Chapter 2 Belonging to Him

FIVE YEARS LATER

The woman staring back at me in the mirror looked nothing like the girl who had left America five years ago.

A white wedding gown hugged my body, its expensive fabric spilling across the floor while diamonds glittered beneath the dressing room lights. Everyone would have called it beautiful. To me, it looked like a cage.

I lifted a hand to my cheek, lightly touching the makeup concealing the fading bruise beneath it. The makeup artist had done her job well. By tomorrow, no one would know Victor had grabbed me hard enough to leave fingerprints on my skin two nights ago. No one would see the marks hidden beneath the sleeves of my gown either.

"Our Luna looks stunning," one of the omegas said.

Another smiled as she adjusted my veil. "Alpha Victor won't be able to take his eyes off you."

I forced a smile.

"Thank you."

The lie came easily.

Almost everything about me had become a lie.

I studied my reflection in silence. Dark shadows lingered beneath my eyes despite the makeup. My face looked thinner than it had years ago, as though life had slowly stripped pieces away from me until only this hollow version remained.

Five years ago, I had been Zane Bennett's little sister.

Protected. Carefree and Free.

Back then, my biggest heartbreak had been Ethan Cole rejecting me.

Now I was standing in a wedding dress, preparing to marry a monster.

The thought made my chest ache.

How had my life ended up here?

If I had never left America, would everything have been different?

The dressing room door opened.

My body tensed instantly.

I didn't need to look up to know it was Victor.

Fear recognized him long before my eyes did.

The omegas immediately lowered their heads.

"Alpha."

Victor barely acknowledged them.

His attention remained fixed on me.

"Leave us."

The girls hurried from the room, and silence settled behind them.

I gripped the edge of the vanity as Victor approached.

His reflection appeared behind mine in the mirror. He was tall, handsome, and perfectly put together. To the rest of the world, he looked like a powerful Alpha deeply in love with his future mate.

No one saw what happened behind closed doors.

No one saw the bruises.

No one saw the fear.

Victor rested his hands on my shoulders.

I flinched.

The movement was small, but he noticed.

He always noticed.

"You nervous, baby?" he asked softly.

I swallowed.

"A little."

His smile never wavered.

"You look perfect."

Of course I looked different.

For months I had barely eaten. Sleep came only when exhaustion finally defeated me. Even then, nightmares waited on the other side.

Victor pulled a black velvet box from his pocket.

"I got you something."

Inside rested a silver necklace engraved with two initials.

V & A.

He moved behind me and fastened it around my neck.

The cold chain settled against my skin.

It didn't feel like a gift.

It felt like ownership.

Victor met my gaze in the mirror.

"There," he said. "Now everyone will know who you belong to."

Belong. Not love. Not partner. Just belong.

The word sat heavily in my chest.

His arm slipped around my waist while his other hand tilted my chin upward.

"After today," he whispered, "you'll finally be completely mine."

Fear crawled through me.

I stared at my reflection again.

The gown. The diamonds. The necklace.

To everyone else, I probably looked like the luckiest woman in London.

But all I saw was a frightened girl disappearing piece by piece.

Victor brushed his thumb across my cheek.

Then he smiled.

"I love you."

The words nearly made me sick.

Once, hearing those words from my mate would have meant everything.

Now they only reminded me of blood, loss, and memories I couldn't escape.

Still, I smiled back.

Because that was what Victor expected.

"I love you too."

The lie burned all the way down my throat.

Victor looked satisfied.

A moment later, his phone vibrated.

He glanced at the screen.

For the briefest second, something changed in his expression.

Then it was gone.

He slipped the phone back into his pocket and headed for the door.

"The ceremony starts in thirty minutes."

The door closed behind him.

I released a shaky breath.

For the first time all morning, I was alone.

My gaze drifted back to the mirror.

To the woman trapped inside that white dress.

And suddenly, I wasn't sure she could survive becoming Victor's wife.