Just then, my gaze landed on a figure in the crowd.
Knox sat in the farthest corner of the room, dressed in a simple white shirt. His posture was cool and aloof, with an innate air of nobility, his brows tightly furrowed.
A sudden, reckless impulse seized me.
If I have to seduce him, why not start now?
I steadied my breathing, forcing my voice to be calm. "All right. I'll dance. But I need a partner."
All eyes followed my finger as it pointed to the man in the corner. "Him."
With a sharp clink, Marcus's lighter fell to the floor.
His gaze snapped to me, dark and vicious.
Even Knox seemed startled, completely caught off guard.
Before anyone could react, I walked forward barefoot, approaching Knox with a deliberate, practiced grace. The tips of his ears were red, but he didn't pull away when I took his hand and led him to the center of the room.
The brushed fabric of his trousers grazed my bare calf—a feather-light touch that ignited a spark deep inside me.
The music started.
Marcus shot to his feet.
I leaned close to Knox's neck, letting out a soft, suggestive laugh. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Marcus's fists clench, his knuckles white, as an Alpha's aura of dominance began to bleed into the air.
Vivian turned her face up to speak to him, but his eyes were glued to me, a violent emotion churning in their depths.
Just as I tried to decipher that emotion, he turned his head... and pressed a kiss to Vivian's forehead.
My fingers traced a path across Knox's chest, both accidental and deliberate, as I pressed my body against his. I could feel his stiffness, his uneven breaths.
Cheers and whistles erupted from the room.
Marcus's face grew darker and darker, his gaze searing, like a flame about to consume everything.
Then, just as I spun in Knox's arms, about to fall into his embrace—the music cut off abruptly.
Marcus stormed forward and yanked me violently from Knox's arms. He tore off his own jacket and wrapped it crudely around me, covering my exposed skin.
"That's enough," he roared, his voice thick with barely suppressed fury.
Something fragile fluttered in my chest. Was he... jealous? Did he actually care?
But then I saw Vivian's reddened eyes, her face a mask of hurt and grievance.
The answer was obvious.
It wasn't me he cared about. It was his perfect Vivian. He couldn't bear to see her hurt.
Of course—I had just performed a blatantly intimate dance with her ex-boyfriend right in front of her. How could she not be hurt?
Marcus swept the room with a cold, commanding glare, releasing his Alpha's dominance.
"Get out. All of you, get out."
The room cleared in an instant. Vivian stayed behind, opening her mouth to say something, but he silenced her with a look. She shot me a venomous glare, stomped her foot, and stormed out.
In a blink, the vast living room was empty, save for the two of us.
Marcus's hand clamped around my wrist, and he dragged me mercilessly toward the bedroom.
My back slammed against the wardrobe. His fingers gripped my chin, his hot, ragged breaths fanning my face. "Did you enjoy that? Dancing for him?"
"Raven," his voice was low and dangerous, filled with menace, "did you dare to seduce another man right in front of me?"
I pushed against his chest, struggling. "Isn't this what you asked me to do? I was just getting a head start on my mission."
A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. The next second, he threw me onto the bed, his body looming over me.
With a vicious rip, the thin lace was torn to shreds.
As the sound of tearing fabric echoed in the air, I stared blankly at the crystal chandelier above. My mind drifted back to a Pack celebration when I was seventeen. I was dancing, and I felt a gaze on me—hot enough to set the entire spring ablaze.
"You're just a thing I bought with a contract," he hissed. "You do what I say. You stop when I say stop. You don't have the right to refuse."
Every word was like a pair of pliers, squeezing my heart, tighter and tighter.
He was right. I was just a purchased substitute. What right did I have to fight back?
Marcus stopped talking. He claimed me with a punitive fury, every movement filled with retaliation as his canines sank into the scent gland on my neck, forcing his scent into my bloodstream.
And I just lay there, motionless, staring at the ceiling as silent tears slipped from my temples into my hair.
When he finally noticed my utter stillness, he froze, his forehead resting against the crook of my neck.
Then, I felt a hot drop of liquid fall onto my skin.
His voice was trembling, apologetic and hoarse.
"I'm sorry, Raven. I lost control... I just—"
