Chapter Nine
Danae
I sit on the edge of the lavish bed, the soft fabric of the duvet crumpling under my weight as I clutch my hands in my lap. My fingers twist together restlessly, and my heart still pounds from everything that’s happened since I arrived yesterday.
Silas Jorg. My “match.” The man I’m supposed to marry. The man I barely know, and already feel like I despise.
The way he looked at me, the coldness in his blue eyes, the sharp edge of his words. It all replays in my mind like a cruel highlight reel. “This will be an arranged marriage in every sense of the word. Don’t expect anything more.” That’s what he’d said when we met. Like I was some trivial nuisance. Some mistake.
I press my lips together, my chest tightening. I should’ve expected it.
Oh, who am I kidding? My gaze drops to the plush rug beneath my feet as the bitter reality hits me. I don’t know why, but for one stupid second, I let myself dream that maybe, just maybe, I’d meet a man who wouldn’t look at me like I’m a flawed recessive Omega.
I exhale sharply, brushing a hand through my hair. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Silas Jorg isn’t just any Alpha. He’s Silas Jorg. One of the most powerful Alphas in the world. He’s everything I’m not strong, commanding, respected. And me? I’m the unwanted girl, the Omega who couldn’t keep a single match.
It’s laughable to think someone like him would ever want to be with someone like me.
There’s also his brother. Adriel is different. He’s nice and charming, but behind that smile, I can’t help the feeling that he’s very detached. It’s almost like he’s toying with me.
Not that I would mind being his toy.
I blush as I remember our moment in the garden. At first, I thought he was scolding me for the way I spoke because lowering myself was unbefitting of the Jorg name. But after that line with the rose, I dared to imagine was he flirting with me?
He is certainly gorgeous. For the third time in just one day, I met a man whose looks alone could drag me head over heels. What are the odds?
Deathly attracted to 3 men, with no hopes of properly being with any single one.
There’s no way any of them want me. Not even the man who picked me really wants to be with me.
I shake my head, a sad, bitter smile tugging at my lips. “Well,” I mutter to myself, “at least I’m consistent.”
Resolve hardens in my chest regardless. I won’t let Silas, or anyone else, walk all over me. I’ll stand my ground, and I won’t let him make me emotional. Not this time. I know I have to make this engagement work. My parents can’t handle another failed match. not after everything I’ve put them through with my litany of failed matches.
Still, I’m not a doormat.
I stand and take in the room, letting my eyes roam over the decor. The walls are painted a soft, creamy beige, adorned with intricate golden patterns. The furniture is sleek and modern, yet undeniably expensive. Everything screams wealth, power, and a level of sophistication that’s meant to intimidate.
It doesn’t.
I’ve grown up around luxury. My family may not be Jorg level rich, but we’re wealthy enough. Still, even with all this grandeur, I can’t shake the knot of unease twisting in my stomach.
I glance at my suitcase, already unpacked neatly by some unseen maid. Everything here is perfectly arranged. except me.
I decide to shower, hoping the water will wash away the strain of the day. The bathroom is a work of art, marble counters, gold fixtures, and a rainfall shower that feels like stepping under a warm waterfall. As the water cascades over me, I let out a long breath, allowing the tension in my shoulders to loosen.
By the time I step out, towel wrapped securely around me, I feel lighter. Not happy, but, less burdened.
And then the door swings open.
“What the hell?!” I shriek, clutching the towel tighter around me as Silas strides into the room. His eyes widen, and his jaw drops.
“Shit!” he curses, spinning around so his back faces me. “What the hell are you doing?”
“What am I doing?” I shout, my voice high with indignation. “What the hell are you doing barging into my room?! I just got out of the shower!”
“I wanted to tell you we were going out! We have to spend time together to prove to my parents that we’re well-matched!” He sounds defensive.
My frown only deepens. “Oh, and you didn’t think to knock first?!”
“I knocked!” he snaps, his voice defensive. “I knocked, and you didn’t answer!”
“Maybe you could have waited?!” I yell, my anger bubbling over. “Or I don’t know, not come barging into a lady’s room like some kind of brute?!”
