Chapter 1

When Avery's brother decides her fate, she gets drunk and ends up in the arms of a stranger. The next morning, a mate mark and a fuming brother await her only for her to realize that her fling has gone missing. When she finally finds him, everyone knows she is doomed for life.

******

Standalone Book 3 of Wolfverse Series

Book 1: Omega for the Alpha King (Standalone)

Book 2: Forbidden for the Alpha King (Standalone)

Book 3: Mated to the Enemy Alpha King (Standalone)

Book 4: Changing Fate for the Alpha King (Standalone)

Chapter 01

AVERY

“ We shouldn’t be out here. Let’s just go back, Princess. If your brother, the King finds out we sneaked out and ended up here, we will be so dead. ” My friend and helper Renee whispers in my ear.

I shake my head and shoot her a glare. “ What did I tell you before, Renee? ”

Her dull blue eyes move towards the building in front of us before she looks back at me, “ You told me to call you Ava when we are out. ”

“ Yes, that’s right! Tonight, I am just Ava. ” I point my forefinger at her. To my surprise, I see two fingers instead of one.

Perhaps, all the alcohol is finally kicking in.

“ Ava. ” I mumble, and lower my finger to avoid the embarrassing state of my mind. “ let’s—let’s just go inside. ”

It’s a big mistake. A small voice in my head keeps whispering but I can not pay attention to that.

When your heart is crushed and your spirits are beaten down, maybe, you simply can’t bring yourself to care about anything else. That’s what must be happening to me. I don’t seem to give a damn about anything.

“ This place is not for noble people, Ava. ” Renee says softly, still trying to persuade me to go back to the place I call home when it feels more like hell.

Ignoring her, I stagger towards the entrance of the shady building. The two guards standing outside push the doors open for us without asking any questions. Renee is hot on my tail, refusing to let me alone for a moment.

I hate this. People always have to follow me everywhere. It feels like I was not born alone, but with several shadows that cling to me at all times. If I am to be happy, they watch me smile. If I want to cry, I have to let them see me. If I have a breakdown like any other person, they are always there to witness it.

That’s why my mother made me learn the most important lessons of life as a royal.

Royals never cry, never show weakness, never break down. Love is not for us. Hate is not for us. Emotions, with all their variations, are not for people like us.

As for me, I am the lowest of even those royals. I am a spare Princess of a Kingdom that doesn’t need me. Daughters are mere means to gain potential allies, and that’s what I had always been.

“ Princ— ” Renee pauses before glancing around the noisy space that is filled with people everywhere.

I scan the surroundings just like her. My gaze lingers a little longer on the girls dancing around poles in the middle and then at the groups of men sitting at different tables.

“ This is disgusting, Ava. ” She sighs, voicing her opinion.

“ I know right? ” I shake my drowsy head and stumble to the nearest empty table.

The ear-piercing music overpowers the other voices, giving me the chance to silence the storm brewing inside me.

“ This is not the way to solve problems. ” She scoots closer to me and holds my hand.

“ Who said…I am solving problems? ” I huff, turning to the waiter who approaches us fast. Without saying a word, he places a bottle of alcohol and two glasses in front of us. As silently as he approaches, he leaves after he is done.

I eye the bottle sitting on the table, calling out to me. I already had five bottles. It’s enough to knock down a normal werewolf but as a Lycan Princess, I have higher tolerance.

I open the lid and pour the amber liquid into the golden glass while Renee pokes my arm.

“ We can take this and leave. This place is not good for us, Ava. What if someone recognizes you? ” Her voice is filled with fear.

“ How will someone recognize me? ” I chuckle, picking up the glass. “ Don’t you know how my brother kept me caged behind the walls my whole life? The Kingdom knows there is a Princess but they don’t know what she looks like. ”

“ He was only trying to protect you. ” Renee reasons and snatches my glass before I can drink more.

“ Protect me? ” My chest tightens at the thought. “ Does locking someone between four walls count as protecting them? Does…ignoring someone until they believe they are invisible count as protection to you, Renee? ”

Instead of running her mouth, she stares at me and does so until I get irritated by the pitiful look in her eyes. All these people ever do is pity me when I am crying, when I am breaking down, when I am roaming from one corner of the castle to the other like a ghost.

They see me, but they don’t ever…approach me. With so many shadows around me, I am still alone

“ Ava. ” She places the filled glass on the other side of the table so I can’t reach it and turns to me.

“ I thought Tyson would mate with me and finally, I will be free. At least, he won’t pretend I don’t exist. He will never turn a blind eye to my suffering. He has always been sensitive to other’s pain, right? ” A self-mocking smile curls my lips.

“ Amelia is his fated mate, Ava. When it comes to her, he couldn’t…just… ”

“ Choose me. ” My throat clogs with different emotions.

But I wanted him to choose me. I was engaged to him for my whole life. If he could only say, even if he didn’t mean it, that he wanted to choose me over his fated mate instead of abandoning me for her, maybe…

Just maybe, my heart won’t be breaking like this.

“ He said he never felt anything for me. ” My voice lowers until I can barely hear it over the loud music and sounds of cheers.

“ He does care about you, Ava. ” Renee grabs my cold hand between her warm palms and gives it a light squeeze.

“ But he doesn’t want me. ” I look down at her hands that are holding mine. “ I am sick of it…people always tell me they care about me but they don’t care enough to choose me. ”

That’s all I ever wanted, for someone to choose me over everyone else. For once, I want to be someone they prioritize instead of telling me that they care but not enough to give up something for me.

“ You have someone better in your fate, Ava. Believe me. You are a good person. One day you will be rewarded— ”

“ I am good, but not good enough for anyone. And what choice, Renee? Don’t you remember? My brother decided my future mate for me just last night. ” I pull my hand away. I don’t need her warmth anymore.

“ Ava. Your brother…has your best interest at heart. You know he loves you. ” Her eyes brim with tears but she doesn’t let them fall.

Silently, I reach out and grab the glass she pulled away before. In a single go, I down the liquid. My throat burns and so do my eyes but I can’t stop drinking. I must knock myself out tonight or else, I might end up losing my mind.

“ Best interest? ” After drinking two more shots, I turn to Renee and giggle. “ really? My brother doesn’t care Renee. He just wants to form an alliance with the enemy Kingdom, the South and so he has decided that it’s best to make me become the King’s woman. That way, Aleister Anasazi will be our ally in the war against vampires and humans as long as I remain by his side obediently. ”

Faced with the bitter reality, she releases a defeated breath and looks away momentarily. My smile falls and a frown takes its place.

“ I didn’t even recover from the previous mate they decided for me. And in a day, I have a new suitor. How ironic. ” I say bitterly and shift my focus to the amber liquid.

Renee doesn’t try to stop me this time because she knows how true I am. In a single week, my fiancé mated with another woman and my brother announced my matrimonial with another King. He only cares about strengthening our Kingdom and winning the war agaisnt the vampires and humans that have been attacking us since forever. If he has to send me to an enemy Kingdom, completely alone and at the mercy of the enemy, he will do it for the alliance.

See? My brother does care about me. But just not enough to choose me over the Kingdom. There is and always has been something or someone better than me in other’s eyes. I am not worth the trouble of giving up on things that others desire the most.

Without Renee’s interruption, I drown my sorrows in alcohol. The burn mingles with the lump in my throat and I can finally breathe without feeling as if I am going to wail any moment.

There are so many thoughts in my head. The people closest to me have all chosen the things most precious to them and in this circle, I don’t know where I stand because I don’t have any freedom of choosing anything or anyone.

I don’t notice when my vision blurs or my hands start trembling. The music becomes a thrum in my veins that makes me laugh to myself. All my senses heighten, brightening the world around me.

Everything is happening so slowly and it feels like the world is finally spinning.

“ I wish the world just comes to an end. ” I grin, dropping my forehead on the dirty table.

“ Ava. ” I feel a pair of hands pulling at my shoulder to pick me up but I can’t bring myself to pay attention.

At last, I am free. I am not Princess Avery Landric of the Kingdom of North. I am Ava—a girl who can get drunk, and pretend that the world is a happy place.

Suddenly, my sharp senses tune into an enticing scent. My nerves light up as electric currents run down my body. Shuddering, I pick up my head and look around the messy place that is still spinning.

Chasing the scent, my gaze pauses on the back of the man sitting alone in the far right corner of the bar. The hypnotizing scent draws me to him and in a daze, I shrug off Renee and stagger towards him.

Chapter 02

AVERY

When I near him, the man turns his head slightly. I halt, trying to see his features through the hood covering his head but it is impossible.

