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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Auteur: H.Hadid
last update Date de publication: 2026-09-01 17:37:23

INARA’S POV

The heavy iron reinforced doors of the East Wing swung open, revealing a sanctuary of warmth that felt entirely foreign to everything I had known of the harsh northern lands.

Immense stone fireplaces roared with thick oak logs, bathing the vast room in a rich, golden light. Dark velvet drapes hung from the stone arches, and soft, thick furs covered the floors. Waiting inside were three female servants dressed in simple, elegant tunics of slate-grey wool.

On the carved wooden table near the hearth lay a collection of heavy silk gowns, fur lined coats, and intricately embroidered tunics in deep jewel tones crimson, forest green, and winter white.

I stood near the threshold, my posture remaining rigid, my wolf skin mantle pulled tight around my shoulders. Commander Kaelen stood behind me in the corridor, resting a gloved hand on his belt.

"Is there something wrong with the chambers, Lady Inara?" Kaelen asked, his deep voice carrying a touch of quiet curiosity.

"These are not the quarters of a blood-tribute," I replied, my eyes scanning the silk dresses and the steaming copper bath already prepared in the adjoining alcove. "Where are the guards? Where are the iron chains?"

One of the servant women a middle aged Lykan with warm, silver flecked eyes stepped forward. She bowed her head respectfully, carrying a soft, folded robe of ivory wool.

"There are no chains in the East Wing, my lady," the servant said gently.

I stepped into the center of the room, looking at the rich fabrics laid out for me. My voice remained cool and unyielding. "Why am I given fine clothes? Why am I provided servants and luxury? A sacrifice does not sit on soft furs."

The silver eyed servant paused, holding out the ivory robe. She looked at me with a quiet, knowing gaze that sent a strange prickle down my spine.

"Because you are not a sacrifice here," she said softly.

I stared at her, the words hanging heavy in the warm air between us. "I don't understand. My father surrendered me to fulfill a court decree."

"Whatever your father intended when he sent you from the south does not govern these walls," the servant replied, setting the robe down on the edge of the copper tub. "In the Citadel of Vargovia, you are a guest of the Sovereign Court. My name is Vanya. I will ensure you have whatever you require."

Before I could press her further, a quiet knock echoed against the outer doorframe. A young guard in black leather armor stepped into the room, dipping his head toward me.

"Lady Inara," the guard announced smoothly. "The Lord Alpha requests your presence in his private study."

My fingers instinctively brushed the heavy wool of my skirts. The journey had ended, the luxury was laid out, but the reality of the Citadel was finally calling.

"Lead the way," I said, holding my chin high as I followed the guard back out into the grand, shadowed halls of the palace.

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  • A BRIDE FOR THE RUTHLESS LYKAN   CHAPTER SIXTEEN

    INARA’S POVI pulled the heavy furs up to my chin, pressing my back flat against the carved wooden headboard as if I could physically back away from the voice inside my own skull."Get out," I whispered into the dimly lit room. My voice sounded small, thin, and entirely stripped of the icy composure I had worked so hard to maintain. "Get out of my head."Do not be dramatic, Inara, Sova replied smoothly.The voice was distinctly feminine, cool, and layered with a sharp, sarcastic edge that felt entirely too human for a phantom. Yet it vibrated with an ancient weight, echoing through my mind as though speaking from the depths of a marble vault.I cannot 'get out,' Sova continued, letting out a faint, airy sigh that fluttered against my thoughts like soft feathers. I am as much a part of your blood as your veins and your bone marrow. Asking me to leave is like asking your own liver to step out for a evening walk."I don't have a voice in my head," I snapped aloud, gripping my hair with t

  • A BRIDE FOR THE RUTHLESS LYKAN   CHAPTER FIFTEEN

    INARA’S POVThe silence Hati left behind was far heavier than his presence.After his blunt dismissal, I had returned to the East Wing without another word, guided back through the dark basalt corridors by the quiet guard. The luxury of the Solar Chambers the roaring hearth fire, the plush furs underfoot, the steaming copper tub felt completely surreal.I sat on the edge of the massive crimson draped bed, staring into the flames.I couldn't shake the memory of those final moments in his study. The sudden, violent shift in his posture. The way the air had grown suffocatingly hot, thick with a dark, crushing weight that felt almost physical. But most of all, it was the way he had looked at me. It wasn't the gaze of a warlord inspecting a political tribute, nor was it the predatory leer of a man looking at a trophy.He had looked at me as though he were searching for something hidden deep beneath my skin."It makes no sense," I whispered to the empty room.I reached up, pulling the silve

