His Daddy’s Fated Mate

23: Ceased car

Hannah’s POV

When I returned to the Alpha’s mansion, the eerie emptiness where I’d parked my car struck me like a slap. It wasn’t there. My car, the one thing tethering me to a shred of control, had vanished.

At first, I tried to reason it out. Maybe someone had moved it for practical reasons. But as the minutes ticked by, the heat of anger spread through my chest like wildfire. Someone had gone through my things. Someone had violated my space, my privacy, my boundaries.

The anger took on a sharper edge when I realized exactly who it was.

Alpha Liam.

I didn’t even need proof. The man had been crossing lines since the moment I set foot here. But this? This was my car my sanctuary. And the fact that he’d rummaged through my bag to get the keys? That was too much.

By the time I stormed into the mansion, my blood was practically boiling. I didn’t care if this man was the leader of thousands or if he held the stars themselves in his hands. He wasn’t going to treat me like one of his possessions.

I spotted him in the living room, just as he turned toward the dining room. He looked maddeningly composed, wearing the same dark clothes I’d last seen him in. Meanwhile, my pulse roared in my ears, and every nerve in my body screamed at me to rip into him.

“Alpha Liam,” I called sharply, my voice slicing through the air like a whip.

He stopped and turned, his face unreadable, though I swore I saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “Hannah,” he greeted, his tone infuriatingly calm, as if he hadn’t just upended my entire day.

“Where is my car?” I demanded, my voice trembling with barely contained fury. “And why the hell did you go through my bag?”

For a moment, he said nothing, his expression unreadable. Then he leaned casually against the wall, his hands slipping into his pockets as though we were discussing the weather. “Your car is safe,” he said, his voice maddeningly smooth. “And I went through your bag because I had my reasons.”

“Your reasons? I repeated, incredulous. “That is a complete invasion of privacy, and you know it!”

“Privacy?” He arched a brow, his lips curling into a slow, taunting smile. “What privacy, Hannah? You’re my personal maid now. Privacy isn’t a luxury you can afford.”

His words hit me like a slap. I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails bit into my palms, but it did nothing to temper the rage clawing its way up my throat. “I am not your personal maid,” I snapped. “I agreed to work here, not to be your servant. I’ll take the punishment, but I don’t have to take you”

His smile widened, as if I’d said something amusing. “And you think you have a choice?”

“I do!” I spat, my voice rising. “You’re lying, and you know it. You’re just using me, but I’m not going to roll over and let you.”

He stepped forward, closing the distance between us with deliberate slowness. The amusement faded from his face, replaced by something darker. “Let me be clear, Hannah,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “You have no choices here. You will do as I say, or you’ll face consequences you won’t like.”

I swallowed hard, refusing to back down even as my pulse stuttered. “If you think you can scare me into submission—”

“I don’t think Hannah,” he interrupted coldly. “I know. You start tomorrow. Today, you can rest. But tomorrow? You belong to me.”

“I refuse!” The words tore out of me, louder than I intended.

He moved faster than I could react, his hand tangling in my hair and yanking my head back so I was forced to meet his piercing gaze. His face was inches from mine, his breath hot and sharp against my skin.

“Stop screaming,” he growled. “And don’t test me.”

His grip wasn’t as harsh as it could’ve been, but it was enough to send a shiver of fear down my spine. I hated how small my voice sounded when I managed to whisper, “If I don’t?”

His eyes narrowed, and for a long moment, he just stared at me. The silence was oppressive, his fury palpable. Then, slowly, his grip loosened, though his eyes never softened. “You don’t want to find out,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “Do as I say, and I might let you go. Fight me, and I’ll break you.”

Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I shoved his hand away and stepped back, glaring at him even as my scalp throbbed where he’d grabbed me. “I hate you,” I hissed. “I hate you more than you could ever imagine.”

“Good,” he said, his voice as calm as it was cruel. “Hate me all you want. It’ll make this easier.”

“You’re a monster,” I whispered, the words trembling on my lips. “And I’ll never forgive you.”

“Forgiveness isn’t something I’m asking for,” he replied. His gaze flicked to the empty piercing on my nose, lingering for a moment before returning to my eyes. “Remember this, Hannah: you can hate me all you want, but as long as you’re here, you’re mine.”

As he walked away, I clenched my fists, biting back the sob threatening to escape. I wouldn’t let him see me cry. Not now. Not ever.

If he thought he could break me, he had no idea who he was dealing with.