FATED TO A RUTHLESS ALPHA

Trust.

CHAPTER FIVE

SELENE’s POV

I hated him.

I hated the way he looked at me like he could see past every layer of armor I had built around myself. I hated the way his voice carried the kind of authority that made my wolf stir, even when I wanted nothing more than to silence that part of me forever.

And most of all, I hated that he had been right.

I shivered when he touched me.

I clenched my fists as I paced inside the small room he had thrown me into. The walls felt like they were closing in, and every minute that passed only fueled the rage burning inside me.

I wasn’t supposed to be here.

I was supposed to be free.

Not trapped in another cage—one with silk sheets and warm food, but a cage nonetheless.

I had spent my entire life being at the mercy of others. First my pack, then the rogues, and now him. And no matter how different Damien pretended to be, I knew what men like him were capable of. I had seen it all before.

He had saved me from a worse fate, yes, but that didn’t make him my savior.

It made him my captor.

The door creaked open, and I spun around, my heart hammering against my ribs. Damien stood in the doorway, his gaze sweeping over me as if assessing whether I had calmed down.

I hadn’t.

“You’re pacing,” he observed.

“Brilliant deduction,” I shot back.

He arched a brow, stepping inside. “You’re angry.”

“No, I’m thrilled. Can’t you tell?”

His lips twitched, but he didn’t smile. “You should be thanking me.”

“Thanking you?” A bitter laugh escaped my throat. “For what? Buying me like cattle?”

His expression hardened. “For saving you.”

I took a step closer, letting my fury pour into every word. “You didn’t save me. You just put me in a prettier prison.”

Damien tilted his head, studying me. “Would you have preferred the alternative?”

I faltered for a second. The alternative. The auction house. The leering faces of those who would have fought to own me, to use me.

No.

I couldn’t think about that.

I swallowed hard, straightening my spine. “I would have preferred freedom.”

Damien’s gaze darkened. “Freedom is an illusion, Selene. You should know that by now.”

“Then I’ll create my own,” I snapped.

His eyes flickered with something unreadable. He stepped closer, and instinctively, I backed away until my back hit the wall. His presence was overwhelming, suffocating, and yet, my body betrayed me again. My breath came quicker, my pulse unsteady.

Damien noticed. Of course he did.

“You’re a fighter,” he murmured.

I lifted my chin. “And I will never stop fighting.”

He exhaled sharply, as if my words had touched something deep within him. But then, just as quickly, he masked it with his usual indifference.

“You should get some rest,” he said, turning toward the door.

“You can’t keep me here forever,” I called after him.

He paused, his hand on the handle. “We’ll see about that.”

And then he was gone.

I let out a shaky breath, my legs threatening to give out beneath me.

I had to get out of here.

Even if it killed me.

The moment the door clicked shut behind him, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My fingers trembled as I dragged them through my hair, forcing myself to steady my breathing.

I hated the effect he had on me.

I hated that despite my anger, my body still reacted to his presence. That deep, commanding voice of his. The way his gaze lingered like he saw something beneath the surface, something I didn’t want him to see.

Damn him.

I turned away from the door and stalked toward the large window across the room. The night sky stretched endlessly before me, taunting me with the freedom I craved. I pressed my palm against the cool glass, my mind racing with possible escape plans.

There had to be a way out.

I wasn’t going to sit here and let another man decide my fate.

I had trusted before, and it had only led to betrayal. I had begged before, and it had only led to humiliation. Never again.

But as determined as I was, I knew escaping a pack as powerful as Damien’s wouldn’t be easy.

I had spent enough time around Alphas to recognize the sheer dominance that radiated off him. He wasn’t just any Alpha—he was something more. Something dangerous.

And for some reason, I was trapped in his web.

A knock sounded at the door, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned as it opened slightly, revealing a woman I didn’t recognize. She was holding a tray of food, her eyes cautious as she stepped inside.

“You should eat,” she said softly, setting the tray down on a nearby table.

I folded my arms. “I’m not hungry.”

She hesitated, glancing toward the door before lowering her voice. “You need your strength.”

There was something about the way she said it, something that made me pause.

“Who are you?” I asked, watching her closely.

“My name is Mara,” she said. “I serve in the Alpha’s household.”

I scoffed. “So you’re one of his loyal little followers?”

She flinched, but quickly masked it. “He’s not as cruel as you think.”

I narrowed my eyes. “That’s exactly what a loyal follower would say.”

Mara sighed. “Just eat. You’ll need it.”

She turned to leave, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “Why am I here?”

She hesitated at the door.

“I don’t belong here,” I pressed. “I’m not his mate. I’m not part of his pack. So why did he buy me?”

Mara met my gaze, something unreadable flashing in her eyes. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “But whatever the reason, it’s not what you think.”

Then she slipped out the door, leaving me with nothing but more questions.

I stared at the untouched food on the tray, my stomach twisting.

Not what I think?

Then what the hell was it?

I didn’t sleep that night.

I lay awake, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing with every possible explanation for why Damien had chosen me.

It didn’t make sense.

He had outbid every other Alpha at that auction, had taken me under his protection, but for what? What did he stand to gain?

I didn’t believe in kindness without motive. Not anymore.

Morning light filtered through the window, casting golden streaks across the floor. I was still in the same clothes from the day before, my body stiff from a restless night.

A loud knock startled me, and before I could respond, the door swung open.

Damien.

He stood there, arms crossed over his broad chest, his dark eyes scanning me with an unreadable expression.

“Get up,” he ordered.

I frowned. “Why?”

“You wanted freedom, didn’t you?”

My heart jumped. “You’re letting me go?”

His lips curved, but it wasn’t a smile. “No. But you’re not going to sit here and waste away either.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And what exactly does that mean?”

“It means you’re coming with me.”

I hesitated, my mind running through the possibilities. This could be an opportunity—a chance to find a weakness in his security, to find a way out.

Or it could be another trap.

Either way, I wasn’t about to stay locked in this room any longer.

I pushed off the bed and met his gaze head-on. “Fine,” I said. “But don’t think for a second that this means I trust you.”

Damien’s eyes darkened, and for a moment, he looked almost amused.

“Good,” he murmured. “Because trust is something that has to be earned.”

With that, he turned and strode out of the room, leaving me no choice but to follow.

But as I stepped into the hallway, my heart pounded with a different kind of unease.

Because despite every warning screaming at me to run, a small, dangerous part of me wondered if maybe, just maybe—I didn’t have to.

To be continued…