Fangs and fates

Chapter3

The car was sleek, black, and menacing, just like the man who had commanded I be brought with him. I struggled as the two men led me to it, but their grips were like iron, unyielding and impossibly strong.

"Let me go!" I shouted, my voice breaking, but they ignored me.

Ethan opened the car door himself and gestured for me to get in. His piercing blue eyes bore into mine, calm yet unrelenting.

“I’m not going anywhere with you!” I snapped, planting my feet firmly on the ground.

He sighed, a trace of impatience flickering across his face. "You’re only making this harder on yourself, Mia. Get in the car."

"No!"

His jaw tightened, but instead of arguing, he stepped closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over me. "I don’t want to force you, but I will if I have to."

The quiet authority in his voice made my stomach churn. I knew he meant it.

Defeated, I climbed into the back seat, the two men flanking me like guards. Ethan slid into the seat beside me, closing the door with a firm click.

The car started smoothly, the engine a low hum as we drove away from the only home I’d ever known. My heart sank as the gates of the haven disappeared into the distance.

For a while, silence filled the car, broken only by the sound of the tires on the road. I stared out the window, watching the unfamiliar scenery rush past. Trees, open fields, and a sky that seemed too wide—it was all overwhelming.

I had never been outside the haven before.

“Where are you taking me?” I demanded, turning to face Ethan.

“To my home,” he replied simply, not looking at me.

“That’s not an answer!” I snapped. “What gives you the right to just—just take me like this?!”

He turned to me then, his eyes softening slightly. "I’ll explain everything when we get there."

"That’s not good enough!" I shouted, anger bubbling to the surface. "You barge into my home, disrupt my life, and now you won’t even tell me why?!"

He didn’t respond. His calmness only infuriated me more.

"Answer me!"

“I already did,” he said evenly. “You’re my mate.”

I scoffed, crossing my arms. “I don’t believe you.”

He tilted his head slightly, as if amused. “You will.”

****

It felt like hours before the car slowed and turned onto a long, winding driveway. My jaw dropped as the mansion came into view.

The house—or rather, the palace—stood at the center of a vast estate. The building was enormous, its stone walls glinting silver in the moonlight. It had high, arched windows that shimmered like jewels, and ivy crept along the walls, giving it an old yet majestic feel.

Wide stone steps led up to massive double doors, and beyond the house, sprawling gardens stretched out in every direction. There was a fountain in the courtyard, its cascading water sparkling like liquid diamonds.

I had never seen anything like it.

The car stopped, and one of the men opened my door. I climbed out hesitantly, my eyes fixed on the mansion.

“Welcome to Silvermoon Manor,” Ethan said, stepping beside me as i struggled to hide my appreciation of the building that stood in front of me. His voice was smooth, and I hated how calm he sounded, as if all of this was normal.

I turned to him, narrowing my eyes. “You’re insane if you think I’m staying here.”

He smirked. “You’ll come around.”

The f**k!! Before I could respond, he gestured for the men to follow, leading the way up the steps. I had no choice but to follow, my heart racing with every step.

Inside, the mansion was even more overwhelming. The entryway was grand, with marble floors that gleamed under the warm light of an enormous chandelier. A staircase curved gracefully to the upper levels, and the air smelled faintly of pine and something else—something rich and intoxicating.

I stopped in the middle of the hall, spinning to take it all in. It felt surreal, like stepping into a dream—or a nightmare.

“Why am I here?” I demanded again, my voice echoing in the vast space.

Ethan turned to face me, his hands clasped behind his back. “I told you, Mia. You’re my mate.”

“And I told you, I don’t believe you!”

He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “I’m Ethan West, Alpha of the Silvermoon Pack. You’re here because you belong with me.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Belong with you? I don’t even know you!”

“You will,” he said, his tone maddeningly calm.

"Stop saying that!" I shouted, my voice cracking. “I don’t care who you are or what pack you’re from. I’m not your mate, and I don’t want to be here!”

He stepped closer, and I instinctively backed away, my heart pounding.

“I understand that this is overwhelming,” he said, his voice softer now. “But I promise, everything will make sense soon.”

“No,” I snapped. “You don’t get to decide my life for me. Take me back!”

His expression darkened slightly, but he kept his voice steady. “That’s not going to happen.”

Fury bubbled inside me. “You’re a coward,” I spat. “You won’t even tell me why you think I’m your mate because you know it’s not true!”

His eyes flashed, and for the first time, I saw something dangerous in them. “You think I don’t know my own mate?”

I took a step back, swallowing hard.

