Trapped in Fate

Sasha Lane hadn’t always been this tough. There was a time when she believed in happy endings and good guys, but that was before life knocked her down and made sure she stayed there.

She grew up in the rough parts of the city, in a cramped apartment that smelled of cigarettes and desperation. Her father walked out before she could remember his face, leaving her mother alone with two children and a mountain of bills. Jason was her baby brother, just four years younger, but it always felt like she was raising him. Her mother, worn out by life, numbed herself with alcohol, drifting further away until one night, she simply didn’t wake up.

Sasha was seventeen when she found her mother’s cold body in their dingy apartment. From that day on, it was just her and Jason against the world. She worked three jobs, pushed herself through law school, and scraped together everything she had to give him a better life than the one they had growing up. But the world has a funny way of destroying your best-laid plans.

Jason, always a dreamer, thought he could make it big. He fell in with the wrong crowd, guys who promised him money, excitement, and an escape from the harsh reality of their lives. By the time Sasha realized how deep he was in, it was too late. Jason had gambled everything away, drowning in debts he couldn’t repay, debts to men who would break bones and burn lives to collect.

She had tried everything to save him. First, she sold what little they had. Then she borrowed from friends, from colleagues at the law firm where she worked as a junior associate. But it wasn’t enough. Jason owed too much to people who didn’t give second chances.

That was when Dominic Knight entered her life.

He wasn’t like the other mobsters Jason had gotten mixed up with. No, Dominic was on a completely different level. His name carried weight—billionaire businessman by day, shadowy mafia kingpin by night. And as the rumors whispered, something even darker. Some said he wasn’t entirely human, that his control over the city wasn’t just through money and fear, but something more primal. People called him the Wolf of the East End, but no one dared to say why.

Sasha had heard his name in whispers for years, but when she stood in front of him for the first time, those whispers became reality.

Dominic Knight didn’t need to work. Born into one of the wealthiest families in the country, he could’ve easily coasted through life on a silver spoon. But that wasn’t Dominic’s style. From a young age, he was determined to build an empire of his own, separate from his family’s legacy. And he did, turning his business ventures into billion-dollar enterprises. But beneath the polished exterior of a successful CEO was a man with a darker inheritance. Dominic was a werewolf, not just any werewolf, but an Alpha, born to lead, born to conquer.

His pack controlled the city’s underworld, weaving its influence through the criminal networks, the police, and the government. His business was legitimate, but his power? That was something primal, something untamed. His rivals feared him, his enemies respected him, and those who crossed him… well, they didn’t live long enough to regret it.

But there was something more Dominic wanted—something that went beyond wealth and power. He needed an heir, a child to carry on his legacy, both as a businessman and as an Alpha. And for that, he needed a mate. Not just any woman, but someone strong enough to bear his child and survive the brutal world he lived in. That’s when he found Sasha.

The first time they met, Sasha was desperate, but she still had her pride. She stormed into Dominic Knight’s office without an appointment, her jaw set and her eyes blazing with determination. She wasn’t a woman who begged easily, but for Jason, she was ready to do anything.

She expected to be thrown out by his security before she even made it through the door, but somehow, Dominic allowed her in.

She walked into his massive office, its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city below. The man behind the desk looked every bit the billionaire—sharp suit, polished shoes, and a watch that probably cost more than her entire life. But there was something else in his gaze, something predatory that made her heart race.

“Miss Lane,” he greeted, his voice smooth, like the calm before a storm. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Sasha didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “You know why I’m here. My brother—Jason Lane. He owes money to people who work for you.”

Dominic leaned back in his chair, studying her. “And what do you expect me to do about it?”

“I want to pay his debts. I just need more time.”

Dominic’s eyes narrowed slightly, his interest piqued. “Time is a luxury your brother doesn’t have, Miss Lane. His debts are quite substantial.”

“I know,” Sasha said, her voice firm. “I’ll do whatever it takes to repay them.”

“Whatever it takes,” Dominic repeated, his voice dropping lower, the words wrapping around her like a dangerous promise. “Do you know what you’re offering?”

Sasha swallowed hard, but she didn’t flinch. “Yes.”

For a long moment, Dominic said nothing, his dark eyes locked on hers, as if weighing her soul. Finally, he stood and walked around the desk, coming to stand directly in front of her. He was tall, towering over her, his presence overwhelming. He reached out, his hand lifting her chin so she had no choice but to meet his gaze.

“I could erase your brother’s debts with a single word,” he said, his voice soft, almost seductive. “But I don’t make deals out of charity.”

Sasha’s heart raced. She had come here knowing this wouldn’t be easy, but standing this close to him, she could feel the raw power emanating from him. It was intoxicating and terrifying all at once.

“What do you want from me?” she whispered.

Dominic’s thumb brushed her jawline, his touch sending shivers down her spine. “I need a wife, Miss Lane. A woman who can give me an heir.”

Sasha froze, her mind reeling. This was insane. She had expected him to demand money, to ask for favors. But marriage? Children?

“You can’t be serious,” she said, pulling back, but Dominic didn’t release her. His grip was firm but not painful, his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made it hard to breathe.

“Oh, I’m very serious,” he said, his voice a low growl. “You marry me, you give me a child, and in return, your brother’s debts disappear. He’ll be free. You’ll both be free. It’s a simple exchange.”

Simple. The word rang in her ears. Nothing about this was simple. Dominic Knight was offering her a deal with the devil, and she wasn’t sure she could refuse.

“But why me?” she asked, her voice shaking slightly. “You could have anyone.”

Dominic released her then, stepping back, his expression unreadable. “Because you’re strong, Miss Lane. You fight. And I need someone who can survive in my world.”

Sasha felt like the floor had been ripped out from beneath her. She didn’t know what to say, what to think. But Dominic wasn’t finished.

“Take some time to think about it,” he said, walking back to his desk. “But don’t take too long. Your brother’s clock is ticking.”

He sat down, his gaze never leaving her, and Sasha knew the meeting was over. She left his office in a daze, her mind spinning. Dominic Knight had just offered her the most impossible choice of her life.

For days, Sasha couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. She kept replaying Dominic’s words over and over in her mind. Marry him. Bear his child. In exchange for Jason’s life. It was unthinkable, yet the more she thought about it, the more she realized she didn’t have any other options. If she didn’t do this, Jason was as good as dead.

She stared at the contract Dominic’s lawyer had sent over, her fingers trembling as she flipped through the pages. It was all spelled out in black and white. A marriage of convenience, a transaction. She would be his wife for two years, give him an heir, and then she would be free.

But would she ever truly be free from a man like Dominic?

Sasha set the contract down, her decision made. She would sign it. Not because she wanted to, but because she had no choice. This was about survival—hers and Jason’s.

And that was how Sasha Lane, the girl from the wrong side of the tracks, found herself about to marry Dominic Knight, the most powerful—and dangerous—man she’d ever met.

But little did she know, her decision would pull her into a world darker than she could ever imagine. A world where the line between desire and destruction blurred, and there was no way out.