The car stopped suddenly.
Ahead of us, black iron gates rose like the jaws of some giant beast. Beyond them, the Black Blood Fortress was not a medieval castle, but a brutal tower of concrete, glass, and steel, carved into the side of a mountain.
The sight of it intimidated me instantly.
Every instinct in my body screamed at me to run.
But beside those four powerful Alphas, escape was impossible.
Silas got out of the car first. Before I could even think about moving, he opened my door.
He did not offer me his hand.
He simply grabbed my arm and pulled me out, forcing me to stand on the damp ground.
“Welcome to the Black Blood Fortress,” Silas said, his voice as cold as the mountain wind. “From this moment on, your life outside these walls no longer exists. Your father, your sister, your pack… they are ghosts now.”
As we walked toward the entrance, I saw guards positioned in every corner. Elite wolves who lowered their heads as the four Alphas passed.
I felt tiny.
An ant about to be crushed beneath giants.
We entered a vast hall with marble floors polished so perfectly I could see my frightened reflection beneath my feet. The ceiling stretched high above us, and the walls were decorated with ancient weapons and trophies I preferred not to identify.
Silas stopped in the center of the hall and turned to face me.
The other three Alphas formed a semicircle behind him, surrounding me.
“The rules are simple,” Silas began, crossing his arms over his massive chest. “First, you never leave this fortress without one of us. Second, you never deny us anything. If one of us calls, you come. If one of us asks, you give.”
“And if I refuse?” The challenge left my mouth before I could stop it.
I saw Jaxon, the silent Alpha, narrow his eyes.
Silas took one step forward, invading my space until I had to tilt my head back to look at him. He caught my chin in a firm grip.
“You are not in a position to refuse, Elara. You were bought. Paid for with the blood and money of our bloodline.” His gaze darkened. “But do not mistake your purpose here. We do not want you as some kitchen slave. We want you at our altar. We want you in our bed.”
My heart slammed violently against my ribs.
Dante moved behind me, his large hands sliding down my shoulders until they settled at my waist, pulling my back against his hard chest.
“There are four of us, little one,” he whispered against my neck, his tongue flicking briefly over my skin and leaving a trail of fire behind. “And we are all possessive. You will learn to crave each of us.”
Kiran stepped to the side, his eyes shining with dangerous amusement.
“But before we begin, we need to see if you are as resilient as you look.” His smile curved. “Jaxon took her to the upper chambers. Our chambers.”
My blood turned cold.
“I—I’m not sleeping in your room!” I shouted, struggling against Dante’s arms.
Jaxon, who had not spoken a single word until now, walked toward me.
He was the tallest of them all, a wall of silence and strength.
Without saying anything, he wrapped one arm around my waist and lifted me as if I weighed nothing, throwing me over his shoulder.
“Put me down!” I pounded my fists against his back, but it was like striking a stone.
He climbed the spiral staircase with steady steps, followed by Kiran’s low laughter and the intense gazes of Silas and Dante.
When we reached the upper floor, he entered a room that looked like a temple built for luxury and sin.
A colossal bed dominated the center, surrounded by windows that overlooked the mountain abyss.
Jaxon set me down, but he did not release me right away. His hands stayed in my arms, forcing me to look at him.
“Your scent is changing,” Jaxon said for the first time.
His voice was like the sound of earth shifting during an earthquake.
“You no longer smell only of fear. You are beginning to smell like heat.”
What!?
My entire body flushed red.
He released me and walked calmly toward the door, where the other three were already waiting.
Silas stepped inside, closed the door behind him, and turned the key on the lock while I tried desperately to keep my distance from them.
“Tonight, little wolf,” Silas said, beginning to unbutton the cuffs of his shirt, “you will learn why your father was so terrified to sell you to us.”
His eyes held mine.
“And tomorrow, you will beg us never to let you go back.”
I retreated until my back hit the cold glass of the window.
The four Alphas began to advance, moving with the coordinated precision of predators who finally had their prey exactly where they wanted her.
The air grew heavier with every step.
My instincts screamed at me to run.
But there was something else.
Something pulling me in the opposite direction.
I clenched my fists, trying to ignore the feeling.
This is wrong.
So wrong.
They should not affect me this much.
“What are you going to do?” I asked, my breathing uneven.
Silas smiled, an amber glow consuming the gray in his eyes.
“We are going to mark you,” he said. “In every possible way.”