Bella's POV.

I stood there frozen, staring up at the tall masked stranger. My cheeks burned even hotter when I realized my phone was still in my hand.

The video kept playing on the screen, making the masked guy look down to the phone. He tilted his head slightly, studying the video with a cold, sharp look. His jaw tightened under the black mask.

That was enough. Shame flooded through me like ice water. I quickly shut off the screen and shoved the phone deep into my pocket. My hands shook so badly I almost dropped it.

“I-I’m sorry,” I mumbled, not waiting for him to say anything else. I turned and ran.

“Bella! Wait!” Riley called after me, her voice full of worry. I ignored her completely. I didn’t want her pity or her explanations.

I just needed to get away from everyone.

My feet pounded against the hallway floor as I pushed through the laughing students and burst out the school doors.

Tears blurred my vision the whole way home. I didn’t stop running until I reached our front door. I slammed it shut behind me so hard the walls shook.

“Bella? Is that you?” Mom’s voice came from the kitchen. “Why are you back so early? What’s wrong, honey? Are you crying?”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My throat felt too tight. I ran straight up the stairs, ignoring her footsteps coming after me.

Once inside my room, I slammed that door too and locked it. Then I threw myself onto my bed and buried my face in the pillow. Sobs shook my whole body.

Why did I let myself believe him? I lay there thinking about how my relationship with Elias started.

It was last year during a hockey game. I had gone to watch with Riley. Elias scored the winning goal and after the game, he came straight to the stands and smiled at me.

At first, he was so sweet. He texted me every night. Told me my curves were sexy. Kissed my forehead and said he loved how soft I felt when we hugged.

But now I saw it clearly. He was only really nice when we were alone. Around his friends, he would tease me a little or act distant.

I thought it was just guy stuff. I didn’t want to see the truth because deep down I never believed anyone like him could love someone like me.

I sat up and hugged my knees to my chest. “Stupid,” I whispered. “You’re so stupid, Bella.” Fresh tears rolled down my face.

*****

The hours passed slowly. I stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling as the light outside faded into dusk. My eyes were puffy and red. I didn’t want to move. I didn’t want to do anything.

A soft knock came at my door. “Bella, it’s time to get ready for the mating ceremony,” Mom said gently from the other side.

“I’m not going,” I called back, my voice hoarse.

She tried the handle, but it was locked. After a moment, I heard a click. She must have used the spare key.

The door opened slowly and Mom stepped inside. She looked at me with sad but strong eyes.

“Whatever happened at school today, it doesn't stop you from finding your mate,” she said firmly.

She walked over and sat on the edge of my bed. “You’re twenty now, Bella. If you don’t find him tonight, the pack will force you into an arranged marriage. This could be the best thing that ever happens to you. Your true mate will see you. The real you. He won’t care about what other people say.”

I stayed quiet, but her words sank in. She reached out and brushed my hair away from my wet face. “You deserve real love, baby. Don’t let a scum take that chance from you.”

She leaned forward and kissed my forehead softly, then she stood up and left the room without another word, closing the door behind her.

I sat there for a long time, thinking. Elias had betrayed my trust in the worst way. If by some cruel twist he turned out to be my mate tonight, I would reject him right there in front of everyone. I wouldn’t let him hurt me again.

With a deep breath, I forced myself up. I washed my face with cold water, trying to make the redness go away.

Then I picked out a simple dark green dress that hugged my curves but still felt comfortable. I brushed my hair until it shone and put on a little lip gloss. Not for anyone else.

I walked to the Northwood Pack House as the moon started to rise. The big hall was already full of pack members.

Everyone buzzed with excitement, hoping to find their mates tonight. I could only find a spot near the back, squeezed between two older wolves. My feet hurt in my shoes, but I stayed standing.

Some students from school walked past and saw me. They covered their mouths and laughed quietly, whispering about the video, but I pushed the hurt aside and stared straight ahead.

My arms crossed over my chest as I tried to forget everything that happened today. The betrayal. The laughter. The pain. I just wanted this night to be over.

Then I turned my head a little and saw him. Elias stood near the front, already surrounded by a group of girls.

They giggled and touched his arm, clearly hoping they would be chosen as his mate. He smiled at them, entertaining every word, laughing like he hadn’t destroyed my heart just hours ago.

I scoffed under my breath. Pain twisted in my chest again, but I forced myself to look away.

The big hall inside the Northwood Pack House grew quiet as the ceremony officially started. Lights dimmed a little, and everyone turned toward the raised stage at the front.

My heart felt heavy, but I sat up straighter, trying to pay attention. A tall elder stepped forward and cleared his throat.

