Mikael Voss smirked coldly as he stepped away from his sleek black car, the cruel glint in his eyes fixed on Dominic. His hands were buried casually in his pockets, his gaze momentarily meeting Isla's fearful ones through the windscreen of Dominic's car.
"Dominic Argento," Mikael drawled, his voice dripping with menace. "What stunt are you trying to pull here?"
Dominic blinked as though he was bored and couldn't wait to get this confrontation over with.
"You have something that belongs to me. Hand her over and nobody gets hurt. You're outnumbered, surely you see that," Mikael said.
A low growl rumbled in Dominic's chest. His wolf was growing restless and impatient inside of him.
Isla was his now. No one would take her from him. Not Mikael. Not anyone.
"Something that belongs to you? Not a chance," Dominic said flatly. But Mikael smugly gestured to his men, who started moving toward Dominic's car.
That was the last mistake Mikael would make.
Dominic exhaled, releasing the tight leash on Storm, his wolf spirit. The sky darkened in response, the wind rising into a fierce howl. Behind Dominic, Storm's phantom form erupted. It instantly formed a towering, spectral beast nearly ten feet tall.
A chilling howl ripped through the air as Storm lunged forward, clearing the space before the car. Mikael's men scrambled, clutching the bridge railing for balance.
"Stay out of my way," Dominic growled, his eyes flashing ice cold. Mikael dropped to the ground, crawling for cover behind his car.
"This is the monster you've been hiding!" Mikael spat. Dominic's claws visibly extended, the urge to rip Mikael apart rising.
"I heard the rumors about your true nature. I didn't believe them... but I was wrong. You're an abomination—" Mikael began.
Storm silenced him with a brutal shove, sending Mikael flying, unconscious and bleeding from his nose.
As Mikael's men withdrew, Storm's phantom retreated back into Dominic, the sky clearing once more.
Dominic returned to the car, finding Isla frozen in her seat, pale and trembling. Dominic couldn't blame her. It was the usual reaction anyone would have if they were seeing Storm's terrifying spirit for the first time.
Without a word, Dominic started the engine, allowing her to process everything. There was no need to rush.
"What was that?" Isla finally whispered in a small voice.
Dominic's tone was flat when he spoke. "Didn't I warn you not to be curious?"
"You don't have a normal wolf? What was that monster? What exactly are you? I'm about to marry you, I should know what I'm dealing with," Isla demanded, tension thick in her voice.
"You didn't care about my wolf's true nature when you asked me to marry you," Dominic shot back coldly. He instantly regretted it when her expression turned blank.
Isla stayed silent until they reached their destination, refusing to look at him.
...
"She's your bride? She's so pretty!" Maia, the pack's delta and Enzo's twin, rushed forward to pull Isla into a warm embrace.
"Welcome to Crimson Fang Pack. I'm Gael, the pack's zeta," said Dominic's third-in-command. Isla nodded stiffly as she slowly absorbed everything.
"Maia, take her to prepare for the ceremony," Dominic ordered. Maia smiled brightly and led Isla away.
"What ceremony? The wedding?" Isla asked, her eyes widening.
"Maia will explain. No, it's not a wedding," Dominic replied curtly.
"Come on, bestie," Maia chirped, pulling Isla out the door.
Once they were gone, Enzo sighed beside Dominic. "Aren't you rushing this? She's your mate, sure, but this is a contract marriage. And she's basically our enemy's daughter."
Before Dominic could reply, a knock came at the door.
"Come in," he said, and the rest of the pack's top officials entered.
"You found your mate?" Amira, the head healer and Theta, said with surprise.
"I know, right? We were starting to believe that you would really marry Carina the wench," Theodora, the Sigma, added, plopping down on an empty seat.
"Your mate doesn't know anything, does she?" Noel, one of the pack's Gammas, asked pointedly.
Dominic waved them to sit. "She's more than my mate. Her father stole part of my essence. I suspect it's hidden inside her, and she has no clue."
Their eyes widened in shock.
"She must complete the Luna Scaling ceremony," Dominic said firmly.
Gael frowned. "If she fails... you might have to get rid of her."
Dominic's eyes burned with conviction. "She'll finish it."
