Chapter 4 Chapter 4

MERCEDES.

The heavy oak doors of Malakai’s study slammed shut behind me, echoing down the dimly lit hallway like a gunshot.

My chest heaved, every breath burning with a hot, infuriating mix of adrenaline and raw fury.

He actually thought he could schedule my rejection like a routine office meeting. He thought he could wave a magic wand, suppress our bond, and send me packing back home next Friday without a single word of protest from me.

Prick, I thought, marching down the corridor with my arms tightly crossed over my chest, my heels clicking sharply against the polished hardwood.

Arrogant, bossy, stone-hearted prick.

I didn't even know where I was going.

The estate was a sprawling labyrinth of wings, stairwells, and dark corridors, and in my blind anger, I had managed to turn myself completely around.

"Excuse me? Lady Mercedes?"

I spun around, blinking past the heat in my eyes.

A young woman with warm hazel eyes and a kind, approachable face was standing a few steps away, holding a ring of brass keys.

"Don't call me that," I muttered, exhaling a sharp breath. "It's Mercedes. Or Mercy. Everyone calls me Mercy."

"Mercy," the girl repeated with a soft, understanding smile, stepping closer. "I'm Nora. Alpha Hadid assigned me to attend to your personal care during your stay here. I was actually looking for you to show you to your suite."

Relief washed over me, though I kept my shoulders stiff.

"Thank goodness. Lead the way, Nora. Because if I have to look at another piece of dark wood in this fortress tonight, I'm going to start setting fires."

Nora chuckled quietly, turning to guide me down a quieter, carpeted hallway toward the east wing. "I understand. The Alpha's quarters can feel a bit... overwhelming when you're upset."

A few minutes later, she unlocked a set of double doors, revealing a massive, luxurious master guest suite.

A king-sized bed dominated the room beneath soft white silk sheets, and a crackling fireplace cast a warm, flickering glow across the walls. My suitcases were already neatly resting near the walk-in closet.

"Is there anything you need tonight, Mercy?" Nora asked gently, setting the keys down on the vanity. "Food? A drink? A hot bath to unwind?"

I kicked off my heels, walking over to sink onto the edge of the plush mattress. I looked at Nora, she was close enough to my age that the rigid hierarchy of the pack didn't feel as suffocating between us.

The frustration bubbled up inside me again, demanding to escape.

"Nora... has he ever done this before?" I blurted out, resting my elbows on my knees. "Has he ever just... decided to throw away something crucial in his life?"

Nora froze, her eyes widening in alarm. She stepped closer, locking the heavy suite door behind her.

"Something like what? Mercy, what are you talking about?"

"Malakai," I rasped, running a hand through my short brown pixie cut. "By the lake tonight. The full moon hit its peak, and our wolves lost their minds. We're fated mates."

Nora gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "The Alpha? Your... your mate? Oh, Goddess."

"Yeah. And instead of acting like a normal fucking being, he spent five minutes lecturing me about my age and my dad, and then informed me that he's going to use the next seven days to sever the bond before my dad comes back next Friday."

"He wants to reject you?" Nora whispered, her face pale. "Mercy, a pureblood rejection between two Alphas is brutal. The psychological toll... the agony it inflicts on your wolf..."

"I know," I whispered, a tight knot forming in my throat.

Losing my mother when I was a child had left a permanent, hollow ache in my life.

The thought of experiencing another devastating heartbreak, of feeling my own mate slice our soul-bond to pieces, terrified me more than I cared to admit.

And if my dad ever found out that his best friend had put me through that kind of torture, their friendship would shatter in a bloodbath.

"I don't even know if I want a relationship with him," I admitted honestly, staring at the floor. "He's infuriating. But I refuse to let him make that choice for me. I refuse to be discarded just because it fits his neat little timeline."

Nora stood in silence for a long moment, studying me with sharp, perceptive eyes.

"If you don't want him to reject you, Mercy, you can't just fight him with words," Nora noted quietly. "He’s an Alpha who has spent years in absolute control. He expects people to fold when he lays down the law. If you just argue with him, he'll hide behind his authority."

"So what am I supposed to do? Roll over the ground and accept it?" I snapped.

