Melissa

The convoy of black SUVs screeched to a halt in front of a sprawling stone fortress that looked more like a prison than a home. I barely had time to process the sheer size of the structure before the door was yanked open. Alpha Draven reached in and gripped my arm with fingers that felt like steel bands. He pulled me out onto the paved driveway without hesitation. I stumbled slightly in my heels but regained my balance as I looked up at the group of men waiting for us.

They stood in a rigid line at the bottom of the grand staircase, wearing expensive suits that screamed wealth and power. Draven dragged me forward, and the men bowed their heads in a synchronized motion that made my stomach churn.

"Welcome home, Alpha Draven, and welcome to our new Luna," the man standing at the front announced, stepping forward with a practiced grin. "I am Beta Luther, and on behalf of the council and the elders, we are honored to meet the woman who will stand by our Alpha's side."

I looked at Beta Luther and the line of elders behind him, keeping my lips pressed together. They stared at me with eager eyes that expected a gracious smile or kind words, but I refused to give them the satisfaction. Draven tightened his grip on my elbow until the pain shot up my arm.

"Smile, Melissa, you are embarrassing me," Draven whispered harshly in my ear while he waved at his council with his free hand. "You should be happy that you are now the Luna of Dark Moon Valley, this pack is far more advanced and powerful than that little patch of dirt you dreamed of ruling with that boy."

I turned to him, feeling a surge of hatred that made me want to scream. I wanted to tell him I didn't care about his power or his advanced pack, but I held my tongue, knowing it would only make things worse. I let him guide me up the stairs while Beta Luther and the elders trailed behind us like obedient soldiers. We walked through the massive double doors into a foyer large enough to fit my Aunt's entire house inside it.

Two lines of servants stood on either side of the entrance and bowed at the waist when we stepped onto the marble floor. Draven stopped in the center of the room and released my arm to address the staff.

"This is Melissa, the new Luna of this pack," Draven announced while gesturing toward me. "You will answer to her as you do to me, and you will show her the respect she deserves as my wife. I expect every single one of you to bow to her right now."

The head servant stepped forward and bowed lower than the others.

"We welcome you, Luna Melissa, and we are at your service," she stated with her head lowered.

I nodded stiffly, unsure of what else to do in this ridiculous situation. I wanted to disappear into the floor, but Draven placed his hand on the small of my back to keep me rooted.

The footsteps on the balcony above caught my eye, and I looked up to see a young man walking past the railing without glancing down.

"Briston, get down here," Draven commanded.

The boy stopped and leaned over the railing, looking at his father and then at me with visible annoyance.

"Didn't you see us arrive, or did you just decide to ignore the fact that your father has brought his new wife home to meet the pack? You should have been outside with the elders; this is your duty."

Briston pushed off the railing and slowly descended the curved staircase, his eyes locked on mine.

"Is this it?" Briston asked, circling us slowly.

"What are you talking about?" Draven frowned.

"Is this what you call a wife, Father?" Briston mocked, stopping in front of us. "I knew you were desperate, but I didn't think you would stoop this low just to try and save yourself."

"Watch your mouth," Draven snapped, clenching his jaw.

"You're actually buying a teenager to play house with you as your Luna just to break your curse," Briston laughed, lacking any humor. "You're dragging a child into this mess because you're afraid to face the consequences of your actions, thinking money can fix everything."

Draven stepped forward and swung his hand in a wide arc, connecting with Briston's face. The sound of the slap was loud enough to make the servants flinch, and the room fell silent.

I gasped and took a step back as the violence unfolded before me. My wolf, Mia, growled bitterly at the darkness surrounding this place, knowing we were trapped in a nightmare.

Draven breathed heavily, lowering his hand to glare at his son. "Never speak to me that way again, Briston. I am still your father."

Briston touched his reddening cheek, looking at his father with pure hatred. He said nothing more as he turned and walked toward the front door, slamming it behind him.

"Come with me," Draven ordered, grabbing my wrist and dragging me toward the stairs.

I stumbled after him, pulled up the steps and down a long hallway lined with closed doors. He didn't stop until we reached the end of the corridor, where he threw open a set of double doors and shoved me inside. I caught my balance just as I turned to face him, and he locked the door behind us.

"Why did you buy me?" I asked.

Draven ignored me, pouring himself a drink from a crystal decanter.

"You are a cursed Alpha. Why did you want me specifically?" I pressed, taking a brave step toward him. "What is your motive for ruining my life when you could have had anyone else?"

Draven sipped his drink, looking at me over the rim with cold eyes. "The curse is none of your business, Melissa. You would do well to remember that you are my property now, so you will do as I say."

A fire ignited in my chest, burning hotter than my fear. I walked right up to him and looked him in the eye before spitting in his face.

"You lose if you think I will ever bow to you or accept this as my life," I said, with venom in my voice.

Draven set the glass down slowly, wiping his face with the back of his hand. I tried to back away to the side of the room, but he moved faster than I expected. He grabbed a handful of my hair, yanking my head back painfully, causing me to scream.

