Chapter 42: Hungry Wolves

The SUV came to a smooth halt three hours later in front of a sprawling, glass-walled estate that looked more like a five-star resort than a traditional pack house. When the door opened, Sofia stepped out, and her heart nearly stopped. The courtyard was teeming with people—men in expensive suits and women in elegant dresses—all radiating an aura of power and royalty.

“What is this?” she whispered, her voice trembling. She had thought Damien brought her for a business meeting. A simple trip.

“The Yearly Alpha Summit,” Damien said, his voice low and tight as he adjusted his blazer. He didn’t look at her, but he saw her flinch in shock. She was the only one there dressed in a plain, stiff maid’s uniform. She felt like a dark stain on a white silk sheet.

A tall, broad-shouldered man approached them with a wide grin. “Damien! Welcome. You made it just in time,” he said, shaking Damien’s hand. His eyes quickly drifted to Sofia, his brows arching in curiosity. “And this… this must be your personal maid?”

Before Damien could answer, a cold, mocking voice cut through the air. “No, she is his sex slave.”

Sofia froze. They turned to see Alpha Zach, a man with a reputation for fucking anything under a skirt, leaning against a sports car. He walked toward them, his eyes raking over Sofia with a hunger that made her want to disappear. “I heard the rumors that you kept the traitor as a plaything. No wonder.” He stopped right in front of Sofia, his gaze lingering on her face. “Damn, she’s beautiful. Even those rags she’s wearing can’t hide it.”

Another Alpha joined the circle, his eyes dark with lust. “So the news is true. This is why you wouldn’t let your council execute her, Damien? She’s a masterpiece.”

Sofia’s head spun. She had expected these powerful men to look at her with disgust or hatred because of what she was accused of. Instead, they were undressing her with their eyes, their gazes heavy with open desire.

“I hope you’re planning on sharing, Damien,” one of them chuckled, his voice oily. “A beauty like that deserves to be enjoyed by more than one man. Will you let us have some fun with her tonight?”

The air around Damien turned freezing. His rage grew, and his scent—usually like rain and cedar—became sharp and suffocating, like an approaching storm. His hand twitched at his side, fingers curling into a fist.

Before he could snap, the Alpha of the Crystal Pack stepped between them. “Gentlemen, please. Respect yourselves and our guests,” he said firmly, though even his eyes lingered on Sofia for a second too long. He gestured to a nearby steward. “Show Alpha Damien to his suite.”

Damien didn’t say a word. He turned on his heel and began to walk toward the glass doors. Sofia followed closely behind him, her head bowed, but she could feel the heat of a dozen predatory gazes burning into her back. Every time she moved, she felt their eyes on her hips and ass, watching her like she was a prize waiting to be claimed.

As they stepped into the elevator, the doors slid shut, cutting off the leering crowd. Damien slammed his hand against the Close Door button, his breathing heavy. He turned to Sofia, his eyes glowing a dangerous, molten gold.

“From this moment on,” he hissed, pinning her against the mirrored wall of the elevator, “you do not look at them. You do not speak to them. You stay behind me, or you stay in the room. Do you understand?”

Sofia nodded quickly, her breath caught in her throat.

They reached the suite—a massive room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glittering territory of the Crystal Pack. Damien kicked off his shoes, his movements sharp and restless. He poured himself a glass of dark amber whiskey from the bar and downed it in one gulp before pouring another.

His eyes drifted to Sofia, who had instinctively sat on the floor near the corner of the bed, her head bowed in the posture of a slave. The sight of her in that stiff, ugly maid’s uniform made his jaw ache. He couldn’t take her to the opening banquet looking like that, but he couldn’t leave her here either. Those hungry Alphas downstairs had looked at her like a five-course meal. If he left her locked in this room, one of them would surely find a way in.

With a growl, he tapped into his mind link, connecting with his lead guard stationed in the hallway. “Get a dress. For Sofia. Now.”

For the next hour, Damien ignored her, his eyes fixed on the window as he continued to drink. Finally, a soft knock came. He opened the door, snatched a garment bag from the guard, and slammed it shut.

“You’re following me to the banquet,” he snapped, tossing the bag onto the bed. “Put this on. Now.”

Sofia stood on shaky legs and unzipped the bag. She hesitated, looking at him, but Damien didn’t turn away. “I said now, Sofia. I’ve already seen everything you have to offer. Don’t waste my time.”

Flushing with shame, Sofia began to undress. Damien watched her, his glass frozen halfway to his lips. He saw the way she moved—shamefully hiding her curves, completely unaware of the raw beauty she possessed. To her, her body was unattractive. To him, it was a masterpiece that made his blood hum with possessive fire.

She slid the dress on and turned around, struggling with the back. Damien’s glass nearly slipped from his hand.

“No!” he shouted, the word exploding from him as he stood.

Sofia flinched, her eyes wide with fear. “Is… is it wrong?”

“It’s a disaster,” Damien hissed, stalking toward her. The dress was a deep, shining emerald silk—far more exposed than he had intended it to be. The fabric clung to her rounded hips like a second skin. The neckline plunged low, showing the swell of her breasts, and the back was nearly bare, revealing the smooth line of her spine down to the curve of her ass.

If she followed him down there like this, he wouldn’t be able to focus. Those men wouldn’t just look at her—they would lose their minds.

He stood behind her, his hands hovering over her bare shoulders, his reflection in the mirror looking like a demon looming over an angel. His eyes were dark, swirling with lust and dangerous protectiveness.

“If you walk into that room wearing this,” he whispered, his voice vibrating against her neck, “I will end up killing half the Alphas in this pack for looking at what is mine.”

Sofia’s brow furrowed. She didn’t know what to make of his words.

Sucking in a deep breath, Damien moved away from her and began dressing. This is a bad idea, he told himself. Walking into that ballroom with Sofia dressed like that was a terrible idea—but he had no choice. The ceremony had already started, and the guard had been foolish enough to buy only this dress.

Fuming, he turned and glared at Sofia, who looked uncomfortable in the revealing dress. She had never worn anything so exposed, and the thought of entering a room filled with powerful Alphas sent panic rushing through her.

“Stay beside me,” Damien ordered. “And don’t speak to anyone.”

He offered her his arm, his expression hardening into a mask of cold Alpha authority. “Let’s go. And remember, Sofia… you are mine. Don’t let them forget it.”

Sofia took his arm, her heart thumping against her ribs like a trapped bird. As they walked toward the door, she caught one last glimpse of herself in the mirror. She didn’t recognize the woman staring back. She looked beautiful—yes—but she also looked like a prize being led straight into a pit of hungry wolves.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep