CEO Alpha is my husband The Alpha of the pack is my husband. Ruthless and arrogant, he had never considered becoming involved with anyone until blackmail forced him to become engaged to a woman he barely knew. This woman is none other than the daughter of his new sworn enemy. It doesn't matter how beautiful or charming she is; he is determined to do everything in his power to destroy the evidence and call off their engagement. But there's a problem: now that she's his... he can't bring himself to let her go. She, the perfect daughter of Alpha, is her family's ticket to the highest ranks of wolf society. Marrying Dante, this ruthless Alpha, means opening doors that would otherwise remain closed to his pack. Even if Dante, rude and elusive, is not her ideal, she accepts this arranged marriage for the good of her family. But the passion she feels for this man was not in her plans. As they both struggle with their pride and conflicting feelings, external threats multiply, testing their fragile alliance. Will they be able to find a balance between their duty and their desire, or will their budding love be shattered by the forces that want to see them fail?
Chapter 1 Chapitre 1
Chapter 1
The room was plunged into an oppressive silence, broken only by the sound of clinking glasses and the discreet murmurs of the audience. Dante watched the scene before him, every muscle in his body tense like a rope ready to snap. He, the formidable Alpha, ruthless in business as in battles, found himself trapped in a network of manipulations that still escaped him. And the most humiliating? He had no control over the situation. He was to get engaged to the daughter of his sworn enemy. An affront, a defeat that he intended to transform into victory, whatever the cost.
The air in the room seemed thick with tension as the father of his future fiancée approached to greet him with a perfectly polite smile. Dante would have gladly erased that smile. He knew this man and what he was capable of. If the rumors were true, this arranged marriage was nothing more than another power play for the former Alpha. A way to ensure influence in the world of wolves, all the more dangerous as it involved his own daughter.
The doors opened slowly, and the slim silhouette of his future fiancée appeared in the doorway. She entered with calculated grace, her gaze both proud and reserved, aware of the importance of the scene that was playing out. Dressed in a sober dress that contrasted with the brilliance of the event, she seemed impervious to the murmurs around her. However, his gaze betrayed a glimmer of concern, an acute awareness of the situation. She was perfectly aware that she was a pawn, but she didn't seem determined to let herself be crushed.
Their eyes finally met, and for the first time, Dante could catch something in her gaze. Challenge. A cold determination that destabilized him, more than he would have liked to admit. Perhaps this marriage wasn't just a burden to him; she didn't seem happy about being here either. It was perhaps the first thing they had in common.
She gave him a polite, measured smile.
"Dante, right? »
Her voice was soft, but her tone expressed all the distance she wanted to establish. What was meant to be a greeting felt more like a mutual assessment.
"Yes, Dante Valdaren," he replied, staring at her, his hard gaze never letting go. "And you are... your father's daughter, I guess. »
She gave an almost imperceptible smile, the kind of smile you give to someone you don't like but tolerate out of necessity.
"My name is Alia, but I guess that doesn't matter to you. »
The words were slippery, like a subtle whisper of challenge. Dante scowled. He felt like he was trapped in a game he hadn't chosen. The laughter and murmurs of the guests around them seemed far away, as if they were both in a bubble. This bond, this marriage, what was imposed on them... it was a charade, and she knew it as well as he did.
The official families then decided to celebrate the engagement with a toast. Alia's father raised his glass, his smile widening as he proudly raised his voice to deliver a flattering speech about the union of their two bloodlines.
"I am honored that our families can form such a prestigious alliance," he said, and Dante felt rage boiling within him. Every word from this man sounded like a slap, and he had to stand there, impassive. He felt the eyes of his own allies weighing on him, each waiting for a sign of cooperation, but above all of strength. The only reason he hadn't broken out was this feeling of duty to his pack. If this arrangement could guarantee them some semblance of peace, then it must do its part...for now.
Alia stood beside him, straight, her face closed, but her eyes seemed to say something completely different. At that moment, she glanced at him, a piercing look full of innuendo. She seemed to want to tell him that she understood his position, just as she expected him to understand hers. Maybe they weren't so different after all. Perhaps this forced union would be as trying for her as for him.
When it was his turn to speak, Dante took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts, trying to calm the storm brewing inside him. He was not a man to be defeated easily, and even less so to submit to the whims of his enemy. Still, he had to play along for now.
"To this union...may our families be bound by strong bonds," he said finally, raising his glass, his voice tinged with an icy coldness.
The ceremony continued in a tense atmosphere, each word exchanged resonating with irony and resignation. Once the toast was over, the two young engaged couples were invited to exchange a few words in private. Dante let out a sigh of frustration at being trapped alone with her, but he had no choice. She looked exasperated too, but she nodded at him so they could head towards a deserted terrace.
Once alone, Dante quickly lost his mask of courtesy.
"So you're willing to play along to this game of your father's?" »
She looked at him, arms crossed, a slight smirk on her lips.
"Willingly?" Trust me, this is not my first choice. But unlike you, I don't have the luxury of refusing. »
Her voice was firm, assured, and it almost surprised him. He expected a more hesitant response, but it sounded much stronger than it looked. He could see in her eyes that she was not afraid of him. Worse still, she seemed ready to challenge him.
"Alright, then listen to me carefully," he replied through gritted teeth. "We don't need to pretend for either of us, nor to entertain false illusions. I don't intend to make your life easy. As soon as I get the chance, I will destroy this ridiculous contract and we will each be free. »
She raised her eyebrows, amused.
"Do you think I yearn for another way out? Believe me, as soon as I can leave this arrangement without causing harm to my family, I will. »
A tense silence settled between them, and yet, beyond the hostility, a strange mutual understanding began to emerge. Perhaps they were the only ones who could really understand the weight of what was imposed on them.
Finally, she broke the silence, taking a deep breath.
"So, what do we do until then?" We just play our part in public and wait for one of us to find a way out? »
Dante stared at her, thinking. He didn't like the idea of having to pretend, much less having to collaborate with her. But maybe she was right, and they could at least get away with playing this role temporarily. For the good of the pack. To keep the peace. They could pretend this union, while each looking for a way to end it.
"Very well," he said at last. "Let's play this game. But don't expect anything other than an alliance of convenience. »
She bowed her head slightly in acceptance. There was no warmth, no sympathy between them, just a cold understanding based on a common goal. They were linked, but only by a shared burden.
Their families joined them shortly after, smiling and visibly delighted by this false complicity. The looks, the forced smiles, the polite words, all this was part of the role they now had to play. It was a dangerous game, a power game, where neither of them really wanted to win.
As the ceremony continued, Dante couldn't help but take one last look at his future bride. Although she was an imposed burden, he recognized in her a strength that he could not ignore. Perhaps, deep down, he had found an ally in her, despite himself. But he quickly shook the thought away. There was no room for feelings here.
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