Chapter 2
- Rhea's POV
- “We are here, ma'am,” the driver announced through the intercom, his voice cutting through the thick silence of the armored limousine.
- I looked out the window. The heavy iron gates of the Ravencroft Estate opened slowly, revealing a giant stone castle built straight into the side of a foggy mountain. Dark pine trees surrounded the property for miles, and the air felt incredibly heavy with dominant pack power.
- “Remember your lessons,” Kaelen whispered from the front seat as the car came to a smooth halt. “You are Vivienne Moretti now. You bow to nobody. You fear nobody. If you show even a second of weakness, he will notice, and he will tear your throat out.”
- “I know what to do,” I lied, my hands sweating profusely inside my white silk gloves. “Just make sure the money is in my account by morning.”
- “Perform your duties, and the money will be there,” Kaelen muttered as the guard opened my door. “Good luck, Lady Vivienne.”
- I stepped out of the vehicle, holding my head high. I forced the fake Alpha scent to roll off my skin in heavy waves, desperately trying to mask the pure terror clawing at my chest.
- The grand ballroom inside the castle was enormous. Massive crystal lights hung from the high ceiling, throwing long shadows across the pristine marble floor. At the far end of the room, standing right in front of a giant, roaring fireplace, was a single, towering man.
- Alpha Jaxon Ravencroft.
- He was huge, standing well over six feet tall, with broad shoulders clad in a dark, perfectly tailored gray suit. His hair was as black as midnight, and his face looked like it had been chiseled from hard stone. But his eyes were the most terrifying part, they were a piercing, glowing gold, filled with an untamed, lethal power.
- As the sound of my high heels clicked sharply against the hard marble, he turned around slowly. His golden eyes locked onto mine instantly. The sheer weight of his Alpha aura hit me like a physical punch, trying to force my knees to the floor, demanding that I drop down and submit like a weak Omega.
- I clenched my fists tight inside my gloves, forcing my legs to stay completely straight. I threw him a look of casual, arrogant indifference.
- Jaxon walked toward me. He moved silently and smoothly, like a wild panther stalking its prey in the dark. He did not stop until he was standing only inches away from my face, completely blocking out the warmth of the fire. I could feel the intense heat radiating from his large body. I could smell his scent, a powerful, intoxicating mix of dark wood, freezing winter air, and pure, lethal danger.
- He leaned down slightly, his lips brushing against the side of my ear as he took a deep, slow breath against my neck, smelling my skin. I stopped breathing entirely, praying to the moon goddess that the magic medicine would hold.
-
- Jaxon pulled his head back slowly. His face was a cold, unreadable mask. He stared deeply into my blue eyes, and for a split second, his pupils dilated completely. A low, vibrating growl started deep inside his chest, making the glass chandeliers above us rattle.
- Suddenly, his hand shot out. His fingers gripped my chin like iron handcuffs, forcing me to look straight up into his burning golden eyes.
- “You look exactly like Vivienne,” Jaxon whispered, his voice a deep, rough purr that sent a cold shiver straight down my spine. “You even smell exactly like her.”
- His grip tightened on my jaw until it bruised.
- “But you are not her,” he growled, his face twisting into a dangerous smile. “Your body is trying to hide it, but your eyes give you away. Who the hell are you, and what did you do with my bride?”
- “I don’t know what you are talking about, Alpha Jaxon,” I said, forcing my voice to sound smooth, haughty, and cold, just like Kaelen had taught me. I tried to pull my chin away, but his grip was unyielding. “If this is how you treat your future wife, I can see why the rumors call you a heartless monster.”
- Jaxon let out a dark, low laugh that echoed through the empty ballroom. He leaned even closer, his hot breath brushing my lips. “Vivienne Moretti is many things. She is arrogant, she is selfish, and she is an Alpha. But she does not have the eyes of a stray dog that has spent its life fighting for scraps in the mud. She doesn't flinch when a dominant male gets close to her skin.”
- “You are imagining things,” I retorted, my heart hammering so hard against my ribs I was certain he could hear it. “Release me at once, or my father will hear of this insult.”
- “Let him hear it,” Jaxon murmured, lowering his face to my neck again and taking another deep breath. I felt the sharp edge of his fangs brush against my skin, right over my pounding pulse point. “The scent is perfect. The magic inside this smell is old and powerful. Whoever made it for you is very clever. But a wolf does not just recognize his mate by smell, little bird. He recognizes her by her soul.”
- He pulled back and looked down at me, his golden eyes glowing brighter. “And your soul is absolutely terrified.”
- I knew the game was over. If I kept lying, he would rip my throat out right here on the marble floor. Kaelen had told me that if I failed, I would die. But looking into Jaxon’s eyes, I realized that dying by his hand would be a certainty.
- “If you know I’m not her,” I whispered, dropping the fake, posh accent and using my real, raw voice, “then why haven’t you killed me yet? Why am I still breathing?”
- Jaxon’s dangerous smile widened, a flash of white teeth in the firelight. He slowly released my chin, but he didn't step back. He kept me trapped between his massive body and the heat of the roaring fireplace.
- “Because Vivienne thought she was being clever by running away to avoid this marriage,” Jaxon said, calmly smoothing down the front of his expensive suit jacket. “Her father needs this alliance to save his pack from total bankruptcy. My pack needs this alliance to secure the northern borders against the rogues. If the elders find out she fled, it means a war that will destroy thousands of lives.”
- “So go find her,” I said, crossing my arms defensively. “Send your trackers. What does that have to do with me?”
-
- “We don't have time to find her,” Jaxon replied, reaching out and tracing a single, gentle finger down the side of my cheek. His touch was surprisingly warm, making my skin tingle in a way it never had before. “The wedding is tomorrow morning. The guests are already arriving.”
- “You can’t be serious,” I gasped, staring at him in absolute shock. “You want to go through with it? You want to marry a stranger? An Omega from the streets?”
- “I don’t care if you are a beggar from the gutters,” Jaxon growled, his golden eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my knees feel weak. “Tomorrow, you belong to me. You will wear her dress, you will say her vows, and you will play the part of my Luna perfectly.”
- “And if I refuse?” I demanded, matching his glare with my own street-born defiance. “What if I walk out those doors right now?”
- “Then I will let my enforcers have you,” Jaxon said smoothly, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. “And trust me, they are not as patient as I am. If anyone discovers you are a fake, I will personally feed you to the wild wolves in the mountains. So, tell me your real name.”
- I swallowed hard, looking at the beautiful, terrifying man who now completely held my life in his hands. I had no choice. I was trapped.
- “Rhea,” I whispered. “My name is Rhea.”
- Jaxon nodded once, a dark look of satisfaction crossing his rugged face. He stepped back, finally giving me space to breathe, though his golden eyes never left mine.
- “Well then, Rhea,” Jaxon said, turning back toward the fire. “Welcome to your new life as the future Luna of the Ravencroft Pack. I suggest you go to your room and get some rest. Try not to die before the wedding.”