“Tonight, we welcome our new Alpha heir,” he announced in a loud, proud voice. “Dominic West.”

The name sent whispers through the crowd. Dominic West. I had heard the rumors for months. He was ruthless and cold, a monster who destroyed anyone who crossed him.

People said he was so ugly that he always hid his face behind a mask. That was why no one really knew what he looked like.

“Mask?” I thought as my mind drifted back to earlier that day at school. The tall, muscular stranger I had crashed into while running away in tears.

The black mask covering the top of his face. The cold but strangely seductive voice. Could it be the same person? I shook my head slightly. No way. It had to be a coincidence.

Just then, a tall figure walked onto the stage with strong, confident steps. My breath caught. It was him. The exact same black mask.

The same powerful build and straight posture.

Dominic West stood there like he owned the entire room. The crowd leaned forward, buzzing with curiosity.

The elder spoke again. “Alpha heir, please remove your mask so your pack can see you.”

Dominic reached up slowly with one big hand and pulled the mask off. Gasps filled the hall. I couldn’t hold back my own surprise.

He was not ugly at all. Far from it. His face was strikingly handsome, sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and full lips that looked soft but serious.

His eyes were a deep, piercing gray that seemed to see everything. Dark hair fell slightly messy over his forehead, and there was a small, almost cute dimple on his left cheek when his lips twitched.

He looked dangerous but beautiful. Even I felt a tiny spark of delight at how cute that dimple made him seem. The girls around me started whispering excitedly.

“He’s so hot,” someone near me breathed.

But I pushed the thought away. He was just another golden boy. Another powerful guy who would probably hurt people like me.

The mating moon rose high outside. The elder raised his hands. “Let the bond search begin. Find your true mates.”

All around me, wolves started stirring. Happy cries and tight hugs broke out as people found each other.

I closed my eyes and reached inside for my wolf, Xia. “Please,” I muttered.

“Work with me tonight.” But she stayed quiet, just like in every other ceremony before. Nothing happened.

My chest tightened with worry. I was already twenty. If I didn’t find my mate soon, the pack would choose someone for me.

I stood up, ready to leave and go hide somewhere. But suddenly, Xia stirred deep inside me. Her voice rang clear and excited in my head.

“Mate!!!”

My heart jumped. I turned quickly, looking around. “Where?” I whispered.

“Mate!!” I heard it again.

I quickly followed the pull, pushing through the thick crowd. Shoulders bumped against mine.

I squeezed between people, saying quiet “excuse me” as I went.

Hope bubbled up in my chest for the first time since the video nightmare. Maybe things could get better.

But as I got closer to the front, Xia went completely quiet again. I tried calling her. “Xia? Xia, where did you go? Talk to me.” but I got no response. I couldn't be sure of who my mate was without my Wolf.

The pull faded, leaving me confused and lost in the middle of the crowd.

Just as I was still trying to avoid being stranded, the people in front of me slowly parted, like they sensed something important. I lifted my head almost immediately.

And that was when my eyes met his; Dominic’s intense gray eyes. He stood about ten feet away, staring right at me.

My heart raced so fast it hurt. “Was he my mate?” The question filled my mind.

He took the first step toward me. His long legs moved with purpose. My breath caught. He kept coming closer, eyes locked on mine.

I could see the strong lines of his shoulders and the way his fists clenched at his sides. My own feet moved before I could think.

I stepped forward too, wanting to reach out, to touch him, to accept the bond and finally feel wanted.

But then his eyes slowly drifted away from me. He didn’t stop. He walked right past me, so close that his arm brushed mine for a split second.

The touch sent sparks through my skin, but he kept going like I was nothing. My world crashed down for the second time that day.

He wasn't my mate.

The hope I had just felt shattered into pieces. Pain filled my chest, sharp and deep. I stood there frozen, tears burning in my eyes again.

People who had noticed what happened started giggling under their hands.

I heard soft laughs and whispers. “She really thought the Alpha heir would be her mate?”

The humiliation burned hot on my cheeks. I wanted the floor to open and swallow me whole. I should have just stayed at home.

Soon, Dominic halted a few steps behind me. His voice came out in a deep, powerful growl that echoed through the hall.

“My Mate isn’t present!”

Bella's POV.

(One week later)

“Alpha Dominic” I whispered softly, my body aching for his touch.

He leaned down and kissed my neck gently, then moved lower to my collarbone. His lips were warm and careful, like he wanted to remember every inch of me.

“So soft,” he whispered against my skin. His voice sounded deep and rough, sending shivers straight through me.

