Page 46

46

Marilyn

The door to my bedroom is closed, with the warrior and omega who led me here from Ramos’ office most likely standing guard outside. Ramos isn’t taking any chances when it comes to the unborn pup inside me. I know he plans to get me pregnant as soon as he can after this pup is born. The misogynistic prick plans to keep me on my back in bed instead of doing the duties of a Luna.

I regret mating him and making a pass at him after turning nineteen. Back then, Lucas didn’t want me and didn’t want to marry me. He’s right that everything that’s happened is my fault. I got my mother killed, all because I had wanted Lucas when we were children. I got sent away from Blood Oath to be raised in Oak Fur alongside Lucas because my own father blamed me for killing his Goddess-given mate.

Even now, I am a prisoner, all because I thought getting pregnant with Ramos’ child would help me gift this pack to my father. But no, my father has a whore my age at his side, and she’s pregnant with his long-desired male heir. I’m nothing to my father but wasted space. The only thing he’s looking forward to is the birth of his son. He’s even stopped taking my calls to focus on his new Luna and pamper her now that she’s giving him a son.

Picking up the nearest object—a lamp, I think—I throw it as hard as possible into the wall. The lamp shatters into pieces, the ceramic shards reminding me of how my life had shattered too. I should have left this pack when I turned eighteen—left to find my true mate instead of sticking around and working on obtaining a pack for my father. I’ve wasted years trying to get back into his good graces for getting my mother killed.

“Luna?” a timid voice calls as the bedroom door opens slightly. “Are you okay?”

I turn to find an omega looking around my room, her eyes wide with fear. I scoff, wondering how Ramos could allow such a weakling to work for him.

“I’m just fine,” I say through gritted teeth, walking towards the omega and opening the door. As I thought, a warrior is guarding me. I know this one—Jarred, a warrior I’d seduced behind Ramos’ back. He stares at me, eyes filled with lust. But he knows he can’t have his way with me. Now that we’re mated, Ramos would feel it if I fucked another wolf.

“I’m going for a walk. You can either stop me and be banished or follow me and keep me safe,” I state, not giving Jarred a chance to say anything as I stride past him. He follows behind like a good little guard dog, keeping a respectful distance from me.

Wolves whisper as I pass them, their contempt and hatred for me clear as day. I ignore them, knowing they can do nothing with me being in power. One day, I’ll be the leader of this pack, and Ramos, Lucas, and Kaylee will be dead. I just need to be patient and wait another six months for that to happen.

Once my pup and I are the only alphas left in Oak Fur, this pack will really know what a harsh ruler is like. I’ll kill every wolf who has whispered that Kaylee and Lucas would have been better leaders. I’ll maim all the she-wolves and allow the men I have under my control fuck them to their hearts’ content until they beg me for forgiveness or a quick death. No she-wolf will talk badly about me once I’m in control.

“Marilyn!”

Exiting the packhouse, I spot Pearl rushing towards me, a smile on her face. Holding in my disgust for the pack whore I’d befriended to help me torment Kaylee when I first moved to Oak Fur, I plaster a smile on my face and wait for her to come to my side.

“How are you feeling? Is being a Luna while pregnant taxing on you?” the strawberry-blond asks, hooking her arm through mine. I carefully pull my arm away and watch a brief sneer cross Pearl’s face before it’s replaced with an adoring smile.

Suppressing a snarl, I motion for the she-wolf to walk with me. Goddess, do I want to shift into my russet wolf and sprint, but the parasite inside me is preventing me from doing anything I want now. I can’t even enjoy a glass of wine without being judged by the wolves beneath me.

“Being a Luna is easy,” I admit with a shrug. It’s true, considering Ramos won’t let me perform any Luna duties—not that I want to. The whole point of mating him was to live in the lap of luxury before his untimely death.

“All Ramos cares about is me being a good mate to him,” I continue with a smirk.

Pearl stares at me with wide eyes, her jealousy easy to sniff out as she shifts her gaze to looking anywhere but me. I know deep down Pearl wants the power and money that comes with being a Luna and would have thrown her naked body at either Lucas or Ramos—and probably both—if given a chance. Now, she’s stuck with nothing but the title of a warrior’s daughter. If she wants the power and riches I have, she’ll need to leave our pack and bag herself the alpha of another.

“Sounds like you’re living the high life,” she says happily, but her smile doesn’t reach her eyes.

“I am. I can eat whenever I want, sleep, and rest without worry, and all I have to do is wait on my mate like a good woman should,” I answer, watching Pearl clench her fist from my peripheral vision. She really hates that I—an outsider of Oak Fur—am living a better life than she is.

“If you want the life I’m living, we’re expecting visitors to Oak Fur in a few days’ time. Maybe you can bag yourself a high-ranking mate then,” I suggest, watching the jealousy in Pearl’s eyes be replaced with a sinister cunningness. She thanks me for the suggestion before her eyes glaze over. After making an excuse about her mother needing her help, she vanishes from my side.

Watching Pearl walk away, I let my smile drop, and a sneer takes its place. In a week, some of Ramos’ allies will be coming to discuss the details of the war he’s planning. Many coming wolves already have mates, but Pearl won’t know that. Once she fucks one of these alphas or even one of their betas, Pearl will be left to her punishment, and I’ll be rid of her and her scheming attempts of trying to get Ramos to her bed.

I may not want that old bastard as my mate, but I’m stuck with Ramos until the day I kill him. I won’t allow him to fuck any pack whore. I’ll be the perfect mate, taking his sleazy ways until this pup is born, and I can finally take over Oak Fur.