He huffs, turning to face me now. “I thought you were ignoring me. Or worse, that something might have happened. I was trying to be considerate.”
“Considerate?” I laugh bitterly. “You call this considerate? Walking in on me naked?”
“Oh please, it’s not like it’s anything I haven’t seen before, calm the fuck down,” he mutters under his breath.
The words hit me like a slap in the face. My mouth falls open in shock, and I can’t stop myself from snapping back. “You’ve definitely never seen me naked before, you arrogant asshole!”
Sighing and scratching his head, he shrugs like I’m overreacting, his tone maddeningly casual. “I’ve seen plenty of naked bodies, is all I mean. Yours isn’t anything special.”
I step forward, anger coursing through me like wildfire. “Oh, I’m definitely special,” I retort, my voice dripping with defiance.
Raising a brow, Silas chuckles, a low, almost mocking sound that makes my blood boil. “Yeah,” he looks me over as he speaks. “Right,” he finishes as though he’s unconvinced.
Something about his tone makes my chest tighten with fury. “I don’t know what you’re so proud about. Being promiscuous doesn’t mean you’re a good lover,” I snap, the words spilling out before I can stop them.
For the first time, I see something crack in his expression. A flicker of anger. Of wounded pride. And I pounce on it.
“Maybe that’s why you’ve had so many,” I continue, my voice sharp. “Because you don’t know how to satisfy a woman, so none of them cared to stick around.”
His eyes darken, and he takes a step closer, his presence suddenly overwhelming. “I know how to satisfy women that are worth satisfying,” he says, his voice low and cutting. “Maybe you’re just not it.”
I step forward, refusing to back down, even as my heart pounds against my ribs. “Fuck you,” I hiss.
He closes the gap between us, his breath hot against my skin. “Fuck you too,” he growls.
“Yeah,” I snap, my voice trembling with anger. “You wish you could.”
“If I wanted to, I would. I’d just do it,” he says, his voice as cold as steel, dropping to a near whisper.
It’s only then I realize how little space separates us. His breath brushes against my skin with every word, and I hate it hate how it’s pulling me in like a tide I can’t resist. But I make my words sharper, more venomous.
“I don’t think you could,” I say, my voice low, laced with defiance. “In fact, do you want to know what I think?”
His breathing quickens, ragged now, though I can’t tell if it’s from anger, or something else entirely.
“I think you’re too much of a coward to…”
I don’t even finish.
His hand snaps to my waist, unyielding, pulling me closer with a force that leaves no room for resistance. His lips crash into mine, and the world dissolves.
It’s like a dam inside me shatters, releasing a flood I can’t control. I’m lost in it, lost in him.
The kiss is wild, frantic, fueled by anger, and something deeper that I don’t want to name. His strong hands pull me even closer as my fingers tangle in his hair. It’s messy and desperate, and I hate how much I want it.
The towel drops slightly, just enough that my nipples slip from under it. They brush delicately against his heaving chest, and I can’t help the groan that escapes my lips and echoes into his mouth.
I feel my body clench, every nerve in me anticipating more, wanting more, needing more.
My tongue thrusts into his mouth almost of its own will, and he responds in tow, dancing with mine in a frantic rush as I feel his hand squeeze my butt. The sheer possessiveness of it making my knees tremble slightly.
It feels endless, like time itself has stopped. And then, just as suddenly as it started, it ends.
We pull apart, both of us breathless, our eyes locked in a stunned silence.
“What the hell was that?” I whisper, my voice barely audible.
Silas looks as shocked as I feel. His lips part slightly, but no words come out. Finally, he takes a step back, running a hand through his disheveled hair.
“Get dressed,” he mutters, his voice hoarse. “Meet me at the car.”
He turns on his heel and leaves, the door closing behind him with a soft click.
I stand there, still panting, my heart racing like I’ve just run a marathon. My fingers brush against my lips, still tingling from the kiss.
What the fuck just happened?
The question echoes in my mind, but I can’t find an answer. All I know is that I kissed him …and I wanted to.
Why?
I don’t have a reason. All I have is the lingering heat in my chest and the maddening realization that I’m wildly, undeniably attracted to Silas Jorg.
And I hate it.