The sunlight hitting the floor was too bright, too cold, and far too early. Giovanni shifted under the heavy silk sheets, her body aching in places she didn't know could hurt. Every muscle felt like it had been put through a meat grinder.

She was nineteen years old. She had spent her entire life being told that her wedding night would be the start of her real life. Her father had promised that the Van-Doren name would protect her, that she'd never have to worry about the pack's scrap-heaps again.

She felt like a fool.

The shower was running. Through the frosted glass of the bathroom door, she could see the silhouette of the Alpha. Even through the steam, his presence was suffocating.

Giovanni sat up, clutching the sheets to her chest. Her shoulder throbbed where he had marked her. The skin was hot and swollen, the jagged puncture wounds of his canines a permanent brand of his ownership.

The water stopped. A moment later, Russell walked out with a towel wrapped around his low waist. His chest was a roadmap of scars from battles and pack wars. He didn't even glance at her as he walked to the walk-in closet.

"Russell?" her voice was a dry rasp.

He stopped, his back to her. The muscles in his shoulders rippled. "You're awake."

"My shoulder... it hurts. And the injection Yvette gave me. I feel sick."

Russell finally turned around. He looked at her with the same clinical interest a scientist might give a lab rat. There was no romance in his eyes. No "good morning, wife."

"The sickness is a side effect of the fertility boosters," he said, his voice flat. "It will pass by noon. Yvette will be here at one for the second round."

Giovanni's heart skipped a beat. "Second round? Russell, I don't understand. I'm healthy. Why am I taking medicine? I thought we were going to... you know. Naturally."

Russell walked over to the bed. He leaned down, pinning her against the headboard with nothing but his shadow. He smelled like expensive soap and the metallic scent of an Alpha's power.

"Natural is slow," he murmured. He reached out, his thumb brushing over the mark on her shoulder. He didn't do it gently. He pressed down until she winced. "I don't have time for slow. I need the bloodline secured before the council meeting in the fall. You will take whatever Yvette gives you without question."

"You're scaring me," she whispered, tears pricking her eyes. "This doesn't feel like a marriage. It feels like a job."

"It is a job," Russell snapped, pulling his hand away as if she had burned him. "You were brought here for a purpose, Giovanni. Don't make me regret choosing you over the others."

"The others?"

He didn't answer. He turned back to the closet and pulled out a crisp white shirt.

"I have to go to the city. Declan will be outside the door. You stay in this room until Yvette arrives."

"I wanted to see the gardens," Giovanni said, her voice small. "My father said the estate was beautiful."

Russell paused while buttoning his cuffs. He looked at her through the mirror, his expression unreadable. "Your father said a lot of things to get that check cleared. You stay in the room, Giovanni. That's an order from your Alpha."

He didn't wait for her to cry. He didn't wait for her to argue. He grabbed his coat and walked out, the click of the door lock echoing like a gunshot in the silent room.

Giovanni sat in the middle of the massive bed, feeling smaller than she ever had in her life. She was the Luna of the most powerful pack in the state, and she was a prisoner in her own bedroom.

An hour later, there was a knock on the door. It wasn't the heavy, rhythmic knock of a guard. It was light. Playful.

The door opened, and Xavier stepped in. He wasn't supposed to be there. Russell had said no one but Yvette and the guards.

"You look like a lost puppy," Xavier said, leaning against the doorframe. He was holding a tray with a single cup of tea.

"You're not supposed to be in here," Giovanni said, wiping her eyes quickly. "Russell will be furious."

"Russell isn't here," Xavier smirked, walking toward the bed. He set the tea on the nightstand. "And I've never been very good at following my big brother's rules. Drink. It'll help with the nausea."

Giovanni looked at the tea suspiciously. "How do you know I'm nauseous?"

Xavier sat on the edge of the bed, much too close for comfort. "I know everything that happens in this house, Gio. I know about the injections. I know about the contract. And I know that you're sitting here wondering why your 'happily ever after' feels like a nightmare."

