Chapter 3

(Chapter song ‘I Will Not Bow’ by Breaking Benjamin, ‘Mambo Italiano Remix' by Andy White)

CLAUDIA 12 pm. Right on time.

I straighten the pickle on the small, blue plate and make sure the sandwich is perfect.

I hum to the music being blasted from the back of the basement apartment that belongs to my boyfriend, Skylar.

He’s so hot and talented, too. Long black hair, tattoos, dreamy cat shaped brown eyes and this stubble on his chin that make you drool. He’s not big in the muscle department, but being a lycan, that doesn’t matter because he can grow ‘em when he needs to. He knows what I like.

I bend down to the chrome toaster on the counter and fix my hair. I check my lipstick and eyeliner. I smile as I chew my gum.

Feeling pretty proud of myself, I hitch up my bra and pick up the plate. My high heels click on the concrete floor as I approach the back room door.

The apartment isn’t much, but Skylar works hard for it. Being an errand boy for my family isn’t easy. Ya get nabbed by the Enforcers a lot, but he still gets paid.

The loud music gets louder as Skylar belts out a cover some really heavy music and I can barely hear myself. I open the door and he’s at a mic with a guitar. The room is filled with all kinds of band equipment for when he gets a band together.

He looks so hot shirtless and belting out the lyrics. He sounds so good. His phone plays the backup as he puts feeling into his words.

“Skylar.” I say as I hold his plate at my middle.

He doesn’t hear me and continues to sing.

“SKYLER!!” I yell.

He drops his hand from his guitar and stops singing. His phone continues to sing as he turns my way.

“Oh hey. My sandwich. Put it over there.” He points to a table.

I walk it over and place it nicely on the table. I turn and fold my fingers together. I stand with a smile, making myself look cute. “That was great singing.” I grin as I chew.

He tunes his guitar. “Meh. My lips aren’t syncing properly still. I need to make it believable. Like the greats do.”

I walk over and kiss his cheek. “I’m sure you’re great.” I say as I wipe the lipstick off.

“Oh, I am. I don’t need you to tell me that.” He further tunes his guitar. “You do my laundry?”

I take a step back. “Yeah. Of course. The kitchens clean and I just finished the living room.”

He smirks as he turns to me. “I love that you’re domestic.” He kisses my cheek quick and takes his guitar off. He sets it down and goes to the sandwich. He takes a bite. “Ugh…What is this?”

“Salami.” I answer.

“Ok. Just no. My mom can make a fabulous salami. You just murdered it.” He spits it out on the plate and hands it back.

“I-I'm sorry. I’ll…make ya another one.” I look at the sandwich and back up at him.

He throws his t shirt on. “Forget it. I’ll get something at Gino's. He knows how to make a proper salami sandwich.” He glares at me, walks out and slams the door behind him, leaving me feeling guilty for ruining his lunch.

I pick up the sandwich and take a bite. “I like it.” I shrug it off and go to the living room to finish the sandwich and search out nail trends.

My bracelets jingle as I eat and swipe through pictures of ways I could have my nails done.

My phone rings and I put it on speaker.

“Yello.” I say as I swipe.

“Claudia? Where are you?”

“Auntie Dalia. How are ya?” I say as I act nice. Truthfully, she could go to hell and I wouldn’t care.

“How am I? Worried about where you are! You better not be with that Gamma!”

She’s pissed and I’m trying not to laugh. “No. Why would I be? That would be wrong.” I say sarcastically.

“Claudia. Get home now.” She demands.

“Why? I’m busy.” I grumble.

“You’re needed here. Now, I can send your father’s men to get you and get rid of the Gamma you’re with or you come home now.”

I raise my head, sigh with frustration and shake my head. “Fine. I’m coming home. This better be good.”

I hang up on her and collect my stuff. I leave a note for Skylar and lock up.

It takes me a bit to get from the Bronx to Queens, but that’s New York for you. You can’t get anywhere fast.

I pull up to the front door of my Aunt Dalia’s mansion in Queens, NY. It’s five floors tower over the courtyard and the large iron gates close behind me.

A doorman opens the door and a valet parks the car for me. “Thank ya." I grin as I sway my hips up the stairs to the house. My 5 inch stilettos clicking the whole way.

“AUNTIE!!” I yell from the door through the massive house.

I walk into the large common room and my face falls. I freeze in my tracks at the sight of the large wolf sitting on the couch across from my aunt. I see his dark skin, eyes and broad shoulders, all wrapped up in a black, Armani suit.

Why is he here?

“Claudia. Don’t shout. It’s not appropriate.” Auntie scolds. She motions to her guest. “My apologies, Alpha Lucco. Claudia is still learning her place.”

He eyes me. “I can see that.” He clears his throat.

“What is this?” I mumble quietly.

Inside, I’m preparing myself for fight that usually comes from the Luccos. This can’t be good.

“The Alpha has come with an offer. For the truce that your father broke. I agreed to at least hear him out.” She fixes her jewelry and smiles at the Alpha.

“I’m sure the proposal I presented is more than enough.” Alpha Lucco sits back and adjusts his black suit jacket.

My aunt ticks her head then glances at me. “It’s interesting, but I have a counter offer.” She laces her fingers together on her knee.

