MARRIED TO THE ALPHA KING, MATED TO THE MASKED WOLF

CHAPTER 1 LAURA So this is how my life ended. Not with a bang or whatever, but with a masquerade ball in Midtown and my dad’s hand on my arm, shoving me toward the door. “Smile,” he said. “Look approachable.” Translation: find someone rich enough to marry you and save us from bankruptcy. I was wearing Mia’s dress, too tight across my chest and riding up constantly. My shoes were from Payless and killing me, but they were black, they matched, and that was all I could afford. The venue was obscene—a private club with chandeliers that probably cost more than our yearly rent. Rich werewolves in designer masks pretending to be mysterious while really just showing off their money. I hated every second of it. My phone was at 47%. I was rationing battery because I couldn’t afford an Uber home, and the subway from here to Queens would take forever. Dad disappeared into the crowd about five minutes after we arrived, leaving me standing next to a marble column, holding champagne I’d stolen off a tray. I’d never had champagne before. It was bitter and made my nose itch, but at least it gave me something to hold. I scrolled i********: to look busy. Mia had posted a selfie with her cat. Maya posted about her science project. Normal people doing normal things while I was here being auctioned off like livestock. My phone dropped to 39%. Great. “There you are, darling.” I knew that voice. Mr. Halverson appeared next to me and my entire body went cold. He’s this old wolf—like sixty-something—with four dead wives. Everyone knows. Nobody talks about it because he owns half the Financial District and has more money than God. He makes my skin crawl. “Mr. Halverson,” I forced the words out. “Call me Richard.” His mask was covered in actual peacock feathers. Ridiculous. “Your father mentioned you’d be here.” Of course he did. “I was hoping we might dance,” he said. Not happening. Never happening. I’d rather die. “I’m actually not feeling—” That’s when it hit me. The smell. I don’t know how to explain it. Pine trees after it rains. Something wild. Something that bypassed my brain and went straight to the part of me that’s wolf. My wolf woke up. She’s been basically dead since I was sixteen. Useless. Dead weight. But now she was screaming. The champagne glass slipped out of my hand. I heard it shatter somewhere far away. I was searching the crowd, desperate, frantic. Where is that coming from? Then I saw him—a guy across the room, back to me, dark hair a little messy, black suit that fit him right, just standing there alone. He turned. Silver wolf mask. Gold eyes. We looked at each other. Everything stopped. My wolf went insane. One word over and over: mine. Oh s**t. This was a mate bond. The thing Mom used to tell me about before cancer killed her. The thing I decided was bullshit when I was fifteen and watching Dad drink away the mortgage payment. But this was real. I could feel it. This pull, like a rope tied to my chest, yanking me toward him. He started walking. People moved out of his way without him asking, like they could feel something too. He was coming straight for me. I should’ve moved. Should’ve met him halfway. I couldn’t. My feet were glued to the floor. He stopped right in front of me. Up close, he was unfair. That’s the only word I have. The mask covered most of his face, but I could see his jaw—sharp. A scar through his eyebrow. Another on his jaw below the mask. His eyes were gold. Like actual gold. “Hi.” His voice did things to my insides that should probably be illegal. “Hey,” I managed. Real smooth, Laura. But he smiled like I’d just said something amazing. “I’ve been looking for you,” he said. Should’ve sounded creepy. Didn’t. “You don’t know me.” “Doesn’t matter.” And here’s the scary part—he was right. I could see it, this silver thread between our chests, glowing faintly. That’s not supposed to happen. Not this fast. “Dance with me.” I took his hand. Electricity shot through me the second we touched. The bond flared bright. My wolf basically melted. He pulled me onto the dance floor. I can’t dance. Like seriously can’t. I’m terrible. But somehow my body knew what to do. His hand settled on my waist, mine on his shoulder. We moved together. Perfect. “You’re shaking,” he said quietly. “I’m freaking out.” “Why?” “Because this doesn’t happen. Not to people like me.” “People like you?” “Broke girls