GRACE

I staggered.

Damon’s hand clamped around my wrist, dragging me against his chest as he bent low. His breath licked my ear.

“Well,” he murmured, dark satisfaction curling his voice, “this just makes my work easier.”

I shoved him back and without thinking, spat in his face.

Gasps ripped through the crowd. He stilled, crimson eyes narrowing as he wiped the saliva with deliberate calm.

The corner of his mouth twitched not with rage, but with amusement. That smirk twisted my stomach with disgust. What kind of monster smiled at humiliation?

I turned, searching the crowd. My stepmother’s gaze pinned me like a knife. My father’s eyes flickered in confusion and a subtle hint of suspicion. ‘Not like Lily’, his face said without words.

The priest bound us anyway. The moment it was done, Damon seized my arm and hauled me outside to his waiting carriage.

I ripped free, my fingers trembled, throat burned with the scream I could never release.

His gaze lingered on me, sharp, watchful and mocking as if my silence amused him. He ignored the earlier theatrics and opened the door with false gentlemanness but I hesitated.

This was real. I was actually married to my mother’s killer.

My mind was in chaos. My breathing had changed. My step mother had really won.

I cast one last look at my father. His face shifted, shock flashing in his eyes as realization suddenly dawned. He turned toward my stepmother, fury breaking across his face, but it was too late.

I stepped into the carriage. My fate sealed shut with the slam of the door.

Damon Croft may have bound me, but he would choke on the mistake. I must see to it.

The journey felt like chains tightening around my throat. When we finally reached his kingdom, guards surrounded us in a wall of steel. Damon didn’t offer his hand or play at civility. I didn’t want him touching me anyway.

My feet touched the ground lightly but Damon was already walking away as though I was already forgotten.

“Have her prepared,” he ordered. “Tell the seers I’ve made progress.” His voice echoed and my breath stilled.

Progress…what the hell did that mean?

I looked around and suddenly saw guards advancing towards me. Dread crept up on me in an instant.

Why were guards with swords coming towards me? His newly wed? My brows were furrowed and when I looked back at Damon, blood drained from my face.

This wasn’t a wedding. My stomach dropped.

I froze, then spun on my heel to bolt towards the open woods but before I could flee, Damon’s hand clamped my waist, yanking me into his unyielding chest.

My breasts crushed against him, heat sparking beneath my skin. My body betrayed me, shivering where it should have burned with only hate.

The mate pull caused my wolf to purr in delight, where my legs should have run, I wanted to wrap it around his waist. Disgraceful!

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” he murmured, his voice low and husky, “but this isn’t your kingdom. And I don’t keep strays.”

Fear should have swallowed me. Instead, a laugh slipped through my nose, sharp and mocking.

For someone who hates strays, that’s all you’ve ever had, an empire of orphans, bastards, and broken things.

His eyes snapped wide as he released me as though I had burned him. Rage blazed behind his eyes.

“You dare—”

Shit. He had heard me? How!?

My throat dried when it dawned on me. The mate bond.

“Get Lily situated,” he hissed to the guards. “The seers will want to know how my mate intends to break my curse.”

My blood ran cold. Curse?

I was dragged to a chamber far grander than I deserved. Silk sheets, gold thread curtains. A mockery of comfort after years of being stripped to rags in my father’s house.

My hand brushed my mother’s necklace, and I whispered in my head the truth I could never voice: I am hers. Not theirs and I’ll burn before I let him use me to save himself.

I just needed to find a way out of here!

Suddenly the doors opened and a servant girl entered, beaming with so much happiness “We’re so excited to meet you! For twenty years, master hasn’t chosen a woman, and now you—”

I didn’t wait for her to finish as I lunged, claws grazing her throat as I pushed her towards the door.

Fear widened her eyes but she obeyed, guiding me through the halls and out into the woods. I pushed her the second I bolted into the woods. Her faint scream for help echoed but my lungs burned, thorns ripped my skin as I ran faster and faster until…

I slammed chest-first into something solid. No, someone. The force made me bounce, my knees buckled and a familiar tug pulled at my chest for my mind to erupt in chaos.

