Chapter 9

Victoria The ceremony was over, the guests long gone. In the sprawling castle that was now my home—my prison disguised as luxury—only Leo and I remained. My heart hammered against my ribcage as he led me through the main residence, his hand occasionally brushing against the small of my back, sending unwelcome shivers up my spine. "This will be your home now," Leo said, his deep voice echoing through the marble hallway. "Our territory extends beyond what you can see from any window, but this is the heart of it all." I nodded numbly, my fingers fidgeting with the hem of my wedding dress. This wasn't how I'd imagined my life would turn out—sold by my step-brother to pay his debts, married to an Alpha I barely knew, expected to be the perfect Luna to a pack that would likely reject my mixed blood. "You're quiet," Leo observed, his hazel eyes studying me with an intensity that made me feel exposed. "Most new Lunas can't stop asking questions." "Most new Lunas probably weren't bartered away