Bound To The Heir

~SERIS

I blinked; the heir had called his father by his title.

​Even the Alpha halted—stunned. “What do you think you are doing, son?” he snapped. “You dare challenge me for a vermin?”

​“The Goddess made a choice, Alpha, and I will uphold it.”

​My breath hitched, the pack gasping in shock.

​The Alpha’s eyes widened. “You will accept the bond?”

​Sylus did not waver, his voice rivaling that of his father. “We have lost kin, friends, foes, and land to the monsters beyond our borders. We find ourselves in an era of relative peace after so many years of war. As heir to the Howlridge pack, I will not draw the wrath of the Goddess because of old grievances.”

​“She is the reason we lost the war!” the Alpha roared.

​I held back a sob. For all his hate, he was right. If I had not gotten my parents—high-ranking wolves—killed, we could have won against the Darkpine pack.

​“Yet you crave another war, Alpha?” Sylus countered. “When the Goddess lays ruin to us?”

​The Alpha’s anger flushed his face red, but Sylus was already on the move.

​“I will claim my mate,” Sylus proclaimed with no hesitation. “And if you are opposing—” He shrugged off his leather jacket, revealing bulging arms adorned with ink. He cracked his neck. “Then I would prefer we settle it with a Mauling.”

​My blood ran cold, dread raking through my spine.

A Wolf duel…

He could die—they both could die. Why was Sylus doing this?

​“No…” I whispered. Instantly, the pack turned to me. “I will accept the rejection, Alpha.”

​I locked eyes with Sylus, my breath catching. In an instant, I was pulled to him. His eyes bore into me, the darkness in their depths filling with equal parts terror and desire.

​“She is mine—whether she accepts it or not.” He made sure the pack heard him. My heart skipped a beat.

​Rielle’s sobbing grew louder.

​“I will not fight my own son,” the Alpha growled.

​“But you will reject his mate?” Sylus retorted. “Accept her, or step into the circle.”

​The pack seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the Alpha to decide.

​“Let’s go by vote,” I muttered. “Let the pack decide.”

​“No one will choose a cursed wolf as a Luna!” the Alpha barked at me.

​But Sylus had already faced the pack, his voice carrying. “Choose, then.” He hooked an arm around my waist possessively. “Would you rather risk angering the Moon Goddess, or accept what fate has given us?"

​Silence stretched, taut as a bowstring. Then my uncle stepped forward. "I vote to accept."

​Murmurs rippled through the crowd. A few heads nodded hesitantly.

​"Anyone else?" Zander's voice dripped venom.

​Slowly, the pack members raised their hands—all except for Rielle.

​Zander's jaw clenched, fury radiating off him in waves. "Fine." The word was acid. "You want the cursed runt? Have her." He jabbed a finger at me. "But she will be trained. She will serve this pack. And she will give you an heir." His smile turned cruel. "Three days. You'll wed in three days.”

​“Of course, father,” Sylus replied.

​My eyes widened at the fact that he did not object to marrying me.

​“But it will come with a condition,” Alpha Zander added, his voice dripping bitter malice. "The moment her 'curse' claims a single Howlridge life. The moment one drop of pack blood is spilled because of her presence, you will not just reject her. You will be the one to open her throat. If you won't, I’ll make you watch while I do it myself. Is that clear, Heir?”

​“Crystal,” Sylus replied.

​My heart sank into my stomach.

—

"I will take you, Seris Sullivan, as my mate and wife, while my bones still stand and my blood still flows.

I will shield you from blade and claw.

I will hunt for you when you hunger.

I will kill for you when you are threatened.

And I will burn the world to ash before I let it take you from me."

His grip on my hand tightened.

"This I vow, before the Moon Goddess and this pack."

Each declaration sank into me like claws as intense as the man himself. Despite everything, I felt myself drawn to that darkness.

My gaze flicked to the single Veloris lily nestled in my white bouquet—my mother’s favorite, sent by my uncle. Grief tried to rise, but I shoved it down.

The vows were exchanged along with the rings that gleamed under the silver light of the moon above the atrium.

“Seal the vows with a kiss,” the officiant said.

My pulse thudding, Sylus lifted my veil. My breath fractured at the sight of his face, carved in stone and betraying no emotion as he leaned down to kiss me.

It was a simple brush of the lips, but a searing heat lit my spine. Xena howled in delight, but Sylus did not linger.

My aching body mourned the absence, while the pack offered reluctant applause. Yet, it did not change the fact that I had married the man I had secretly loved since the night of the attack that killed my parents.

Without another word, Sylus swept me into his arms, carrying me off the altar as the clapping faded behind us. The sudden closeness made my pulse thunder. I had secretly loved this man since the night he saved me from the attack that killed my parents. Now I was his wife… and I had no idea what waited behind closed doors.

The heavy oak door to our chambers had barely clicked shut before he set me down and circled behind me.

My nipples hardened when his hand brushed back my hair to zip down my dress. My exposed back seared from the scalding heat of him. I arched against him as his head dipped down to my ear.

His husky voice rang cold as he spoke. “I will never love you.”

What?!

My heart fractured even as traitorous heat bloomed low in my belly. Tears sprang to my eyes in an instant, but I forced them down.

My breath hitched, back aching as a cloth fell over my eyes. “But I will fuck you like I do,” he swore, tying the blindfold tight.