A dangerous game

The sun had set and dyed Crescent Haven orange, but the air in the palace could be cut with a knife. Ariana was chopping vegetables in the kitchen, her knife sure and steady, her thoughts elsewhere. The night encounter with Alpha Luca Blackwood seemed to be an endless recording in her head, leaving her with an unsated feeling.

She had hoped, after Luca's commanding presence in the grand hall, that some semblance of normalcy might follow. But normal was a distant memory in a place ruled by a man who took to power like a weapon. As she diced the vegetables, she could feel the weight of his gaze on her, even when he was nowhere near.

"Ariana!" A voice cut her musings. It was Lily, the other maid, bursting into the kitchen with a look of excitement mingled with apprehension. "You won't believe it! The alpha is asking for you."

A chill ran down Ariana's spine. "What does he want?" she asked, trying to hide her anxiety.

Lily shrugged. "No one knows, but you'd better hurry. You know how he can be."

Ariana took a deep breath, wiped her hands on her apron, and then turned back toward the grand hall, her heart racing. With every step, her feet felt heavier, as one question continued to plague her mind: what would Luca want this time? Was it all a game, or did he really seriously want her?

As she entered, the opulence of the hall almost took her breath away, yet the only thing that really mattered was him. Luca sat at the head of the long table, flanked by courtiers and fellow pack members. Laughter and chatter died as he finally caught her presence, and the air shifted-a hush falling over the room.

"Ariana," he called, the tone low and even, but carrying in a voice of command. The way he said her name was a thrill of terror and excitement to her. "Come here."

Every eye in the room turned to her, and she felt the weight of their gaze; for an instant, she balked. She couldn't disobey him—not without high risk. She swallowed her trepidation and went to him, endeavoring to look composed.

"Alpha," she said, clear and even words though her heart quivered in her chest.

Luca leaned back in his chair, an amused smirk playing on his lips. "I've been thinking about you, Ariana. You have quite the fire in you, and I find it intriguing.

His words sent a shiver down her spine. Interesting? That was all she was to him? "I am naught but a servant, Alpha. I am but here doing my job," she replied, trying not to show too much emotion.

Ah, but you see, that's where you're wrong. He leaned forward, his gaze boring into hers. You're more than just a maid-you're someone who could help me… in more ways than one.

Ariana's pulse raced at the innuendo. "What do you mean?" she whispered low.

"Let's not play coy, shall we? You know what I want." His voice dropped to low and intimate, sending shivers running down her spine. "I want you, Ariana. I can give you a life far beyond these palace walls. Wealth, power, influence. All you have to do is say yes."

Anger and incredulity coursed through her. "I don't want anything from you, Alpha. I'm happy with my life here," she lied, as inside her a small voice whispered that this was far from the truth. The prospect of being his sobered her.

Luca's face clouded; a flicker of irritation crossed his features. "You think you can just refuse me? You don't know who I am?

"I do," she retorted, the flash of courage found. "You're a ruthless alpha that rules through fear. I don't want to be a part of that."

His gaze narrowed and the playfulness in his tone was taken over by something darker. "You're playing a dangerous game, Ariana. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Ariana did not back down, even while her heart was racing. "And I don't want to know. I'm not playing any games with you."

The air was electric in the room, with Luca scowling and his voice going low. "You think you can walk away from me? I don't like it when I am being rejected. And most of all, I don't take no for an answer.

With the words hanging in the air, the atmosphere changed. The courtiers exchanged furtive, fearful glances, and tension crackled through the air like electricity. Ariana could feel heat coming from Luca, both terrifying and thrilling her.

"I don't care that you are an alpha," she said, voice firm despite the gnawing of fear. "I won't be your mistress. I won't be your plaything."

Luca was leaning back in his chair, the smile spreading over his face slowly as his eyes gleamed with menace. "You are feisty; I'll give you that. But let me remember this, Ariana: your defiance only makes me want you more. You're not as safe as you think you are."

A shiver ran down her spine at the implication. What did he mean by that? She didn't want to find out. "If that's all you wanted, I'll return to my duties," she said, turning to leave.

"Not so fast," he called after her, his voice dripping with authority. "You're not done here yet.

Ariana's heart pounding, she'd paused. She knew she should be going, yet he seemed to hold her very still with the magnetism that clung to him. "What do you want from me?" she asked softly, turning slowly to face him once more.

"I want you to understand the position you're in. I could offer you a life beyond your wildest dreams, but you have to be willing to accept it," he said, his tone smooth as silk, dangerously smooth.

"I don't need either your money or your power," she shot back. But she couldn't refute the temptation of his offer. It was what she wished for as a child, when there was a need to be saved from the poverty. Not at the cost of her freedom.

You think you have a choice?'' His eyes gleamed with curiosity and irritation in one instance. "Ariana, you're already caught in my web. You can either join me out of your own free will, or I make sure you have no choice but to follow.".

A sense of dread wrapped itself in the pit of her stomach. He was a wolf in sheep's skin, and she was no more than prey to him. "You can't intimidate me, Alpha," she said with a braveness that betrayed the weakness in her knees under his stare.

Luca stood, looming over her with an animal grace. "We shall see. You think you are able to resist me? You have no idea how long I have waited for one such as you. I won't let you slip away so easily."

Ariana's breathing quickened as the walls seemed to be closing in. He was right-she had been trapped into some game of danger, one that had only just begun. She started to turn away, but as she did so, he caught her wrist a second time, holding her in place.

"Remember, Ariana-you are not as alone as you may think. I will be watching you," he said in a very low, intimidating tone.

Half-afraid and half-defiant, she wrenched her arm free, would have fled out of the stifling atmosphere of the great hall, her mind racing as she fled back to her duties.

Luca Blackwood was a man who set the rules, and she'd been pulled into his dark world of danger. One thing did stand out, though: she would not go down without a fight. She'd need to set her treads carefully through this hazardous game while keeping her heart guarded against the dark appeal of the alpha who wanted to make her his.

She would have to face him again tomorrow, but for now, having the realization that every one of her decisions might bring her closer toward freedom or deeper into his grasp, she clung to it.