"You are mine," he hissed, pulling my face inches from his. "You'll learn to obey me, or I will make your life a living hell."

My body shook uncontrollably as his angry tone terrified me. "Please let me go," I begged, as tears threatened to fall.

"Take off your clothes now!" he ordered.

I slowly began to peel off the second skin I was wearing as he pressed his lips against mine, shutting my eyes to suppress the irritation.

Melissa

I woke up and the first thing I felt was the stinging soreness between my legs that reminded me of everything I had lost the night before. I lay still for a moment and stared at the high ceiling while the memories of Draven's rough hands and cold lips washed over me. I felt dirty and used in a way that no amount of scrubbing could ever fix. I tried to sit up but my body protested with a sharp ache that made me gasp and fall back against the pillows.

My phone buzzed on the bedside table and I reached for it with a trembling hand. The screen lit up with a message from Aunt Leyla.

"Are you fine Melissa? We hope you reached safely and settled in well. We love you."

I stared at the words and a hiss of pure venom escaped my lips. She had the audacity to ask if I was fine after she sold me like cattle to a monster. I threw the phone back onto the mattress and forced myself to sit up despite the pain.

The door opened and three maids walked in with their heads bowed low.

"Good morning Luna," the lead maid greeted me as she kept her eyes on the floor. "Your bath is ready and the Alpha has requested your presence at breakfast."

I didn't answer them as I dragged my body out of the bed and wrapped the silk sheet around me. They rushed forward to help me but I waved them away. I walked into the bathroom and sank into the hot water but it did nothing to soothe the burning rage inside me.

I stepped out twenty minutes later and the maids were waiting with a dress that made my breath catch in my throat. It was a floor-length gown made of deep emerald silk and the bodice was encrusted with real diamond stones that caught the light with every movement. I had never seen anything so expensive in my life let alone worn it.

They dressed me in silence and arranged my hair until I looked like a queen but I felt like a prisoner wrapped in glitter.

I walked out of the room and a guard escorted me to the dining hall where Draven and Briston were already seated. The table was laden with more food than I had seen in years but my appetite was nonexistent.

"Good morning," I greeted them quietly as I pulled out a chair.

Draven looked up from his plate and scanned me from head to toe with a possessive glint in his eyes while Briston just stabbed his fork into his eggs and ignored me completely.

"Sit," Draven ordered as he pointed to the chair on his right.

I sat down and placed a napkin on my lap. The silence at the table was suffocating. Briston glared at his food with a clenched jaw and Draven ate with a calm detachment that was even more unsettling. It was obvious that the father and son were still keeping the malice from the previous day alive.

The doors pushed open and Beta Luther walked in with a grim expression on his face. He bowed deeply to Draven before he straightened up to speak.

"Alpha we have a situation at the western border," Luther announced as he glanced at me and then back to Draven. "We caught a family of four from the Sun Rock pack trying to cross into our territory to hunt. They claim they are starving and begged for mercy."

I looked at Draven and waited for him to show some leniency. They were just a starving family trying to survive.

Draven wiped his mouth with a napkin and took a sip of his coffee before he answered.

"Did they have weapons?" Draven asked calmly.

"Just hunting knives for the game," Luther replied. "They have two children with them."

"Kill the parents and hang their bodies on the border trees as a warning," Draven commanded without blinking. "Take the children to the mines. We need small hands to clean the machinery."

I dropped my fork and it clattered loudly against the plate. I looked at him in horror.

"You can't do that," I whispered as the blood drained from my face. "They are just hungry."

Draven turned his head slowly to look at me and his eyes were void of any humanity.

"I can and I will," he stated coldly. "Mercy is for the weak Melissa and I am not weak. If I let them steal my game today then tomorrow an army will come to steal my land."

He turned back to Luther.

"Do it now."

"Yes Alpha," Luther bowed and turned to leave.

I looked at Draven and I knew then that I was truly dealing with a demon. He had no heart and no soul. He was a monster who killed parents and enslaved children without a second thought.

My phone beeped loudly in the pocket of my dress and the sound shattered the tense silence. I pulled it out to silence it but the notification on the screen made my heart stop.

"Breaking News: Alpha Heir Kelan of the Slytherin Pack officially announces his upcoming wedding to Cindy, the daughter of the pack Beta. The union is set to take place in two weeks."

A picture of Kelan and Cindy smiling and holding hands filled the screen. They looked happy and perfect.

I felt the sweat break out on my forehead and the room began to spin. Kelan was getting married to the girl who stabbed me in the back while I was sitting here eating breakfast with a murderer who had bought me.

I looked up at Draven who was calmly buttering a piece of toast. I looked at Briston who was radiating anger.

I had lost everything. My parents were gone. My freedom was gone. My virtue was stolen by a cursed Alpha. And now the boy I loved was marrying my traitorous friend.

Something snapped inside my chest. The fear that had been consuming me since yesterday suddenly turned into something cold and hard.