"He's just stressed," she defended, though her voice lacked conviction. "He has a lot on his shoulders."

"He has ice in his veins," Xavier corrected. He reached out, his fingers trailing along the edge of the silk sheet she was clutching. "He doesn't see you, Giovanni. To him, you're just a box to be checked. A means to an end."

"Stop saying that. He marked me. He claimed me."

Xavier leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "He marked you because he had to. Do you even know who you replaced? Do you know about the girl who was in this bed before you?"

Giovanni froze. "What girl?"

Xavier's eyes flashed with a cruel sort of pity. "The one who wasn't 'functional' enough. The one who couldn't handle the injections. My brother doesn't accept failure, Giovanni. If you don't give him what he wants, you'll disappear just like she did."

"You're lying," she breathed, her heart racing.

"Am I?" Xavier stood up, heading back to the door. "Ask Yvette about the 'previous brides' when she comes to stick that needle in your arm. See if she can look you in the eye."

He paused at the door, his hand on the handle.

"By the way," he said, looking back over his shoulder. "The tea isn't from the kitchen. I made it myself. Unlike Russell, I actually prefer my women to be conscious and comfortable."

He slipped out just as the sound of heavy footsteps approached the hallway.

A moment later, the door swung open again. It wasn't Xavier. It was Yvette, and she wasn't alone. She was followed by two omegas carrying a medical kit.

"Time for your treatment, Giovanni," Yvette said, her face a mask of professional coldness. "Lie back and relax. This one might sting a bit more than the last."

Giovanni looked at the tray, then at the door, then at the silver needle Yvette was preparing.

"Wait," Giovanni said, her voice trembling. "Yvette, who was here before me? Xavier said there was someone else."

The room went deathly silent. Yvette's hand stopped mid-air. She slowly turned to look at Giovanni, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"Xavier has a big mouth," Yvette hissed. "And you have too many questions for a girl who was sold for her silence."

Yvette nodded to the two omegas. Before Giovanni could scream, they grabbed her arms, pinning her down to the mattress.

"No! Let me go!" Giovanni struggled, but the omegas were stronger.

Yvette stepped forward, the needle gleaming under the chandelier. "Don't fight it, dear. The Alpha wants a son. And one way or another, we're going to make sure he gets one."

As the needle pierced her skin, the front door slammed open downstairs. A man's voice roared, but it wasn't Russell's.

"Where is she?" the voice screamed. "Where is my daughter?"

Giovanni's eyes widened. That was her father's voice. But he sounded terrified.

"Stay still!" Yvette barked, pushing the plunger down.

Darkness began to creep into the edges of Giovanni's vision as the drug hit her bloodstream. Through the haze, she saw the bedroom door burst open. Her father stood there, blood dripping from a wound on his head.

The darkness didn't last long, but the fog it left behind was thick and suffocating. When Giovanni's eyes finally flickered open, the ceiling was spinning. Her body felt heavy, her skin humming with a strange, frantic heat that made the silk sheets feel like sandpaper against her thighs.

"She's coming around."

The voice was cold, clinical. Yvette.

Giovanni tried to sit up, but her limbs felt like lead. "What... what did you do to me?"

"I gave you what the Alpha paid for," Yvette replied, stepping into her line of sight. She was adjusting a blood pressure cuff on Giovanni's arm. "That injection wasn't just a vitamin boost, Giovanni. It's a hormone catalyst. It's designed to force your body into a receptive state. Your wolf should be screaming for a mate right about now."

Giovanni's heart hammered. It was true. Deep in her chest, her inner wolf was pacing, agitated, her senses heightened to a painful degree. Every scent in the room-the lavender polish, the metallic tang of the medical kit, Yvette's sharp, beta scent-was overwhelming.

"I feel... sick," Giovanni whispered, her hand moving to her stomach.

