Chapter 3

KILLIAN'S POV

The Moon Goddess must be laughing at me.

An Omega mate? Me? Alpha Killian Blackwood, the most ruthless leader this pack has ever seen, bound to someone so weak, so beneath me? It's a cruel joke. Unlike Kaiden, my brother, I don't play pretend. I don't force myself to smile through clenched teeth and swallow my pride just to embrace the mate bond. No. I reject it. I despise it.

And yet, no matter how much I loathe it, Layla's presence wraps around my senses like a chokehold. Her scent fills my mind and her very existence threatens to unravel the control I have built around myself. I hate the way she affects me. I hate the way my body tenses when she enters a room, how my wolf snarls at me whenever I push her away. I refuse to be owned by a bond. I refuse to be weak.

So, I fight it the only way I know how—with pleasure and pain.

When I enter my room, I notice my king-sized bed is already occupied by two women. Their hands trace over each other's curves as they wait for me. They giggle, teasing one another with soft kisses. Their eyes are dark with lust.

I watch them, standing at the foot of the bed. The moment I let it fall, their gazes drop, and I can see the admiration flashing across their faces. I smirk. This is what I understand—desire, control, pleasure without consequence. This is where I hold power. Not in a bond I never asked for, but in the way bodies yield to my touch..

In that moment, I have an idea.

I call for a maid. The door opens, and a young woman enters, bowing her head.

"Bring Layla," I command.

The maid hesitates, as if debating whether to question me, but wisely decides against it. She rushes off, leaving me with my distractions. I let the women play, let their hands roam, let them tease me with their touches, but the real entertainment hasn't arrived yet.

Minutes later, the door opens again.

Layla steps inside.

The moment I see her, something twists in my chest. She's breathtaking, even in the simple maid uniform she's wearing. The soft fabric clings to her, highlighting every delicate line of her body. Her long lashes frame wide eyes, and her hands tremble as she bows her head.

"Alpha," she greets me softly.

Her voice—it does something to me, something I don't want to name.

I swallow the unfamiliar feeling and mask it with cruelty.

"Close the door."

She hesitates. I raise a brow, waiting. After a long pause, she obeys. There's a confused expression on her face. Her body goes stiff as she glances at the women on my bed.

"I'm sure you know why you're here," I say smoothly.

Her lips part slightly, but she says nothing.

"You're here to watch."

She flinches, and I smirk.

She knows what happens when a mate betrays the bond. The pain is excruciating—like claws tearing through flesh, like a blade slicing through the soul. The body was never meant to endure such agony. And yet, I force her to witness it. I force her to understand what I refuse to feel.

I slide onto the bed, pulling one of the women onto my lap. My hands trail over her body as I lean in, pressing a kiss to her throat. I take my time, deliberately slow, making sure Layla sees everything.

When I can't take it anymore, I flip the woman beneath me. In one swift motion, I position my cock at her entrance and thrust inside her. The woman moans under me, writhing in pleasure. I moan as well, closing my eyes.

Then, I hear it.

A sharp intake of breath.

I glance at her from the corner of my eye. She's standing by the door with her arms wrapped around herself as if to hold herself together. Her legs wobble and her face goes pale. Her breathing grows uneven. She grips her stomach.

Then she falls.

A strangled cry rips from her lips as she collapses onto her knees. Her hands clutch at her sides and her body trembles violently. Pain spreads through her and for a moment, something inside me clenches.

My wolf howls in my head. He's furious, restless.

But I ignore him. I force myself to watch her writhe in pain, to listen to the quiet whimpers she tries so hard to suppress. My chest tightens, my jaw locks, but I don't move. I don't stop.

Because if I acknowledge this feeling—if I acknowledge her—I'll be admitting that the bond controls me.

And I refuse to let that happen

-

I make sure Layla sees me with other women. I drape my arms around them, kiss them, whisper things in their ears just loud enough for her to hear. And I watch her reaction closely, waiting for anger, for jealousy. But she gives me nothing. No emotion, no tightening of her jaw, no clenching of her fists. Nothing.

That only makes me push harder.

At breakfast, I sit at the head of the table. My arm is slung lazily around a blonde by my side. Her giggles are too loud, too eager, but I let her continue, let her run her fingers up my bare chest as I lean back in my chair.

"You're so strong, Alpha," she purrs, kissing my jaw.