Alfonso leans his head on the tips of his fingers. He looks bored. “What might that be?”

“Claudia.” She grins as she looks my way with her hands out pointed my way.

My jaw drops as my eyes flick between them both.

“I don’t fucking think so!” I say with thick attitude, kick out a leg and cross my arms.

“Don’t you speak to me that way!”

I walk up to her and stick my finger in her face. “You may be the temporary head of this family but you’re NOT Alpha and I will not be sold by you!” I growl.

She hits her finger out of my face. “You’ll do it or your people will die.”

“Ya think I give a fuck? Naw way. No. Forget it.” I spit, turn around.

She walks up behind me. “This is why you were born, Claudia. You won’t be a Queen. You’re a princess. Princesses get mated off, Queens get bred. That’s how it works. You can’t say no to your function in this pack.”

I turn to her. “Hello? This isn’t 1800 Europe. Welcome to 2023. That thinking need not apply here.” I scowl at her.

“The Alpha is offering his youngest son. It’s a fair trade. He will never be Alpha of his pack so the two of you are perfect. You can fulfill the truce and bring the families together…however loose that will be.” She crosses her arms. “Stop the killings, Claudia. Who knows? Skylar may maybe the next hit if someone tells the Alpha where he lives.”

“You wouldn’t.” I growl.

“I will if you don’t respect my position in this family. We need the truce put back. I want to get rid of you to open the house to more Queens. They won’t live here with a princess in it. If I didn’t want the tarnished image of a Princess mating a Gamma, I would have kicked you to the piece of trash 5 months ago.” She arches her brow and ticks her head.

“He is not trash. I love Skylar and he loves me.” I grind as my eyes heat.

“Please. He’s just using you. I’m sure there are much better women for him to drain. I would wager a bet he’s just settling for the easy target.” She sneers. “Now. We will be setting up a meet. You will be there to introduce yourself to the man and you will do it with a smile. If not, Skylar may not fair well.”

“I hate you. So much.” I snarl as a small tear falls. I quickly wipe it away as she fixes her long, brown hair.

“I don’t care if you hate me, Claudia. If you were my pup, you would’ve been culled a long time ago. Unfortunately for me, my brother-in-law loved you. I don’t know what was in Antonio’s head. Between you and Isabella, I don’t know who’s worse.” She throws her nose in the air and leaves the private room we were in.

I sit in an arm chair and think of all the hurtful things my aunt said to me.

I wipe my cheeks, pull out my phone and dial.

I hold it to my ear, get up and pace around the room. “Sky. Listen…No! Shut up!...We have a problem.” I walk out of the room and to the common room. I watch my aunt talk with the Alpha. “A big problem.”

“Ok. Let me get this straight. You need to mate Luccos kid and the hits will stop?” Skylar says as he paces around his tiny living room.

“Yes.” I stand and stop him. “Skylar, I don’t want to. Let’s just leave, huh? We can run off and be together.” I hold his cheeks and look into his eyes.

“Which Lucco did you say it was?” He asks.

“I dunno. The youngest one.” I cinch my brows together. “Why?” I say in frustration. “Who cares! Skylar, I’m not doing it.”

“Oh, this is perfect.” A shit eating grin crawls across his lips as he sits. The wheels are spinning and I don’t like it.

“What?” I mutter.

“Marcus Lucco aka Marcus Cooper.” He says.

I sit beside him and stare at him blankly, blinking my eyes.

He tilts his head. “The Captain of the Axelridge Silver Bullets. Dia, he’s a big time ball player. The guy’s loaded. Multi-million dollar contracts. Add in celebrity endorsements and high life perks…” Skylar smiles.

“So, what?” I sit forward.

He twists himself to face me with a bit of excitement. “So…running takes coin. Coin I don’t have. So, here’s what we are gonna do…you fake mate with the guy, fleece as much of his cash you can out of him and we take the cash and run.” He sits up and holds his hands out.

“But what if he doesn’t want to…” I ask as I raise my eyes to his.

“No guy wants to be forced to mate with a woman he just met. He’ll want out just as much as you do. So, you both fake it.” He says.

“Ok. There’s one problem.” I prop my head up with my hand on the back of the couch.

“What?”

“The moon. They’ll expect a marking. These things always do.” I sigh.

He twist around and lays his back against the couch. He twists his lips. I know he knows how this works. The families of lycans have been working this way for years.

He snaps his fingers. “I got it.” He turns to me. “If the terms need to be finalized by the moon, you or he fake a fated. They can’t trump that. Fate speaks, everyone listens. The hits stop and we vamoose.” He taps my knee with a smile.

“I like it.”

“You do?” His brows go up.

A big toothy grin spreads across my lips. “You are brilliant!” I wrap my arms around his neck in a hug. I pull my head back. “I knew there was a reason I loved ya.”

He grabs my hair and pulls my head back. “That’s right, baby and when you do this thing, I don’t want any ideas of touching. You’re mine. Remember that.”

“I know, baby. I’m all yours.” I smile.

He aggressively grabs my chin and bruises my lips. His tongue enters my mouth and devours me. I melt into his commanding kiss. He throws me down on the couch as I giggle and he kisses me deeper.

See. There’s no way I could cheat on Skylar. I’m his and he’s mine, forever.