Blood roared in my ears like a bomb going off.

Dominic Voss?

The name kept echoing in my skull as my whole body shook. That Alpha - the one everyone whispered about in hushed, horrified voices. The one who stripped women down and used them until there was nothing left. He didn't care if they lived or died. Any female who got close to him was broken, piece by piece, until she shattered completely.

They said women who went near him either went mad... or ended up dead. Some threw themselves from his tower. And now my own father wanted to hand me over to him.

"No! You don't have the right!" My voice came out raw and shrill. "You've never once acted like a father - don't you dare call me your daughter now!"

"If I could, I'd never claim you as my blood." He stepped closer, his Alpha aura crashing down like a physical weight, crushing my chest. "But you owe me. And you will repay it."

"You should feel honored," he said coldly. "It's my name that gives a worthless omega like you the chance to carry the heir of the strongest pack's Alpha."

"Honored?" The word barely made it out of my mouth. "Then you should hand that prize to Lily. The daughter you actually care about."

"Enough of your nonsense, Lena! I'm not like you - I'm not some pathetic Omega who just got dumped. Know your place. Nobody wants you."

She leaned in close, dropping her voice to a whisper. "At least it's better than what happened to your mom. She was so weak she offed herself. Maybe toughen up a little."

Nobody talked about my mother like that. She didn't kill herself - she was tortured to death by the pain of a broken bond. And Lily said it like it was nothing.

I didn't think. My arm flew up and I slapped her hard across the face.

"You bitch!" Lily shrieked and lunged at me, grabbing my hair. I sank my teeth into her arm. She screamed. I shoved her to the floor and pinned her down.

"Enough!" My father grabbed me off her, claws digging into my shoulders. "You still carry this pack's mark. You don't get to defy your Alpha."

He was right. For two years I'd refused to sever the bond - some pathetic part of me still hoping he'd wake up and see what he'd done to me. But the rules were clear: as long as I kept the old bond, no other pack would fully accept me. I'd be trapped under his control forever.

Unless a marriage broke the chains. Even if that marriage was hell, it couldn't be worse than this.

My phone buzzed. Luke. One line: Lena, come back. I cleaned up. I bet your parents don't want you anyway.

Asshole. I blocked him without blinking.

"Don't look at us like that." Celia scoffed. "We raised you-is this how you repay us?"

Raised me? What a joke. I'd been doing half the housework since I was six. In high school, I worked nights at a diner. They never gave me a cent.

"I'm not going," I said.

"Looks like you need to be taught a lesson." My father's voice was cold as iron. He held out his hand. Lia, moving like she'd done it a thousand times before, placed the whip into it.

I had lived in the pack's rented house for two years. Two whole years, without ever being touched by a whip again.

But the moment I saw that whip-still stained with my old blood-my whole body started to shake.

"No... Dad, you can't do this..." I whispered, trembling.

I wanted to fight back. I couldn't. The memory of that whip cracking across my skinny body, of skin splitting open, wrapped around me like a nightmare.

"Is saying yes really that hard?" my father said coldly, his voice heavy with Alpha compulsion. Then, without a moment's hesitation, he brought the whip down hard across my back. Fire exploded along my spine and shot through every nerve in my body.

"Now. Tell me your answer." He loomed over me.

I closed my eyes, waiting for the pain to dull just enough. Then I opened them again.

"I'll go."

If this was hell, what difference did another hell make? At least I wouldn't be whipped to death here, tonight.

They needed an Omega who could breed-which meant that, at least until I gave them a child, I was safe. I looked at their twisted faces and wished, with everything in me, that I could cut myself away from them for good.

"But I have one condition."

"What?" My father narrowed his eyes.

"The moment I leave, I owe Blue Ridge nothing. No debt. No ties." My voice came out steadier than I'd expected.

"You ungrateful little-" His face contorted.

"That's my only condition." I didn't blink. I didn't look away.

I knew he would agree.