"That's the 'heat' hitting your system," Yvette said, packing her bag. "It's artificial, so it's going to be twice as intense. Try to stay hydrated. The Alpha will be back shortly to check on you."

The door clicked shut, leaving Giovanni alone in the vast, silent room. She rolled onto her side, clutching a pillow, trying to breathe through the waves of heat rolling over her. She felt dirty. Not just because of the drugs, but because of the way they were treating her-like a prize mare being prepped for the stud.

The heavy oak doors creaked open.

The scent hit her before he did. Forest floor, expensive tobacco, and that dark, spicy musk that belonged only to Russell. Her wolf let out a low, involuntary whine of submission.

Russell walked in, his suit jacket discarded, his white shirt unbuttoned at the collar. He looked tired, but his Alpha aura was so potent it made the air vibrate. He didn't say a word. He walked to the edge of the bed and looked down at her.

"How do you feel?" he asked. His voice was a low rumble that vibrated right through her skin.

"Why are you doing this to me, Russell?" she choked out, her eyes watering. "Why the drugs? Why the locks? I'm your wife. I'm your Luna."

Russell's eyes darkened, a flash of molten gold swirling in the grey. He sat on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight. He reached out, his large hand cupping her face. His skin was burning hot, or maybe it was just her reaction to him.

"You're my vessel," he corrected, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. "Being a Luna is a title of power, Giovanni. You haven't earned that. Right now, your only job is to survive the night."

"I hate you," she whispered, even as her body betrayed her, leaning into his touch.

He moved his hand from her face to her neck, his fingers brushing against the mark he had left earlier. Giovanni let out a soft gasp, her back arching instinctively. The "artificial heat" was screaming now, demanding the Alpha's touch.

"Please," she breathed, not even knowing what she was asking for.

Russell's expression didn't soften. He looked at her with a terrifying, predatory hunger, but his heart stayed behind a wall of ice. He leaned down, his lips hovering just an inch from hers.

"You want me to touch you?" he asked, his voice a lethal caress.

"I... I can't think straight," she confessed, her hands trembling as they reached up to touch his chest. His heart was steady, a slow, powerful thrum against her palms. "Everything is so hot."

"That's the wolf in you, little one. She knows who her master is."

He didn't kiss her. Instead, he grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head, his eyes locking onto hers. The dominance in his gaze was absolute. He was a billionaire in the boardroom, but here, in the dim light of the bedroom, he was all wolf.

"Do you know what happens to Omegas who can't provide a strong heir, Giovanni?"

She shook her head, her breath coming in shallow pants.

"They get sent to the fringe packs," he whispered. "To the mines. To the breeders who don't care if they survive the birth. If you want to stay in this palace, if you want to wear that lace and eat at my table, you will give me a son that carries my Alpha gene."

"Is that all I am to you?" she cried, a tear finally escaping and rolling into her hair. "A machine? A way to keep your brother from the throne?"

Russell paused. He looked at the tear, his jaw tightening. For a split second, the ice in his eyes cracked, and she saw a flash of something else-something raw and tortured. But just as quickly, it was gone.

"You are mine," he growled, his head dropping to the crook of her neck. He inhaled sharply, scenting her, marking her with his smell. "And tonight, we make sure the world knows it."

He released her wrists, but before she could move, he pulled her flush against him. The friction of his clothes against her sensitized skin made her cry out. He wrapped a hand in her hair, pulling her head back so she had to look at him.

"I'm going to make you forget your own name," he promised, his voice dark and jagged.

He leaned in, his mouth finally crashing onto hers. It wasn't a soft, romantic kiss. It was a battle. He tasted of power and rain, his tongue sweeping through her mouth as if he were trying to claim her soul. Giovanni wrapped her arms around his neck, her wolf howling in a mixture of agony and ecstasy.

The chemistry was undeniable, a physical pull that ignored the cruelty of their situation. For a moment, Giovanni forgot the needles. She forgot the contract. She forgot the "vessel" talk. She just wanted him.