They all nodded in agreement.
"We stand with you, Alpha."
...
Dominic stood before the door to Isla's temporary room, his knuckles brushing the wood once before he spoke.
"I'm coming in."
He didn't wait for permission.
The door creaked open slowly as he pushed it in. And there she was, dressed in a flowing white gown that brushed the floor, her red hair cascading over her shoulders in soft curls. She looked like a sacrifice laid at the altar of the moon itself. Ethereal. Untouchable. Stunning.
And utterly foolish.
His eyes narrowed as he saw the sharp glint in her hand.
A hairpin.
Pointed directly at him.
She had it raised with both hands, trembling slightly but her eyes shimmered with fierce determination. To him, it was an amusing sight.
Does she really think her hairpin can harm me? He thought.
"You plan to stab me with that?" he asked.
"Don't come closer," Isla warned, her voice thick with fear and desperation. The tip of the pin grazed her soft skin as she brought it to her throat. She wasn't bluffing.
He sighed through his nose, exasperated but not surprised. Of course she'd overheard something. She was always listening, always peeking where she shouldn't. She just didn't know how to stay still.
"What do you think you're doing?" He demanded, moving closer to her. She backed away from him, visibly trembling.
Her green eyes were wild with a mixture of fear and fury, the kind that came from feeling helpless. She hated that about him. She hated how easily she reacted to him.
"I heard what you told them," she hissed through gritted teeth.
"And?"
"Tell me the truth. You intend to use me as a sacrifice, don't you," she said.
His lips twitched. "A sacrifice?"
Unable to contain his amusement, he let out a chuckle and started to stalk towards her one step at a time.
"Don't flatter yourself," he said.
The more she backed away, the quicker he moved. To him, it was entertaining seeing her cower like a frightened mouse.
Once her back hit the wall, he planted a hand on the wall right beside her head, a smirk spreading over his lips.
Her cheeks had turned a bright pink and she could no longer hold eye contact with him.
Slowly, he trailed a finger over her right cheek, eliciting a shudder from her.
She shivered when he leaned in.
"Listen closely, Isla," he murmured, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. "You're not just some pawn in my war. You're mine. My mate. My problem. My toy."
Her eyes widened.
"I'll kill myself. You won't have anything to toy with," she hissed, her voice quivering.
"I'll simply bring you back to life. Again and again. Until you break," he drawled and a flicker of fear crossed her eyes.
"Don't be afraid, peach. I'll be gentle," he said and her cheeks burned.
She was terrified of him. And yet her body betrayed her every time he touched her.
He stepped back, giving her a moment of space, watching the rapid rise and fall of her chest.
"Come," he said, extending a hand. "We have a ceremony to attend."
She stared at it for a moment, uncertain. Then, silently, her fingers slipped into his.
Her small hand was a perfect fit.
She wouldn't say it, but she trusted him. Or maybe... she needed to.
He didn't speak as they left the room, but satisfaction settled in his chest. She could pretend to hate him all she wanted. That fire in her eyes didn't fool him.
She felt the bond.
Even if she was too stubborn to admit it.
They arrived at the foot of the ancestral cave. Sundown had arrived and the pack's elders had formed a half-circle around the entrance of the cave. Isla stood stiffly at Dominic's side, her face pale.
She was trying to appear composed, her chin lifted in defiance. But he could see the tension in her jaw and the way her fingers curled against her dress.
"May Mother Selene guide you safely," Elder Ren intoned solemnly, touching Isla's forehead.
Dominic glanced sideways at her. She has no idea what's waiting inside, he thought.
And that was the point.
The Luna Scaling ceremony wasn't just for show. It was a tough test that was brutal to the weak and to anyone who was unprepared. He hated it. He didn't want to put her through it but he had no choice. The pack might not go against his orders but they definitely wouldn't follow a Luna who hadn't endured the ceremony.
He wouldn't let them see her as soft. Or disposable.
He wouldn't lose her.
"Ready?" he asked her in a low voice.
"No," she said honestly. Then she released a shaky breath. "But let's do it anyway."
That earned her faintest twitch of his lips.
Together, they headed inside the cave.