INTRO

{Anya}

I was expecting something big to happen for my seventeenth birthday... but I definitely wasn't expecting something this big. Someone this big, rather.

I take advantage of the fact that he's right in front of me to study him up close for the first time.

Jae Hyung is the only True Alpha in the pack and that is blatantly obvious. Everything about him screams Alpha. He's only twenty-two years old, but his aura feels heavy, his power seems undeniable and his body is huge, especially now, as he towers over me like a raging monster.

But despite that, I think he's... handsome. And if by some miracle he were to smile, I think he'd even be cute. Maybe. In an overly-manly way.

His skin is very white and his hair is very black, which is rare for a Red Wolf. His eyes are slightly slanted and sharp because of his Asian heritage… they’re also insanely intense. His eyebrows are bushy and arched and they make him look machiavellian. But, on the other hand, his lips are pink and full and his nose is freckled, which are contrasting feminine features. He also has tattoos all over his his arms and has a lot of scars on his face.

Even though I've never seen him up close before, I obviously know about him and now I fully believe everything that people say about him. He looks exactly like someone who was born to fight. To dominate. And nothing else.

Jae didn't know about my existence until five minutes ago, but now it's obvious that he hates my guts and he wants to eliminate me from this earth. I think the news of our arranged marriage took him completely by surprise... but I also understand why his parents decided not to tell him until the last possible second.

This way, he has no way out.

I, on the other hand, have known about our marriage since this morning when my mom told me, so I've had more time to come to terms with it.

I hate the whole thing as strongly as him, but I understand why this is happening. And I'm smart enough to realize that me and my mom are drowning in debt and there is no way out for me. Only this one: to marry the future Alpha of the Ellington pack, a man born for power and success. And a billionaire, very conveniently.

I know I'm way too young for this, but I'd be very foolish to pass up the opportunity that just fell into my hands.

"Why in the fuck would I take this little girl as my mate?" Jae growls, still looking down on me. In more ways than one.

I try to hide how scared he makes me because of his presence and his angry growls, but it's hard. His Alpha power is undeniable and it's getting to me. My instincts are telling me to show him my submission... but I also think that doing it would make him hate me even more. I think he’s the type of person who appreciates when someone is strong, or at least that's what I think after knowing him for five minutes.

"Because I say so. Simple as that," Alpha Riku says, still sitting at the table next to Luna Vivian, who has decided to close her eyes and pretend she's not here. Alpha Riku is trying to keep his cool, but I can tell he's starting to get frustrated, "Sit back down, we're not done talking."

"No," Jae spits, raising his lip in a snarl, "This is unacceptable in many ways. I'm not going to be forced into a relationship... into a fucking marriage, let alone with a fucking teenage girl, what the fuck do you think I am? This is disgusting.”

"My daughter is very mature for her age. And only one year away from being an adult," my mother says, her voice still sweet and pleasant even though I can tell she's upset. I don't think she expected this to be so difficult, "Anya will be the perfect wife. The perfect Luna. I promise."

Jae looks at her as if she's crazy, then his eyes narrow as he looks at each of us sitting at the table, one by one, as if he can't believe this is really happening. His breathing starts to hitch and I notice him getting angrier and angrier.

I feel like I need to say something.

"I think you just want to understand why this is happening, don't you?" I ask him, making him immediately turn his eyes back to me. He shoots me an obvious look and I get it. No one has really explained anything to him, they literally just introduced me and then told him that I was going to be his new wife, which surprised the hell out of him, "It's simple, really. I need money and you need a Luna. It's a fair exchange."

"Anya," my mother growls. Does she want me to keep up the charade when this is all about to go to shit? "I apologize, Alpha Riku."

"But… why you?" Jae continues with a derisive snort as he looks at me. I feel my face heat up with embarrassment, "What do you have to offer me? What makes you so special? Why do I have to marry you, specifically? Not that I want to marry at all, but why would I have to marry you?"

"I'm the only female Red Wolf in the pack. The only one close to your age," I reply, shrugging. I could lie, make something up, but I don't think it would work. As soon as he hears that, he rolls his eyes like an angry little boy, "I imagine your father thinks it will make you look good to have a Red Wolf Luna. And in the future, to have full-blooded children. So, yeah... That's what makes me so special, I guess."

Jae turns to his father and the two have a silent conversation for a few seconds filled with tension, then Jae looks back at me.

"Are they forcing this on you too? Tell me the truth. I don't think a girl your age wants to marry a man like me. I'm way too old for you," he blurts out, giving me a weird look, as if he's worried about me. I swallow and glance briefly at my mother.

She looks scared. We really need the money.

I know I have to take control and ownership of this situation because my mom won’t. She is a good woman, but she wasn’t made to live through hardship. She just curls into a ball, unable to do anything. Usually, my dad would take charge of whatever would come our way… but he’s dead now.

I guess it’s my turn to take charge.

“They're not forcing me, Jae. It was my idea to accept your dad’s offer. I really want to be your wife," I lie. His face crumbles and his eyes darken with anger again, "I promise I'll be the best wif—“

"Oh, yeah? You really want to be my wife?" He interrupts me. I open my mouth to try to answer, but he slaps me before I can. Everyone gasps except for me, because I'm in shock. My face is burning. The slap wasn't even that hard, but I still can't believe it. I've never been slapped before, "My Luna won't be allowed to speak without my permission. You will have to behave or face the consequences."

"Oh my god, Jae," his father gasps and stands up from the table, stunned, "Don't ever do that shit again. I-I apologize, Anya. He's acting out, he's not like this."

"Don’t worry. I can take it," I assure, clenching my hands and looking up at Jae without showing submission. He won't ruin this for me, "I'll speak only when I have permission, Alpha."

Jae growls and grabs a glass from the table to throw it at me... not directly, though. He throws it at the wall behind me, but the sound of it breaking makes me jump in fear.

"That's enough!" my mother shouts, "Don't disrespect my daughter!"

"Why wouldn’t I? She'll be my wife, right? My daddy is buying her for me, so I can do whatever the fuck I want with her. There's no escape," he smiles in a way that looks... evil. He looks evil, "I won't bow down to any of you, ever. If there's no way out, I'll make sure to make this as painful as possible for all of us, especially poor little Anya. I hope she's sturdier than she looks, because I'm a strong fighter... and she looks a lot weaker than my usual opponents."

Everyone falls silent.

He turns to me again, this time smiling as if suddenly excited.

"Watch how the person who supposedly loves you the most gives you to a monster for fucking money," he growls at me, emitting so much dominance that I can no longer hold his gaze, "Soon you’ll see how I will make every day a hell for you and no one will do anything about it because you are nothing but a whore being sold to me. My new wife, my new punching bag."