  • A BRIDE FOR THE RUTHLESS LYKAN   CHAPTER FOURTEEN

    INARA’S POVThe Alpha’s private study was built from thick, unpolished basalt, tucked away deep within the high spires of the fortress. It bore none of the grand, intimidating theater of the Great Hall. There were no court lords whispering in the shadows, no rowdy guards leaning against black stone pillars, no iron throned dais raised to look down on visitors.Instead, the room was quiet, warm, and heavy with the scent of aged parchment, crushed pine needles, and rich lamp oil. Floor to ceiling shelves carved directly into the dark rock were packed tight with bound ledgers, historical maps, and thick leather volumes. A massive hearth crackled steadily in the corner, throwing long shadows across a wide oak desk covered in wax sealed missives.Hati stood by the window, his broad back turned to the door.He was dressed simply, free of his white wolf mantle and heavy plate armor. He wore a dark tunic of dark charcoal linen, the collar unbuttoned, and black leather trousers tucked into hea

  • A BRIDE FOR THE RUTHLESS LYKAN   CHAPTER THIRTEEN

    INARA’S POVThe heavy iron reinforced doors of the East Wing swung open, revealing a sanctuary of warmth that felt entirely foreign to everything I had known of the harsh northern lands.Immense stone fireplaces roared with thick oak logs, bathing the vast room in a rich, golden light. Dark velvet drapes hung from the stone arches, and soft, thick furs covered the floors. Waiting inside were three female servants dressed in simple, elegant tunics of slate-grey wool.On the carved wooden table near the hearth lay a collection of heavy silk gowns, fur lined coats, and intricately embroidered tunics in deep jewel tones crimson, forest green, and winter white.I stood near the threshold, my posture remaining rigid, my wolf skin mantle pulled tight around my shoulders. Commander Kaelen stood behind me in the corridor, resting a gloved hand on his belt."Is there something wrong with the chambers, Lady Inara?" Kaelen asked, his deep voice carrying a touch of quiet curiosity."These are not

  • A BRIDE FOR THE RUTHLESS LYKAN   CHAPTER TWELVE

    INARA’S POVThe Sovereign Citadel of Vargovia did not look like a place built by men. It looked as though a mountain of black basalt had been split open by giant hands, its sharp spires and sweeping stone arches carved directly out of the living rock.As the carriage crossed the iron drawbridge spanning a roaring, glacial chasm, the sheer scale of the stronghold hit me. Towering braziers fed with coal burned along the ramparts, casting long, crimson shadows across the courtyard. Banners of black wool, embroidered with the silver head of a snarling wolf, whipped violently in the mountain gale.The carriage ground to a final halt. The door was thrown open by a Lykan guard, and the sharp, thin mountain air rushed into the cabin, biting at my cheeks.I stepped out onto the frozen stone, pulling my wolf-skin mantle tightly over my shoulders.Commander Kaelen dismounted his stallion, throwing his reins to a waiting stable hand. He wiped frost from his scarred jaw and turned to look down at

  • A BRIDE FOR THE RUTHLESS LYKAN   CHAPTER ELEVEN

    INARA’S POVThe road into Vargovia was not a path meant for human comfort. By the third day of travel, the smooth dirt highways of the southern territories had dissolved into narrow, jagged trails carved directly into the sheer face of the Iron Ridge.Inside the carriage, the air grew so bitter that my breath hovered in continuous, icy clouds before me. Snow drifted through the cracks in the wooden window frames, settling like pale dust across my wool skirts. Every lurch of the iron wheels against the icy stone rattled through my bones, but I refused to wrap myself in self-pity. I sat upright, my silver hairpins tucked tightly into my sleeve, staring out the glass as the green pine forests gave way to jagged peaks of slate and snow.Outside, the Lykan soldiers rode without complaint. They did not shiver. They did not huddle into their furs. Their heavy mounts treaded over frozen rock with frightening ease, moving with a tireless, predatory grace that reminded me every hour that I was

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