Shaking the drowsiness from my mind, I approach and slump on the seat opposite him. He picks up his head and casts me a curious look.

My breath hitches. A pair of deep grey eyes peer back at me, as his lips morph into a quirky smirk.

Unconsciously, I hold my breath and stare at him without moving a single muscle. I have seen my fair share of handsome men in my life, but something about this gruff and muscle-packed man screams a certain kind of sex appeal.

I swallow the lump forming in my throat and focus on his grey eyes. I narrow my gaze on him.

“ Are you from the South? ” I huff, my voice coming out slurry.

Grey eyes are the symbol of people from the South, the enemy Kingdom—the same place where I am supposed to be shipped to, a week later.

The people from there reside behind a magical wall that they raised in their defence, and they are not seen in any other Kingdoms. So what is this man doing here of all places? And why do I feel this electrifying pull to him?

His gaze lowers to my lips, my neck, my heaving chest hidden beneath the clothes before sharply meeting my eyes. Heat spreads in my belly as I stiffen in front of him.

“ Does it matter to you, Princess? ” His voice has a deep baritone and holds a hint of indifference.

My body shudders under his penetrating eyes that are sizing me up. “ do you know me? ”

I feel my heartbeat quickening at the thought. My vision blurs again momentarily before I shake my head and regain it.

“ Isn’t that why you are here? ” He leans in and whispers huskily, “ you want me to get to know you. ”

I gulp the uneasiness in my throat and feel my stomach tightening in knots. Alarms are sounding in my head but my eyes are drawn to the rest of him.

Dressed in all black, and wearing a hooded cloak over his clothes, he looks like a grim reaper. I would have distanced myself from him immediately after just seeing his size and his eyes if I had not been so out of my mind tonight.

Yes, that’s right. I must be mad to be here.

He is an enemy. They are not allowed in the territory of the North, but well, who cares?

“ Why do you think that I… that I want you to get to know me? ” I swallow my saliva and lean back in the chair.

That thick lips of his stretch wider. My heart misses an odd beat. Why does he look so tempting? Like a devil?

He rises to his height like a scary statue carved out of rare stones. My mouth dries as my eyes roam his strongly built body. My gaze traces the veins protruding in his arms before lowering to his fingers. How will it feel to have him—

My cheeks flush as I stop my train of thought. I shake my head instantly, trying to regain my rational thinking.

As a Princess, my purity means everything to me and the world. I must not have these thoughts. I have to be pure for the man who is chosen for me.

The stranger strides to my side and rests his hand on the table. His face closes in on me, sending chills down my spine. I hold my breath and turn my head to the right to stare at him.

Closer and closer and closer—

Instinctively, I reach out and place my hand over his chest to keep him at some distance. His lips are already so close to mine that I can feel his minty breaths scorching my face. And it’s making me squirm with a strange mixture of excitement and anticipation.

His other hand reaches for my cheek and he pushes a strand of hair away with the tip of his forefinger. The slight brush makes me gasp. A ripple of pleasure shoots down from my neck to my toes.

What is this?

“ You are here, are you not? Out of so many men in this bar, you have chosen to come to me, Princess. What does it mean to you? ” His finger trails a path down my cheek and caresses my jaw. The feathery touch blinds me to the people and sounds around me.

“ I didn’t— ”

His finger moves to my ear, tracing a teasing path around the shell. I clench my hands into fists, losing my will to fight this.

“ To me, it means you want me to make you feel good tonight. ” His deep voice is a compelling sound that injects liquid heat into my veins.

“ More. ” I whisper, surprised at my request.

What’s wrong with me?

This is wrong. So very wrong.

“ More what, Princess? ” His sultry voice eradicates the guilt.

“ What—Whatever you want. ” I lean into his palm, finally feeling the warmth seeping into my freezing body.

“ You want more of me? ” He chuckles above my lips, drawing my attention to his mysterious eyes.

“ Yes. ” I utter without registering it in my head.

For a night, I can be free. I can just be Ava.

********

After a while, my blood is rushing faster to my head and that’s why I am dizzy, I tell myself. It is not because we are entering a room and the man is right behind me.

His gaze sears my skin which is tightly wrapped in layers of clothes. I gasp every time little electric jolts run up the length of my arm, rendering me unable to process why it feels so good.

His aura is cold and indifferent. In contrast, his skin is warm. It’s enough to make me shudder.

Oh Goddess, what am I doing?

“ You look like someone from a noble family. Are you sure you should be here, Princess? ” He says smugly and tugs me back.

Like a lifeless doll, I stumble into his arm. My head tilts back as my eyes meet the pair of grey eyes again. The alarms blare louder in my head, but the next moment, my eyes are finding his thick lips.

Will it feel good to do it with him?

My hands fall on his chest while I try to fight this line of thinking. There is something about him that pulls me in and the desperation is growing stronger as time passes by.

“ Yes. We should get on— ”

Suddenly, he leans in. I close my mouth as my eyes widen in fear. This is not the kind of fear that paralyzes me. It’s the kind of fear that makes my body buzz with energy. It’s the fear of liking this too much.

“ Tell me something. ” His warm breath ghosts my lips. “ can you even handle me? ”

My cheeks flare in both, embarrassment and thrill. Judging by his build, it won’t be…that easy, right?

Electricity cackles in the air, raising my temperature and speeding my breaths. He waits for an answer, his dark gaze pinning me on my spot and making me restless.

And his lips. I can’t get my eyes off them.

“ I wonder, will you cry when I am deep inside you, Princess? ”

I raise myself on my toes and smash my lips against his mouth. My judgment goes out of the window as the sparks rush to the forefront.

Surprised, I pull away and drop on my heels. What was this sensation just now?

“ I won’t cry. Never. ” I struggle to breathe.

His grey eyes seem to darken under the shadows of the dimly lit room. Like a hungry beast, he drops the act and grips the back of my head harshly.

“ You asked for it. Remember this later. ” He utters, in a voice that is soft but equally dangerous.

I am not thinking rationally. I know. But the moment he pulls me into his body and kisses me like a starved man, my mind shuts down completely.

His lips are not gentle and he has no regard for my pace. I gasp against his smooth lips that devour me and turn my body into liquid heat.

I am no stranger to what happens in interactions like these, but this is the first time a man is touching me so intimately and…roughly.

One of his hands tightens into my hair, pulling at my scalp cruelly while the other roams down my side to loosen the strings keeping my cloak in place.

My nipples harden under the dress I am wearing as the cloak slides down my body and pools on the floor. Momentarily, he detaches our lips. I suck in a few desperate breaths while trying to fight off the lightheadedness.

His kiss has turned my mind into mush and my heart into a horse that is running a blind race with no finish line in sight. His hand drops to my waist as he looks into my wide, surprised eyes. My body is so sensitive to touch that his warm palm on my clothed skin makes me tremble.

“ I don’t do soft. ” His gruff, wild voice whispers above my lips.

I close my gaping mouth, tasting his mint breath over my lips. Our eyes remain locked, making me hyperaware of the height difference between us.

“ I am not…looking for anything like that. ” I utter weakly.

This is happening.

Oh, this is such a bad idea.

But…it feels…

He drags his hand up and cups my left breast from above my dress. The rough squeeze of his big palm causes my head to drop back. An unconscious sound slips from my lips, leaving me an embarrassing mess.

It feels so good.

“ Do you know me, Princess? ” His lips touch mine, just slightly and my thighs clench together as wetness pools between them.

Chapter 03

AVERY

“ N—No. ” My back arcs.

“ Ask my name. ” He demands in an amused tone.

I can’t focus on whatever he wants. I can only feel his hand in my hair and on my breast. Calloused fingers kneading my skin, and making me breathless.

“ Ask me. ” His lips press onto mine again, just enough to make me yearn for more.

If I know his name, will I…seek him again?

I…can’t.

“ I don’t want to know. ” I shudder helplessly.

“ What do you want, Princess? ” His breath hits my cheek before sliding to my exposed neck.

He pulls at my hair, making me arc more for him. His lips press into the crook of my neck, sending chills down my spine.

“ I just want you to, Ah…make me feel good. ” I blurt hesitantly.

He chuckles against my skin. My fingers dig into his muscles, feeling the hardness and imagining his body over mine.

The tingling sensation between my thighs is driving me crazy. I open my mouth to demand him to hurry up but his hands behind my back stop me.

With a tug, he rips the back of my dress. Buttons fly in the dark, as the dress helplessly falls to the floor.

Now, I stand in front of him, naked and flushed. His hands claim my skin possessively and drag down my sides.

