Chapter 3

Nyra

The moment my eyes met his, my world stilled.

This is… Alpha Dimitri Draven?

My heart pounded so hard I thought it would break out of my chest. The stories painted him as monstrous, scarred beyond recognition, but the man before me… he was something else entirely. For a fleeting breath, I swore there was a softness in his gaze, like a spark of warmth aimed only at me. But it vanished just as quickly. His eyes hardened, cold and unreadable, as if that brief flicker had never existed.

“Leave us,” he ordered, his voice low and sharp, like a blade across stone.

The heavy doors closed behind his Beta, leaving just the two of us. I stood frozen, too stunned to move, my eyes glued to the man everyone feared.

He was tall, his presence filling the entire room. Broad shoulders, lean muscle , the kind of strength that made you want to bow without being asked. He towered over me, and yet it wasn’t his size that stole my breath. It was him. The scar that ran from his forehead, slicing through his brow and down his cheek, should have made him frightening. Instead, it only added to him , made him look fierce, powerful… devastatingly handsome. Dangerously handsome.

His eyes were the darkest Blue and His jaw was strong, shadowed with a beard that framed his lips in a way that made it impossible not to notice them. Black hair fell slightly tousled, not careless but natural, as though no one alive would dare touch it but him.

This was not the ugly beast Seraphine mocked me with. No, this man was worse , because beauty wrapped in danger was far more terrifying.

“Sit.”

The command snapped me out of my haze. My legs obeyed before I could think, carrying me to the chair across from his desk.

Dimitri leaned forward, eyes burning into mine. “I don’t know what lies your father told the king, but I loathe this marriage. Do you hear me? I am being forced into this farce, and I will not stomach it.”

“I never wanted this either, ” I began, but his glare silenced me.

“Did I say you could speak?” His voice cracked like a whip.

I flinched, heat rushing to my cheeks.

He grabbed a stack of papers from the desk and tossed them across to me. They fanned out before me like a cruel decree. “Read.”

My hands trembled as I picked them up. The words blurred for a moment, my mind screaming, but I forced myself to go line by line as his voice explained.

“We will put on a show for the king. You will be called Luna of the Nightfall Pack, but here, within these walls, you are nothing to me. There will be no true marriage. I will never mark you, and you will never mark me. You will not eat with me, sit with me, or even breathe the same air if I can help it.”

Each word hit like a strike, but I kept my chin lifted, nodding as if I agreed.

“You will not share in my wealth. You’ll earn your own keep if you want anything. And know this, ” his eyes sharpened, “, I can end this marriage whenever I choose. Do you understand?”

I nodded again, my throat too tight to answer.

“Lastly,” his voice dropped lower, heavier, “I will never love you. I will never take you to my bed. You will have your own room, far from mine. That is how it will be.”

The words sliced me open in places I didn’t even realize were tender. I will never love you. For some reason, that hurt more than it should have. But the next part , that he would never touch me , loosened the tight coil in my chest. Relief rushed through me. At least I wouldn’t be used. At least I could still hope to one day find my true mate.

“Thank you, Moon Goddess,” I whispered before I could stop myself.

His head snapped toward me, his eyes burning like fire. “You thank the Goddess? For this?”

“No! That’s not what I meant, ” I stammered.

“Enough!” He shoved the papers closer. “Sign it. And remember, this agreement is between us alone. No one else is to know.”

I signed with shaking hands.

“Get out,” he said coldly, already dismissing me. “You’ll be shown to your room. The ceremony will take place next week. Be ready. The king and queen themselves will come to see it done.”

I swallowed hard, pushed the chair back, and fled before he could see the tears pricking my eyes.

“This way,” a woman’s voice said.

I followed the red-haired lady down the hall until she opened a door for me. When I stepped inside, I froze. The room was wide and clean, filled with polished wood furniture. My eyes landed on the bed , big, soft, with more pillows than I had ever dreamed of. My lips parted, and for the first time in years, I smiled.

“Thank you,” I breathed.

The woman’s eyes narrowed. “For what? You must be pleased, being married to our Alpha.”

The words stung. My smile faded. “I’m not pleased,” I admitted softly. “I never wanted this marriage. I only ever wanted my true mate. I’m not even of age yet , I still have one more year before I can feel the bond. I didn’t choose this. Please… don’t hate me for it. If even Alpha Dimitri can’t defy the king, then what power do I have? I’m nothing. Just a daughter given away.”

I bowed my head, ashamed, but I had to say it. “All I have left is hope. Hope that I can survive this.”

The woman let out a breath, her tone softening. “Selene. That’s my name. I’m Beta Rowan’s mate. I know what it is to wait for your true bond. Because you spoke honestly, I’ll give you a chance.”

My head lifted, eyes damp. “Thank you, Selene. Thank you for listening. Alpha Dimitri didn’t want to hear me at all.”

“You need to understand something,” Selene said, folding her arms. “When he suffers, we all suffer. He never wanted a mate. Never wanted marriage. This was forced on him too.”

“I know,” I whispered. “It’s the same for me.”

She hesitated, then confessed, “The plan is to endure this until the king changes his mind. Once the war is won, Dimitri will demand a divorce. Until then, we bear it.”

Her words sank into me like stones. A marriage built only to be broken.

“Breakfast is at six,” she added briskly. “Tomorrow, we’ll talk about the ceremony.”

I nodded. “Understood.”

She turned to leave, then paused. “I’m sorry about the room. It’s not our finest. Alpha is still… upset.”

“The room is beautiful,” I told her truthfully. “Back home, my room was the attic.”

Selene froze. Her brow furrowed. “But aren’t you Alpha Magnus’s daughter?”

“I was,” I said quietly. “But he stopped loving me a long time ago.”

The silence grew heavy between us. Finally, Selene murmured, “I’m sorry. I thought an Alpha’s daughter would…”

“Not everything is what it looks like,” I interrupted gently. “To be honest, you’ve shown me more kindness in one night than my family has in years.”

Selene’s eyes flickered with surprise, and then, something else. She held my gaze and said softly, “It’s the same with Alpha Dimitri. Not everything is as it seems. Be patient.”