Draven's POV:
Why did the Moon Goddess do this to me? I thought, glaring at the slave before me.
Why would she pair me with another she-wolf? I had sworn that after losing Helen—the only woman I ever loved—I would never let another mate into my life.
My hands curled into fists, my nails biting into my palms. Hot anger coursed through my veins. The Moon Goddess did as she pleased. She always had. No mortal law could stop her meddling.
Unable to contain my rage, I let out a deafening snarl. The terrified girls stumbled backward and collapsed into the dirt. I stalked toward the girl who happened to be my second-chance mate.
I crouched before her and grabbed her jaw, tilting her face to meet my gaze. A primal need gnawed at my control. My wolf craved her flesh in ways my mind couldn't process.
I was just about to reject her—ready to shove her away—when Ragnar's scent hit my nose. My Beta strode in, coming to a halt behind the shivering girls.
“We need to talk,” he grunted.
I released her jaw, my claws flexing with irritation.
I followed Ragnar outside, tension knotting my shoulders.
“Draven, what the hell are you doing buying breeders behind my back?” Ragnar snapped, planting his hands on his hips. “You know the Elders forbid this!”
“I don't care about the Elders,” I growled. “I am doing it.”
Ragnar’s jaw tightened. He stepped closer. “You’ve pissed them off enough. If you push this, they’ll drag you before the Council. They’ll dig up every past mistake just to screw you over, or worse, they’ll strip your title. You need to dump these breeders and find a wife before you ruin this pack.”
I exhaled sharply, my lip curling into a sneer. “I will never replace Helen,” I stated, my voice deadpan. “I will use a breeder to birth my heir. Nothing more.”
Ragnar’s eyes flared. “Helen has been dead for five years! Move on, Draven. Make the right call before this obsession destroys you.”
I whirled on him. “Never say that to me again.”
He didn’t back down. “I hate how blind you’ve become. You refuse to accept that she is gone. Now you’re dragging the pack into a total mess.”
My wolf burned inside me, coiling like steel in my chest. It reminded me of every loss, every bitter betrayal. Still, I needed a solution.
My breeder plan would crash if the Elders found out. They made it crystal clear: the next Alpha cannot pop out of a sex slave. A Luna or a sanctioned concubine must birth the heir.
I figured I could elevate one of these purchased girls to concubine or even Luna. But Helen would have hated sharing her Alpha's bed. Never. The thought twisted my gut, but Ragnar’s voice broke through my daze.
“You have to compromise,” he insisted. “You can't ignore the rules, no matter how much you want to play god.”
An idea clicked in my brain. I clapped Ragnar’s shoulder, resolve locking my jaw. “Hold on. I know exactly what to do.” Without waiting for his bitching, I stormed back inside.
Ragnar shadowed me, standing in the corner as I cornered the slave merchant.
“Take them to the cells,” I barked, pointing at the others. “But leave this one here.” My gaze dropped to my mate. She was still kneeling in the dirt. I crouched and snatched her jaw again, locking her eyes with mine.
“What is your name?” I asked, keeping my tone smooth.
“Aria,” she whispered.
I exhaled heavily. “Aria, how would you like to play my wife for one year?”
My plan was bulletproof. The Elders wouldn't accept a breeder, so I’d slap a Luna title on her, pump my heir into her belly, and toss her to the curb when the year was up. But then, she pulled a fast one. She jerked backward, her cheeks burning red, and spat a single word:
“No!”
My wolf surged. Confusion and irritation boiled in my gut. This slave had the balls to reject me—the Alpha of the Hellbound Pack—on my own turf? My mind raced, calculating my next move. Yet, a jolt of shock grounded me.
“Aria…” I drawled. “Do you realize what you are turning down?” A smirk tugged at my lips. My Alpha instinct screamed at me to pin her down and shatter her defiance. But another part—a hungry part—thrilled at her fiery resistance.
“Interesting,” I muttered to myself. “You just complicated my life, Aria.”