I smirk, letting my hand slide down her back. I grip her ass as I pull her into my lap. "And you've barely seen what I can do, sweetheart."

Across the room, Layla stands by the kitchen door, hands clasped in front of her apron, waiting to serve. She doesn't look at me. Not directly. But I see her knuckles turning white. I hear the way her breath falters when my hand slides up the blonde's thigh.

I raise a glass of whiskey. My gaze is locked on Layla as I whisper something filthy into the blonde's ear. The girl giggles, running her fingers through my hair. "Right here?" she teases, holding my cock.

"If you're brave enough," I reply smoothly.

Layla turns sharply and disappears into the kitchen, but not before I catch the way her chest rises and falls a little too quickly.

Good. She feels it.

Later that day, in the training grounds

I lean against the wooden fence with my arms folded, watching my warriors spar. A redhead presses against me as her hand slips under my shirt. I let her. I let them all. She drags her nails down my stomach, leaning up to whisper, "I missed you last night."

I chuckle. "Did you?"

"Mmhmm." Her lips graze my jaw and her fingers tease the waistband of my pants. "Maybe I need a reminder of what I've been missing."

I tilt my head, pretending to consider it. But my gaze drifts to Layla, who stands at the side of the training ground, waiting with towels and water for the warriors. She keeps her head down, but I don't miss the way her breath stutters, the slight clench of her jaw.

I turn back to the redhead and grip her chin, dragging her lips to mine in a slow kiss. I bite her bottom lip just enough to make her moan, just enough to make sure Layla hears.

And she does.

Her grip tightens on the towel she's holding. Her knuckles go pale, but she doesn't react. Doesn't give me what I want.

That only makes me want to push further.

That night, in my chambers, I make sure Layla is the one to bring the wine.

She enters cautiously with the tray balanced carefully in her hands. I'm already lounging on the bed, shirtless, with two women curled up beside me. One traces patterns on my stomach, the other runs her fingers through my hair.

"Alpha," Layla says softly, bowing her head as she sets the tray on the nightstand.

"Stay." I say it casually, as if it's an afterthought, but I don't miss the way her breath catches.

She hesitates. "I have other duties—"

"Stay," I repeat. My voice is firm, leaving no room for argument.

The women on the bed exchange amused glances. They know the game I'm playing. They press closer. One runs her tongue over my chest and the other whispers a moan into my ear.

I watch Layla.

She stands stiffly by the door with her hands clenched at her sides. She won't meet my gaze, but I see it—the way her chest rises too quickly, the way her throat bobs as she swallows hard.

I smirk, leaning into the brunette beside me.

"Tell me, sweetheart," I murmur just loud enough for Layla to hear. "Do you think you can handle both of us tonight?"

Layla flinches. It's slight, barely noticeable, but I see it.

She turns sharply, rushing out of the room before I can say another word.

-

Later that night, I spot her in the hallway, carrying linens. I step in front of her, blocking her path. "Going somewhere?" I say in a teasing tone

She bows her head "I have work to do, Alpha."

I tut, trailing my fingers along her jaw. The moment my skin touches hers, a fire ignites in my veins. The mate bond roars to life and my wolf moves forward, demanding more. It takes everything in me to keep control. I press my thumb against her bottom lip, watching it tremble beneath my touch. Her breath hitches, her scent thickens, and for a split second, her control wavers.

"You feel it, don't you?" I murmur, my lips inches from her ear. "The pull. The way your body betrays you."

She swallows hard but doesn't move away. I press closer so my breath teases her skin. "I could make you beg, Layla," I whisper, letting my fingers trail down the side of her neck, feeling the rapid pulse beneath her skin. "I could have you writhing under me, screaming my name. All you have to do is ask."

She gasps softly and my wolf howls in satisfaction. Her chest rises and falls unevenly. Her hands grip the linens so tightly her knuckles turn white. She's fighting it. Fighting me.

Good. I want her to break.

But before I can push further, a low growl rumbles through the hallway.

It's Kaiden.

The fucking bastard.

"Enough," Kaiden snarls, stepping out of the shadows. His silver eyes glow with rage. I can feel it – his wolf barely restrained. "Back off, Killian."

I clench my jaw, cursing under my breath. My wolf growls at being interrupted, but I force myself to step away.

"Tsk, always the hero, aren't you, brother?" I sneer before turning on my heel and walking away, leaving Layla standing there, breathless and shaken.