I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to fight the moans threatening to spill out of my mouth. He runs his fingers under the breasts, tracing the exposed lining.

His lips meet mine again. The bruising force behind the kiss makes me stumble but he catches me and tugs me back in. My naked body presses into his clothed one as he parts my lips and dives in.

All thoughts drop out of my head and the sensations take charge. One kiss leads to another, then his lips are on my neck—Kissing, sucking, nibbling, and leaving marks on my skin.

I can’t stop the moans anymore. The hot sounds echo in the room, and my hands grip his shirt tightly.

Abruptly, I am pushed into the bed and he is hovering above me. My eyes blink open to find his heated gaze fixed on me. My heart jumps into my throat.

Under the dim lights, he looks like the definition of masculine beauty. The darkness he radiates is unique and tempting.

My thighs clench harder as his gaze drops to my hardened nipples. He places his hands on my thighs and spreads my legs. My back curves and my nipples brush his shirt.

Instantly, I moan and then close my mouth. His dark gaze sweeps over my body and meets my eyes again.

A warm hand slides between my panties and another moan escapes my lips. My toes curl as the pad of his middle finger presses into my core.

This is happening.

Oh, Goddess.

Without a care, he slides the finger inside me. The uncomfortable feeling spreads in my lower half, but it goes away the moment he pulls it out and then plunges it back in. I don’t have the time to be surprised by the ease with which his fingers slide into me.

He pulls them out and leans away. Instinctively, I squeeze my eyes shut. My core is throbbing and aching with the need to get something inside me.

It’s like my body is betraying me completely. The alcohol has made me blind and the strange sparks only aid whatever this man is doing.

He slides my panties down my legs which have a mind of their own. His muscular frame settles between my legs again before he leans in and kisses me roughly.

The movement of his lips is aggressive and demanding. It’s different from the previous kisses. It’s more intense, and deeper. His tongue explores my mouth, as his fingers slide between my folds once more.

Like a brainless fool, I moan into his mouth and spread my legs wider for him.

We part for a moment and he removes his shirt hastily. I pant as I reach for his neck and tug him back in. Our lips meet with the same intensity that knocks the breath out of my lungs.

His hands fumble between our bodies. I hear the noise of the zipper, then feel something hot and hard sliding between my wet folds.

Pleasure courses through my veins, making me unable to register anything else.

His teeth tug my lower lip harshly before he pulls away and sits on his knees.

“ Look at me. ” He commands in a powerful tone. Warmth pools in my belly at the way he speaks.

My eyes snap open and meet his gaze. The corner of his mouth quirks up but I find myself staring into his eyes that hold a hint of fury.

Why is he angry? Is he mad at me? Does he not like it?

“ Keep your eyes on me. ” He orders, and breathlessly, I obey.

I have never—

My train of thought comes to a halt. He pushes inside me roughly. I hiss and clench my teeth. My lower abdomen throbs with pain as if something has split me in half. Unconsciously, my eyes roll back into my head as I struggle in agony.

“ Eyes, Princess. ” He says hoarsely.

Immediately, my gaze finds his face again. A wave of electricity goes down my spine and makes me squirm to adjust him.

I want this, I want him. I need this desperately.

He is watching me, writhing in pain and the subtle pleasure. I clench the sheets while trying to not make it so obvious.

“ First time? ” He lowers his hand to my stomach, feeling the tensed muscles.

I bite my lower lip but refuse to answer him. His eyes flash a threatening black, making my eyes widen in horror. Slowly, strange dark red veins pop under his eyes and in his cheeks.

This can’t be. Only the eyes of Lycans ever flash black. And what are those veins? I have never seen this before.

Roughly, he pushes his length inside me. I wince, as my head rolls back into the pillow. This hurts like hell.

“ Princess. ” He pushes further in.

I try to squirm away but his hands close around my waist and pull me to him.

“ You will take all of me tonight. ” He groans, pushing all of it in.

My insides cling to him while pain makes me shake my head repeatedly. I should ask him to stop.

I should ask him to stop—I repeat to myself, but the pleasure that his throbbing cock inside me brings surpasses the pain. The sparks that surround my body and make it tingle make me numb to the world.

“ P—Please, move. ” I grumble through my gritted teeth as he stays still.

“ So tight. ” He pulls out.

“ And wet. ” Thrusts back in. I grip the pillow and moan recklessly.

“ And eager to get fucked. ” Another thrust and the gravity of his voice makes me forget about the pain.

His hands move to my breasts, squeezing and pinching my nipples. I turn my head to the side and bite the pillow but it’s not enough to keep me quiet…or sane.

The slow thrusts become hard, and fast, and then quicker. His groans become an aphrodisiac, giving me a satisfaction I never felt before.

Every sensation heightens the moment his lips find the skin of my neck, my shoulders, my breasts. His lips are everywhere, and his hands are holding me down as he takes me mercilessly.

The moment I forget the pain, it becomes all about the hot pleasure that buzzes in every inch of my skin. Something builds deep inside me—Something that threatens to leave me shattered underneath him.

And then, I come undone with a shallow scream in his neck but he keeps going. My mind tells me to stop this. I am done.

But the thought of his pleasure, the pleasure he will take from my body…is intoxicating. I want him to feel the same. I want him to shatter and lose his mind.

Every desperate thrust and every desperate sound of pleasure brings me closer to another orgasm. He flips me to my stomach and slides back in before he takes me in the familiar quick strokes.

The stretch burns, and he goes deeper. But it feels so good.

Somewhere during it, I forget my name, and my identity and only remember the man who is inside me like he owns me.

I only come to my senses when I feel his teeth over my neck. He bites a little harder than necessary, and a force sweeps inside my head. I scream due to the pressure before I feel the warm liquid inside me.

What did he do?

I struggle to grasp the reigns of sanity but it’s impossible when the pressure in my head grows.

The thrusts come to a halt as he pants close to my ear, his heavy breaths making me dizzier.

“ What…did…you— ”

My tongue loosens in my mouth. I press my forehead into the pillow while trying to understand what just happened.

He sinks his teeth in the lobe of my ear, sending a sharp pain in my flesh. I try to grab the pillow but it slips from my hold. I feel so weak.

“ You… ” His deep, angry voice whispers something into my ear. “ Mine. ”

I gasp a final time and desperately try to hold onto my consciousness but I am already slipping. I am so sleepy and tired and—

“ Princess. ”

I think he is laughing to mock me. I try to blink my eyes open but it’s impossible.

“ Remember. My name is… ” I hear him say and then feel him pull out of me.

I try to make out what he said, but everything goes black.

Chapter 04

AVERY

Everything hurts.

I groan, shifting to my back only to get the bright sunlight to burn my face. For a few moments, I keep my eyes closed and try to understand why it hurts.

But then the events of the night flash before my eyes and I sit up in the bed. The stench of alcohol and sex still lingers in the air but the atmosphere is cold now.

The warmth is gone.

I open my eyes and look around to find the room vacant. The man is gone. And I—

I look down at my body only to find myself still naked and bearing the marks from last night.

My breath hitches in my throat. Did I just give up my virginity to a stranger when I was supposed to keep myself pure for my future mate?

No. This can’t be.

Dustin will kill me when he gets to know and if he doesn’t and I end up in the South, Aleister Anasazi will know. If he finds out, he will consider this treachery.

Fear grips my heart and twists it painfully. What do I do?

Why did I do this?

Why did I lose my mind when I saw this man? Why did I feel like I was on fire when he was so close?

Who was he?

Another memory swarms my mind. Last night, I saw his eyes turning black and some strange veins appeared in his cheeks. Could it be that…he is a Lycan?

But, that’s impossible, right? Only the Royal Bloodline are Lycans. Aleister Anasazi and his family are the only Lycans in the South.

Does this mean…this man…is Aleister’s relative?

Oh, my Goddess. What did I do?

I am startled out of my thoughts when a loud knock sounds on the door. It is followed by several heavy thuds. I don’t need to open the door to know who is there. It’s Renee, her sweet scent is filling the space already.

Scent. My eyes widen in realization. I had sex. She will be able to tell instantly.

“ Princess! ” She shrieks on the other side of the door when I don’t answer.

I jump to my aching feet and gather my clothes. Panic surges in my veins as I dress up in a hurry. The urgency in Renee’s tone tells me that the worst has happened.

And as expected, when I open the door, her fear-filled eyes meet my gaze. She grabs my wrist and pulls me out.

“ His Highness— ”

She freezes, her gaze lowering to my neck which is still exposed. The temperature drops around us, and at that moment, I realize something else. Last night, he did something to me. His teeth sank into my neck and then everything became heightened before I lost consciousness.