from Queens who do DoorDash until 2 AM to make rent.” His hand tightened on my waist. “You’re not nobody.” I almost laughed. Almost cried. “My dad’s trying to sell me,” I said. No idea why I was telling him. “We’re broke. Like really broke. Three months behind on rent. And he thinks marrying me off to some rich old wolf will fix everything.” The guy went very still. “That’s not happening,” he said. “It’s kind of already happening.” “No.” His voice changed, got harder. “You’re mine. I don’t care what your father arranged.” It should’ve made me mad, the possessiveness. It didn’t. “You don’t even know me.” “I know enough.” He dipped me, his face right above mine. “I know you’re strong. I know you take care of your family. I know you’re mine.” I couldn’t breathe. “That’s not fair,” I whispered. “What?” “Saying things like that when I can barely think.” He laughed. Quiet. Low. Made my whole body warm. People were staring. I didn’t care. “Come with me,” he said, urgent. “Please.” I should’ve said no. “Okay.” His eyes flashed. Actual gold. He took my hand and pulled me through the crowd, down a hallway, out a door, onto a balcony. Cold November air hit me. I could breathe again. The city spread out below. Cars. Lights. Life happening while mine was falling apart. “Better,” he said, gripping the railing. Knuckles white. “Couldn’t think in there. Too many people.” I stepped closer. “What’s your name?” He turned. Looked at me. “K.” “That’s not a name. That’s a letter.” “It’s all you get. For now.” “Why?” “Because it’s complicated.” I should’ve walked away right then. “Complicated how?” “Just… complicated.” He reached up slowly. “Can I take off your mask?” I nodded. He removed mine, the cheap Party City one, and set it down carefully. Then he reached for his own. Stopped. “I can’t,” he said. Pain in his voice. Real pain. “Why not?” “Because once you see my face, everything changes.” “I don’t understand.” “I know.” He took my hands. “I need you to trust me.” “I don’t even know you.” “You know me. You felt it the second we looked at each other.” He was right. “Just us,” he said. “No names. No faces. Just us.” I should’ve demanded answers. “Just us,” I agreed. He kissed me. I’ve been kissed before. This wasn’t that. This was everything. His hands in my hair, mine gripping his jacket, the bond exploding between us. My knees gave out. He caught me. Held me. Kept kissing me like I was the only thing that mattered. When we stopped, we were both shaking. “Holy s**t,” I said. “Yeah.” We stood there holding each other. I could hear the city below. Traffic. Sirens. Normal life. Nothing felt normal anymore. “I have to go back,” I said. Didn’t want to. “I know.” But he didn’t let go. We stood there a few more minutes. He told me about growing up lonely, about expectations he never wanted, about feeling trapped. I told him about Mom dying, about Dad falling apart, about Maya deserving better than this. “I wish I could do this right,” he said quietly. “What do you mean?” “Take you to dinner. Meet you properly. Not like this.” “Why can’t you?” “My life is…” He stopped. “I can’t explain. Not yet.” “When?” “Soon.” He pulled something from his pocket, a ring, silver with a wolf engraved on it. “Take this. So you know I’m real. So you know I’m coming back for you.” I took it with shaking hands and slipped it onto my right hand. It fit perfectly. “How did you—” “Don’t ask.” I kissed him again. Soft. Slow. “Find me,” I whispered. “I will. I promise.” I walked backward toward the door. Couldn’t turn away from him. He watched, hand over his heart. At the door I finally turned and went back inside. My lips were still tingling. The ring felt warm on my finger. Real. I found Dad near the bar. He saw me and his face went red. “Where the hell have you been?” “Bathroom.” “For forty-five minutes?” He grabbed my arm, hard. “Mr. Halverson was looking for you.” I bet he was. “I felt sick. I’m fine now.” We left. The subway ride home took an hour. Cold. Crowded. Someone’s elbow in my ribs the whole way. I didn’t care. I kept touching the ring. When I got home, Maya was already asleep in the bed we share. I changed quietly and climbed in next to her. I stared at the ring in the streetlight coming through our window. Somewhere in this city, K was thinking about me too. He promised he’d come back. I believed him. I fell asleep touching the ring. Without knowing what awaits me the next day.