Sunny's POV.

The King of vampires was surprisingly nice to me during my captivity, much nicer than I had expected from someone with such a dark reputation. He was treating me sweetly, almost like I was a precious guest instead of a prisoner. I couldn't deny how much love and attention he was constantly giving me - he cared for me in ways that were both touching and terrifying. At least, that's what I tried to believe during those long, lonely days.

"You look pale today," Calum would say, bringing me elaborate meals. "You need to eat more to stay healthy."

"I'm not hungry," I would reply, pushing the food away.

"Please, Sunny. I'm only trying to take care of you. You're important to me."

But with all of his sweetness and apparent devotion, I couldn't forget Juan even for a single second of any day. Even in my dreams, when sleep finally came, Juan was everywhere - in front of my eyes, in my thoughts, in my heart. His face haunted me constantly.

"Juan," I would whisper his name in the darkness of my room. "Please find me. Please don't forget about me."

I needed him desperately, more than I needed air to breathe or food to survive.

I couldn't tell if I regretted running away from my engagement or not - the decision seemed both brave and foolish now. I had thought I was sacrificing myself for his happiness, giving him space to think and choose his path freely, at least until I reached eighteen years old.

But I also never expected myself to walk straight into this enemy trap, to be caught by the very creature I was trying to avoid.

Calum wanted a piece of me, wanted to possess me completely, but he was also willing to wait until my eighteenth birthday arrived. He spoke often about some prophecy, some destiny that would be fulfilled when I came of age.

Which made me try my absolute best to find a way to escape before that time came, before whatever terrible fate awaited me.

I was terrified of what he might do to me, terrified of becoming something I didn't want to be.

I didn't want to be his queen, his possession, his anything.

So I stopped eating completely, refusing every meal he brought me. I stopped drinking water, letting my body slowly dehydrate. I did this until my body couldn't take the abuse anymore and I became dangerously weak and sick. I lost consciousness after a week of this self-imposed starvation.

"Sunny!" I heard Calum's panicked voice as I collapsed. "What have you done to yourself?"

All I was able to see after that was a blur of colors and shapes, and someone's voice echoed distantly in my ears like I was hearing it from underwater. I couldn't identify who was speaking or what was happening to my body.

"Get the doctor!" Calum shouted. "Save her! I don't care what it costs!"

"My lord, she's very weak. We need to get fluids into her immediately."

"Then do it! Do whatever you have to do!"

I drifted in and out of consciousness for what felt like days or weeks, existing in a strange limbo between life and death.

Until one day, I finally woke up feeling refreshed and alive again, as if the whole terrible experience had been nothing more than a long, horrible nightmare.

I looked next to me with blurry vision, and I found Juan sitting there like an angel sent from heaven.

I blinked my eyes several times, hardly able to believe what I was seeing. I was barely able to form coherent words. "Juan! Is that really you? Am I dreaming?"

He pulled my hand gently and kissed it, his smile brightening my entire day and filling my heart with hope. "Yes, it's really me, my love. Welcome back to the land of the living."

I blinked again, shaking my head in disbelief, "No, this can't be real. I must be dreaming or hallucinating."

He leaned down and kissed my lips softly, just a small peck, and chuckled warmly. The familiar sound assured me that I wasn't dead or dreaming. "No, sweetheart. You're not dreaming at all. I am really here with you."

I widened my eyes and looked around the room frantically. I was still in the vampire king's house, still in the same ornate bedroom where I had been kept prisoner. "But I'm still here in this place. How is this possible?"

I tried to adjust my body, struggling to sit up, and he immediately moved to sit next to me on the edge of the bed, patting my head gently like I was something precious and fragile. "Yes, you were so weak when we found you, barely clinging to life. We attacked Calum and his forces; he was forced to leave because he had no men around to protect him and save his life. And because he's not as strong as he pretends to be when facing a real challenge. I am much stronger than him when it comes to actual combat. So he had no choice but to flee."

I pressed my head gratefully to his chest, feeling relief wash over me like a warm wave, "So you're really here for me. You came to save me."

"Yes, always. I will always come for you."

But then I remembered his complicated situation, the family he had left behind. Reality came crashing back down on me.

I pulled my head away reluctantly, gulping nervously, "But we still can't be together like we want to be. You have a luna and a pup who need you. And I can't be the reason your family falls apart."

He cut off my worried words immediately, "Sunny, listen to me carefully. You're my luna now - you're the only luna I want. I broke the mating bond between Zena and me a long time ago, and I will break it again and again if I have to, just for you. I cannot and will not live without you in my life. But..." he let his words hang in the air, creating suspense.

I tilted my head up to look deeply into his beautiful eyes, waiting for him to continue. Then he trailed off his words with uncertainty, "But I will understand completely if you reject me as your mate. I know I've put you through hell."

I gasped and hugged him as tightly as my weak arms would allow, "No! No, never! I do accept you with my whole heart. I didn't want to be a burden in your life, that's the only reason I ran away."

He pulled my face close to his and spoke softly before letting our lips touch in a perfect kiss, "You're my everything, Sunny. You could never be a burden to me."

I thought everything would finally be perfect after this, that we would live happily ever after like in the fairy tales. But I guess it was still too early for our happy ending. I was still only sixteen years old, still too young for everything to be complete.

I had to survive the next two years before getting officially mated to him, because everything would finally be balanced and complete when the moon was full on my eighteenth birthday.