Leora's perspective:
A slow, predatory smile appeared on Rowan's lips. He set down his glass. "Very well," he whispered, a satisfied, low growl. "Then let me see what you're worth."
With a fluid movement, he scooped me into his arms and carried me towards the bedroom. He placed me on a large bed covered with black silk sheets. The cold, smooth fabric clung to my back like a second skin. I was a sacrifice on his altar of power.
He leaned over me, his powerful Alpha pheromones crashing down on me like a physical wave, intended to induce the Omega's submission. My body reacted instantly, but not as he expected. Every instinct within me, every fiber of my true Alpha nature, screamed to fight back, to use my own dominance to resist his dominance.
I had to channel that surge of rebellious energy elsewhere. I let my body tremble and my breathing quicken, perfectly mimicking the tense excitement of a submissive wolf.
“Quiet, Lyra!” I commanded my inner wolf, which was howling in protest at the touch of a non-partner. “This is a battle. We need him. We cannot break down.”
His lips pressed against mine. This kiss was nothing like Kade's gentle exploration. It was a conquest, a brand. It was brutal, demanding, and utterly possessive. I forced myself to melt beneath him, to respond. Between his kisses, I let myself whimper, the soft, gasping sound of an Omega overwhelmed by passion.
Every voice is a betrayal of my own nature, a profound and utter humiliation. But it is also my most effective disguise.
As his hands roamed over my body, my Alpha instincts raged. The urge to flip him over, to pin him beneath me, to let him taste what true domination felt like burned fiercely in my blood. I gripped the silk sheets tightly, my knuckles white, the fabric taut with my restraint.
He sensed my nervousness, but he misunderstood. He probably thought it was the excitement of being with a real Alpha after being with his weaker brother. The thought made my stomach churn.
I closed my eyes, and behind my eyelids, I saw Kade's smug face and Selena's triumphant smile. I used all the pain and humiliation of that moment to fuel the flames of my revenge.
I don't know how much time passed, but I curled up beside him, my body ice-cold. The mental exhaustion was far deeper than the physical wounds. I buried my face in his chest, like a lost animal seeking shelter. The most dangerous part was over; my performance was complete.
