Bound By Contract, Claimed By Fate

The Alpha's Burden

CHAPTER THREE

DOMINIC’S POV

Power demands sacrifice, but what if the price is love I swore I'd never need."

I wasn’t the type of man to second-guess myself. Every choice I made was deliberate, calculated, and final. But staring at the marriage contract still lying on my desk—a set of papers signed in Katherine’s neat, hesitant handwriting—I found myself replaying the echo of her voice from last night.

“You’ll move into my penthouse.”

My own words, sharp and demanding, had cut through the room when she signed. She hadn’t argued, though the hatred in her eyes had said everything. And if I was being honest with myself… the feeling was mutual.

Not because she had done anything to me personally, but because she was human. She was fragile and a distraction I couldn’t afford at the moment.

This wasn’t about her. It was about my father’s promises, about keeping the Beaufort name untarnished, about honouring the bond our families had once shared. She was a pawn in a game much bigger than her, much bigger than me. That was how it had to remain.

I leaned back in the leather chair, pressing my palm against my temple. My head was throbbing again, the familiar ache beneath my skin reminding me that time was running out. I was weaker every week. My body—the body of an Alpha—was betraying me. The curse was catching up.

Unless I found my mate, my true mate, I would die.

And yet the more I told myself Katherine didn’t matter, the more I couldn’t ignore the strange pull in my chest.

I shoved the thought away violently, slamming the drawer on the contract and rising to my feet. Today wasn’t about weakness. Today was about appearances.

My so-called wife needed to look the part. I took her out for an exclusive shopping trip.

The car ride was silent, except for the hum of the city outside. Katherine sat across from me, arms folded tightly, gaze pinned to the window like I wasn’t worth looking at.

I almost smirked. She was a defiant little thing. This marriage would be an interesting one.

When we stopped in front of one of the most exclusive boutiques on Fifth Avenue, her head whipped toward me.

“Why are we here?” she asked, suspicion laced in every syllable.

I opened the door and stepped out before answering. “Because my wife can’t be seen in cheap clothes.”

Her eyes narrowed, sharp as glass. “You mean you can’t be seen with a wife in cheap clothes?”

I didn’t bother correcting her. She wasn’t wrong. None of us wanted this so no need to make it personal.

Inside, the staff practically tripped over themselves to greet us. The Beaufort name carried weight here, and I could feel Katherine stiffen at the attention. I guided her toward the racks, ignoring the curious stares.

“Choose whatever you like, I’ll be waiting,” I told her, my tone clipped, businesslike. “Money isn’t an issue.”

Her laugh was humourless. “Of course it isn’t. It never is for you, is it?”

Something in her voice tugged at me—resentment, pain, history I wasn’t privy to. I shoved the thought down, motioning to a silk dress in deep emerald. “Here, try that one,” I said pointing towards the dress.

“I don’t take orders from you,” she snapped, but the way her cheeks flushed when the sales associate handed her the gown said otherwise.

I leaned against the wall as she disappeared into the fitting room. My pulse quickened against my will, an annoyance I hadn’t felt in years. When she stepped back out, the dress hugging every curve, the air left my lungs faster than I wanted to admit.

I have never seen innocence laced in seduction, and Katherine represented it.

Her light blue eyes flickered up to mine, searching for a reaction. I made sure my face was unreadable, but my chest burned with something I couldn’t name.

“Too expensive,” she muttered, turning away before I could answer.

I caught her wrist. “You’re my wife now, Katherine. Get used to being expensive.”

Her lips parted, outrage flashing across her face, but she said nothing. She yanked her hand free and stormed back to the fitting room.

“Damn it!” I whispered under my breath as I found myself almost smiling.

She emerged, arms full of bags, mischief glittering in her smile. “I’m already getting used to being expensive,” she snapped at me, rolling her eyes. I could tell she just did that to annoy me.

I let out a low laugh, the kind that never quite reached my eyes. “That’s the whole point of being a Beaufort,” I murmured, leaning in so only she could hear. My hand slipped to her waist, steady and possessive. My hands trembled.

Was it anger or the curse?

I pulled her against me, close enough to feel the hitch in her breath. “It's always expensive. So maybe…” my lips brushed the shell of her ear, “…you should enjoy it while you can, because it won't last forever.”

“Oh, don't flatter yourself, darling,” she shot back, her voice cool but laced with venom. “I never wish for it to last, you make me sick to my stomach.”

I signalled my men to take the bags to the car while I dragged her gently but possessively to the car.

She's going to be a hard one to deal with.

The house was quiet later that evening when I retreated to my study. The new suits from Italy still hung untouched on their racks, reports from our companies in Europe spread across my desk. I tried to focus, but my mind kept drifting back to the way Katherine had looked in that dress.

I shouldn't be thinking about her.

I poured myself a drink, the amber liquid burning down my throat. That’s when the door opened without a knock.

Adrian.

“Brother,” he drawled, stepping inside as if he owned the place. “You don’t look thrilled to see me.”

My jaw tightened. “Why are you here? Weren’t you supposed to be managing the Milan branch?”

He smirked, pouring himself a drink without asking. “Italy was dull. I figured it was time to come home. And you know me, I love drama,” His gaze flickered with mischief. “Besides, I hear you’ve been busy. Married already? To Katherine Fontaine of all people? That’s… surprising.”

I kept my expression flat. “It’s none of your concern.”

“Oh, but it is.” He leaned casually against the desk, eyes gleaming like a predator. “You think you’re untouchable, but every move you make affects the Beaufort name. Father may be gone, but I still care about our legacy.”

I scoffed. “You care about yourself. Always have.”

His grin widened. “Maybe. But I have to admit, watching you squirm with your new bride will be entertaining. Especially since I know how much she hates you and you know she once looked at me the way she'll never look at you.”

I stood immediately, letting my height and presence fill the room. “Don't bring your poison here, Adrian.”

He didn’t flinch. He never did. “Relax, Dominic. I’m only here to make things interesting. And besides…” He sipped his drink, eyes glinting with wicked amusement. “I’ll be staying here. In the penthouse. For a while, not forever.”

My blood ran cold. Does he always have to complicate things?

After he left, I sank back into the chair, fists clenching so tightly my knuckles cracked.

Adrian is living under the same roof as Katherine. My exiled brother, my rival in everything—power, wealth, reputation-now circling the one weakness I refused to admit I had.

The ache in my chest flared again, sharp and merciless. I pressed a hand against it, feeling the pulse of something dark crawling beneath my skin. My vision blurred for a moment.

The curse.

It was spreading faster. Every day I denied the bond, every night I went without my mate, I grew weaker. Soon I wouldn’t be able to hide it. Soon Adrian would see the cracks, and he’d exploit them without hesitation.

I slammed my fist against the desk, wood splintering under the force. Blood welled where shards dug into my palm, but I didn’t care. Pain grounded me.

“I will not die,” I growled under my breath. “Not yet.”

But the truth whispered back at me, relentlessly.

Unless I found my mate, I was already dead. But as the faintest trace of human scent clung to me like a sin I couldn’t shake, one thought struck like lightning—what if fate had already chosen? What if the bond I needed to survive was the one I could never claim?