Chapter 2- She wasn’t going to play dumb

ELYSSIA’s POV

My mother stood in the doorway, her gaze moving from me to Vaelisse before settling on our joined hands. I hadn’t even heard her approach, and judging by the expression on her face, she had heard enough to know exactly what we were discussing.

“Who is trying to escape?” She said again as she stepped into the room.

Vaelisse immediately let go of my hands. “No one, Mother,” she answered quickly.

I shot her a look. That was a terrible lie, and we both knew it.

Mother raised an eyebrow. “Really? Because I could have sworn I heard someone talking about leaving this house before the bonding ceremony.”

I pressed my lips together, hoping she would let it go—but apparently, she wouldn’t.

“Elyssia.”

The way she said my name made my stomach tighten and I looked up at her reluctantly.

“Come here, darling.”

I hesitated before walking towards her. Her expression softened as she reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair away from my face. For a moment, she looked less like the woman who had agreed to arrange my future without my consent and more like the mother who used to hold me whenever I woke from nightmares as a child.

“My sweet girl,” she murmured, cupping my cheek. “I know this isn’t what you wanted. I know how frightened and upset you must be, and I wish there were a way to make all of this easier for you.”

The back of my eyes began to sting and my throat tightened. I hated that her tenderness could still make me feel like a little girl who wanted nothing more than to crawl into her arms and be told that everything would be all right.

“Then don’t make me do it,” I whispered.

Her hand paused against my cheek. “Ellie—”

“Please, Mother. I don’t want to bond with Darian. I don’t love him, and he doesn’t love me.”

Pain flickered across her face, but she didn’t interrupt me.

“I know you think you’re protecting me,” I continued, my voice growing shakier with every word. “But how is forcing me into a bond with someone who sees me as just a wolfless princess for a business arrangement to save me? What kind of life am I going to have with him?”

Mother sighed and drew me into her arms. I stood stiffly at first, fighting the urge to cry, but the familiar scent of her perfume and the warmth of her embrace nearly undid me.

“If I could take this burden away from you, I would,” she whispered against my hair. “You must believe that, darling. There is nothing in this world I wouldn’t do to protect you.”

“Then let me choose my own future.”

She pulled back to look at me, and for a brief moment, hope stirred in my chest. Perhaps she would finally listen. Perhaps she would understand that whatever the prophecy said, I couldn’t spend my entire life allowing it to dictate every decision I made.

But then her eyes shifted towards the window, where the reddish glow of the Blood Moon stained the night sky. “Your twenty-third birthday is only three months away, Elyssia.”

The little hope that lit inside me faltered instantly.

“I know.”

“And you know what the prophecy says.”

“Of course I know!” I snapped before I could stop myself. “Every birthday, every passing month, every time someone looks at me with pity, I’m reminded that my life supposedly has an expiration date. And now, because of that prophecy, I’m expected to bond with a man I don’t even want?”

“Elyssia, this isn’t about what you want.”

“Then what is it about? Tell me!” My voice rose, and I took a step away from her.

Mother’s eyes glistened. “We are trying to save your life.”

“By handing it over to Darian?”

“By ensuring that you have a chance to live beyond your twenty-third birthday!” she exclaimed, her composure finally cracking. “Do you think your father and I would put you through this if we believed there was another way? Do you think I can bear the thought of burying my own daughter?”

The room fell silent.

For the first time since she had entered, I saw just how frightened she was. Beneath her firm expression was a mother terrified of losing her child, and the sight made my anger falter. I knew she loved me. I had never doubted that.

But love didn’t make this fair.

I swallowed hard. “What if the prophecy is not true and someone made a mistake? What if I turn twenty three and nothing happens?”

“I am not gambling with your life, Elyssia!” Her voice trembled, and she blinked rapidly as tears slipped down her cheeks.

“Mom…”

“No.” She shook her head, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. “I will not take that risk. I won’t stand by and hope that an ancient prophecy is nothing more than a lie when the consequences of being wrong could cost me my daughter.”

She drew a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and looked me directly in the eyes. “You will bond with Darian tonight, Elysia. Whether you like it or not.”

My heart sank deep into my chest and my lips quivered. “You can’t be serious, Mom.”

“I am.” Her voice was firm now, leaving no room for argument. “The decision has been made, and we are not turning back at the last minute. Your father and I have done everything we can to give you a chance at a future. You may hate us for this now, but I would rather have you alive and angry with me than lose you because I was too afraid to make a difficult decision.”

I stared at her, searching her face for some sign that she might reconsider—and there was none.

She wiped away the remaining tears and took another steadying breath, as though she needed to gather every last bit of strength before continuing.

“Vaelisse,” she turned to my sister with a straight face. “help your sister finish getting ready. The car is waiting downstairs, and the Blood Moon is already up. We need to leave for Moonstone as soon as possible.”

“Yes, Mother,” Vaelisse nodded and answered softly.

Mother turned back to me. Her expression softened again, but the resolve in her eyes remained.

“I love you, Ellie. Please don’t ever doubt that.”

I looked away immediately because if I had tried to answer, I was afraid I would either scream at her or burst into tears, and I refused to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing me fall apart.

She held my gaze for another moment before turning and walking out of the room.

The moment she disappeared, the silence she left behind felt heavier than before.

Vaelisse approached me cautiously, her eyes red and her

lips pressed together. “I’m sorry, Ellie.”

I closed my eyes and drew in a slow breath, forcing myself to steady my racing heart. There was no point begging anymore. Mother had made her decision, and nothing I said would change it.

When I opened my eyes, I turned back towards the mirror and stared at my reflection.

But the girl staring back at me looked nothing like someone who was about to have her future stolen from her. My red dress fitted perfectly, its delicate details catching the light as Vaelisse smoothed the fabric around my waist. My hair had been arranged beautifully, glossy and adorned with beautiful ornaments, and every strand was in place.

I looked extremely beautiful and my chest felt hollow, my heart squeezing painfully in my chest. If only I was this beautiful for my actual mate—I wondered how it would have been for me to dress up for him, for someone who loved me for me, not because of the influence my family had or out of pity because my wolf had refused to manifest for the past four years.

Then perhaps I would have been smiling at my reflection now, having butterflies in my tummy, eager to hurry to the Moonstone and get the bonding ceremony done and over with. But instead, it was that greedy bastard I am being forced to bond with.

My hands curled into fists at my sides.

Fine.

If I couldn’t escape the ceremony, then Darian Veymont was going to learn exactly what he had agreed to.

He was going to have the rare privilege of discovering how miserable I could make his life after this bonding.

He expected me to be the obedient and grateful mate just because I was wolfless—but he had no idea what this wolfless girl could do.