Chapter Three

The room smelled old, like wood and wax. My feet still hurt from the cold cell floor, and the shoes the maids gave me were tight. The gown felt strange on me, heavy and not mine. I was used to old clothes, not this. The golden sash at my waist shone a little in the candlelight. The candles shook, like they were scared too.

I stood just inside the door. The guards let go of me, but I could still feel them behind me. There was no way out. My heart was beating so hard I thought it would burst. The man across the room looked strange. His eyes were red, glowing a little. He stared at me for a second, then looked away like I was nothing. I felt cold all over. I wanted to hide, but I just stood there, head down, hands tight together so no one would see them shake.

My father spoke. “This is Talia, my daughter.” He said daughter like it was a bad word. I didn’t have to look at him to know he was disgusted. I knew that look. I had seen it all my life. I swallowed hard and kept quiet. I had learned to stay silent, to move as little as possible. Even breathing too loud could get me punished. So I stared at the rug, following the red and gold lines with my eyes, trying not to think.

The unknown man didn’t look at me. Actually, they were two. But one could tell that the other was subject to him. He just sat there, not moving, like he owned the place. He looked strong and dangerous. His hair was dark, his face sharp and cold. His red eyes went to my father, not me. I was nothing to him.

They talked, but I barely heard them. My father sounded scared, almost begging. I caught words like alliance and agreement, but I didn’t look up. My heart was pounding too loud. I didn’t want to know what they were saying. It was better not to know.

Suddenly they stopped talking. The room went quiet.

My father called forward, to his table where a paper lay more outstanding than the others. “Sign this,” he said. He sounded annoyed.

I froze. My hands shook. The paper said Marriage Certificate at the top. At the down were two spaces for signatures, one already filled with the name Rex Blackfur.

Rex Blackfur?

He’s Rex Blackfur?

No, you’ve got to be kidding me... I remembered all the stories about him. People said he was cruel, worse than my father. I felt cold all over.

I looked at my father. He just stared back, cold. He wanted me gone. This wasn’t just punishment. He was getting rid of me. My chest hurt, but I stayed quiet. Fighting back never helped. If this was his way of being kind, I had to take it.

My hand shook as I picked up the pen. Everyone was watching me. My father looked angry, wanting me to hurry. I wrote my name, but it was messy. It felt like I was signing my life away.

Rex spoke. “Will you, or should I help you?” It didn’t sound like a real question. His voice was cold. I didn’t look at him. I just signed fast and stepped back. My heart was screaming, but I kept my face blank. I had survived hell. Maybe I could as well survive this.

Rex stood up fast. The chair made a loud noise and I jumped. He didn’t look at me or the paper. He just walked out. His Beta followed him. The Beta looked at me for a second, but said nothing. It felt like the room could finally breathe when they left.

I didn’t move. My mind was spinning. Then my father said, “Go.” He sounded done with me. I nodded and left. I couldn’t say anything.

I walked into the hallway. A maid rushed up and pushed a small travelling box into my hands. She didn’t look at me and left fast. I didn’t know what was inside. I held the box close and followed the guards.

The hallway felt long. The rug made my steps quiet, but I heard the guards’ armor and boots. My heart was so loud I thought they could hear it. They didn’t look at me. I was just something to be moved.

Outside, the air was cold. A black car waited. Rex was already inside. His Beta stood by the door. I wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go. No one would help me. This was it.

I got into the car. The seat was cold. I stared at the box in my lap, touching the edges. Rex sat next to me. I didn’t look at him. I remembered all the stories about him, how cruel he was. Now I belonged to him. My name was next to his. It felt like a death sentence.

The car started. The engine was loud. I sat still, holding the box tight. I didn’t know what to hope for. Maybe there was nothing left to hope for. I just sat there, quiet, as the car took me away from everything I knew. I was more scared than ever.