Blood Moon wanted a living Omega, one who could carry an heir-not a corpse. If he beat me to death right here, or if he sent me over there still branded with his mark-and Blood Moon found out Blue Ridge still had a grip on the mother of their future heir-the deal would collapse on the spot. The gold, the land, the resources he had been promised-every last piece of it, gone.

He could hate me. He could beat me. He could sell me off like livestock. But he could not let the merchandise break before delivery.

And he could not send me into another Alpha's bed while his mark was still on my skin.

His eyes burned crimson, the wolf inside him thrashing, straining to break loose. His chest heaved for a long time before he finally, slowly, forced it back down.

"Fine. Agreed." He ground the words out through his teeth. "I no longer have the right to command you, Lena."

The instant those words left his mouth, something deep in my chest cracked open-not shattered, just loosened. For the first time, his grip on me had eased.

Even though what waited ahead of me was still an abyss.

I dragged my suitcase back to my room. The room was so small it could barely fit a bed, but after everything that had happened today, even this cramped little corner felt safe.

My phone buzzed again. Anna.

"That asshole Luke!" she was already roaring the moment I picked up. "I knew it-useless coward. Lena, don't you dare answer him! He just wants his free maid back to clean up that pigsty of his!"

I leaned against the cold wall. Her anger loosened something in my chest.

"Anna," I cut in softly. "I already blocked him. But... something worse happened. My father arranged a marriage for me."

"What?!" Her voice sounded like she'd just been punched. "That old bastard-he's throwing you into hell?"

"He thinks I embarrassed him," I said with a bitter smile. "Blood Moon pack needs a she-wolf to breed heirs. If I marry in, Blue Ridge gets land, resources, everything. If I get pregnant fast, I'm a gold mine to them."

There was a moment of silence on the other end.

Then Anna let out a sharp, hollow laugh. "This has Celia's fingerprints all over it. If it's such a great match, why isn't she shoving Lily out the door?"

"You've heard of him, haven't you?" I asked. "Dominic Voss?"

"Lena." Anna's voice dropped low. "Have you lost your mind? Do you know what kind of man he used to be? Handsome, powerful-the kind of Alpha that every she-wolf dreamed of marrying. But that was before." She let out a slow breath. "Something happened last year. He's violent now. Brutal. He's not the same man. No woman who goes near him comes back. They either lose their minds or throw themselves off his tower. Everyone calls him the Ogre. Marrying him is a death sentence."

"I know," I said quietly. "But I don't have a choice."

I closed my eyes.

"You know what happens to an Omega who runs alone-grabbed off the road by thugs, sold off, played to death in some ditch. And my father is an Alpha. The moment he lets me walk away, he'll turn around and put a bounty on me, and I'll never be able to set foot in any pack again."

I paused.

"My only way out might be my end. In Blood Moon. In that cruel man."

"Oh no, Lena-" Anna's voice tightened. "I'm coming to get you. Right now. We can-"

"No." I cut her off immediately.

"Anna, I know your father is an Alpha too. You're finally getting out from under them. Don't let me drag you back in."

The line went silent.

I could hear her breathing-furious, hurting, aching for me. But she couldn't argue with that. Not that.

"And," I opened my eyes and turned toward the moonlight outside the window, my voice steadying, "I don't believe I'm going to die. I won't. As long as I live through this, I get real freedom. Enough money, enough distance, that I'll never have to take orders from anyone again for the rest of my life."

Anna was quiet for a long time.

"I don't doubt you can do it, Lena. The Moon Goddess wouldn't turn her back on someone as good as you."

"I'll always be here," she said finally. "If you can reach me, I'll come. No matter where you are."

I promised her I would, and hung up.

Outside, thick snow had swallowed the whole world, drowning everything in white. Another wave of pain twisted through my chest-would I still be alive tomorrow? In weather like this, if something happened to me, the snow would bury me fast. No one would ever find me.

In the end, I fell asleep.

