Elara POV
I slowly opened my eyes.
The familiar silk canopy of the Alpha Manor's master bedroom greeted me. A soft, glowing light caught my attention. A young Omega nurse stood by my bedside, holding a velvet box. Inside rested a massive, glowing moonstone necklace.
"The Alpha won this rare piece at an auction for you, Luna," the nurse said timidly. "He hopes it will soothe you."
I stared at the stone, feeling nothing but a hollow void in my chest. He seemed to think a piece of luminous rock could mend the organ in my chest that was ceasing to beat.
The heavy oak door creaked open.
Kael walked in, carrying a silver tray with a steaming bowl of herbal recovery soup. He looked like the perfect, devoted mate.
"You are awake," he said, his voice coated in a false tenderness. He sat on the edge of the bed and scooped up a spoonful of the dark liquid. "Open your mouth, Elara. You lost a lot of blood."
The smell of the herbs mixed with his scent, making my stomach heave. A sudden, violent pressure built behind my ribs, and with all my remaining strength, I swung my arm.
My hand slammed into the bowl. The hot soup splashed all over Kael's crisp white shirt, staining it a dark, ugly brown. The silver bowl clattered loudly against the hardwood floor.
Get out! I screamed through our re-opened Mind-link, the force of my mental voice making the nurse cover her ears. Get out of my room!
Kael's head snapped up. His amber pupils narrowed into dangerous, vertical slits. The tender mate vanished, replaced by the terrifying ruler of the pack.
He released the Alpha's Command.
It was a crushing, invisible pressure that made the very air in the room feel dense and viscous, forcing the nurse's knees to buckle until they struck the floor with a dull, audible thud.
"You will not throw a tantrum like a feral pup in front of the servants," Kael growled. His voice was a low vibration that demanded the instinctive bending of every spine in the room.
I gritted my teeth against the pressure, my bones aching.
"Then let me go," I choked out, staring into his glowing eyes. "I want a Rejection."
The room grew deadly silent. The Rejection was the ultimate taboo, the severing of a soul bond chosen by the Moon Goddess.
Kael's face twisted into a mask of pure fury. He grabbed my shoulders, his fingers digging painfully into my flesh.
"Have you forgotten?" he hissed, his breath hot against my face. "Have you forgotten the night the Rogues nearly tore my throat out? I almost died protecting you!"
He was using my guilt, twisting my gratitude into a chain around my neck. He pulled me against his chest, trapping my arms.
"You will accept Selene's pregnancy," he whispered darkly into my hair. "And you will call your mother right now."
He shoved his phone into my hand.
"Remind her of her place. Remind her who pays her debts. Do it, Elara."
I stared at the glowing screen, a cold tear slipping down my chin. I was trapped in a cage, and the bars were made of my mate's obsessive control.
I pressed the phone to my ear, and the plastic of the receiver knocked against my earring, making a series of tiny, uncontrolled clicks.
The line rang twice before a harsh, raspy voice answered.
"What is it now, Elara?" my mother snapped. There was no warmth in her tone, only annoyance.
"Mom," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I... I need you."
"Don't start crying," she interrupted coldly. "Your brother owes three million dollars to the underground fighting rings run by high-ranking wolves."
A heavy weight pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
"I don't care about his gambling debts," I sobbed. "Kael is..."
"Shut up!" she hissed, her voice dropping to a panicked whisper. "Do not anger the Alpha! If he cuts off our allowance, those wolves will tear your brother to pieces."
She didn't ask about my hospital stay. She didn't care about my bleeding.
"Be a good Luna and keep your mouth shut," she ordered, and the line went dead.
The phone slipped from my numb fingers, dropping onto the silk sheets. Kael stood by the window, adjusting his cufflinks. He didn't even look at me. He knew exactly what she would say.
In the late afternoon, the door burst open. A team of Omega servants rushed in, carrying garment bags and makeup kits. They pulled me out of bed while I was still weak and dizzy. They scrubbed my skin with rough cloths, painted my face with cold brushes, and squeezed my body into a tight, suffocating silver gown. I was a thing to be handled, an object being prepared for display.
Today was the full moon festival, combined with the Elder Madam's birthday banquet. And I was the decoration Kael needed on his arm to prove his house was in order.