Russell pulled back, his eyes glowing bright gold now, his breathing heavy. He stood up, but he didn't leave. He started unbuckling his belt, his gaze never leaving hers.

"Get on your knees, Giovanni," he commanded, his voice vibrating with Alpha authority.

The sheer power of the command hit her like a physical blow. Her body moved before her mind could protest, her knees hitting the plush carpet at his feet. She looked up at him, her heart in her throat, her wedding dress torn and hanging off one shoulder.

Russell reached into his pocket and pulled out a heavy, silver collar. It wasn't a piece of jewelry. It was etched with ancient runes-suppression runes.

"What is that?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

"Insurance," Russell said, his voice cold as the grave again. "To make sure you don't shift and ruin the process."

He stepped closer, the silver cold against her throat.

"Wait," she gasped, her hands moving to stop him. "Russell, please, not a collar. Anything but that."

He didn't listen. He clicked the lock, the heavy metal snapping into place.

Suddenly, the front gate alarm began to blare throughout the mansion. A red light flashed in the hallway.

Russell's head snapped toward the door, a feral snarl ripping from his chest. "Declan! Status!"

The intercom on the wall crackled to life. "Alpha! It's Xavier! He's at the gate with a Council! They're claiming the marriage hasn't been consummated and they're here to take her for testing!"

Russell looked down at Giovanni, his eyes full of a murderous rage. He grabbed her by the hair, forcing her to look up at him.

"You have ten seconds to decide, Giovanni," he hissed, the silver collar glowing faintly against her skin. "Do you go with them and face the Council's 'tests,' or do you show them exactly who you belong to?"

Giovanni's breath hitched as the silver collar hummed against her throat. The runes were cold, a sharp contrast to the fire burning in her veins from the injection.

"Choose, Giovanni," Russell growled. His hand remained tangled in her hair, his knuckles brushing her scalp. "My brother is at that gate with a Council. If they take you, they won't be as gentle as I've been. They'll strip you down in a lab to verify your purity and your fertility. Is that what you want?"

"Gentle?" Giovanni choked out, a bitter laugh escaping her. She looked up at him, her eyes clouded with tears and the haze of the drug. "You've locked me up and drugged me. You call this gentle?"

"I call this necessary," Russell snapped. He pulled her closer, his face inches from hers. "You have five seconds before I let them in. If you want to be a state-owned breeder, by all means, walk out that door. But if you want to stay under the protection of the Van-Doren name, you're going to have to prove you're already mine."

The intercom crackled again. Xavier's voice was louder this time, dripping with mocking concern. "Russell, don't be difficult. If the girl is untouched, the marriage is void under pack law. Just let the Council do a quick check and we'll be out of your hair."

Russell's jaw tightened. The growl that ripped from his chest was low and vibrating, a sound of pure, unadulterated dominance. He looked at Giovanni, and for a second, his gaze softened into something that looked like possession.

"Please," Giovanni whispered, her wolf whimpering at the thought of being touched by the Council's cold hands. "Don't let them take me."

"Then show them," Russell commanded.

He didn't wait for her to agree. He hauled her to her feet and grabbed a silk robe from the foot of the bed, throwing it over her shoulders to cover her torn dress. He kept one hand firmly on the back of her neck, guiding her toward the balcony that overlooked the front courtyard.

He slammed the glass doors open. The night air was crisp, but it did nothing to cool the fever in Giovanni's blood.

Below, in the floodlights of the driveway, stood Xavier and a man in the grey uniform of the Council. Several guards were positioned between them and the house, their postures rigid.

"Xavier!" Russell's voice boomed over the courtyard, echoing with the power of an Alpha. "You're trespassing on private pack territory."

Xavier looked up, a smirk playing on his lips until his eyes landed on Giovanni. He went still, his gaze raking over her disheveled hair and the silver collar glinting on her neck.