“ Tell me you see nothing there. ” My chin wobbles.

“ Is that a… ” Her lips tremble as she meets my gaze again. “ Princess. What did you do? ”

My numb, cold fingers finally land on my neck and there is a bump there. I stumble on my feet, my back hitting the wall behind me.

No.

I dig my nails in my neck.

No, he didn’t do it.

“ It’s a… ” Renee can’t bring herself to say it.

“ Mate Mark. ” I utter and the world slows down for a while.

“ Who was it? Did you find your mate? ” She steps away from me cautiously.

Deep grey eyes keep revolving in my mind. The indifference, the amusement, and the strange glint.

My heartbeat escalates until I can’t breathe anymore.

No way.

A Princess marked by a man she doesn’t even know…That sounds just…Impossible.

This man is from the South, an enemy and he is a Lycan which means he is closely related to the man I am promised to. That’s just oil to the fire.

“ They are here to take you back, Princess. They found us. ” Renee whispers scaredly.

“ He is going to kill me. When he finds out, I did something like this, Dustin will kill me. ” I gasp, covering my neck.

Dustin, my brother, and the King. He will die before accepting this. He will kill me.

And what about the man I am promised to? He will hold this against Dustin. He sought a pure, virgin Princess who had never been touched by a man before, and when he realizes that not only did I sleep with a man but also had his mark, he will consider this a betrayal from our Kingdom and he will…wage a war.

I hyperventilate as my whole body trembles and my breath gets stuck in my throat.

Oh, Goddess.

What the hell, Avery?

What now?

My stomach tightens in knots, sending me to the edge. I might as well strangle myself now and pretend I didn’t do anything.

Heavy footsteps cover the distance to us, and my heartbeat speeds up to new limits.

“ The Royal Guards. They are coming. ” Renee lunges towards me and covers my head with the cape. “ we must not let them see this. Do you understand, Princess? ”

She is right.

“ Here. ” Hurriedly, she opens the small vial bottle which I failed to notice before, and forces the liquid down my throat. “ this is a scent-hiding potion. They won’t smell anything on you. ”

My first reaction is to agree with her. Until I come up with a solution which I doubt will be possible, I must not let my brother figure out what I did in here.

“ My Princess. ” The head Royal Guard, Austin is the first to get to me.

Respectfully, he bows his head when he approaches us and gestures at the other guards behind him to stay in the back.

There is no change in his usual respectful stance towards me which means the potion is working. He won’t be able to pick the stench on me.

I try to gather myself and act to be nonchalant but the lessons of a lifetime fail me. I can’t wipe off the look of horror, shock, and anger from my face. He notices this from the corner of his eyes and sighs.

“ His Highness is waiting for you outside, Princess. ” He informs politely.

But my world tilts off its axis. “ My brother…he is here? ”

He came personally? I gulp nervously. The potion might hide the scents but fooling my brother is no easy feat. He will know when he looks at me.

“ Yes, My Princess. ” Austin nods and steals another glance at the sweat trickling down the side of my forehead.

My brother is waiting for me. My cold hands shiver by my side. How am I supposed to face him?

I take a step back in fear. I don’t want to see him. I want to hide and—

“ If you don’t walk now, Princess, His Highness will have to come inside. ” He adds, releasing a soft sigh.

My heart jumps in my throat. If he comes inside, this whole place will burn down to ashes. He is my brother but he is a cruel man who leaves no witnesses behind in any scenario.

I break out of the dreadful trance and steel myself. “ Let’s go. ”

My soul trembles in fear of my brother, my family and the future as Austin leads me down. The club that was bustling with people is empty and the eerie silence only weighs on my senses.

Where did all the people…go?

Renee follows closely behind, the rigidity of her body increasing my nervousness. I hold my head high as we exit the premises.

And there he stands, the man who can manage to make the strongest people scared with a simple look. His calm demeanor is the same as usual. There are no cracks in the facade he puts up in front of people when his eyes move to rest on my face.

But I know better than to think he is composed. The calm Dustin is the most dangerous man to exist.

I drag my heavy feet towards him. My heart races in my chest, as fear spreads throughout my body.

It’s embarrassing.

He will know what I did. I can’t play him. My brother…He is too smart.

“ Dustin, I didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t even think about it. I just wanted to be free for a day… ” I didn’t dare mention night. “ I drank too much and passed out. ”

Lies spill out of my mouth one after another. I am digging my grave deeper. Eventually, Dustin will know and he won’t spare me.

“ Take the Princess back. ” Dustin cuts in and commands Austin without taking his eyes off me.

“ It’s not what you think. It’s… ”

It’s exactly what he thinks. I shouldn’t feel guilty but the disappointment, that only I can sense in his eyes makes me tear up.

‘ Royals don’t cry. ’ My mother’s cold voice rings in my head, accompanied by the sounds of sharp lashes and screams.

I clasp my hands together to stop the tremors. Dustin’s fleeting gaze falls on my hands but his eyes don’t soften. He has nothing to offer to me anymore.

My chest tightens in pain but I don’t utter another word. I am doomed—I know and I must suffer and pay for what I did last night.

I tighten the ribbon of my cape to hide my neck and storm away, leaving my brother behind.

He let me go without asking anything in front of so many people, but what awaited me at home won’t be this lenient.

Chapter 05

AVERY

I hurry back to my room so I don’t stumble across her. At this time, the worst thing will be a confrontation.

Renee is running behind me as we both abandon our usual composed demeanor. She is the only person who knows why I am so out of breath.

When I finally enter my room, a sigh of relief escapes my mouth. She is not here. Renee enters behind me and closes the door.

“ You should take a bath, Princess. It’s— ”

“ I know. ” I snap, rushing towards the attached bathroom.

She closes her mouth and doesn’t stop me. I discard my clothes once I am inside and turn on the shower. Water rains on my body, wetting my hair instantly.

The wall-length mirror in front of me reflects my body. My drenched blonde hair clings to my back and shoulders. Unconsciously, my gaze rests on the exposed black half-moon and a star on my neck.

Numb—That’s all I feel when I see the mark.

Why did a stranger feel the need to mark me?

The longer I stare at the mark, the worse the fear becomes.

Once people find out, everything will be over. For me, and our Kingdom. Dustin has already promised me to Aleister. If he sends me there, the King of South will know about the mark and my wild night and if he doesn’t, it will mean breaking a deal.

In both conditions, Aleister will be coming here to do what he wants from the beginning—starting a war that will destroy both our Kingdoms and many will lose their lives for something that is not even their fault.

A chill crawls down my spine as I drop to my knees in the middle of the shower room. Pain reverberates through my legs, but it’s not enough to divert my attention.

I was always careful. I had never caused trouble for anyone. Even last night…I wanted to retaliate against my brother’s decision by running away from home and getting drunk. I thought, Dustin would be worried when he found me missing, he would come looking for me, and he might regret imposing this difficult situation on me. That’s all I wanted.

That’s all I have ever wanted—for others to choose me or show me that they at least regret not doing it. I can’t be so worthless that they don’t even feel guilty over abandoning me, right?

How did this small retaliation turn into this life-threatening situation?

“ What were you thinking, Avery Landric? ” I murmur, closing my eyes.

Why couldn’t I resist this man? Was I so drunk that my mind shut off completely?

But that…never happened before. I never blacked out like this.

Maybe, he is my mate. My mind suggests, but if he is my mate…I could have felt it, right? Other than the attraction to him, I felt nothing out of the ordinary.

My body becomes cold and numb under the freezing water as I sit there for a long time. Eventually, a loud knock on the bathroom door pulls me out of my daze.

I jump to my feet, startled out of my mind.

What am I doing?

I need to find a solution quickly.

I can’t let Dustin know and Aleister can’t know about this either. The night must remain a secret and somehow, this mark needs to be hidden.

Another knock on the door and I am turning off the shower. My hand reaches for the bathrobe to wrap it around my body before I step out of the bathroom.

My nerves become tense as my eyes first fall on Renee and then on the woman standing in the doorway. Her docile posture makes me shiver instead of putting me at ease.

Instantly, I brush my wet hair and strategically cover the mate mark with them. To my relief, the bathrobe’s neckline covers the spot.

“ Renee, step out of the room for a moment girl. I need to talk to my daughter alone. ” She clasps her hands together and throws a smile in the direction of my friend.

Renee’s hesitant gaze lifts to my face. I nod subtly, silently telling her to leave and not make it worse.

“ Where were you, Avery Sweetheart? ” Mom walks inside the room leisurely. Her golden hair and blue eyes resemble mine so much that I don’t have to wonder what I will look like when I am older.