No!

His hands banded my waist before I could collapse. “Going somewhere, little minx?” My eyes burned with rage.

I stomped his foot without thinking and tore into the trees once more. His guards gave a chase, but the woods were mine. My wolf surged, carrying me deeper until silence wrapped around me. I hid behind a tree and finally let out a breath. Looking behind me, there was no one in sight.

A smile stretched across my lips. Relief flooded my system. I was free!

I slid to the floor, tears of joy breaking free from my eyes. All was quiet but slowly a stench started to drift towards my nose.

What was that? I thought and looked behind me again, hoping to catch the source but there was nothing there.

The stench grew worse until I turned and my pupils shrunk in horror.

Their eyes were black as death, their teeth bared at me as they crawled menacingly towards me.

My throat dried up. I was paralyzed by fear. I’ve only heard about them from books, rogues who tasted madness and ate their kind.

Suddenly the taste of freedom turned to ash. I was alone and mute. A deadly combination for death.

I tried to move but their eyes followed every twitch, every blink. Their crawl towards me already marked me for death. The subtle weight of my mother’s necklace bobbed against my breast but I couldn’t move.

If I stayed here then surely I was going to die a death worse than anything I’ve ever experienced. I am my mothers daughter. I couldn’t die. Not like this.

The air was thick with tension and just when they had drawn in close, I forced all my energy to my legs and adrenaline kicked off strong.

I bolted, my mind screaming for help even as my throat was sealed shut. Suddenly, hands grabbed my legs and I fell face flat on the floor.

A heavy weight pressed in my chest as I was rolled over and I stared face to face at death. Their mouths were red with razor sharp teeth.

My life flashed before my eyes. Help me goddess! Please! I cried but just like always, she left me mute and silent.

My eyes flickered as bushes that surrounded us started to shake. The rogues went quiet with their snarls and stared at the movement but slowly it stopped.

When they turned back to me, my eyes widened in a scream my throat failed to produce and that was when it happened.

He moved faster than sound, hauling me up just as the rogues were about to bite my head off.

My heart lurched and eyes settled on crimson eyes that glowed dangerously at the rogues.

Damon!? He saved me!?

He shifted mid-motion,a massive wolf form curling around me, fangs tearing rogues apart as though they were paper. I tried to slip away in the chaos only for something hard to strike my skull. Darkness swallowed me instantly.

When I woke, pain split my head in two as voices whispered then went silent.

I sat up to see Damon in the room, his eyes bore exhausting rings that I ignored.

“This is the seer,” Damon’s tone was clipped.

My breath froze.

What?

I looked towards the short man dressed in seer robes and instantly I shook my head, no, no, no.

“You don’t have a choice,” he said. His gaze was fire.

I’ll run again, I vowed silently. And next time, I’ll succeed.

His lips curled, sharp and cruel. “Try, little wolf. Run until your legs break but as long as you’re mine, I’ll always drag you back.” He declared and I scoffed.

Yours? I belong to no one. I said silently but Damon cocked his head and stared at me.

‘You belong to me.’ He replied silently and goosebumps filled my skin.

Our eyes were at war with each other when the seer’s voice broke the air. “The curse will lift only when she bears you an heir.”

My gaze shifted to him and my eyelids trembled in response.

A heavy silence cracked the room.

My stomach heaved. ‘I’ll die before I give you a child’ I vowed but Damon froze.

Fury lit his eyes as he stepped closer, close enough that his shadow swallowed me whole.

His voice dripped with venom. “This is business. I could never want an heir from someone like you. Besides this is mercy. I could have obliterated your family for your father’s crimes but instead you’re here in my bed. You should be grateful” he hissed but I snapped my head up at him.

I should be grateful!?

My breath caught. My father’s crimes? What about yours? What about my mother?