Haunted by the alpha king

A cage of gold

~ Aria ~

The first light of dawn slips through the high windows, pale and thin against the crimson fire of last night. My body is stiff, sore in places I never knew could ache—each breath a reminder of the bond now etched into my very bones.

Kael sleeps beside me, one powerful arm draped over my waist as though I might disappear if he let go. His chest rises and falls with steady calm, his face softened in sleep. But the sight brings no comfort. Even at rest, he looks dangerous—a predator at ease only because he knows his prey is caged.

I stare at the beams overhead, hollow and numb. My wolf hums in quiet satisfaction, still purring from his touch. I hate her for it. Worse, I hate myself for the heat that lingers low in my belly, for the ghost of his mouth, his hands, his body imprinted on mine.

I try again to slip from his grasp, inch by inch, scarcely daring to breathe. For a moment, I think I’ve succeeded—until his arm tightens with lazy strength, dragging me back against his chest.

I lie stiff, waiting for his breathing to deepen again. Only when I’m certain he’s gone under do I let the tears fall—silent, bitter, burning tracks down my cheeks.

Later, the silence shatters with the creak of the door. A maid slips inside, arms full of folded silks, her gaze fixed firmly on the floor. She places the garments on a chair and bows. “For the Queen,” she whispers, before scurrying out without another word.

Queen. The word twists in my stomach and ugh! it makes me sick.

I push at Kael’s arm with more force this time. His eyes snap open instantly, sharp and alert, as though he had only been pretending to sleep.

“What is it?” His voice is rough with slumber, yet still carries command.

“I want to bathe.” The words scrape out of me, clipped and cold.

For a moment, he studies me, his gaze unreadable. Then he shifts, releasing me at last. “Go. But you will not lock the door. You will not keep me out.”

Heat floods my cheeks. “Do you have no shame?”

A dark smirk pulls at his lips. “None Darling…none”

I snatch the furs around me and slip from the bed, loathing the tremor in my legs, loathing the soreness that forces each step to drag. Behind me, I can feel his eyes on me—heavy as chains with every movement I make.

The bathing chamber is lavish, marble floors gleaming, a steaming pool fed by some hidden spring, but it feels no less a prison. I sink into the water, scrubbing my skin until it burns, as though I could erase his touch, his claim, the mark throbbing at my neck. But no matter how hard I scrub, the truth clings. I am f*****g bound.

When I return, he’s already dressed, his broad shoulders encased in black leather, his crown set aside on the table. His gaze follows me with that same unreadable intensity as I cross the chamber, clutching the damp furs tight around me.

“Wear the silks,” he orders, nodding toward the garments the maid brought.

“No.”

His brows lift, but his voice stays calm. “They are fitting for a Queen.”

“I am not your Queen!.”

A muscle ticks in his jaw. He rises slowly, each step controlled. “The bond says otherwise. The pack already knows. Every servant, every warrior—they will bow to you as they bow to me. Whether you like it or not, little mate, you are mine. And what is mine, the world calls Queen.”

I shake my head, clutching the furs tighter around me. “I won’t play dress-up in your silks or smile like some obedient doll. You can chain my body, Kael, but you will never chain my spirit.”

For a heartbeat, silence presses heavy between us. Then, with one swift motion, he seizes my wrist, yanking me flush against him. His other hand tangles in my hair, forcing my head back until I have no choice but to meet his blazing eyes.

“You think this is about silks?” His voice is a growl that vibrates through my bones. “You are mine. That is not a game. That is not a choice. That is law—written in blood and bond.”

I glare up at him, even as my pulse races. “Then kill me. If I am nothing but a cage to you, end it now.”

His grip tightens in my hair, but something flickers in his gaze—something fierce, something almost wounded. “Never,” he snarls. “I would burn kingdoms before I let you go. Death is mercy. And you, little mate, will know no mercy from me.”

Before I can reply, his mouth crashes against mine—savage and punishing. The kiss rips away my breath, my fury, everything, until I am trembling in his arms, my wolf whining in maddening submission.

He pulls back only when I’m gasping, his forehead pressed hard against mine. “Fight me all you want,” he whispers, rough and ragged. “But you will still wear my mark. My silks. My crown. And when the moon is full again, you will beg for me.”

Tears sting my eyes. “I will never beg.”

He smirks slow and deadly. “We’ll see.”

Abruptly, he releases me, turning away to pour himself wine. I stand frozen, shaking while clutching the furs around me like a shield.

The silks gleam on the chair—golden, delicate. I stare at them with loathing, but also dread. Because deep down, I know I cannot refuse forever. Already my wolf strains toward him. Already my body betrays me.

He drinks deeply, then glances at me over the rim of his cup. His gaze is sharp, but softened now by something unreadable. “Eat. Rest. Tomorrow, the court will see you by my side.”

My stomach twists. the thought of being paraded before strangers as his Queen—of their eyes on me, on what he has done to me…makes bile rise in my throat.

But he only leans back in his chair, watching me as though I am both prize and possession. “This is your world now, Aria. A cage of gold, perhaps. But still a cage you cannot escape.”

And I know, with a sinking heart, that he is right.