“ I—I didn’t go far. ” I swallow the lump forming in my throat and utter.

Renee lowers her head and walks out of the room. On the way, she closes the door and immediately, Mom’s polite smile becomes a vicious glare.

“ You just had to make your stupid existence known, didn’t you? You had to cause trouble and let the whole castle know that you are a slut who runs away from home every other day to whore around. ” She closes in on me and without my control, my heartbeat speeds up.

“ Mom, I—I can explain. I didn’t— ”

“ What do you think your fiancé will do once he realizes you are not a pure girl but a common whore who throws herself at every man she sees. If your history with Tyson was not enough, you had to open your legs to other men too. ” She stops in front of me.

I take a step back to put distance between us. Every time I ran away and was brought back…this was what she said. Her daughter had always been a whore to her. I could deny her accusations before…but how do I do that now?

“ Look at you. ” Her hand shoots out and grips my jaw so tight that I instinctively flinch. “ with an ugly face like this, you should be happy a King is ready to take you in but you have to keep decreasing your value. ”

My eyes sting as I lower my gaze. I ball my hands into fists, keeping my lips tightly pressed together to not give in to her.

One day, I will be out of her clutches and free, I tell myself. My day will come.

“ This is exactly why Tyson chose a bitch over you, daughter. You never acted like a Princess. More like a cheap slut. And you keep doing it. Eventually, Aleister will throw you out. No one will ever choose you, slut! Is that what you want? To always be a burden over us? ” Mom leaves my jaw with a harsh jerk.

My head turns to the side as I find myself unable to bear the disgust in her eyes. My cold fists tremble no matter how tight I keep them closed.

She takes a step back, and sneers. “ Listen to me now. ”

I gulp, keeping my gaze low.

She reaches out and fists my hair roughly. I bite my lower lip to drown the hiss threatening to escape.

“ If you give your brother any more trouble, I will make sure he throws a bitch like you to the commoners. You will wish you were never born, Avery Landric! ” Her shrill voice is deranged and filled with malice.

“ I won’t. ” I reply quietly.

“ In a week, you will go to the South and deal with your mess! Even if Aleister throws you to every soldier of his Kingdom, you will never set foot here again, or else, your brother will find out what you did, Avery. Do you get me? ” Her voice is like a screech that unsettles every fiber of my being.

My whole life she kept holding a secret over my head and it seems like…I will never truly be free even if I escape from her clutches.

My eyes sting worse than before but tears refuse to fall.

“ Do you understand?! ” She screams in my face.

“ Yes. ” I nod quickly, my scalp beginning to burn. “ Yes, Mom. ”

She tugs at my hair forcefully and then lets me go. A few wet strands cling to her fingers that she shakes off while hate shines in her eyes.

I don’t dare move from my spot as long as she stays there and throws me one hateful glare after another. When she finally leaves, I grab the wall behind me to steady myself.

My chest tightens as it becomes hard to breathe. She didn’t know about the mark—I try to highlight the good point to myself but in the end, I am still on the floor, gasping for air and reaching out to any support I can find.

But in reality…

There is none.

No matter where I look, I will find no support.

Chapter 06

AVERY

“ Did you find anything? ” I ask as soon as Renee enters the room.

She sighs, letting me know what the results of the search were. I rub my temples as frustration grips my mind.

“ What good will it do to find the man anyway, Princess? What are you hoping to do once you find him? ” She questions in a hushed voice.

In the previous week, I gathered all the people I thought wouldn’t be able to tell my brother anything and searched for that grey-eyed Devil but it feels like he disappeared from the face of Earth.

“ He has to reject me, Renee. I can…probably lie about the…purity but I can not hide the mark. This mark needs to disappear. ” I press my lips into a thin line. Lying to a Lycan King about my virginity will only warrant my early death but it can’t be worse than admitting in front of my brother that I am a fool who let someone do this to me.

“ I wish that man didn’t hold me back that day, Princess. I would have protected you if only the bar people had let me go to the first floor. But no matter how hard I fought or what I did…they didn’t allow me. They said it’s for the rich guests and I didn’t have money and— ”

“ Renee. ” I snap, fed up with her explanation.

“ I am sorry, my Princess. ” She sniffles.

That’s all she has been doing for the past seven days. She kept saying that right when I stumbled across that man, a drunk stranger appeared by her side and started bothering her. She managed to shrug him off but until then, I was long gone and when she went to search for me, she was not allowed to reach the room I was in.

The timing is just so…strange.

Is it possible that this man from the South knew me and everything was his plan to do something I am not aware of?

Did he want war? Did he want to touch the woman who was promised to his King? Or what?

“ Princess. His Highness is calling you to the throne room. ” Renee mumbles softly.

I shudder. I avoided Dustin all this time, but it seems I can’t do it anymore.

Swallowing my nervousness, I press my fingers to the mark on my neck that is covered with a thick layer of makeup. However, it’s not enough to put me at ease. I rush to the mirror and fix my hair over my shoulder to cover the spot completely.

“ No one will notice, Princess. Please don’t worry. ” She shoots me a pitiful look from behind.

For a few moments, I stay there and stare at my reflection. When I do this sometimes, I can only hate the way I look. Mom says everything about me is imperfect. My eyes that are too bright, my lips that are too thin, my nose that is fat and not straight, and my—

“ Princess. ” Renee whispers, shaking me out of my thoughts.

I look away from the mirror and rush to get out of the room. I wish I could fix the way I looked but I can’t so it’s better to just…avoid looking in the mirror.

After a while, I am standing in the middle of the throne room while my brother sits on his throne, peering down at me. His face is emotionless as always but there is a hint of disappointment that still lingers in his eyes.

“ You were supposed to leave today, Avi. ” Dustin says, breaking the silence that was suffocating me.

“ And you didn’t even care to come say goodbye? ” I smile bitterly.

“ If I knew you were leaving, I would have come but you look nowhere near ready to go. Tell me now, are you going or not? ” Dustin leans forward, his eyes dropping to my hair which is unusually resting over my shoulders instead of over my back.

Please don’t notice it. I plead silently.

His gaze lifts to mine again and I release the breath I held, “ What other choice do I have? What if I don’t go, Dustin? What then? ”

“ A royal who refuses to follow the King’s order has to be exiled out of the royal family. ” The disappointment in his eyes vanishes as an icy glint takes its place.

A lump clogs my throat. “ so it’s either living in humiliation in my Kingdom or getting humiliated by the enemies? ”

“ No one will humiliate you there. ” Dustin blinks and rests back.

I don’t think he believes it. He just wants me to believe this and go without causing trouble.

“ You went to attend Tyson’s mating ceremony. How did you even meet Aleister there? And why did he agree to this mating arrangement? ” I ask the question that’s been on my mind for a while.

Momentarily, he freezes. No one else would have noticed the slight pause in his breath but I can.

“ Dustin. Why did he— ”

“ Peace. Don’t you want it, Avi? ” He cut in calmly.

Peace? I have never experienced it in my life and valued it above everything else. So how can I argue when he tells me that it’s all for the peace?

My hands clench by my side. “ you could have offered anything in this world…but you offered up your sister. Do you even…feel bad? ”

“ Don’t put it this way. ” His cold reply makes me release a soft breath.

“ I will go. Not for peace, Dustin, but because I think I owe you. ” I admit quietly.

His expressions shifts and the facade of calmness fades. We never mention this. It’s a silent agreement that we will not admit that I owe him for doing what he did years ago.

“ Even if they hurt me or— ”

“ If someone tries something, all you have to do is to speak to me, Avi. Do you think I am abandoning you? Do you really believe I won’t come for you when you need me or if someone tries to hurt you? ” His eyes soften.

“ When I leave… ” I whisper as my eyes sting, “ I will never come back to you or this family again. It’s better to get humiliated in an enemy land where no one will pity me or make me feel like this. Like I…must listen because I am indebted. ”

“ Avery. ” Dustin narrows his gaze on me.

“ No, Dustin. Even when I get hurt or no matter what they do to me, I will never set foot here again. To my brother who didn’t twice before giving me up, I will never come back. ” I hiss.

Silence falls between us. It’s more painful than getting a reply from him. I bite my inner cheek to hold the tears at bay.

The door to the throne room opens and the familiar scent spreads around me. Instead of bringing me a sense of comfort, it brings me a wave of panic and fear.

“ Dustin. What are you two arguing about again? ” Mom’s sickly sweet voice is a torture to my ears.

“ It’s nothing, Mom. ” Dustin replies before I can open my mouth.

