CHAPTER 2. THE ALPHA'S BARGAIN

Alina.

I don't remember what happened after my confrontation with the wolves. My head aches and my throat is parched when I open my eyes.

The memories of the catastrophe flashes through my mind in bright images, I see Malen’s body in my eye and it causes me to spiral. I hold my head in pain refusing to accept reality.

I finally open them to look around and I notice my current place of abode isn't my hut or the healer's hut, I'm not even in the village anymore. They kept me in a stone cell, for how long I have no idea.

I see a tray of food and water not far from the door and I scramble for water. The cell looked like a dungeon, with a single slit of a window high up on the opposite wall.

The slit at least offered me a sliver of sky, and from that lonely vantage point, I watched the moon wax fat and full, then begin to wane. After that first recovery of food, I didn’t eat much, didn’t sleep either. My hands still stank of ash and poultice, and every time I closed my eyes, I saw Malen’s body twitching, seizing, stilling.

I felt responsible for what happened to him. I cried myself to sleep countless times and each time I fell asleep it was a troubled one.

Tired of waking up in a pool of my own sweat and anxiety, I gave up on getting any sleep.

The guard came close to my door and peeked in.

“You're finally awake.” He said.

I snarled at him.

“What do you want with me and how many days has it been?” I ask.

“About two moons and a sun now, but as for what we want with you even I haven't the faintest clue.” He answered.

I gave up on conversation quickly after that and just sat in silence reliving the horror that landed me here.

The guards didn’t speak to me either until later that evening.

The one I assumed to be the head guard and Beta came to my cell. He commanded the doors to be unlocked and he came inside to talk to me.

“The Alpha will see you soon,” was all he said before he was gone again.

I waited, and eventually I was summoned. On order, the guards opened my cell and led me out. They dragged me from my cell, no chains, but heavily escorted. I didn’t bother resisting. I was too tired, too empty. The hall they led me down was clean but cold, iron sconces burned with flickering green flame, casting everything in unnatural shadows.

Then we entered the chamber.

He was waiting. The Alpha.

He sat like a man born to power, slouched into his throne of blackwood and obsidian as if bored by the very weight of the world. His jaw was sharp, his eyes were dark but the gold danced like unspoken words in his eyes. It glinted with the coldness of a frozen lake. He wore a fitted tunic, dark as midnight, and a ring of braided steel sat heavy on his finger.

His eyes met mine and it felt like we just had a conversation with sparks and all the details. He obviously didn't approve of me and I could confidently say the feeling was mutual.

"Leave us," he said.

When the chamber doors shut, silence fell like a blade between us. I stared at him, refusing to look away.

He spoke first.

"Do you know what you are?"

I clenched my fists. "A prisoner."

A faint smirk. "Well yes I suppose so, but not quite. You are a vessel."

The word landed like a slap. "A what?"

He stood and walked toward me, slowly, deliberately, like I might bolt. I didn’t. My knees trembled, but I stayed rooted.

"A Vessel is a conduit. A living bridge between worlds. You carry magic that belongs to neither realm, and that makes you dangerous."

"Why should I believe what you say?," I spat

“Look around you, chaos follows you. You can't deny having noticed it. For how much longer do you intend to ruin people because of your denial?” He said

It all made sense. I still refused to accept it but it explained why everyone I loved died and left me.

It explained why I knew what the darkness was. I was confused and overwhelmed.

"I never asked for any of this, I didn’t even know—" I stammered.

"But now you do. And your presence here is destabilizing the Veil."

My heart skipped. "What does that mean?"

"It means," he said slowly, "that every minute you stay in my territory, you threaten to bring the Underworld crashing down upon us."

I blinked, stunned. "Then why not kill me?"

He laughed, short, bitter.

"Because I don’t want war. I want peace. Control. Stability. Things you can’t understand."

"Try me."

He stopped just a pace away. His scent hit me, cedar, smoke, something earthy. I hated that it stirred something warm inside me.

"You have two choices, Alina Verros. Exile beyond the boundary and I assure you, death will follow shortly after. Or..."

He stepped even closer.

"A marriage…To me."

It took a second for the words to sink in.

"You’re insane."

"Possibly," he replied.

"But I’m not without reason. Our union would forge a bond strong enough to contain the magic you carry. It would anchor your power and you to this realm."

I stared at him, mouth agape. "You want to marry me to... weaponize me."

"To protect you," he corrected. "And everyone else."

"Bullshit. You don’t even know me."

"No," he said, eyes darkening, "but I know what you are. And that’s enough."

The room felt colder.

"You have three days to decide."

I laughed, “What makes you think I’d ever say yes?"

His smile turned razor-sharp.

"Because if you say no, I’ll send you to the Veil’s edge myself and you’ll either tear the world open... or be devoured by what comes out."

He turned away.

"Three days, Alina. I expect a positive answer."

I was escorted out, still stunned, my heartbeat thudding in my ears. Three days to decide my fate. Three days to choose between death and the cold, calculating man who held my future in his clawed hands.

I hated this.

I hated him.

I feared my fate.

But most terrifying of all...

Some part of me was drawn to his terrifying power.