Nellie's POV
Hot water cascaded over my skin, a futile attempt to wash away the weight of what had happened. The bathing room at Moon's Fang was opulent, with dark tiles that reflected the dim candlelight, but the steam couldn't erase the memory of Ethan. His face, contorted with raw, possessive pleasure the moment he poured his seed inside me, unprotected, with the clear intention of binding me to him, to the pack, to this house. The mate bond had made the act pleasurable, a treacherous heat still coursing through my body, but the pleasure couldn't quell the disgust, the rage, the betrayal. I had been forced, my will trampled by his need for an heir, by his dominance as Alpha.
My fingers searched for the silver chain around my neck, thin as thread, but its resilience was supernatural, a