His hands moved to the bottom of my shirt. He didn’t rush. Instead, he slowly pulled it up, inch by inch, his gray eyes behind the mask watching closely.

I felt shy but excited as the fabric slid over my belly. He paused and ran his fingers over my curves, tracing the roundness of my stomach and hips.

“Look at you, Little Wolf,” he murmured. “Every curve is perfect. Full and beautiful. Made for me.” He kept lifting the shirt until it came off completely.

Cool air touched my breasts, making my nipples tighten. Dominic stared for a long moment, his breathing heavier.

Then he lowered his head and kissed between my breasts, slow and tender, before moving to one side and sucking gently.

I arched my back and let out a soft moan. His hand slid lower, over my waist and down to my thigh. He squeezed softly, like he loved how thick and warm I felt.

His fingers moved between my legs, teasing gently, stroking me through my panties until I was wet and trembling.

“That’s it,” he said quietly. “Let me take care of you.” He slipped one finger inside, then two, moving slow and deep while whispering, “My little wolf… so tight and sweet for me.”

I was lost in the feeling, my body burning with need. He kissed up my body again, taking his time on every soft part, until his face hovered right above mine.

His masked eyes locked on mine. He was about to kiss my lips when my eyes suddenly snapped open.

I sat up fast in my own bed, breathing hard. My heart pounded like crazy.

My boobs felt perky and sensitive from the dream, pushing against my thin nightgown. I looked around my room. Morning light came through the curtains. It was just a dream again.

I covered my face with my hands and groaned. It had been one full week since the humiliating day at school and the mating ceremony.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. In my dreams, he touched me like I was beautiful.

He called me his Little Wolf while his fingers moved inside me, making me feel wanted for the first time. The real Dominic was cold and powerful. Yet my body kept remembering the dream version of him.

I shook my head and tried to pull myself together. “Stop it, Bella,” I whispered. “He’s not for you. Soon you’ll be in an arranged marriage anyway. Just forget him.” The thought made my chest hurt. I hated feeling this weak again.

“Bella!” Mom’s voice called from downstairs. “Breakfast is ready. Come down before it gets cold.”

I sighed, wiped the sweat from my forehead, and got out of bed. When I reached the living room, I stopped. Riley sat at the table with Mom, looking at me with big pleading eyes.

“Please, Bella,” Riley said quickly, standing up. “Come back to school today. I know it’s been awful, but you can’t hide forever. Tryouts are happening, and I don’t want to go alone. I need my best friend.”

I didn’t want to. The idea of facing everyone again made my stomach twist. But Mom gave me that look, and deep down I knew Riley was right.

I had no choice if I wanted to finish the school year. “Fine,” I said quietly. “Give me ten minutes.”

I ran upstairs, washed my face with cold water, and picked out a simple black sweater and jeans that hugged my curves.

I brushed my hair and took a deep breath. “You can do this,” I said to myself.

Riley and I walked to school together. The moment we passed through the gates, the stares came back.

Students whispered and laughed. My cheeks burned, but I kept walking with my head down.

Riley held my hand tight and whispered, “Ignore them.”

Soon it was time for hockey tryouts. We made our way to the ice rink and found seats in the stands.

The players warmed up on the ice, sticks slapping against pucks. My eyes scanned the side of the rink and landed on him.

Dominic West stood there in full hockey gear, arms crossed over his broad chest. Even in gear, he looked powerful and commanding.

His dark hair was messy, and that sharp jawline made my stomach flip.

I couldn’t help swooning a little. In my mind, I saw his hands from the dream trailing over my skin again. Those strong fingers touching my curves, calling me Little Wolf. Heat rushed to my face.

Just then, Dominic turned his head and looked straight at me. Our eyes met for a second, making my heart jump.

I quickly looked away, feeling so awkward and embarrassed. What was I doing? He probably thought I was pathetic.

I couldn’t take the shame anymore. I stood up fast. “I need to go,” I told Riley and hurried out of the stands.

My feet carried me toward the building. I slipped into the boys’ locker room, hoping no one would see me. It was empty and quiet.

I hid near the back, leaning against the cool wall, trying to calm my racing heart.

“Stupid, Bella,” I cursed myself softly. “Why did you stare at him so long? He isn't even your mate.” I closed my eyes and breathed slowly, wishing the ground would swallow me.

Suddenly, the door opened forcefully and slammed shut. The lock clicked loudly. I froze. No one was supposed to be here for at least three more hours.

My body went tense. I couldn’t be caught in the boys’ locker room. That would make everything worse.

I tried to think of a way to sneak out without being seen when a loud crash echoed through the room, followed by painful grunts.