I looked at my evil husband and realized that he was the most powerful wolf in the region. He was cruel and he was a monster but he had power.

If I was going to survive this hell I couldn't be the victim anymore. I wiped the sweat from my brow and sat up straighter in my chair.

I was going to make Kelan pay for humiliating me. I was going to make Cindy pay for betraying me. And I was going to make Draven pay for buying me.

I needed a plan. I needed to stop crying and start plotting.

I looked at the diamonds on my dress and then at the cursed Alpha beside me.

"Is everything alright?" Draven asked as he noticed my change in demeanor.

"Everything is perfect," I lied smoothly as I picked up my fork and forced a smile onto my lips.

I had to be smart. I had to learn how to play this game. And when the time was right I would burn them all down.

Melissa

In a matter of seconds Draven had cleared his plate. He pushed the plate forward and used the napkin to clean the sides of his mouth.

"Come with me Mel," he ordered in his deep baritone voice.

I didn't answer. Did he expect me to leave my food simply because he was done? Hell no. I kept on eating.

Draven walked farther from the table, maybe he thought I was behind, which made Briston laugh and nod his head.

It was at that moment I knew my day was going to be hell.

Draven turned back in anger, reached for my hair and held it, then drew me forward.

"Ahh ahh," I screamed.

"Didn't I say come with me? Didn't I fucking ask you to come?" he growled.

I could see the genuine concern in Briston's eyes but he didn't say a word.

Draven yanked me forward and off we went. I followed him behind and we walked into what looked like a council room.

Immediately Draven walked in, all of the council members bent their heads.

"All hail the Alpha," they all shouted in unison.

"Please sit," Draven commanded.

I walked to the chair beside my supposed mate and was just about to sit when he shouted.

"How dare you!" He growled and it was as though his wolf was going to leave his body and eat up my tiny wolf.

"How dare you sit in my council chamber?"

I got up in shock. Was I some guard? Did he expect me to stand?

I rose quickly and he gestured with his hand.

"You'll stand behind my seat, always, in every meeting. That is your position," he stated coldly.

I could see eyes glare at him in shock.

"But Alpha..." an old man tried to protest.

"Don't Alpha me, boy," Draven spoke rudely to him. "Let's begin with pack matters."

I felt more than anger boil in my chest. This man was more than the devil.

I stood behind Draven's chair and tried not to let my knees buckle under the weight of being invisible while every eye in the room tracked my presence. Beta Luther stood at the front with maps and reports spread across the table, and the council members sat in their high-backed chairs waiting for the meeting to begin.

"The rogue attacks have increased by thirty percent," Luther announced as he pointed to marks on the map. "They are testing our defenses."

"Then we eliminate the weakness," Draven replied without emotion. "Double the patrols and execute any rogue caught within five miles of our border."

The council members nodded in agreement and I felt my stomach turn at how casually they discussed killing wolves. I shifted my weight slightly to ease the ache in my lower back, and immediately a guard stepped forward and placed his hand on my shoulder. It wasn't a grip but it was a warning that I understood perfectly.

A younger council member glanced at me and cleared his throat.

"Alpha Draven, may I ask Melissa about her perspective on the alliance with her former pack?"

The room went silent and I felt Draven's body tense in the chair.

"You may ask the Luna," Draven corrected him coldly. "She is not Melissa to you or anyone else in this room."

"My apologies Alpha," the man stammered. "May I ask the Luna?"

"The Luna has nothing to say," Draven answered for me. "She belongs to Dark Moon Valley now and her past is irrelevant."

I stood there and swallowed the humiliation while my hands trembled at my sides. He had erased me completely and turned me into nothing more than a title that he controlled, but inside I was cataloging this moment along with all the others and storing it in the part of my mind that was building a map of how to destroy him.

The meeting dragged on for another hour and by the time it ended my legs were numb. The council members filed out while bowing to Draven and barely glancing at me, and when the last one left Draven stood and took my wrist in his hand.

"Come," he ordered as he pulled me toward the entrance hall.

I followed him without resistance and we walked through corridors lined with guards who bowed as we passed. When we reached the entrance hall I saw a group of visiting pack leaders waiting with their entourages, and Draven stopped in the center of the room and turned me by my shoulder to face them.

"This is Luna Melissa of Dark Moon Valley," Draven announced as he lifted my chin with one finger. "My mate and the mother of my future heir."

The visitors stared at me with expressions that ranged from curiosity to pity. I kept my hands still at my sides and my eyes level while I performed composure, but underneath the mask I was studying every face and listening to every name that was spoken.

Alpha Vincent from the eastern territories. Alpha Kael from the mountain pack. I filed each one away and noted the flickers of doubt I saw in their eyes when they looked at Draven.

"She is very young," Alpha Vincent observed carefully.

"She is exactly what I need," Draven replied with finality.

I stood there and let them examine me while my wolf Mia growled with rage in the back of my mind. Information was the only thing in this fortress that truly belonged to me.