The scent of leather and cigar smoke filled the air.

Selene sat rigid in the back seat of the black SUV, her wrists still raw from the silver cuffs. The seats were too soft, too luxurious—mocking her with their comfort. Across from her, lounging like a king on his throne, sat Alpha Damian Wolfe.

The man who had just bought her.

Outside the tinted windows, the city blurred past—towering skyscrapers, neon-lit streets, and the distant glow of the full moon. This was no rogue wasteland. This was his domain.

His wolves controlled everything here.

Including her.

Selene clenched her fists in her lap, resisting the urge to speak first. Let him break the silence. Let him wonder what she was thinking.

But Damian was patient. Too patient.

He sat with one arm draped lazily over the leather seat, his jacket unbuttoned, revealing the sharp cut of his black shirt. The top buttons were undone, exposing the inked lines of a tattoo curling over his collarbone.

His fingers tapped against his knee—a slow, deliberate rhythm. Measuring her. Testing her.

Finally, he smirked.

“You’re quiet.”

Selene’s gaze flicked to him, cold and unyielding. “What do you want me to say? ‘Thank you for buying me, Alpha’? Should I bow, too?”

A low chuckle. “Would you?”

Her jaw tightened. “Go to hell.”

His smirk widened, amusement flashing in his dark eyes. “Not the response most give me. You’re bold.”

“You mean I’m not afraid.”

A pause. Then—he moved.

Too fast. Too smooth.

Before she could react, he reached across the space between them and grabbed her wrist.

Not hard. Not rough. But firm.

A test.

Selene froze, her pulse pounding.

Damian leaned in slightly, his scent—smoky, rich, edged with something primal—filling the small space. His grip was warm against her chilled skin.

His voice dropped lower. “Are you sure about that?”

Selene swallowed. Don’t react. Don’t flinch.

She forced herself to meet his gaze. Defiant. Unshaken.

“Let. Me. Go.”

His lips curled at the edges. “Then do it.”

A challenge.

She yanked her wrist back.

He didn’t stop her. He let her go instantly.

The car was silent except for the steady hum of the tires on the road.

Selene exhaled slowly, her fingers curling into her lap. He was playing games. And she wasn’t about to lose.

Damian leaned back, watching her like she was something interesting.

“You’ll learn soon enough, Selene,” he murmured. “I don’t take what isn’t given.”

Her stomach twisted. “Is that supposed to make me feel safe?”

He tilted his head. “No.”

The car slowed. A heavy metal gate groaned open.

They had arrived.

Selene’s breath caught as she glanced outside.

A fortress.

Not a mansion. Not a home. A prison dressed in wealth.

Towering stone walls. Balconies like watchtowers. Guards stationed at every entrance. An empire built on blood and power.

The SUV stopped in the circular driveway.

Damian opened his door and stepped out first, his broad frame silhouetted against the estate’s golden lights. He didn’t look back as he spoke.

“Out.”

Selene hesitated.

Then, lifting her chin, she stepped into his world.

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