said, tossing a dry towel at me. "But she has a fever. Which means you’ll be staying in this room today without food. We have to keep things equal, don't we?"

I wrapped the towel around my shoulders, looking at him with hollow eyes. "She’s playing you, Ricardo. Can't you see that? She calls you whenever she doesn't get her way. She’s using your love for her to destroy us."

Ricardo paused at the door, his hand on the knob. He didn't turn around.

"My sister was a 'club girl,' as you people like to say, because she was lonely," he said quietly. "She found Leo and thought he was her light. If he’s going to be her darkness, then I will be yours. Get some sleep, Pauline. I have a feeling Leo is going to be in a bad mood today, which means tonight will be very long for you."

The door locked with a heavy thud.

I lay there, staring at the ceiling, the sting on my cheek finally fading into a dull ache. I loved my brother, but for the first time in my life, I felt a flicker of resentment toward him. And as for Ricardo... I looked at the wedding ring on my hand and began to cry. Not because I was hurt, but because I realized I was a pawn in a game where both players were willing to burn the board to win.

I was the Alpha’s wife in name. But in reality, I was a prisoner of a war I never started.