There is no mistaking the respect and affection in his eyes. It makes me nauseous. If only he knew that the woman in front of him is not the angel he thinks she is…

No. He will never know. It’s not like she is a bad mother to him. It’s just about me. Dustin doesn’t have to lose his mother because of me.

“ Is Avery troubling you again? ” She walks forward. Her footsteps make me step away from her path so I don’t come across her.

“ There is nothing, Mom. Don’t worry. ” Dustin says in a composed voice.

“ Let me talk some sense into her. She will listen to— ”

“ I am leaving. ” The words slip out of my mouth and it’s too late to regret them.

“ What? ” Mom halts and turns to me.

“ I was supposed to leave today right? Well, I am leaving right now. ” I nod.

I must face the consequences alone. I have to go and see what’s it about Aleister before I decide what needs to be done.

“ Avi. ” Dustin leaves his throne and closes the distance between us with measured strides.

My brother is the smartest man in the three Kingdoms, but he is…so oblivious to emotions. He doesn’t get the hint that I don’t need him to come to me anymore.

He abandoned me, so be it. When I have nothing here, there is no reason to stay either.

Before he can grab my arms, I turn my back on him and walk away.

“ Never… ” I pause after walking a few steps. “ I wish you never come looking for me, Dustin. ”

It’s not because I hate him. No—I can’t hate him. I am just scared that if we meet again, he will lose the little adoration he has for me. Mom won’t let me remain by his side.

“ No matter what you believe, I will be there when you need me. ” He says, causing the lump to worsen in my throat.

“ I needed you today. But not anymore. ” I whisper and leave before hearing his reply.

Chapter 07

AVERY

It’s surprising how it takes so little time to pack your whole life and move away from your house.

Silently, I wished it took longer than a lifetime to set out but in a few hours, I was already standing close to a carriage and the castle—Wolveshire Citadel stood in the back, looking like the part of the past that I will never return to.

The wounded sister in me wanted to cry and fight with her brother but the Princess knew there were no words to be said or heard.

Surprisingly, my whole family stood at the entrance. Mom, Dad, and Dustin. Dad and Mom shared the same sentiments and didn’t even bother to come to me but my brother tried.

However, I had nothing to say to him and I didn’t want to break by saying goodbye so I stepped inside my carriage. They became three small frames that I stared at from the round window in the door until…eventually, they faded into the fog that surrounded them like they never existed.

My heart leaped back to them and my body wanted to hold onto someone, but I knew…in this life, I was always going to be alone.

…The love that I want, doesn’t exist.

On the way, I missed the only best friend I had. Nora—The Queen of the West. I wished she was here. At least, I could say goodbye before disappearing from this world.

I don’t know why…but it just feels like I will never return even when my anger fades, as if someone is going to lock me up and torture me for life.

“ Princess. You should eat something. ” Renee suggests from her spot on the seat opposite me.

She is the only one allowed to go with me and I feel guilty because it seems I ripped her out of her world to join me on this path.

“ I might throw up later if my secret gets exposed. ” I smile, shaking my head.

All emotions are mixing up, becoming a dangerous lava inside me.

“ Don’t say such things, Princess. You are scaring me. ” She sighs.

She doesn’t even know the kind of numbing fear I am feeling right now. My mind tells me that I will succeed in hiding the mark on my neck from Aleister until I find this man who must have returned to the South because we can’t find him in the North but my heart keeps beating out of rhythm, disagreeing with this line of thinking.

Something feels wrong and a piece of the puzzle seems to be missing.

“ We are close, Princess. ” The warriors following the carriage announce from outside.

My spine stiffens as I sit straight and peek out of the window. Darkness surrounds the forest that is on both sides of the small road in the middle.

“ I think he returned to the South after what happened. When we get there, start looking around immediately. We must find him, Renee. ” I say to her.

“ Yes, my Princess. ” She nods eagerly.

As we near what seems to be a stone-made high wall, my heartbeat gets out of control all over again. The imposing greyish doors stand in front of the rolling carriage, looking like a giant beast.

An ear-piercing screeching noise sounds around us. I flinch, staring at the doors that open. The fog spreads to the small opening, leaving me awed.

For a few moments, everything remains silent and nothing appears in front of us. The carriage comes to a slow stop, and we wait. A mixture of curiosity, fear, and nervousness makes me shudder.

For more than a century, no one from the outside world has ever set foot beyond these walls after the enmity between South and the other three Kingdoms of the werewolves started.

No one knows what lies behind this wall, or what kind of monstrosity the Southern people hide in their lives.

A frame of a man emerges from the darkness, followed by a few more. My heartbeat speeds up as I stare at the dark figures.

A warrior from our side starts in a loud voice, “ The Princess of the North is here as the promise goes and— ”

“ Cut the crap. No one needs an introduction to your Princess. We have lots of them here. ” A snappy voice sounds from the other side, stunning me.

“ Mind your tongue. You are addressing the Princess. ” A warrior yells angrily.

“ What’s happening, Princess? ” Renee yelps.

“ What if we don’t? ” Another man from the South chuckles.

“ Then, we will have no choice but to cut it off. ” The atmosphere becomes tense with his declaration.

“ Come. Do it. ” A scoff follows, making my heart race.

A moment later, war cries sound in the air, causing Renee to jump to my side. “ Princess, we must return. They are— ”

“ Give me the crown. ” I utter softly.

The noises in the background intensify as I take my eyes off the escalating scene and look toward the red cushion in the corner of the carriage. I decided not to wear the crown but it seems, I must do it now.

“ That’s not a good idea. They wanted us here and now they are disrespecting you. We need to go back and let your brother know what they said. ” She grips my arm as panic reflects in her eyes.

I glance at her before sighing and reaching for the crown on my own. Renee tightens her grip over my arm but I jerk out of her hold and open the carriage’s door.

“ I told my brother…something. ” I whisper, stepping my foot out.

“ What? ” Renee mumbles.

“ I said I will never return. No matter what people do to me here… ” I get out and stand close to the door. “ I will never go back to my family again. So, Renee, we are alone in this. Let’s fight our way through whatever comes at us. ”

“ Princess. ” Renee looks stunned but I don’t have time to comfort her right now.

I step out from around the door and lift the crown to my head. It’s a silver band with blue jewels in it. Silver—to show that it doesn’t hurt a Lycan and blue jewels—to show the color of my house.

As I emerge from the carriage, the tangled people stop and turn to me. I fix the crown atop my head, and smoothen the creases on my heavy chiffon dress leisurely.

“ Princess. ” Renee stumbles out to follow me as I start to walk.

There is no urgency in the way I walk ahead, but my heart sure doesn’t know when to stop beating fast.

“ My Princess, you should stay inside the carriage. We will deal with these people and take you back safely. ” A warrior suggests politely.

I shift my focus to the faces of the Southerners that are clearing up as I get close. They are watching me with their eyes that are a familiar grey. Their frames are big, unlike the men in my Kingdom who are muscular but lean.

Rough hands and hard thrusts flash before my eyes, making my body heat up. It’s odd. I shouldn’t even be thinking about that man right now.

“ Princess— ”

“ Take me to your King. ” I ignore the people who are coaxing me into hiding and turn to the biggest man who stands in the middle, glaring at me viciously.

“ Ask your dogs to retreat. Only you are permitted to go past the wall. ” He sneers, disregarding protocols for royals.

For a second, I stare at him, at a loss for words. I expected humiliation but why are these people…behaving like I slaughtered their families or something?

Chapter 08

AVERY

“ If my warriors were dogs, your dogs wouldn’t be panting so heavily. ” I blink, shifting my focus to other men from the South.

“ You dare— ”

“ I don’t have time for whatever drama you are trying to play. I need to see your King. ” I cut in calmly before he can keep blabbering.

Apparently, these men have beef with me that I am not aware of.

“ Our King? ” He flashes me a scary smile that rings the alarm bells in my head, “ Oh, he’s been waiting for you, Princess. ”

The word ‘Princess’ almost sounds like an insult coming from his mouth.

I frown and keep my gaze on him. What is he so angry about?

“ Follow me. Let’s not keep the King waiting. ” His smile widens as he turns around.

“ Go back. ” I command the warriors.

They look reluctant but they don’t object. I turn to the carriage so we can follow them but the man with brownish hair and grey eyes stops me again.

“ That shit is not allowed. You will walk. ”

Anger surges but I suppress it and nod subtly before turning back around.

“ But your stuff Princess, how will we— ”

“ Leave it. ” I tell Renee because I don’t think these people will want to carry my things judging from the way they are glaring at me.

