A Dominant Alpha

Reaching the chamber, Radulf carelessly tossed Melissa onto the soft mattress as though she were no more than a discarded object. Startled and disoriented, Melissa pushed her long hair back from her face, her glare fixed on him.

"What is wrong with you?" she demanded, her voice sharp and laced with fury. She watched as Radulf shrugged off his cape, letting it fall carelessly to the ground before striding toward her with an intensity that made her uneasy.

Before she could retreat, he seized her ankle, yanking her back toward him. In one swift, forceful motion, he pinned her against the mattress, his grip securing her wrists above her head, leaving her completely at his mercy.

"Radulf! What are you doing? If this is how you intend to mate with me, I refuse!" Melissa's voice was defiant, though her heart pounded with fear. She held his gaze, determined not to let her dread show. If Radulf dared to cross that line, she would end everything between them.

"Did you tell your lover that I neglect you?" Radulf hissed, his free hand gripping her face tightly.

"Lover? Have you lost your senses?" Melissa snapped, her voice trembling with anger.

"Gregor Tarquin," Radulf spat, his tone venomous. "He doesn't strike me as merely a childhood friend. The princess, it seems, has painted herself as the pitiable victim in this marriage. Miserable, is she?" His fingers dug into her cheeks, his sneer cutting deep.

Melissa writhed beneath him, struggling against his fierce grip. Fury surged within her as she fought to free herself, her only thought was to slap him for daring to accuse her of such betrayal.

'She is our mate, Radulf. Don't treat her like that,' Black growled in his mind.

'Stay out of this, Black,' Radulf shot back, his tone seething with anger. 'That bastard knows more about Melissa than I do. He challenged me—to take her away from me.'

Black growled again, his disapproval resonating in Radulf's mind, but Radulf ignored him, his focus locked on Melissa.

In a sudden burst of defiance, Melissa slammed her forehead against his. Radulf flinched, his grip loosening just enough for her to wriggle free for a moment.

Melissa then slapped him hard out of reflex. "I thought we could really make our relationship better," she pronounced.

Radulf's jaw clenched tightly, his muscles twitching with restrained fury. Grabbing the back of Melissa's head, he pulled her roughly toward him, his lips crashing against hers in a bruising kiss.

Melissa pushed against his chest with all her strength, her fingers digging into him, but when her resistance failed to deter him, she bit down hard on his lip.

Radulf pulled back with a hiss, his fingers brushing against the blood now trickling from his lip. A dark snicker escaped him as he pressed his thumb against the wound. "You're one feisty omega," he remarked with both amusement and irritation. "But don't come crying to me later about not being marked or mated."

Without waiting for a response, Radulf stood abruptly.

"Don't show me your face again, or you'll regret it," Melissa snapped, her voice laced with a stern warning as she glared at him.

"That's amusing," Radulf said, a mocking grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "An omega daring to use her authority in front of an Alpha—a dominant Alpha at that." He moved to the other side of the bed, his arrogance infuriating her.

"Leave," Melissa demanded coldly.

"I don't want to," Radulf replied nonchalantly, shrugging off his waistcoat and letting it fall to the floor. He began unbuttoning his shirt before lying down on the bed.

"This isn't your chamber. So leave," Melissa urged again. She craved solitude—something she had always been accustomed to.

"You really don't listen, do you, princess?" he drawled, refusing to budge.

"Fine, then I'll leave," Melissa declared, rising to her feet and taking a step toward the door.

But Radulf's voice stopped her. "Take one step out of this room, and I'll show you my worst side," he warned in a deadly serious tone.

Melissa turned to face him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. Her defiance faltered as her gaze fell upon the scars etched across his chest, her anger momentarily giving way to curiosity and sadness.

"I'm tired and want to sleep. Turn off the lights," Radulf muttered, his voice gruff as he closed his eyes.

'What kind of man is he?' Melissa wondered, watching him warily. 'I thought he'd retaliate after I slapped him, then leave quietly. And now, here he is, acting as if nothing happened.'

She glanced at the bed they were supposed to share for the first time and shook her head. 'It's better not to sleep beside him,' she decided, walking over to switch off the lights before retreating to the sofa in the corner of the room.

Radulf's eyes snapped open the moment she moved, his senses attuned to her even in the dark. Her scent—a mix of honey and something uniquely hers—lingered faintly in the air, but it was her muffled sobs that grated on him the most.

'Damn it,' he thought, his jaw tightening.

'Bring her to bed,' Black urged in his mind, his voice laced with concern.

'I have no intention of doing that,' Radulf muttered back. He shut his eyes again, forcing himself to ignore his wolf's restless pleas and the sound of Melissa's quiet crying, which only served to unsettle him further.

'You aren't doing this right, Radulf,' Black's voice echoed in my mind again in a disapproving tone.

Radulf's response came swiftly, filled with doubt. 'Don't forget she doesn't like me either. She is only trying to help her father, and there's some motive behind it that we still don't understand. Don't give in to this mate bond.'

For a moment, Black was silent, as though contemplating Radulf's words. Then, in a quieter tone, Radulf muttered to himself, 'Why did the Moon Goddess choose Melissa for me?'

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