Arianna’s Perspective

Royals were royals for a reason.

More powerful than any Alpha.

More dangerous than anyone dared to challenge.

And me? I was no warrior. No heir. Just an ordinary wolf with no chance of fighting back and living to tell the tale.

So, I did what I’d always done best—

I stayed quiet.

I obeyed.

It was how I’d survived my father’s temper, and I prayed it would work on a prince too.

The truth was, I didn’t want to marry anyone—especially not a man as cold and cruel as Prince Daniel. I already had a mate. An awful one, yes, but he was the one chosen for me by the Moon Goddess. That had to mean something… didn’t it?

The carriage rattled to a stop, breaking through my thoughts.

When the door opened, I blinked against the sudden sunlight. A castle stretched before me—vast, white-bricked, and crowned with silver turrets that shimmered against the sky. A lake glimmered nearby, surrounded by gardens in full bloom, petals swaying in the soft wind.

For a moment, my fear loosened its grip. The sight was breathtaking, almost unreal—like something from a story I was never meant to live in.

“Stop gawking and get inside. I don’t have all day.”

His voice sliced through the moment. Sharp. Impatient.

Prince Daniel stood at the top of the marble steps, arms folded across his chest, expression carved from stone.

So much for fairytales.

Does he even know how to smile?

I bit back the thought before it slipped out and followed him inside.

If the outside had been beautiful, the inside was nothing short of magnificent. Warm beige walls met dark wood carved into intricate patterns. Chandeliers caught the light, scattering gold across velvet curtains and polished floors. Every corner whispered wealth and power.

My father was a wealthy man, but compared to this? His estate might as well have been a stable.

We walked in silence down a maze of corridors until Daniel stopped at a tall mahogany door. He pushed it open and strode into what looked like a study. I hovered at the threshold, unsure if I was supposed to follow.

He turned, one brow lifting.

“Are you planning to stand there all day?”

I swallowed hard and stepped in. “No, Your Highness.”

Books lined the walls from floor to ceiling, and a massive desk sat near the window, buried under neat stacks of documents. The air smelled faintly of ink and cedar.

“Danny? Oh—hello!”

The cheerful voice drew my attention. A woman rose from the couch, her blonde hair gleaming under the light, a little girl perched on her lap.

The girl squealed when she saw Daniel. “Dan!”

She bolted into his arms, and he caught her easily, a faint—almost tender—smile curving his lips as he kissed her cheek.

I blinked.

He… smiled?

And somehow, that was more shocking than being dragged here against my will.

“Hey, Cami,” he murmured, voice soft, nothing like the sharp edge I’d heard before.

The woman approached me with a kind smile. “Hello. I’m Ariel Rodriguez—Daniel’s sister. And you are?”

My heart stumbled. The queen?

I’d seen her in magazines, heard stories about her kindness and grace, but seeing her in person was different. She was radiant—every bit as beautiful and gentle as the rumors said.

“Arianna, Your Highness,” I managed, taking her hand.

“Please,” she said warmly, “call me Ariel.”

Behind her, Daniel was still holding the little girl—Ariel’s daughter, I guessed—as she chattered about a fair she’d gone to.

“Cami,” Ariel said softly, brushing the girl’s curls, “why don’t you ask Martha to read you that new book you got?”

Cami gasped, remembering. “Oh, right! Thanks, Mom!”

As she darted past me, she paused long enough to grin up at me. “You’re really pretty!”

My lips lifted despite everything. “Thank you.”

She waved and disappeared down the hall, leaving a strange warmth behind her.

“I didn’t realize you had company, Danny,” Ariel said, turning to her brother. “But it’s nice to see you finally letting someone close. How was your visit to Alpha Anthony’s pack?”

Daniel didn’t hesitate. “We’re getting married.”

The words hit me like a blow.

Ariel froze. “What?”

Her shock melted into a teasing smile. “Wait—seriously? You’re marrying her? Daniel, do you—”

“I’m marrying her,” he cut in coolly, “as punishment for Anthony. Nothing more.”

The air in the room seemed to still.

Ariel’s smile faded. “Daniel, that’s not right.”

He turned away, voice steady but laced with steel. “It’s what needs to be done. The Alpha broke the treaty. If we don’t make an example of him, others will follow. This marriage will remind everyone that the royals rule—and defiance has consequences.”

Ariel sighed, looking between us. Her expression softened when her gaze fell on me, but there was pity there too—the kind that doesn’t change anything.

“When’s the wedding?” she asked quietly.

Of course, she sided with him. Family always did.

“Tomorrow,” Daniel said simply.

My stomach dropped.

Tomorrow.

I hadn’t even caught my breath from one prison before being dragged into another.

And this one had walls made of gold.