"No," Nora said, a subtle, calculating gleam entering her hazel eyes. "You have two choices here, Mercy. Rejection or seduction."

I blinked, the words hanging heavily in the quiet air of the room. "Seduction?"

"You can stay in this room for the next seven days, wait for him to execute his plan, and let him cut you loose," Nora explained, crossing her arms. "Or... you can remind him that he's a male wolf, and you're the only woman the Moon Goddess put on this earth for him. He likes control because no one has ever truly challenged it. But a fated mate isn't meant to be manageable."

I stared at her, weighing the sheer insanity of the suggestion against the burning, restless fire in my chest.

Zuri stirred inside my mind, a warm, eager hum vibrating against my ribs. She didn't want a war of words; she wanted our mate to look at us and forget every single reason he had for pushing us away.

A slow, wicked grin spread across my face.

"Nora," I purred, looking up at her. "Help me unpack my bags."

Twenty minutes later, the transformation was complete.

Nora had helped me style my short pixie cut so it looked artfully tousled, framing the sharp angles of my face.

We added a smoky swipe of dark eyeliner to make my dark eyes look fierce, and a heavy splash of crimson orchid and vanilla perfume clung to my pulse points.

Beneath a floor-length, loose silk robe that parted with every step, I wore a black lace corset and matching sheer panties that hugged every curve of my body.

"Remember, you have to show total confidence, Mercy," Nora whispered, giving my shoulders an encouraging squeeze in front of the full-length mirror. "Go remind him of what he's trying to throw away."

I took a deep, grounding breath, feeling the steady, rhythmic pulse of my wolf backing me up.

I left the suite, navigating the quiet corridors of the estate until I reached the west wing. The air out here felt heavier, saturated with the rich, unmistakable scent of cedar, dark and raw Alpha authority.

I stopped outside the heavy double doors of Malakai’s private master suite.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a sudden flutter of nerves threatening my bravado. But I pushed the hesitation down, raised my hand, and knocked firmly against the wood.

Silence.

I waited three seconds, frowned, and knocked again, harder this time. "Malakai?"

Still nothing.

Irritation flared through my veins.

Without overthinking it, I grabbed the polished brass handle, turned it, and pushed the door open.

The master bedroom was vast and dim, illuminated only by the silver moonlight pouring through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The massive king bed was empty, the dark duvet smooth and undisturbed.

I stepped inside, letting the heavy door click shut behind me.

"Malakai? I know you're in here."

Before I could take another step, the frosted-glass door to the adjoining master bathroom swung open with a soft click.

A thick, warm cloud of steam rolled out into the bedroom, carrying the crisp, wet scent of mint, soap, and heated male skin.

Out stepped Malakai.

I froze dead in my tracks.

He was completely, utterly naked.

A single white towel was slung casually over the back of his broad shoulders, trailing down his massive, carved back.

His dark, damp hair was slicked back from his forehead, and tiny droplets of water glistened across the expanse of his broad chest, catching the moonlight like liquid silver.

His chest was broad, muscled, and carved from absolute stone, tapering down into a defined V of hard abdominal muscles and narrow hips.

Thick, powerful thighs and broad shoulders completed a physique that radiated raw, untamed power.

Malakai stopped in his tracks, his dark eyes snapping straight to me.

"Mercedes," he barked, his voice dropping into a deep, gravelly register that rattled right through my chest.

He stepped forward, his jaw clamping shut as his dark gaze swept over my appearance.

"What the hell are you doing in my room? And why are you dressed like that?"

My mouth went bone-dry. My rehearsed words vanished entirely.

"I... um..." I stammered, my voice catching in my throat as my gaze involuntarily dropped, tracing the hard lines of his torso down past his waist.

As his dark eyes locked onto mine with blistering intensity, a heavy, undeniable shift occurred.

Right before my eyes, his arousal reacted to my presence. His thick, heavy length springing hard, rising slowly as he stared at me.

My breath hitched.

I swallowed hard, gulping nervously as a hot wave of pure, scorching heat flushed up my neck and settled deep between my thighs.

Slowly, deliberately, the panic melted away, replaced by an intoxicating surge of power.

A wicked, confident smirk crawled up my face.

So much for him pretending to be unaffected.

Time to put seduction to the test.

And I was absolutely going to get this man.