The trip north felt like entering a different world. The green valleys of the East turned into cold mountains with snowy pine trees and thin, freezing air. Akira sat quietly in the car, guarded by silent Lightfall enforcers who made her feel tense and alone, so she focused on staying strong and remembered Lyra’s cruel words to keep herself motivated.

The Lightfall Fortress soon appeared, dark and sharp against the mountain like part of the rock, cold and powerful with huge antlers above the gate as a scary warning. It looked more like a tomb than a home. Akira gripped her hidden knife for comfort.

Inside, the entrance was huge and cold, with shadows and scary tapestries showing wolves attacking. The air smelled like old stones, smoke and blood. The guards left her with a strict-looking steward who didn’t greet her, just stared, sizing her up.

"Wait here. Alpha Thane will receive you shortly," the steward intoned before vanishing down a dark corridor while Akira watched his footsteps echoing into silence.

Akira stood alone, dwarfed by the oppressive grandeur, the weight of unseen eyes prickling her skin. She hugged herself, trying to suppress a shiver that wasn’t entirely from the cold. To anchor herself, she took a few hesitant steps towards one of the tapestries, its violent imagery a stark reminder of the den she’d entered.

"Finding the decor inspiring?"

A voice rolled out behind her—smooth like old whiskey, yet warm and gentle in a way that felt out of place here. Akira turned quickly, her heart pounding.

A man leaned easily in the shadows, watching her. He wore neat dark trousers and a soft charcoal sweater that showed off his lean strength, not the harsh enforcer uniform. His hair was a wild tumble of dark gold, half-covering eyes as deep and stormy as the sea. He was striking, with a sharp jaw and a mouth that hinted at a sly smile. But what caught her most was his look: open, curious, almost…admiring? He didn’t look at her like something to own, but like she was an incredible surprise.

Akira forgot to breathe for a second.

Kieran?The name flashed through her mind, making her nerves spark. He matched the stories—intense, but not cruel—and it threw her off. Still, she straightened up and held his gaze, refusing to look away.

"I… I was told to wait for Alpha Thane," she managed, her voice sounding thin in the vastness. She took a tentative step towards him, mind scrambling for protocol. "My name is Akira Roy. I am…" The sacrificial offering. "...here for the union."

A quick, unreadable look, maybe a mix of amusement and sadness flashed across his face, then disappeared. He stepped away from the archway, moving smoothly, almost like a predator, but stopped a safe distance from her. His eyes stayed locked on hers, close and intense.

“Akira Roy, I know exactly who you are.”

he said softly, sounding like he was really thinking about her name.

Akira’s heart skipped. Does he know she doesn’t want this? Know she’s just being used? She braced herself for the coldness she expected.

But something changed. His eyes softened, almost gentle, searching her face. She felt the lightest touch in her mind, not forceful, but there—like he understood her fear, grief and bravery, and he looked like he felt something kind and maybe even attracted to her. The feelings looked real, bright and left her breathless.

Then, just as quickly, it vanished.

"Apologies," he said, his voice now carefully neutral, stripped of its earlier velvet texture. "I didn’t mean to intrude." His gaze flicked towards the corridor the steward had taken. "I’ll inform my father of your arrival. He’ll be…" He paused, the word laden with unspoken warning. "...expectant." He gave her a curt, formal nod that felt like a dismissal. "Welcome to Lightfall, Akira Roy."

He turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows. Akira stared after him, confused and shaken. Was that strange feeling between them real? Had there been a real spark that ended so suddenly? And what did he mean by “expectant”?

Before she could think more, the strict steward appeared beside her. “Alpha Thane will see you now. Follow me.”

He led her down a colder, narrow hallway lit by weak torches. They stopped at big, heavy doors that he opened quickly.

Inside was a small room with a big, warm fireplace and walls covered in trophies and sharp blades. Behind a huge black desk sat Alpha Thane, even scarier in person, with silver hair and eyes like hard stones. He didn’t stand up, just looked at her coldly and said, “Ah. The Roy girl”

Before Akira could answer, the elders entered the room and stood around quietly. The steward pointed to a fancy chair in front of Thane’s desk.

“Sit.” He commanded.

Akira sat on the edge, stiff and nervous. The room felt heavy with tension. She realized the ceremony was starting but the chair next to her, meant for the heir, was empty.

Fear washed over her. She clenched her hands in her lap, wondering where he was. She didn’t even know the man she’d be promised to but she prayed that it was the man he met earlier.

Surrounded by strangers, facing a future she didn’t choose, Akira felt more alone than ever. The fight for her life was starting, but she couldn’t even see her opponent.

Akira sat nervously, watching the door waiting for his unwished mate. Just then, the man she’d met in the hall earlier— the warm, mysterious presence entered.

Unsure of his identity, Akira leaned toward a nearby elder.

“Who is that man from before?” she whispered.

The elder threw her a sharp, almost mocking look.

“That was Liam. Karian’s brother, doesn’t concern you.” He responded, his words stung.

Sadness washed over Akira. If Liam wasn’t her husband-to-be, where was Karian? Almost as if called, the doors creaked open and Karian strode in and the atmosphere changed immediately with tension and fear filling the room, people moving aside as he made his way forward.

Sitting stiffly, Akira felt her heart pound—part fear, part something she couldn’t name. Karian’s dark eyes locked on her and in his mind he mistook her unease for defiance. He promised himself to break her stubborn spirit, to teach her a lesson.

Without another word, the marriage ceremony began and, in moments, Akira found herself bound to Karian. But her thoughts trailed back to Liam, the man with warmth in his eyes while Karian stood beside her like a terrifying stranger.