The next morning, I went downstairs. My father, my stepmother, and Lily were already dressed, sitting in the living room, waiting for me.

I didn't look at any of them.

I walked straight out the door, and got into the black car with the Blood Moon crest stamped on its side.

The car door slammed shut with a dull thud, the kind of sound that made it feel like I'd just been locked in a cage. The vehicle rolled off the battered driveway in front of the Foster house, crunching over patches of leftover snow before merging onto the main road.

I didn't look back. There was nothing worth looking at. My father, Celia, and Lily stood on the porch in neat clothes, not as family sending someone off, but like overseers making sure the trash got taken away.

The driver, a wolf warrior with a face carved out of stone, glanced at me once in the rearview mirror. His eyes were empty, like he was sizing up prey.

"About three hours," he said flatly. Then nothing.

The heater blasted warm air, but it couldn't thaw the cold seeping into my bones. Was I going to die?

Dominic Voss. His name sat on my tongue like a shard of ice. There were too many stories about him-so many that the line between exaggeration and bloody truth had long blurred. But every rumor ended the same way: any woman who got too close to him never met a good ending.

Driven mad. Dead. Gone.

The Bloodmoon Pack paid a fortune to the families that sent them potential mates-payment and hush money all in one. That's how I ended up sold off.

Ridiculous. When Luke betrayed me, I thought I'd already hit rock bottom. Turns out there's an entire hell underneath the floor.

The Appalachian Mountains rose against the winter-dim sky in deep blue silhouettes, quiet and ancient, like they'd been watching from the beginning of time.

They faded behind us, and the view grew unfamiliar. We were leaving the pack I grew up in and heading straight into another-one I knew nothing about.

My mother's last words floated up in my mind. "Never give up on staying alive."

"I won't," I whispered silently.

The car suddenly slowed and stopped in front of two enormous iron gates.

They were pitch black, carved with a bleeding crescent moon-the symbol of the Bloodmoon Pack. As the doors opened and the car rolled inside, even the air felt different.

I straightened instinctively and pressed closer to the window. And then I understood-understood why my father had sold me off so easily, why he'd acted like this whole deal was some kind of honor.

It was massive. Overwhelming.

The estate stretched out with meticulously kept grounds, ancient and imposing, fused with cold modern glass structures. Huge fire basins burned even in daylight, flames flickering over the invisible weight of authority hanging in the air. Compared to this place, the Blueridge Pack's scattered wooden cabins and a few dozen acres of woodland looked like a rundown slum.

The car stopped. I pushed the door open. A blast of icy air rushed in, sharp with the smell of snow and stone. My legs, cramped from the long ride and tight with nerves, nearly gave out. I stumbled, knees buckling for a second.

Panicking, I grabbed the metal door frame, my fingers digging into the seam until I managed to steady myself. My heart pounded so loud it felt like it filled my chest-whether from the sheer enormity of the place or from what waited for me next, I couldn't tell.

No one said a word. Even the driver didn't bother to get out of the car, like his entire job was just to dump me at the doorstep and vanish.

A servant in a dark uniform appeared out of nowhere. His face blank, he gave me a tiny nod before turning around to lead the way.

I swallowed hard, my throat so dry it almost burned. Dragging along my tiny suitcase-my whole life stuffed into something that suddenly felt embarrassingly flimsy-I followed him.

We crossed a courtyard so huge it made me dizzy, then stepped into the main building's hall. The cold-toned marble floor reflected a shaky outline of me, like a ghost that didn't quite belong here. Inside was warm, luxurious, every decoration expensive enough to make me flinch, yet somehow the whole place felt colder than the December wind outside.

Then I saw them. At the far end of the hall, in two high-backed chairs that looked like thrones, sat Dominic Voss's parents.

Theodore Voss, the old Alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack. Even sitting down, he radiated strength and authority. His face was all sharp angles, his eyes the kind that could slice through any lie.

