Seraphina’s POV

The door creaked open.

Lucien didn’t knock. He didn’t ask if I was decent. He just walked in like the room already belonged to him.

“Jerk”, I stiffened, sitting upright on the edge of the bed where I’d been waiting for hours, fully dressed, spine straight, pulse roaring in my ears. I hated how he never looked at me even once.

He peeled off his jacket as though he undressing before war, not a wedding night. Tossed it carelessly on the nearest chair and began unbuttoning his shirt like I wasn’t even in the room.

My hands curled into the sheets.

“Should I… undress?” My voice came out smaller than I intended.

“Do whatever you need to and get on the bed”, his voice cold, he didn't turn, no glance, no warmth, no pretence, no greeting even as a formality.

I rose slowly, my shaking fingers fumbled at the ties of the ivory silk gown they forced me into after the ceremony. The castle maids had said I looked beautiful but I felt like a vessel offered as a sacrifice.

I slid the gown off my shoulders, letting it puddle to the floor.

Lucien stood still, his back was to me, muscles flexing as he pulled the last of his clothes off, baring the full dominance of his form, towering, scarred, cold.

“I don’t want your affection,” he said, voice cool.

“Don’t offer it”, his eyes scanning my body like it was already his.

“I wasn’t going to”, I replied concealing my fright.

“Good”.

I forced myself to hold his gaze when it finally landed on me. He wasn’t really looking, his eyes skimmed, like he was calculating, no trace of hunger or warmth.

He approached the bed. I could tell this wasn’t going to be gentle, his eyes were empty and cold. This wasn’t going to be love making. This was a transaction and I was the living sacrifice.

"Lie down".

I obeyed.

The silence between us felt thicker than the sheets. I clenched my jaw, trying to breathe past the shame clawing up my throat.

He pushed me back. No kisses to set the mood, no words, just a hand on my shoulder, firm and detached, guiding me down the bed. My hair spilled across the pillows, I looked up at the ceiling and let my mind wander.

He entered me roughly, without hesitation, no rhythm, just drive. Like this was war and I was the territory.

I bit my lip to stop the gasp. My wolf whimpered inside me, curling back into herself.

“You’re tight,” he muttered. “Did they give me a virgin?”

“Does it matter?”, I choked out.

“No”, he growled. “Just means it’ll be faster.”

Pain spread through me like wildfire. Not just in my body but my pride, it was shattered to pieces. He reached between us and gripped my thigh, spreading me wider.

“You said this would be quick,” I whispered.

“You are here for one thing. Don't mistake this for something it's not”, he leaned in closer, even rougher now, breath hot against my ear,

“You’ll learn to stop speaking, it’ll make things easier”, I turned my head away, eyes stinging.

“Cry later,” he said.

My nails dug into the sheets. I wanted to bite him, I wanted to shift and tear into him with rage. But I lay still and let him finish.

When he was done, he stood, adjusted his pants and didn’t look back.

I sat up slowly, dragging the sheets over my chest. My body throbbed, my heart felt like a broken wall.

“You’re dismissed,” he said putting on his shirt.

“Dismissed?” I repeated, blinking, the words hurt even more.

“You got what you came here for so rest”, he gave me a cold glance.

“I came here because I had no choice. Because my stepfather sold me like livestock. Don’t act like I wanted this.”, I said, my whole body burning with rage.

“You agreed,” he said simply.

I stared at his retreating back, hatred and heartbreak warring in my chest. He walked to the decanter on the dresser, poured himself a drink and downed it in one gulp.

“You can sleep here,” he said, tone flat. “Or in the chambers down the hall, I don’t care”, he said,I didn’t answer.

“You’ll report to the pack healer in the morning,” he continued.

“Confirm if conception took place. We’ll try again in two nights if it didn’t.”

“ What!?”, my eyes widened, he walked away without a glance.

I curled up on the bed, the sheets stinking of obligation and everything I could never wash off. I slid off the bed, knees shaking. My body was marked with his scent.

I moved to the mirror across the room. My reflection didn’t look back with kindness. My hair was tangled, lips swollen. There were red bruises blooming on my hips.

This was the beginning of my duty. Not a romance, not a home I've dreamed of all my life but a bargain sealed in pain.

My eyes ran around the big and unfamiliar room and the whispers outside the door started long before dawn.

“I heard he didn’t stay”.

“Of course not, she’s not even of royal blood, that's why she was choosen”.

“Her mother was a rogue, I heard the king didn’t even kiss her hand.”

“She looked like she might cry during the vows”.

I buried my face in the pillow, wishing I could scream, shift, run anything to escape the suffocation pressing on all sides but I didn’t.

Instead, I dressed myself before the sun rose. Put on a silver robe. Braided my hair tight. Painted my mouth with the faintest tint of red.

And I stared into the mirror until I no longer looked like a girl broken by a man’s indifference.

“I'd stop expecting fire from someone who lived in the dark”

“You’re still here”, I whispered to the girl in the mirror.

“ You'll overcome this”, I wore a plastic smile.