It’s a strange feeling. No one has ever looked at me openly before. People are not allowed to stare at the royals.

“ I don’t have all night. ” The man snaps again.

I start to walk, followed by Renee. For some reason, they don’t object to her presence and it puts me at ease.

My sky-blue fairy dress trails behind me while the upper half clings to my curves, giving off the vibes of an elegant princess. The crown atop my head shines in the dark as Renee and I walk behind the men.

When we move past the door, the fog disappears. Moon and stars shine so bright in the sky that I am compelled to throw my head back and look up in awe. The sky was not the same outside these walls even if we were just a wall away.

Silently, I recall what people say about the wall that stands around the Kingdom of South. It’s enchanted with the strongest spells and protected by the magic of the strongest witches so no force can move past these gates if the Southerns don’t decide to open them.

My thoughts come to an abrupt halt when the screech sounds again and the gigantic doors close with a heavy thud. My heart leaps to my throat at the thought of being confined inside.

I turn on my heels and look at the closed doors. It feels like I have stepped into a new world that I will never escape.

“ Walk! ” He yells, making me clench my jaw.

I nod and face ahead again. We walk through the forest that seems to stretch so far but surprisingly, we step into the clearing quickly.

My heartbeat slows down as I pick up my head and stare at the high-rise structure in the distance. The black glass glimmers, under a belt of twinkling stars. It looks like a gothic castle that is made of carved, black glass and put together in five different pillars that seem to stretch beyond what I can see. The one tower in the middle looks bigger than the rest and glistens brighter under the moon.

“ Is that the castle? ” I whisper.

“ Yes, that’s your prison. ” The man chuckles.

I snap out of my awed trance and stare at his back. What does this mean really?

I don’t ask and follow him silently. The beautiful castle keeps grabbing my attention before it gets diverted to the glass, black bridge that leads to it. Water surrounds the bridge on both sides, and it’s as dark as the glass.

Black water? What is this? An illusion?

Something shifts in the water, making a chill crawl down my spine. I walk steadily and the closer I get to the castle, the colder it gets. The freezing temperature bites my exposed skin.

We walk for so long that it seems I will never reach the actual castle but eventually, we get there and inside it. People are scattered around the gates of the place, staring at me.

Renee steps closer to me for whatever reason and whispers. “ something is wrong. ”

‘ I know. ’ I answer inside her head instead of saying it aloud.

Lycans can initiate the mindlink with werewolves but they can’t do it unless the Lycan opens the link.

The stinging glares of the Southern people don’t let me focus on the decorations or the way. After walking for a long time and rounding many corners filled with people, we end up in front of the black double doors that are unusually big in size like the rest of the structures here.

My heartbeat drums in my ears. I rub my cold palms down my dress, pretending to smoothen the fabric. It’s so hard to not downright shiver due to the dangerously low temperature. It’s like I will freeze if I don’t get some heat.

The doors open and the Southern men walk inside. Several scents hit me at once, letting me know that the crowd inside was huge. I swallow my saliva and stay back to regain my breaths before I too, follow them inside.

My eyes meet the several rows of seats on the left and right. It’s like a stadium and the path I am walking on is the playground. All eyes turn on me at once, knocking the breath out of me.

In a trance, I continue to walk until a familiar scent hits my nostrils and my body refuses to move an inch. I stand in the middle of the people that are staring at my soul and suddenly, I am searching for that man among all of them.

He is here. He is around me. I feel this intense need to see him as warmth pools in my belly. Not understanding the reaction to his scent, I scan the multiple rows on both sides of me until I hear his low voice.

“ Welcome to my world, Princess. ”

The surroundings dim as my head snaps up and I find the man sitting on a black glassy chair in the distance. His grey eyes are on me, intense, dangerous, and alluring.

My heart skips a beat before I feel the spot between my legs tingling. Heat spreads throughout my body, dispersing the coldness.

“ You. ” I whisper, clenching my thighs unconsciously.

“ Kneel, Princess. You are standing before our King. ” The man from earlier hisses.

Waves of shock ripple through me as I glance at him and then back at the pair of eyes that are fixed on me, making me aware of every cell in my body.

The tingles between my legs become a fiery ache while my mind keeps pondering…

What did I get myself into?

Surprisingly, the man says—

Chapter 09

AVERY

“ Come close. ” He says in the familiar gruff tone.

I should be relieved that he is the man I was looking for—this very King that I feared would find about another man laying claim on me. I don’t need to fear him finding out about the mark on me anymore because it belongs to him.

But…

I don’t know why. Something just doesn’t fit in.

What was a Lycan King doing in the North, a place he was never supposed to be in? Why did he mark me in the first place if he didn’t know me? And if he knew me back then…

A shudder runs down my back at the thought.

He waits, his gaze predatory. To test the waters, I shake off my thoughts and walk closer to the staircase that leads to his throne. Everything is so dark here that it makes my eyes hurt. I am used to the blue ocean, a life full of solitude—not this chaos and glares pricking my skin from everywhere.

When I reach the first stair, I pause, not sure if I should climb up or if this is close enough for him. My mind has gone numb and I can no longer make sense of anything. I can just stare at him, with a strange fear coursing through my veins.

He rises, leaving his throne and moving down the stairs to reach me. With each step closer, my heartbeat speeds up and my cheeks flush.

He stops on the last stair that I didn’t dare step on. His dark eyes look me up and down slowly. Wherever his gaze rests, I feel the skin becoming hot as if touched by an invisible force

He steps down the last stair, invading my very personal space like he did that night. The memories swirl around my head, making me uneasy and at the same time, aroused. My breathing becomes labored as I step away from him cautiously.

The corners of his lips lift in a cold smirk before he moves past me. My body stiffens as he rounds my body, taking in every inch of whatever I have to offer.

After he is done moving around me in circles and checking me out in front of his people, he stops in front of me again. Calmly, I pick up my head to meet his gaze, to search his eyes for what he is thinking or planning or anything.

“ I heard their Princess is the most beautiful girl in the Kingdom. ” His voice carries a hint of mockery. “ so? This is what they call beautiful? ”

A sudden coldness grips my heart but my cheeks warm even more. This time, in embarrassment.

The people around me burst out into small snickers first, and then it is a full-blown laughter, and chattering aimed at humiliating me further.

Despite feeling the need to hide, I stand my ground. The softness in my eyes after recognizing him fades behind a vicious glare.

He doesn’t laugh along with the others. He just stares at me, his gaze lingering on my shoulder that is covered by my hair. It’s like he wants to see the mark he left on me.

I don’t understand what’s happening. So, I decide that I must wait to find out what this humiliation means and why must he do this.

Suddenly, he turns around. His towering figure retreats while I notice the dark aura that clings to him.

The color of his eyes that night makes sense. Back then, the coldness he radiated doesn’t seem odd now.

He is a Lycan King. They are born with the curse to bear a burden far greater than what their shoulders can endure before they break and become like this—A vessel of evil, to commit sins no ordinary man can even think about.

“ Kneel, Princess. Show your respect to the King. ” The man from earlier growls threateningly and Aleister doesn’t stop him.

It’s enough to tell me his stance on everything. For whatever reason, he doesn’t mind his people disrespecting me.

“ The place where I come from… ” I steel myself and ignore the mocking laughter. “ we don’t bow down to the men who are supposed to become our mates. ”

Amusement flashes across Aleister’s eyes who sits on his throne and leans back, staring down at me as if I am some insignificant pest.

Why is he acting like he doesn’t know? Or doesn’t care that he knows me?

“ Mate? ” The man beside him utters.

I think I got the point across but the hall breaks out into a fit of laughter for the second round. Every sound of that taunting gesture drives a nail deeper into my heart.

Is this what my brother wanted? It’s not possible that he didn’t know they would treat me like this.

Or did he not know? Maybe, he didn’t.

“ Is this what your brother told you? That you are to be my mate? ” Aleister drawls, and continues to keep a straight face instead of laughing like his people.

I am already his mate since he marked me, but I can’t say that unless I know why he is behaving like this.

“ It’s what you promised. ” I say through my clenched teeth.

I am at my limit, trying my very best to not show any frustration or anger because that will give them satisfaction. If they know their actions hurt me or angered me, they will only be more happy and I refuse to let it happen.

“ Promised? Me? ” The amusement in his eyes grows so profound that I feel like I am saying absurd things.

“ The Princess thinks she is special. ” Someone says from the crowd.

Invisible cold fingers touch my spine, making me grit my teeth harder.

“ How foolish of her. ” A woman’s voice follows.

The hall is filled with people who seem to know more than me and their demeaning laughter continues to flow across the huge place.

