III

The car ride was swift and silent. I caught glimpses of Jonathan beside me and wondered about the level of his allegiance to his father.

Soon, we were in a large, open field. A jet waited. I was led to it and seated on a chair, alone.

I stared out the window, watching the familiar landscape shrink beneath me. The thought of my home, the place of my childhood and forced upbringing, was a complicated mix of resentment and loss. But still, I didn’t want to be separated from it.

Waves of my earlier connection with Jonathan resurfaced, and I sighed. *Why can’t he just take me to himself?* I wondered.

Jenny Da’Bitch’s tutorials echoed in my mind: “…seduction is a weapon, a tool…”

I wondered if I could wield it. Not for the Alpha King. But for the Alpha Prince.

Minutes stretched into an eternity. The smooth landing announced our arrival on Furiosa Island.

The door hissed open, and Jonathan emerged.

“Come,” he commanded.

I walked toward him, my eyes fixed on his.

"Bow your head when you see him. Don't look at him. Greet him, and don't say more than you are asked," Jonathan ordered, taking my hand and dragging me toward the door.

"Or else?" I pressed, my gaze meeting his.

Our eyes locked in a silent stand-off. I took the time to stare at his pink lips. I wondered what it would feel like to kiss them.

"Or else you'll be sent to the pit," Jonathan responded, his voice low and menacing. He tugged me roughly down the jet steps. "As the Alpha Prince, I could touch you. No other man here, or out of here, can touch you. You belong to the Alpha King, my father, Alpha Maguire. Remember that."

I was silent for a while. So he *could* touch me. "So far, you can touch me," I stated, my voice surprisingly steady. "I think that's okay."

Jonathan’s expression tightened. "I don't mean…" he began, then corrected himself. "You belong to my father. I can touch you because I'm his son.”

The fact that Jonathan *could* touch me made me smile. I had never wanted a man so badly.

“For the Christmas and New Year, the island will be filled with relatives from near and far. You'll be presented as one of the Alpha King's wives. Many alphas will be around. You shall be lusted after; you are not allowed to speak to any or be touched by any,” Jonathan explained further.

“Looks like you want me to live?” I said with a smile.

“I don't want you to end up in the pit,” Jonathan replied.

"What is the pit?" I asked.

Jonathan’s gaze hardened. His expression revealed the cruel reality behind the words. "You don't want to find out," he said.

Stepping out of the jet, I gasped. The mansion was breathtaking – a sprawling structure of white stone and glass perched on stilts above the turquoise ocean.

A gentle, salty breeze kissed my face, carrying the scent of sea and exotic blooms. The view was heavenly – a panoramic expanse of cerulean water stretching to the horizon, dotted with tiny islands shrouded in mist.

Jonathan handed me over to a group of maids and then walked away in the opposite direction.

As he went, I turned to look at Jonathan. Everything about him made me want him. Even the way he walked.

They led me to a modern bathroom where a luxurious bath was already prepared. As they bathed and dressed me, the chief bather discreetly confirmed my virginity with a single, deft touch.

"Once you're taken to the King's room," the chief bather whispered, "try not to stress him. Spread one leg to the west and another to the east. You don't want to go to the pit."

I remained silent. I’d heard that before.

The gown they dressed me in was designed to accentuate my figure, the fabric clinging to my curves. My breasts were pushed high to reveal my cleavage, and my thighs were exposed.

My makeup was flawless, transforming me from a simple girl into an enticing bait. The transformation from simple girl to enticing bait was complete.

The maids led me to a grand hall where men in impeccably tailored suits stood in silent attendance.

Jonathan received me and took my hand. He was before me, looking down at my breasts. I looked into his eyes and wished that he would steal me away.

“I know you'll make a pretty bride,” he whispered.

I wondered if Jonathan’s admiration was enough for me. But if he did like me, there was nothing he could do. His father owned me, and he would do as he was commanded.

At the end of the hall sat Alpha King Maguire on a throne, an imposing figure who appeared to be in his sixties.

*This would be my husband?* I wondered. I lowered my eyes as instructed.

Suddenly, a sharp tone cut through the tense silence. Jonathan checked his phone, his face paling.

"Father," he said, his voice tight with urgency, "the HellPaw pack have completed the Dyad Ritual. Their wolves are cloned, their strength doubled. Their Alpha… doubled. I think they will attack soon."

A murmur rippled through the hall. I pressed my lips together, a knot of tension tightening in my stomach. Was this happening for my good? Maybe.

"Silence!" King Maguire’s voice boomed. He rose to his feet. And now, I realized what I was in for. Maguire could barely stand.

"The Furiosa don't fear or cower from war,” Maguire continued. “We fight them head-on. We take the fight to them. We go for them before they come for us. This is not a time to take a wife." His gaze swept across the hall, settling on me.

"Jon, keep her on the island. When I return, I shall redo and consummate the marriage. Now, we fight!"

Jonathan's grip tightened on my arm as he dragged me away, out of the hall.

As we hurried through the halls, I looked into Jonathan’s face. For a moment, I felt a flash of tenderness and a longing to reach out, to express the emotions building up within me.

“Please take me to yourself,” I said to Jonathan.