My eyes widened in terror. "Alpha, what—"
He didn't answer. He leaned down, his face burying into the crook of my neck. I felt his hot breath on my skin, and then, the sharp sting of his teeth. I let out a choked whimper as he bit down on the sensitive skin near my collarbone.
Heat and pain flared through me at the same time. I squeezed my eyes shut, my hands trembling against his chest.
He pulled back just as the door handle turned. His eyes searched mine for a second, before he sat up and scrambled to mess up the bedsheets, making it look like we had been tangled together all night.
Bellina walked in, a bright, hopeful smile on her face. Her eyes immediately landed on me, then on the blankets, and then traveled to my neck. The smile on her face turned into something triumphant.
"Good morning, loves." she said softly.
"Good morning, Mom." I managed to say, faking a smile. I felt sick. He had used me again. He had marked my skin like a piece of territory just to keep his mother happy.
Bellina walked over and touched my cheek. "You look tired, Skylar. I hope my son wasn't too... demanding on your first night." She winked, her gaze lingering on the red mark Alec had left on my skin.
I bit my lip, the humiliation burning hotter than the bite. I looked at Alec. He was standing by the window now, buttoning his shirt, completely ignoring me.
"Freshen up and come down," Bellina said, patting my hand. "We're having a family breakfast. I want to hear all about your plans for the estate."
"We'll be down in ten minutes," Alec said, his tone final.
As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, the air in the room turned to ice. I sat up, clutching the sheets to my chest, staring at his back.
"Was that necessary?" I whispered, "To bite me like an animal just to prove a point?"
Alec turned. He didn't look guilty. He didn't even look annoyed.
"Rule Three, Skylar," he reminded me. "Public performance. My mother expected a mark. I gave her one. Don't make it more than it is."
"But… It's my body!" I found a tiny spark of courage, even though my hands were shaking. "I haven't sign the contract yet. You could have asked. You could have warned me."
He stepped toward the bed, looming over me. "I don't ask for what I already own. You have forty-seven hours left to decide if you want to be a Luna or a prisoner. Until then, you do what is required."
He turned on his heel and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
I slumped back against the pillows, my hand going to the stinging mark on my neck. He had branded me. He had used me to lie to his own mother, and he didn't care how much it hurt.
I looked at the bathroom door. He was a monster, and I was trapped in his cage. But I had to escape this cage in less than forty-three hours.
I walked over to the vanity mirror, and tried to cover the mark with my hair. Alec had stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in a fresh black shirt. He didn't look at me. He didn't ask if I was okay. He just checked his watch and moved toward the door.
"Smile, Skylar." He muttered as he gripped the handle. "Or I'll give them a reason to think you're crying for joy instead of misery."
The grand dining hall was filled with the smell of fresh coffee and expensive food.
Bellina was already there, along with Aveline and Dmitri. They looked like a normal, happy family… the kind of family I used to dream of having.
"There they are!" Bellina chirped, waving us over. "Sit, sit. You must be starving."
Alec pulled out a chair for me. His touch was light, almost gentle, but knew the threat in his fingers as they brushed my shoulder. I sat down.
"So," Aveline said, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "How was the first night in the North Wing? Did the big bad Alpha growl all night, or did he remember how to be a husband?"
I felt the blood rush to my face. Alec sat down beside me, his thigh pressing against mine under the table. It was a cold, possessive contact that made my skin crawl.
"It was... quiet," I whispered, staring at my plate.
"Quiet?" Bellina laughed, her eyes dropping to my neci again . "The mark on your neck says otherwise, dear. I'm glad to see Alec is finally taking his duties seriously. We need a strong heir to lead this pack."
I gripped my fork so hard my knuckles turned white. Every word was a reminder of the contract sitting in the locked drawer upstairs. A male heir in three months.
"She's a bit shy, Mother," Alec said, very calmly. Then he reached over and took my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. Hatred burned in my chest as he added, "Give her time to adjust to her new home."
"Of course, of course," Bellina said softly. She looked at me with such genuine fondness that it made my heart ache. "Is he being good to you, Skylar? You can tell me. If he's being rude, I'll take him to the study and remind him of his manners."
I felt Alec's grip on my hand tighten just a fraction. A warning.
I looked at Alec. He was watching me as if his dark eyes were daring me to speak the truth. This was my chance. I could tell his mother everything. I could tell her about the contract, the threats, and the cold monster sitting right next to her.