“I don’t need to convince you,” he said, his voice low. “You’ll feel it soon enough.”

Before I could respond, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, shaking with anger and fear.

That night, I was shown to a room—large and luxurious, but it felt like a gilded cage.

I paced back and forth, my mind racing. I had to find a way out. But how? This wasn’t the haven. This place was unfamiliar, and I didn’t know who I could trust.

Ethan’s words echoed in my mind, taunting me. You’ll feel it soon enough.

I clenched my fists. No matter what he thought, I wouldn’t let him decide my fate. One way or another, I would find a way to escape.

****

I sat in the corner of the room they’d shoved me into. Lavish, over-the-top, and suffocating. I hadn’t eaten since they dragged me to this cursed manor, refusing to give in no matter how my stomach growled. I’d rather starve than let them think they’d won.

A knock at the door startled me out of my thoughts. I straightened, preparing to yell for them to leave, but before I could get the words out, the door creaked open.

A young woman entered, balancing a tray piled high with steaming soup, fresh bread, and enough sides to feed a small army. Her hands trembled as she stepped closer, her wide eyes darting between me and the tray like she expected me to explode.

“I thought you might be hungry,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I’m not,” I snapped, crossing my arms tightly over my chest.

She hesitated, stopping a few steps away. “You’ve been here for a day,” she murmured. “You need to eat something.”

I pushed myself to my feet, glaring at her with all the fury I could muster. “I said I’m not hungry. Take it back.”

She faltered, her grip tightening on the tray. “Alpha Ethan will be upset if—”

“I don’t f*****g care!” My voice cracked as I shouted, the sound startling even me. “I don’t! Dammit! Let him be upset!” My fists clenched as the anger spilled out. “I’m not his prisoner, and I’m not eating his damn food!”

The woman flinched, her face pale as she quickly set the tray on a nearby table. “I’ll let him know,” she muttered, retreating toward the door.

“Yeah, you do that!” I yelled after her, my chest heaving. The door clicked shut, leaving me alone with the mocking scent of the untouched food.

Not even five minutes passed before the door flew open, slamming against the wall with a force that made me jump. Ethan stormed in, his presence suffocating as he filled the room with his towering frame. His piercing blue eyes locked onto me, cold and unyielding.

“This is what we’re doing now?” he asked, his voice deceptively calm.

“What?” I shot back, refusing to cower.

“You’re refusing food. Making a scene.” He took a step closer, and the room seemed to shrink around me.

“Maybe I am,” I spat, lifting my chin. “What are you going to do about it? Force me to eat, too?”

His lips curled into a humorless smile. “Don’t tempt me, Mia.”

I laughed bitterly. “Is that your solution to everything? Bully and threaten people until they bend to your will?”

His smile disappeared, replaced by something far more dangerous. “Enough.”

“No,” I hissed, my voice rising. “You’ve said enough!” I pointed an accusing finger at him. “You kidn*pped me, locked me in this... mansion, and now you expect me to just go along with it? Eat your food? Play your little game?”

“You’ll eat because you need to,” he said, his voice hard as steel. “I’m trying to make this easy for you, but you seem determined to make it hard.”

“Hard?” I barked out a sharp, humorless laugh. “You don’t even know what that word means.”

Ethan stepped closer, towering over me now. His presence was a storm threatening to break. “Let me make one thing very clear, Mia. This isn’t a negotiation. Either you cooperate, or you’ll stay in this room until you decide to behave.”

I glared up at him, my heart pounding but my defiance unshaken. “You think I care about your threats?”

He leaned in, his voice a low, dangerous whisper that sent a chill down my spine. “You should. Because I’ve been patient, but that patience has limits.”

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to hold his gaze. “Do your worst,” I challenged, even as my pulse raced.

For a long moment, the room was silent, the tension thick enough to suffocate. Then, Ethan straightened, his face unreadable.

“Fine,” he said coolly, his tone detached. “You want to play the stubborn prisoner? Have it your way.”

He turned and walked to the door, his movements measured, calculated. As he reached it, he glanced over his shoulder, his expression unreadable but his words razor-sharp.

“You’ll come around, Mia,” he said, his voice calm but filled with quiet menace. “I’ll make sure of it.”

The door slammed shut behind him, the sound reverberating through the room like the final blow in a losing fight.

I collapsed onto the bed, my body trembling with anger, frustration, and a trace of fear I refused to acknowledge.

But I didn’t cry. I wouldn’t cry.

If Ethan West thought he could break me, he was about to learn how wrong he was.