"The Council received a tip that the union was a sham, Russell," He shouted, his hand resting on his sidearm. "We're here to escort the Omega to the sanctuary for verification."

"The only place this Omega is going is back to my bed," Russell replied. He reached out and pulled Giovanni flush against his side, his arm heavy and possessive around her waist.

"She looks terrified, Russ," Xavier called out, his voice sharp. "And what's with the collar? Afraid she'll run?"

"She's in heat," Russell lied, though the drug made the lie look like the truth. Giovanni's face was flushed, her scent-now sweet and heavy like ripening peaches-filling the air. "She's overwhelmed by the bond. Or are you calling me a liar in front of a Council official?"

The Enforcer hesitated. An Alpha's claim over a female in heat was nearly sacred in pack law. To interfere was to invite a blood feud.

"If she's in heat, then the mating should be well underway," the Enforcer said, his eyes narrowing. "Let her speak. Giovanni, do you claim Russell Van-Doren as your Alpha and mate?"

Giovanni felt Russell's fingers dig into her hip, a silent, painful warning. She looked down at the men below, then at the monster beside her. She was trapped between a cage and a storm.

"I... I am his," she whispered, her voice trembling so much it was barely audible.

"Louder," Russell hissed in her ear.

"I am his!" she cried out, the words feeling like a betrayal to her soul. "Please, just leave us alone."

Xavier's expression shifted. The smirk was gone, replaced by a dark, brooding look that Giovanni couldn't decipher. He stared at her for a long beat before turning to the Enforcer.

"You heard her. The asset is claimed. Let's go."

The Enforcer nodded slowly. "We'll be back in forty-eight hours for the blood work, Alpha. If there's no trace of a successful knotting in her system by then, the contract is forfeit."

They turned and walked back toward their vehicles. Giovanni felt the tension leave Russell's body as the SUV's headlights faded into the distance.

He didn't let go of her. He dragged her back inside the room and kicked the balcony doors shut, locking them with a sharp click.

"That was too close," he muttered, his voice thick with a dark adrenaline.

"They're coming back," Giovanni said, her voice small. She felt the weight of the silver collar, a reminder of the "asset" she had become. "What happens in forty-eight hours?"

Russell turned her around, his hands moving to the lapels of the robe he'd put on her. He slowly began to slide it off her shoulders, his eyes fixed on hers. The coldness was still there, but it was being burned away by a raw, primal hunger.

"In forty-eight hours, you'll be pregnant with my child," he said.

He picked her up, tossing her onto the center of the bed. This time, he didn't stay back. He moved over her, his large frame casting a shadow that swallowed her whole. He reached out, his thumb catching a stray tear on her cheek before sliding down to her lips.

"Don't look at me like that, Giovanni," he whispered, his voice a dangerous caress. "You chose this. You told them you were mine."

"I had no choice," she sobbed, her hands pushing feebly against his chest.

"You'll find I'm a very thorough owner," he rumbled.

He leaned down, his mouth hovering just over her marking place. He didn't bite, not yet. He just licked the wounded skin, his tongue hot and rough, sending a jolt of electricity straight to her core.

Giovanni's wolf let out a broken howl, her body arching toward him despite the fear screaming in her head. The chemistry was a poison, a beautiful, terrifying thing that made her want to pull him closer even as she hated every second of it.

"Tell me you want me," Russell commanded, his teeth grazing her pulse point. "Say it, and I might be gentle."

Giovanni gripped the sheets, her knuckles white. The room felt like it was spinning, the scent of him drowning out her common sense. She looked up at him, her heart shattering as she realized there was no escape.

"I... I want you," she whispered, the lie tasting like honey and ash.

Russell's eyes flared into a brilliant, blinding gold.

"Good girl," he growled.

He reached for the bedside table, picking up a small, velvet box he hadn't shown her before. He opened it to reveal a second collar-this one made of black leather and lined with gold spikes.

"The silver was for the Council," he said, his voice dropping to a register that made her whole body vibrate. "This one is for me."