Beside him sat his mate, Celeste Voss. Graceful, stunning, untouched by time. The moment I stepped inside, her gaze fell on me-not like she was checking merchandise, but like she genuinely worried I might break.

"Lena Foster." Theodore spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it froze the whole room. "Welcome to the Bloodmoon Pack."

Celeste lifted a hand slightly. Her voice wrapped around the tension like soft velvet. "Come here, child. It's alright. You don't have to be afraid."

Something in me loosened at her tone. Forcing my legs-heavy as if filled with lead-to move, I walked toward them.

I straightened my back, lifted my chin, pretending I wasn't a terrified rabbit waiting for the axe to fall. My nails dug into my palms, just enough pain to keep me steady.

"We know the basics of your situation," Theodore said, skipping any attempt at small talk. "And I trust you already understand the agreement we made with your father. We only have one core requirement of you."

He paused, making sure every word hit dead center.

"You must bear Dominic's child within a year."

My breath caught. I'd known this was coming, but hearing it out loud made my stomach twist painfully.

"As long as you meet this requirement," Theodore went on, calm as if discussing a business deal, "you will be granted full personal freedom. A trust fund will be set up for you-its returns enough to keep you far from your past, living comfortably, even well. No man, and no pack, will ever control you again."

Freedom. Money. Words that used to feel impossibly far away were suddenly dangled in front of me like some casual reward.

Theodore leaned forward, his icy stare locking onto me, voice dropping just slightly, making it even harder to refuse.

"Assuming," he said, "you can survive Dominic."

Survive.

There it was. Not rumor. Not whispers. A blunt, cold truth laid out by the Bloodmoon Alpha himself.

I nodded, the motion stiff and awkward. Honestly, what else could I even do? Protest? Break down crying? That would only make me look even more pathetic, just another Omega they thought they could push around however they wanted.

Luke had betrayed me in the filthiest way possible. My own family had tossed me aside without a second thought. I was like someone drowning, and the Bloodmoon Pack was throwing me a rope covered in thorns. Grabbing it would tear my hands open.

But I had nowhere else to go. I had to take it. Because I refused-absolutely refused-to believe my life was supposed to just end in this kind of misery.

Celeste studied my face quietly, taking in every little shift in my expression. Then she pulled out a sleek black bank card, its edges traced with faint silver lines. "Get yourself what you need. Clothes, toiletries... anything that might make staying here a bit less awful."

Her gaze drifted over my worn-out jacket and the tiny suitcase I clutched. There was no disdain in her eyes-just understanding, like she instantly grasped how tight my situation was.

And she wasn't wrong. I knew I looked shabby. I'd saved every cent I made over the past two years, planning a future with Luke, pinching pennies so hard I practically hurt myself. Looking back, all that careful saving feels like some cosmic joke.

Celeste suddenly leaned closer. Her eyes were sharp, almost all-seeing, but her voice was soft as she murmured, "I believe you might be the one who can quiet the beast inside him."

I stared at her, stunned. That kind of genuine kindness-I hadn't felt it from anyone except Anna.

Her words eased a bit of the fear squeezing my chest. I gave a polite nod and waited for whatever came next.

"Now," Theodore said, rising to his feet. The air seemed to press down on me the second he stood. "It's time for you to meet Dominic."

The same servant appeared again and gestured for me to follow. I turned and walked after him, out of the hall and toward the tall tower at the heart of the estate. My heartbeat picked up, my palms going damp. Every step brought me closer to the man people whispered about like he was some nightmare made real.

This was Dominic Voss's tower. Countless women had jumped from it. And I-well, I might end up being one of them.

The servant stopped at a towering wooden door. He glanced at me once, expression blank, then walked away and left me standing there alone.

I stared at the door. Behind it was Dominic Voss. The monster in all the stories.

Maybe she was right. Maybe I could do this. Maybe I wouldn't die.

Maybe.

I drew in a breath and pushed the door open.