Chapter 2 - The Cage
1435 Words
The dress didn’t fit.
Luna tugged at the white silk, but it clung to her stomach in a way that made her want to throw up. Not because of the baby. Because of what the dress meant.
“Stand still.”
The stylist poked her with pins. Three other women circled her like vultures, fixing her hair, her makeup, her jewelry.
“You’re lucky,” one of them whispered. “Marrying the Alpha. You’ll never work another day in your life.”
Luna didn’t answer. Her mouth tasted like copper.
Downstairs, a black car was waiting. Damian’s driver. No Damian.
Of course not.
The church was full of werewolves. She could smell them the second she stepped out of the car. Wolf. Leather. Power.
And hate.
Every female in the room was staring at her. At her flat stomach. At the cheap diamond on her finger that Damian had shoved on her hand 10 minutes ago in his office.
“Sign here.” That was all he’d said.
Victoria Hayes was in the front row. Red dress. Red lips. Red eyes looking at Luna like she wanted to rip her throat out.
Damian’s ex-fiancée. Pureblood. Perfect.
Luna was none of those things.
The vows were short. There was no love. No god. Just a contract and a judge who looked bored.
“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Damian didn’t kiss her. He just took her hand and walked her out. His grip was bruising.
---
Blackwood Mansion was a prison with marble floors.
It had 20 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, and not a single place Luna felt safe.
“This is your room,” Damian said, pushing open a door. “Stay here. Don’t leave the property. Don’t talk to the press. Don’t embarrass me.”
He dropped her one suitcase on the floor. The one she’d packed in 20 minutes while crying in her old apartment.
“And the money for my mom?” Luna asked, voice small.
“It’ll be in the hospital account by tonight.” He turned to leave. “Don’t get attached, Carter. This is business.”
The door closed.
Luna sank to the floor and pressed her forehead against her knees.
Business.
Right.
Her phone buzzed. Unknown number.
**Unknown: You don’t belong here human. The Alpha is mine. If you care about your baby, you’ll run.**
Luna deleted the text. Her hands were shaking.
She was alone.
---
Dinner was at 8pm. Sharp.
Luna sat at one end of a table that could seat 30 people. Damian sat at the other. Between them, enough space to fit her entire old apartment.
The staff served them in silence.
“You’re eating for two,” Damian said finally, not looking up from his steak. “Eat.”
“I’m not hungry.”
He looked up then. Gray eyes sharp. “I didn’t ask if you were hungry. I said eat.”
Luna picked up her fork. Her stomach churned.
“How’s your mother?”
The question caught her off guard. “Stable. Surgery is next week. Thanks to you.”
Damian nodded once. “Good.”
Silence again.
Luna couldn’t take it. “Why are you doing this? You hate me.”
“I don’t hate you.”
“You said I was a mistake.”
“You were.” He put his fork down. “But you’re carrying my heir. That makes you important.”
Important. Not loved. Not wanted. Important.
Luna stood up so fast her chair scraped. “I’m done.”
She made it to the stairs before his voice stopped her.
“Luna.”
She froze. He’d never used her first name before.
“Come to my office. 10pm. We need to discuss the pack announcement.”
Then he was gone.
---
10pm.
His office smelled like him. Whiskey and cedar and something dangerous.
Damian was on the phone when she walked in. Shirt sleeves rolled up. Hair messy. He looked younger like this. Less like a monster.
He hung up when he saw her.
“Sit.”
Luna sat.
“The pack needs to know about the marriage,” he said. “Tomorrow there will be an announcement. You will stand beside me. You will smile. You will look like you belong.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then Victoria wins.” His jaw clenched. “She’s been spreading rumors. That you trapped me. That the baby isn’t mine.”
Luna’s chest hurt. “It is yours.”
“I know.” The words were quiet. Too quiet. “I can smell it.”
Heat crept up Luna’s neck. Alphas could do that. Smell their own blood.
Damian stood and walked around the desk. He stopped in front of her. Close. Too close.
“Listen to me carefully, Luna.” His voice dropped. “For the next 9 months, you’re mine. My name. My protection. My bed if I want it.”
Luna’s breath caught. “What?”
“Don’t play stupid.” He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered. “We both know what happened that night wasn’t just business. You felt it too.”
She wanted to slap him. Wanted to kiss him. Wanted to run.
“I hate you,” she whispered.
“I know.” His thumb brushed her cheek. “But you’ll stay anyway. Because of the baby. Because of your mom. Because deep down, you want to.”
He was right and she hated him for it.
Luna stood up, knocking his hand away. “I’m going to bed.”
She made it to the door before he spoke again.
“Luna.”
“What?”
“Thank you. For the baby.”
She didn’t turn around. If she did, she might cry.
---
Luna didn’t sleep that night.
At 3am, her phone buzzed again.
**Unknown: We know where your mother is. Room 302. City General. It would be a shame if something happened to her.**
Luna shot out of bed.
She ran down the hall in her pajamas, barefoot, and pounded on Damian’s door.
He opened it in 3 seconds. Shirtless. Eyes wild. Like he’d been awake too.
“What?”
“They threatened my mom,” Luna gasped, shoving the phone at him. “Room 302. City General.”
Damian read the text. His face went completely blank. The kind of blank that was more terrifying than anger.
“Get dressed,” he said. “Now.”
30 minutes later they were in his car, speeding through the city. 4 black SUVs behind them. His pack.
Luna clutched her stomach. “What if they—”
“They won’t touch her.” Damian’s voice was steel. “Because if they do, I will burn this entire city down to find them.”
He reached over and took her hand. His was warm. Steady.
For the first time since this started, Luna didn’t feel alone.
They pulled up to the hospital. Guards everywhere.
Damian got out first. “Stay behind me.”
Room 302.
Her mom was asleep. Safe. An extra guard at the door.
Luna broke down. Right there in the hallway. Silent sobs she’d been holding in for months.
Damian didn’t say anything. He just pulled her into his chest and let her cry.
His arms were strong. And for 5 minutes, she let herself pretend this was real.
That he cared.
That this was home.
When she pulled back, his eyes were dark. “No one touches what’s mine, Luna. Not your mom. Not you. Not the baby.”
Mine.
The word echoed.
Luna nodded and wiped her face. “Thank you.”
Damian’s phone buzzed. He looked at it and cursed.
“What?”
“Victoria.” He showed her the screen. A photo. Her. Crying in his arms in the hospital hallway.
Caption: *The Alpha’s new w***e. 2 months pregnant. Disgrace to our pack.*
It was already on every werewolf news site.
Damian’s jaw ticked. “Looks like the war started early.”
He looked at Luna. Really looked at her. Messy hair. No makeup. Terrified.
And something in his expression shifted.
“Come on,” he said, taking her hand again. “We’re going home. And tomorrow, we fight back.”
Luna followed him.
She had no idea that tomorrow, she’d have to stand in front of 200 wolves and claim the man who’d ruined her.
And she had no idea that Damian Blackwood was already starting to regret that this was just a contract.
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