“ If this is your way of establishing your dominance over the Princess who belongs to an enemy Kingdom, then you are using the wrong approach. Isn’t humiliating me the same as humiliating the King since I am to become his woman? ” I say in a soft voice that is void of any hint of emotions.

Immediately, the people in the hall fall silent and even hold their breaths. Smugly, I lift my head towards Aleister again and find him still staring at me, assessing me, overpowering me silently.

Then, he waves his hand in the air. “ Make her kneel. ”

Surprise flashes across my face and before I register what’s happening, my hands are already behind my back, and silver chains are around my wrists, their coldness biting into my skin. Silver can’t affect me and I should be able to break free but no matter how hard I try, I just can’t do it. It’s only possible if the chains have a spell on them.

I frown as I think about the possibility of magic being this common in the South. What are these people doing here?

The man who called this my prison kicks my ankle from behind and I fall to the ground. My knees hit the edge of the stairs and pain sears through my legs but I don’t let any sound out.

“ Princess. ” Renee yells from behind. “ let her go! What are you doing?!! She is the Princess of the North. You can’t treat her like mmmhhh mmmhh. ”

I glance over my shoulder in panic when her voice gets muffled, only to meet a pair of legs and no view of her.

“ What do you think you are doing? ” Anger flares to the surface as I face him.

A surprised gasp leaves my mouth when I find him close again. He is on the second stair, looking down at me with the same degrading glint in his eyes.

It’s different from the look he gave me that night. When I first met him, he looked ready to just…devour me but now he seems like he can’t wait to trample all over me.

“ Let’s talk about some important things, Princess. ”

Chapter 10

AVERY

“ First, release Renee! ” I hiss, losing the cool from before.

If Mom was here, she would tell me I am a terrible person for letting the enemy see how I care about a mere maid but I can’t help it. This girl came with me to the enemy Kingdom without bearing any resentment towards me, how can I leave her to be abused at the hands of these imbeciles?!

“ You don’t realize the position you are in. You can not order the King, girl. ” The man behind me clicks his tongue, taunting me.

I glare at Aleister fiercely, “ Release— ”

“ Your brother lied to you. I made no promise to him. I simply heard his plea and agreed to what he had to offer. ” He says before I can finish stating my demand again.

I close my mouth, shooting him a look that clearly states ‘I don’t buy it’.

“ Do you believe you are here to become my mate? ” Aleister closes the distance between us and places his forefinger under my chin, lifting my head higher.

Electric jolts whizz past the length of my body, striking my core and then the soles of my feet.

“ I have plenty of them. ” His thumb brushes over my lower lip, parting my mouth as his intense gaze lingers on the movement of his fingers.

“ What? ” I think I am…not hearing things right.

“ If my people are to respect every girl I get offered by people that are too desperate, they will be too busy so they respect those that I cherish and not the rest. ” He pulls his hands away, taking back the semblance of comfort his touch provided.

My ears buzz with an odd ringing. I blink, trying to clear my head but find my whole body frozen on the spot.

“ You…You promised my brother. ” My voice seems to be coming from a dark tunnel.

“ He lied to you, Princess. ” Aleister’s superior frame looms over me like a familiar grim reaper.

“ My brother will never… ” I trail off and then lose the will to talk altogether.

Dustin…never talked about any promise. I assumed, since I am to be in the South then I must become the King’s mate and Queen, right? What else can a Princess be?

My heart drowns as I recall the fleeting look in my brother’s eyes. He avoided telling me something. Dustin only ever dodges questions when he is hiding something.

“ Why am I here? ” I whisper, to myself, and not to him who is suffocating me with his mere presence right now.

“ Intriguing. ” Aleister’s voice becomes playful. “ so you don’t know that to save your ex-fiance’s mate, your brother offered to send you to the South instead? That he was eager to get rid of you just so I spared Amelia and didn’t harm a hair on her head? ”

“ What—What are you saying? ” I stop struggling like a person who is too tired to go on.

“ Amelia is my half-sister. She has a claim to the throne so I thought I should take care of that threat before she becomes a problem. Well, I suppose your ex-fiance and the rest of your friends…what are their names? ” He hums, pretending to think.

“ Nora. ” I whisper. She is the only friend I can think of.

“ Oh, that’s right. Nora and Striker. The King and Queen of the West. They all fought quite valiantly to save Amelia from me. It seemed they didn’t care about their lives as long as they could save her. ” Aleister smiles. It’s a sinister gesture that shatters my heart.

“ Then your brother came and offered you up to save Amelia’s life. What a heroic display of affection for a woman who has nothing to do with him, I must admit. Trading his sister for the mate of her ex-fiance? That’s just amazing. ” His smile widens and the nail in my heart digs so deep that suddenly, I can not breathe.

“ Your brother must hate you too much, Princess. He didn’t even try to offer some other terms. I found it rather interesting. Perhaps your brother likes your fiance’s woman? ” Aleister keeps talking but I have lost the ability to comprehend things.

“ You…You are lying. ” It has to be a lie.

“ That’s what people say when they find out how foolish they are. You can’t admit that you were lied to so you refuse to accept anything that goes beyond that belief. ” He says before I feel him moving away from me.

“ It has to be… ” A Lie.

I often heard people saying that once in their life, a moment came when they felt like they were not inside their bodies and that the world came to an end. I never believed this could ever happen to a person and it must be an exaggeration. Because I didn’t feel it that night when I was almost killed years ago and was betrayed by the people closest to me.

And I thought I will never feel something like this ever because I am not overdramatic, nor am I overemotional.

But right now, all my thoughts disappear and I find myself kneeling in front of an enemy, staring up at him as if I am not here but someplace else.

I am back home, yelling at my brother, asking him to tell me why I must go to the South.

He says it’s peace that I must sacrifice myself for. It’s to save the lives of the people in our Kingdom that I must leave for an enemy territory and spend the rest of my life with them. It’s to fulfill my duties as a Princess that I must be here.

It’s everything but it’s not about my ex-fiance Tyson or his mate Amelia. It can’t be about her. Dustin, my elder brother can’t care about her more than he does about me right? I am not that insignificant that I can’t even be compared to Amelia Kingsley, right? Right?

Then…why does it feel like the world has just ended?

For them, even Amelia who recently appeared in our lives holds more importance than me who spent her whole life trying to get them to love me, or just like me. A few words of appreciation will be fine too. They didn’t even need to have to proceed to like me.

Just tell me I mean something. Even a near zero will be good enough. Anything will be fine for me.

But I have never gotten anything. Nor I ever will.

They betrayed me. All of them. Nora, my best friend, and her mate, Striker. Tyson, the man who was supposed to spend his life with me. And my brother, Dustin.

I could have expected anything from anyone, but not this from Dustin. When he told me that I must leave, I was sure he was doing this for the greater good and not to protect a woman he was supposed to despise. How can a brother sell his sister to the enemy to save the woman who took away her fiance in the first place?

How can he do this to…me?

And the rest of them?

They helped Amelia.

But who came for me?

They all waited for me to beg them so they could appear and act like my saviors. Did Amelia beg them to save her? Did she have to lose her dignity and reach out to them first or did they notice that she needed them and decided to jump into a fight not meant for them?

‘ You are a worthless whore. That’s why no one wants you. ’ Mom kept saying but I didn’t believe it in my heart before.

I guess, she was right all along. She was straightforward with me. She never tried to act to be on my side to stab me in the back.

“ What do you want with me? ” I swallow the lump in my throat and look at the man who shattered what was left of my expectations of others.

He sits on his throne, looking like the part of a dark fairytale that is about to unfold and unfortunately, I can’t be the main lead.

“ I can see why your brother abandoned you. ” Aleister blinks lazily.

My heart drowns, leaving me a breathless mess who wants to hide behind someone but is forced to face this monster who has appeared before her.

“ What does that mean? ” It becomes even harder to breathe.

I won’t fall in front of them. A hundred pairs of eyes in the room won’t see me crumble because I am a girl who stepped into the wolf’s den without knowing anything.

“ You have a mark on your neck. ” He says, surprising me.

Instinctively, I try to touch the mark but I realize my hands are still bound. I am not at home. I am here, in the middle of a hall, bound and forced to kneel like I truly mean nothing.

“ It’s your— ”

“ Your brother broke the promise he made. He sent you here because you are possibly already marked by another man he doesn’t approve of. ” He cuts in before I can finish.

“ What? ” My lungs are aching and my eyes are wide in disbelief.

“ You are someone who let another man stake his claim on you and your brother thinks he can use you to keep me away from Amelia? ” His lips curl into a smirk.