It sounded like someone was hurting badly.

My curiosity won. I walked slowly toward the sound, my shoes quiet on the tile floor. I peeked behind a row of lockers.

To my utmost surprise, Dominic West was on the ground. He clutched his head with both hands, wincing hard. Low growls came from his throat. His face looked twisted in pain with sweat on his forehead.

Without thinking, I rushed over and knelt beside him. “What’s going on? Are you okay?” I asked, my voice full of worry.

He didn’t answer. His breathing stayed rough. I stood up quickly. “I’ll get someone to help…”

His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist tight. “Don’t,” he growled. “Don’t bring anyone.”

I was confused and panicked. “Then what can I do? Tell me how to help you.”

His eyes met mine, dark and dangerous. “Run!” he warned, his voice low and strained.

I didn’t understand. Instead of running, I crouched down again closer to him. I reached out slowly to touch his head, hoping to ease his pain.

In a flash, he grabbed me by the neck and pushed me back hard against the locker behind me. His claws extended as he half-shifted, fur rippling on his arms, eyes glowing.

My eyes widened with fear. He was going to kill me. I needed to run, but his grip held me in place.

He leaned close to my ear, his hot breath brushing my skin. “Too late to run, Little Wolf… you should have left when I warned you to.” He let out a deep, low growl. His fingers tightened around my neck.

Something wild was taking over him. I could feel it in the way his body shook. Panic filled me. “Please,” I begged, my voice small and scared. “Let me go. Please, Dominic.”

He refused, holding me tighter. I started to run out of breath, black spots dancing in my vision.

Then my inner wolf, Xia, surged forward with sudden strength. Immediately, Dominic’s hand loosened on my neck right away.

I gasped and coughed, trying to catch my breath. Before I could say anything, unexpected words escaped his lips in a powerful growl.

“Mate!!!”

I froze and looked up at him, shocked. His hands slammed against the locker on both sides of my head, trapping me.

He leaned in fast. Before I could speak, he snatched my waist with one strong arm, pulling me hard against his heated body.

“What's happening? What are you…”

I was about to speak when he swiftly closed the distance between us and kissed me deeply, possessively.

I struggled to pull away from his hold and when I did, his next words left me reeling.

“You are mine now,” he said roughly as he stared deeply into my eyes.

I went ice cold as it had begun to dawn on me.

He leaned in again and this time, I felt a sharp sting on my neck as his fangs pierced deeply into my skin.

My eyes widened in full realisation…

I belong to Alpha Dominic now.

I was his Claim.

Bella's POV.

I woke up on the cold floor of the boys' locker room, and every part of my body ached. My head felt heavy, and my neck throbbed with a pain I had never felt before.

I reached up slowly and touched the spot where his teeth had sunk into my skin. The mark was raised and warm under my fingers, and the second I remembered how it got there, my whole body went stiff with fear.

I tried to sit up too fast, and the room spun around me. My arms shook, and I felt myself tipping sideways toward the hard tile floor.

Before I could fall, strong hands caught me under the arms and lifted me up like I weighed nothing at all. I blinked hard until my eyes could focus, and there he was. Dominic.

He was already fully dressed again, standing over me with his arms crossed and his gray eyes locked on my face. He looked calm on the outside, but I could see the way his jaw kept clenching, like he was holding something back.

For a long moment, neither of us said a word. I sat there on the bench where he had placed me, and he stood a few feet away, watching me like he was waiting for me to break apart.

When he finally spoke, his voice came out flat and hard, the same voice I remembered from the mating ceremony.

"You're my mate," he said. "I have marked you. There's no need to feel that as a strange thing anymore."

I stared at him. Strange did not even begin to cover what I felt. My heart was still racing, and my neck still burned, and every part of me screamed that something enormous had just happened to my whole life without anyone asking me first.

But underneath his flat tone, I noticed something else. His shoulders were too stiff. His hands were pressed so tightly at his sides that his knuckles had gone pale.

He was not as calm as he wanted me to believe. He wanted me to feel okay, even if he had no idea how to say it the right way.

My fingers drifted back up to the bite mark, and I winced as it itched under my touch. Tears burned behind my eyes, hot and sudden, and I forced them back down before they could fall.

I was not going to cry in front of him again. Not after everything that had already happened to me today.

"Why did you walk away from me at the ceremony?" I asked, my voice shaking more than I wanted it to. "You didn't want me then. Why do you want me now?"

Dominic's jaw tightened even harder, and for a second I thought he would not answer at all. Then he let out a slow breath through his nose.

