Episode 10

“I promise to destroy you and your father before you can destroy mine.’’

Ryan smiles at me like he’s proud I’ve finally snapped.

“Atta girl,’’ He says in a condescending voice. “I knew …’’

I don’t let him finish, I’m not done.

“I promise to destroy you and your father before you can destroy mine,” I say, and I don’t even blink. The room goes dead quiet, and for once, Ryan doesn’t have some smartass comeback ready. He’s watching me, waiting for me to flinch or backpedal, but I’m not here to play polite anymore.

“You think marrying me gives you control? You think dragging me into this room, binding me to you in front of your pack, forcing me to stand here while they cheer for my family’s death somehow makes you powerful? No. It makes you scared. You’re scared of me, of what I represent, of the fact that your entire plan only works if I go along with it. That’s the part none of you want to admit.”

I turn toward the people standing around us, all those warriors and advisors staring at me like I’m already dead. Let them look. I want them to hear this. I want them to remember.

“You hate me because my father stayed standing while yours broke. And now you think this marriage means you’ve won something. But you didn’t win. You just made a deal with someone who has absolutely nothing left to lose.”

I look back at Ryan, and this time I let the anger show.

“You said you’d help me save my father, and I’ll hold you to that. But don’t mistake survival for surrender. Don’t think that just because I’m wearing your name, I’ve forgotten what you are. I will fight for my pack, and when it’s all over, when your father is better and you’ve held up your end, I will come for you. Just like you plan to come for me.”

He opens his mouth, but he says nothing.

I stop to take a breath, the priestess stares at me with no emotion. I shake my head, having finished my vows.

"Do you, Ryan Ravenwing, accept this woman as your wife, bound by blood and magic, until death or the completion of your contract?"

"I do."

"And do you, Aria Stone, accept this man as your husband, bound by blood and magic, until death or the completion of your contract?"

TAround me, the witnesses wait with hungry eyes. The man holding my hand is my worst enemy, the son of the man who killed my mother. He's just promised to help me save my father only so he can destroy him later.

High Priestess Morrigan leans forward. "Princess? Do you accept?"

Here I am, surrounded by people who plan to slaughter me and my pack once this wedding succeeds and my father is saved. The man holding my hand is my worst enemy. Am I really about to give my soul for a temporary solution? Am I really about to sell my soul to my enemy, even when his help will save my father just long enough for him to finish the job himself?

The priestess waits.

The witnesses wait.

Ryan waits.

Everyone waits for my answer.

“I do,’’ I blurted out, even though saying the words feels like I'm choking myself. Ryan lets out a sound of relief, like he’d held his heart in his hands waiting for me to answer.

Good to know I still have a say in all of this.

“Then, before the eyes of the goddess and your witness, I join you both as husband and wife.’’ The high priestess declares. “You may kiss the bride.’’

On that part, I’m caught unaware. Kiss the bride? We were supposed to kiss?

“I didn’t know..’’ Ryan grabs my waist and pulls me to him. My body slams flush against his, and he kisses me. The kiss is reverent, like he’s taking his time to explore my mouth. I lose myself at his touch, at the cheering going around like this is some happy wedding.

Despite the hatred I feel for this man, the feel of his lips, his tongue, makes my knees weak. God! He can kiss.

He pulls away, looking back at the witnesses now clapping and cheering.

“That’s it, it is done.’’ The priestess says, in an almost robotic voice.

I wait for something, anything. Perhaps the skies turning black or a wailing sound from Alpha Jeremy, but nothing.

Ryan heads upstairs without a second thought, rushing up into the attic where his father is. I and the other witnesses follow behind him, eager to see if the curse had been lifted. Up the stairs, Ryan stands outside his father’s door with his hands on the doorknob and his heart in his hands.

He’s scared.

“I don’t know if it worked.’’ He murmurs. “I’ve waited my whole life to see him… himself again.’’

There’s a glint of tears in his eyes, and the sight of him this sincere melts me.. I get closer, touching his hand on the doorknob, but he doesn’t flinch.

“Let’s do this together,’’ I say to him.

The rest of the witnesses stare at us weirdly.

We hold our breath as we open the door. Is this it? Has Alpha Jeremy been cured? Did this wedding work?

All the answers lay at the other end of that door, and the fate of my pack and my father depend on it.