Aria's POV:
What the hell was I thinking? The question hammered my skull so hard I thought it might crack.
What kind of madness possessed me to reject a monster who could snap my neck without blinking? A man who could bend me over and force my submission with one flex of his Alpha aura, and no one would bat an eye.
Yet I, a chained slave, looked him dead in the eye and told him no.
My heart hammered against my ribs as harsh reality crashed down. What kind of balls did I think I had? What kind of pure stupidity made me defy Alpha Draven Darkmoon on his own turf?
Still, none of it made sense.
One second, he wanted breeders to pump full of his seed and toss aside. The next, he wanted a fake wife for a whole year.
Something changed. My mind drifted back to the beta who interrupted him earlier. What did he say to Draven outside those doors? What kind of argument makes a ruthless man flip his script so fast? And why pick me?
His voice snapped me out of my spiral. “Do you need time?” Draven asked. “You can give me your answer later.”
I looked up slowly. My heart raced as our eyes met. I stiffened. His gaze was icy, making my skin prickle.
There was zero warmth. It made me feel hunted. I had no clue if this was a test or a trap. An Alpha giving a slave a choice was weird. Maybe he was different from the bloody rumors.
I highly doubted it.
The silence stretched until my big mouth betrayed me. I blurted out the question clawing at my brain.
“Why?” I rasped. “Why do you want me to play your wife for a year?”
“Pack law dictates every Alpha must sire an heir before hitting thirty-five,” he stated. “Failure means losing the title to the next bloodline. I happen to be the last. If I don't produce a pup, I lose my crown.”
He paused, looking pissed. “I planned to use a breeder, but the Elders blocked it. They insisted the future Alpha must be pushed out by a Luna, not a sex slave, to keep the pack's energy stable.”
I let out a scoff and tilted my head back, staring at the ceiling as if the Goddess was listening. “I will never carry your pup,” I stated. I regretted it instantly, but he didn't snap.
Instead, he replied calmly. “You won’t.”
My jaw dropped.
“You will fake a pregnancy, while a breeder carries my seed in secret,” he explained. “When she births a son, I will claim the boy and pass him off as yours. Once the dust settles, we will divorce for a reason the Elders can't fight.”
My stomach churned. His scheme was sick. And yet... strangely, he hadn’t forced me. He hadn't used his Alpha command or threatened to rip my throat out.
That alone made the situation terrifying. My life had flipped upside down in mere days. One second I was walking home, dead-tired but hopeful. The next, I was sold, beaten, shipped, and now standing at a crossroads that dictated my future.
If I said no, would he slaughter me for defying him? If I said yes, would this year become a nightmare of pack politics and mind games that broke me?
My hands shook. But then a lifeline appeared. If I said yes, I would survive a year safe from physical abuse. I wouldn't be tossed to a brothel. And once the clock ran out, I could walk away scot-free.
The choice was crystal clear. With my fists clenched at my sides, I spoke. “I'll do it.”
A smirk curved his lips. “You will do what?” he challenged.
“I will be your fake wife,” I replied.
He stood and extended his hand. I hesitated for a second before taking it, letting his massive grip pull me to my feet. “Thank you,” I murmured.
“It is late. We will talk tomorrow,” he commanded. “But know this: by morning, I will tell the Elders I found my fated mate and intend to crown her my Luna. From tomorrow on, you wear the title of Alpha Draven’s mate. Act like it.”
He paused. “I will draft a contract. You will read it, understand it, and sign it. Once the deal ends, you will be rewarded with anything you desire, so long as it is within my power.”
I opened my mouth to thank him, but he cut me off. “Get out. We will speak tomorrow.”
“I don’t know where to go,” I admitted. “I don’t know my way around.”
“Ask any maid to take you to Madam Roxanne. Tell her you are one of the slaves brought in earlier. She’ll show you a bed for tonight.”
I bowed my head and hurried out. Near the exit, the Beta glared at me. I lowered my eyes and slipped past him without a word.
Stepping out of the garden, I had no clue whether to go left or right. I guessed right. After a short walk, I turned a corner and crashed into someone.
“Oh! I’m so sorry,” I gasped.
The maid looked at me, surprised. “It’s fine,” she said. “Do you need help?”
“Yes, please,” I nodded. “Can you take me to Madam Roxanne?”
“Of course,” she smiled. “I’m Nicolle. What’s your name?”
Before I could answer, my eyes darted past her. A little girl, no older than five, was sprinting down the hall when she tripped and wiped out hard. Without thinking, I rushed forward and scooped her up.
“Are you okay?” I asked. She didn’t cry or speak. She just stared at me.
Suddenly, an older woman stormed forward and snatched the child from my arms.
“I was just helping her up,” I stammered.
The woman snapped, “I didn’t ask for your help.”
Nicolle scurried over. “Are you alright? Did she say something mean?”
“I helped the girl, but her mom yelled at me,” I muttered.
Nicolle scoffed. “That’s not her mom. That’s her nanny.”
“Why would a kid need a nanny?” I asked.
Nicolle let out a dry chuckle. “That’s not just any kid. That's Alpha Draven’s daughter, Ella.”