The Alpha's Blood debt Vessel

The corset was so tight Giovanni could barely get a full breath of air. She stared at herself in the mirror, the white lace mocking her. Today was the day she became a Van-Doren. Today, she became the Luna to the most powerful Alpha in the Northern territories.

She should have been glowing. Instead, she was shaking.

"Hold still, Giovanni. You're acting like a pup in a trap." Yvette's voice was like ice water down her spine. Her aunt pulled the laces tighter, ignoring Giovanni's sharp gasp.

"I'm just... I'm nervous, Yvette. Russell hasn't spoken to me in a week. Not since the engagement dinner."

Yvette stepped back, checking her reflection instead of looking at her niece. "He's an Alpha. He's busy running an empire and a pack. He doesn't have time to whisper sweet nothings in your ear. You're lucky he chose you at all."

"I know," Giovanni whispered, trying to believe it. "I just want him to love me. Is that too much to ask?"

Yvette stopped, a strange, dark look crossing her face before she masked it with a smirk. "Love is for movies, Gio. In this world, we settle for respect and survival. Now, put your veil on. The Alpha is waiting."

The walk down the aisle felt like a fever dream. The cathedral was packed with hundreds of wolves, their gazes heavy and calculating. At the end of the long stretch of marble stood Russell.

He looked like handsome. His black suit was tailored to his massive, lethal frame. His dark hair was slicked back, highlighting a face that was as beautiful as it was terrifying. His grey eyes were fixed on her, but they weren't the eyes of a groom. They were the eyes of a predator watching a piece of meat.

When her father handed her over, Russell didn't even look at him. He didn't offer a smile or a reassuring squeeze. He simply grabbed her hand. His grip was so hard her bones creaked.

"You're trembling," he rumbled. His voice was a low, vibrational growl that made her inner wolf want to roll over and submit.

"I'm just happy," she lied, looking up at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

Russell's lip curled in something that wasn't quite a smile. "Happy. Right."

The ceremony was a blur of ancient pack vows. When it came time for the bonding, the air in the church grew thick with the scent of pine and blood.

"With this mark, I claim you," Russell said, his voice echoing through the silent hall.

He didn't wait for her consent. He leaned down, his hand wrapping around the back of her neck like a vice. He didn't kiss her. He bit. His canines pierced the sensitive skin of her shoulder, marking her as his. Giovanni let out a sharp cry, her knees buckling, but he held her upright, his strength overwhelming.

He pulled back, a drop of her blood staining his bottom lip. He looked satisfied, but his eyes remained