"I didn't know," he said. "My wolf, I guess he switched to choosing you. I felt different tonight. He doesn't always let me feel the bond right away."

I wrapped my arms around myself and looked down at the floor. None of that made the humiliation from the ceremony disappear. Everyone had seen him walk past me.

Everyone had laughed. And now I was supposed to believe that his wolf had simply changed its mind hours later, like I was something he could decide on twice.

Dominic must have seen the doubt on my face, because he moved closer and knelt down in front of me so we were eye level.

His hand came up under my chin, and he tilted my face up gently, his voice losing some of its hard edge.

"I know what happened with Elias," he said. "I found out what happened with the video. But none of that matters to me now."

My eyes went wide, and for one small second, something warm bloomed in my chest. Someone was telling me the video did not matter. Someone was looking at me like I was not the joke the whole school had decided I was.

But that warmth did not last long. It curled up and died almost as fast as it came, because I had believed someone once before when he told me things that were not true.

I had believed Elias when he said my body was perfect, when he said he wanted to wait for me, when he said I could trust him with anything. Look where that had gotten me.

So I said nothing. I sat there with my lips pressed together, staring past Dominic's shoulder at the row of lockers behind him, and I let the silence stretch out between us.

After a while, Dominic tilted his head, studying me the way someone studies a puzzle they cannot solve.

"Why are you so quiet?" he asked.

I finally looked at him. "Because the last time a boy told me things did not matter, I ended up standing in a hallway while the whole school watched a video of me in my underwear," I said.

"So forgive me if I do not just believe you because you say something pretty."

Something shifted in his expression. It was not anger, and it was not the cold mask he usually wore. It looked almost like he understood, even if he did not know how to say so out loud.

He did not argue with me. He did not try to convince me all over again. He simply nodded once, like he had accepted that trust was something I would decide to give him later, if I ever decided to give it at all.

For a moment his eyes hardened, and the softness from a minute ago drained right out of his face. He straightened up and took a step back, his arms crossing over his chest again, and his voice came out sharper than before.

"You still think you're worthless because of what he did," he said. It was not a question. "You're sitting here doubting everything I say because some coward with a puck for a brain made you feel small."

He said it like the idea itself made him angry, like he could not understand why anyone would ever look at me the way Elias had.

It did not sound gentle. It did not sound kind. But underneath the hard edge in his voice, I could hear something else trying to push through, something that almost sounded like he could not stand the thought of me hurting and did not know any other way to say it than to sound angry about it instead.

He stood up and reached down to help me to my feet. My legs still felt shaky, but his grip on my hand was steady, and I let him guide me toward the locker room door.

When we reached it, he stopped and looked back at me, his gray eyes searching my face like he was trying to memorize it.

"You'll come to the pack house tonight," he said. "We really need to talk. Bella."

He paused, and something in his voice softened just enough for me to notice. "I won't allow anyone to ever humiliate you again. I promise you that."

Before I could find any words to answer him, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing alone by the door with my hand still tingling from his touch.

I watched him go until he disappeared around the corner, and then I let out a long, shaky breath. My neck still throbbed. My mind still spun with everything he had said and everything he had not explained.

I did not know what it meant to be someone's mate. I did not know if the mark on my neck made me his forever, or if this was just another way for a boy to make promises he would break the second things got hard.

I pushed through the locker room door and stepped out into the cool evening air, and I started walking home.

My legs carried me forward on their own, one step after another, while my thoughts stayed stuck on everything that had happened since that morning. The video. The ceremony. The bite.

I kept touching the mark without meaning to, feeling the raised skin under my fingers every few minutes, and every time I did, I heard Dominic's voice again in my head. No one will ever humiliate you again.

I wanted so badly to believe him. Some small, stubborn part of me wanted to hold onto those words like they actually meant something.

Maybe this was my chance to be seen as more than a joke. Maybe this was my chance to finally matter to someone who would not throw me away the second it became convenient.

By the time I turned onto my street, the sky had gone dark, and the porch light outside my house cast a soft yellow glow over the front steps.

I slowed down as I got closer, confused by the sound of laughter drifting toward me. My mother's laughter. And underneath it, a second voice, low and familiar in a way that made my stomach drop before my mind even caught up.

I stopped walking completely when I saw him standing on my own porch, leaning against the railing like he belonged there, smiling at my mother as if he had not destroyed my entire life just that morning.

Elias.

His eyes lifted and found mine across the yard, and his grin stretched wider, slow and mocking, like he already knew exactly how much seeing him there would hurt.

"I heard you got claimed by the new Alpha," he called out, loud enough for the whole street to hear. "I guess you finally got lucky, poor girl.