Chapter 02

Zorina's pov 

I had blanked out for the second time, I could see father quietly seething where he sat. Dame's lips were pulled up into a tight grin and the priest was feeling obviously uncomfortable. Sweating bullets.

"I....I...." 

I knew I was supposed to say the two words, but...for some reason I couldn't force them out.

"Miss, I said do you take Mr Dame Hurbust as your traditionally wedded mat—"

"Oh old fuck, of course she does." Dame cut in rudely, grabbing my arms and digging his nails into it, discreetly.

I bit back my hiss,

"I do, I do."

The words felt like hot lava in my throat.

Dame released me as a satisfying sigh left his lips.

"Good job, for a moment there I thought you were about to disappoint your father and I."

The priest could tell that this wasn't what I wanted. But I had said the words anyways, I had just agreed to marry and make a mate of a man who wasn't fated to me.

"Would anyone like to object?"

The priest asked, I looked around, silently hoping for somewhat of an interruption, anything that could severe this moment.

But alas, it was but a fickle wish.

There were no objections.

He went ahead to pronounce us mates to which father stood on his feet to applaud. 

The cheers that followed were muffled in my ears, like they were coming from under water. My heart was thudding too loud for me to hear anything else.

Dame raised our locked hands with exaggerated pride, his thumb pressing into my wrist like I was a mere trophy, not a woman.

My vision blurred, but I refused to cry. I would not give him that satisfaction.

"You may now mark your mate," the priest announced, hesitant, almost regretful.

Dame's grin widened. "With pleasure."

I froze.

He turned to me, brushing my hair off my shoulder. My entire body recoiled on the inside, but I stood still, because that's what good daughters did, they sacrificed.

I clenched my fists and shut my eyes.

He grabbed my shoulder, making me lean into him. His teeth grazed my neck, then trailed to my collarbone.

"The sight of you with my mark on your neck would be thrilling." He muttered as prepared to pierce my skin.

Just as he was about to, I do not know what came over me, but I pushed him. Hard. And it wasn't just that, I tore the wedding band off my wrist.

"Zorina!" My father shouted, along with the rest of the audience.

My eyes locked with Dame's, I was frightened, confused. I didn't do that...I..

He rose from the ground and grabbed my wrist.

"Don't act out, we're already one step from getting fully married. Don't be stupid."

He was stronger than me, and so he was able to hold me down.

Or so I thought.

One moment I was about to yield, and the next, I had my claws in his chest. My claws had never come out before.

"Fuck!" Dame's screamed as the pain seared through him. He fell to the floor clutching his bloodied chest, and father started walking towards us. Including Dame's father who was already drawing his sword.

~

I didn't plan to run, but I suddenly found myself sprinting like my life depended on it. Even if it truly did. The guards were hot on my heels, following my father's orders to capture me. 

But my legs didn't halt, it propelled me forward. I hadn't run that fast before and my lungs were burning. And before I knew it, I had passed the borders and jumped over the barricade.

Away from sight.

Branches clawed at my skin as I tore through the woods, the underbrush slapping against my legs like sharp whips. 

My wedding gown was in tatters, the fine lace catching on twigs, and dirt grinding into the delicate fabric. 

My bare feet bled because of the rough texture of the ground, but I couldn't stop.

Not when I had come this far, going back would mean things that I wouldn't be able to handle.

I walked deeper into the unfamiliar terrain, past trees that looked like shadows of themselves. I didn't know where I was headed, and it didn't even occur to me where I was.

Till I looked up.

NO MAN'S LAND.

It was then it had made sense to me, right outside our pack borders was rumoured to be a place full of fogs and dense vegetation. It was difficult to see, it was different to smell, I could see the ground below me, but...I couldn't properly see what was in front of me.

'Zorina....'

I heard a whisper, someone was calling my name.

Was it father, 

Dame?.

No, the voice didn't really seem familiar.

"It's your mind playing tricks on you Zorina, yes...just your scared mind."

I shook my head and moved forward. No man's land was rumoured to have it's tricks and this was likely one of them.

But that was all it was, tricks and stories.

Probably made up by father and other Alphas to keep their young kins from wandering too far. 

I moved further in.

The fog thickened, swallowing what little light filtered through the canopy. My gown dragged like dead weight behind me, soaked, dirtied and snagged.

The whispers came again, louder this time.

"Zorina...... Zorina."

I gasped, sweat leaking down my forehead.

I pressed on, waving the mist away like it would listen to my urgency. Trying to escape the whispers.

Then came a growl. 

I froze completely.

From the fog, two wild boars emerged. Towering, foam threading from their tusks. Their eyes locked on me with unsettling intent. Murderous intent.

They were the ones calling me.

I turned and bolted. My legs screamed, but I ran harder, adrenaline taking full control. They thundered behind me, their big hooves pounding the earth like war drums.

And just like fate was against me,

A root caught my foot and I fell.