Chapter Forty-two

Chloe was languishing in the dungeon, her heart heavy with sorrow and despair. When the guard entered, announcing that she was to be taken for the mating ceremony, she felt a shiver run down her spine. As she was led to a room, she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret for her current predicament. The maids in the room began to bathe and dress her up in fancy adornment and ornaments fit for a Luna. They asked her how she felt about being mated to Liam, and her response was a clear and emphatic one.

"I abhor the very thought of it," Chloe said with a voice filled with conviction. "I am not in love with Liam, and I never will be. I would rather die than be mated to someone I don't love."

The maids looked at her with a mix of sympathy and curiosity. "Why do you feel this way, my Lady?" one of them asked gently.

"Because love cannot be forced," Chloe replied. "It is a feeling that cannot be manufactured or dictated. I have my heart set on someone else, and that someone is Aiden."

The ma