Chapter 3 Three
What is there to understand, Rose?”
Rose reached out, her voice desperate. “I am begging you, Liam. Just this once, listen to me. We have been married for two years, and you have never claimed me. Not once. On our wedding night, you pushed me away like I was something disgusting. You know about my curse. You know I am trapped in this heat until I am claimed, yet you keep me in this prison. Please. If you want me to do something anything—I will do it. Just give me this. Let me feel like a woman. Let me feel like your wife. We are bound together anyway, so why are you punishing us both?”
She reached for his hand, but he flinched away from her touch.
“Let’s just be intimate,” she pleaded. “Stop confusing me with these games.”
Inside, Rose was making a secret plan. She told herself that if he gave her what she needed, if he broke the curse, she would find a way out. She would leave the marriage and live her life in peace, free from this relentless hunger. She watched his face, waiting for a sign of mercy.
“When my mother leaves,” Liam said coldly, “then I will think about it.”
It wasn't a 'yes,' but to Rose, it was the most beautiful thing she had heard in years. She swallowed her pride and ignored the fact that he had just used her as a prop for a performance. She told herself it was just his personality. She didn't care how he treated her, as long as he ended the pain of the curse.
The next morning, the reality of her life in the Dohuk house came crashing back. As she walked toward the kitchen to get a glass of water, she heard the hushed voices of the maids.
“It looks like Mrs. Liam finally got what she was begging for last night,” one whispered.
“Did they actually do it?” the other asked, a giggle in her voice. “Did he finally give in after she spent all that time crying for it?”
“It sounds like it. I’ve never seen a woman so desperate. No shame at all.”
The arrival of Ma’am Mercy, the head housekeeper, silenced them with a sharp look, and they quickly returned to their chores. Rose stood in the hallway, her face burning. She heard every word, but she forced herself to keep walking. She joined the family for breakfast with a mask of perfect composure.
For the next three days, Liam was the perfect husband. He was affectionate and sweet while his parents were watching. Rose lived in a state of constant excitement. She truly believed that once the front door closed behind his parents, her new life would begin.
The night they left, Liam came into the room to gather some of his things. Rose didn't give him a chance to leave. She walked to the door and turned the lock with a definitive click. She turned to him, wearing nothing but a transparent silk nightgown. She moved toward him slowly, her heart pounding against her ribs.
She saw the way his eyes tracked her body. She saw the way his gaze lingered on her breasts. Encouraged, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. She poured all her longing into it, but Liam stayed frozen. He didn't kiss her back. He simply stepped backward until the back of his knees hit the bed and he tumbled onto the mattress.
Rose followed him down, discarding her gown. She sat on his lap, her body aching with a need that was almost blinding. She leaned forward, her tongue tracing the line of his chest, trying everything she knew to wake him up. But as her hand reached for his trousers, she felt nothing. He wasn't aroused at all.
Before she could react, Liam shoved her. He didn't just push her; he threw her off him with such force that she hit the floor hard.
“What do you think you are doing?” Liam shouted, standing up and towering over her.
Rose looked up from the floor, shocked. “I... I thought this was what we agreed on, Liam. You promised. I’m ovulating, and I thought we could finally try for a child. I don’t understand. Why do you hate me this much?”
Liam let out a harsh, jagged laugh. “Rose, I don’t love you. I never have. I only married you because of the contract and because I wanted my father to name me Alpha. I knew you loved me, and I thought I could tolerate you, but I can’t.”
He looked down at her with pure disgust. “My father is still mourning his dead son. He isn't over my brother. I’m only staying in this marriage to win his favor. The second I have what I want, I’m divorcing you.”
Rose felt like the floor had opened up beneath her. “What are you talking about? Your brother?”
“You aren't my mate, Rose. You never were. You were my late brother’s mate. I stepped in to take the contract, but even if I fuck you, it won’t change a thing. The only person who could ever break your curse is dead. So get up off the floor and stop daydreaming. This is your life now
.”
He turned and stormed out of the room,
