I stared at the mirror, unsure if I recognized the woman gazing back at me. The ivory gown hugged my frame with a sculpted bodice that dipped gracefully before flaring into a mermaid skirt. Its intricate embroidery shimmered faintly whenever I shifted.

My chestnut hair was carefully styled at the front, soft curls framing my face, while the rest spilled freely past my shoulders like waves of silk. A light dusting of powder softened my features, my lips and cheeks brushed with a tint that resembled the petals of freshly crushed roses.

By all accounts, I looked like a bride. Beautiful. Perfect. Exactly how any woman should look on her wedding day. And yet, deep down, I felt nothing but hollow.

I exhaled shakily, my reflection blurring as my chest tightened. Did I truly want this? To bind myself to Prince Daniel, a man as cold and unyielding as winter stone? The answer was simple. No. But my desires held no power here. Choice had been stripped from me long ago.

A fragile part of me had clung to the childish hope that my fated mate would appear, crash through these walls, and tear me free from this fate.

But reality was far less kind. I had learned, again and again, that good things rarely came my way. If my mate did exist, he was likely grateful to be spared the burden of me.

Useless. Helpless. The words echoed, sharp and cruel. They had followed me my entire life. And now, here I was, walking willingly into another cage.

Tears threatened, but I forced them back. I had sworn never to cry for anyone again. Not after watching my mother choose the finality of death over fighting her misery, leaving me to choke on the ashes of her absence. No. I would not repeat her path. I would not crumble. Even if hell itself opened its jaws to devour me, I would stand.

With that vow steadying my heart, I gathered my skirts and stepped out of the room. My feet carried me toward the grand staircase leading down to the hall.

The irony wasn’t lost on me, dressed like a queen for a ceremony barely witnessed. There would be no grand audience, no banquet of nobles. Just a priest, Prince Daniel, and two witnesses: Ariel, her husband James, and their daughter Cami. A binding meant more for formality than celebration.

I drew in a breath as I reached the bottom of the stairs, my eyes catching on Ariel. She stood beside a tall man with warm green eyes and hair the shade of earth, his arm curled protectively around her waist. I watched him lean down, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

I looked away, heat rising in my chest. Envy—bitter, sharp, and uninvited burned through me. They glowed with love so rare it almost felt sacred, and though I adored them for it, I couldn’t help the sting of longing.

Before I could dwell, little Cami broke away from her parents and darted toward me. Her small fingers wrapped around mine, startling me with their warmth. Her smile was radiant, bright enough to scatter shadows.

“You look beautiful, Ari! Can I call you Ari?” she asked, though I already knew the answer. She’d been using the nickname since yesterday.

I smiled, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Thank you, sweetheart. And yes, you can.”

Her giggles filled the hall as her smile stretched wider. Cami was a light, bubbling with stories of candies she loved and hated, toys she treasured, and friends she adored. Since my arrival, she had attached herself to me, and though part of me resisted it, I couldn’t deny she had been a balm to my weary heart.

“You look stunning, Arianna,” Ariel said as she approached, her warmth radiating with each step. Her husband followed close behind. “This is James—my husband. James, meet Arianna.”

“An honor,” James said with a courteous smile, his hand never leaving Ariel’s waist.

“Likewise,” I replied softly.

But the moment shattered when Ariel gently pried Cami from my hand. “It’s time,” she said, her tone carrying both sympathy and inevitability.

My heart gave a small, broken lurch.

The altar awaited.

I had always imagined a bride walked that path on her father’s arm, guided by words of blessing and hope for the life to come. But my father had no idea this was even happening.

And even if he did, he was not the type of man to offer blessings. He had been shocked enough to discover I was the Alpha’s mate. What would he do when he learned I had married a prince?

Prince Daniel stood at the altar, dressed in a black tuxedo that fit him like it had been tailored by gods themselves. He was every inch of royalty, elegant, composed, commanding. And yet, no matter how flawless he looked, there was no warmth. No charm. No hint of the fairytale prince brides were told to dream about.

When Ariel placed my trembling hand into his, I braced myself for coldness. But to my surprise, his skin was warm. Gentle, even. The contradiction unsettled me.

The ceremony moved swiftly. Rings exchanged. Vows spoken. My lips shaped the words, but my heart remained numb. I had expected my wolf to rebel, to snarl and rage against this binding with a man who was not our mate. But she was silent. As if she had abandoned me entirely.

The priest’s voice carried through the hall. “By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

My chest tightened. My first kiss—stolen here, in front of strangers, by a man I did not want. I clenched my hands, closing my eyes, bracing myself for the inevitable.

Instead of the press of lips against mine, I felt his hand at my waist, his touch pulling me close. His mouth brushed my cheek, light but deliberate. My eyes flew open, startled.

“Start counting,” he whispered, his voice low enough that only I could hear. “Because I’m going to break you, piece by piece—until your mate comes crawling here, begging for mercy.”

A chill rippled through me. Royals had their ways of cloaking words so no one else heard, and he had wielded it perfectly. To everyone else, it had been a kiss. A promise.

But to me, it was a warning. A threat.

I stared up into his cold, unyielding eyes, and for the first time, the reality of what I had stepped into struck like a blade.

I wasn’t ready. Not for him. Not for this.