JESSICA

I stood by the window, my forehead pressed against the cold glass. I felt like a prisoner in my own room. Nathan had stationed two guards right outside my door, and it was impossible for a lady like me to jump from the balcony. There was no way out, not for me.

I looked at the wedding dress hanging at the corner, everything about it pissed me off the more. I was so angry I wanted to rip it off until it was rags.

A soft click at the door made me turn.

My mother walked inside, closing the door quietly behind her. She looked tired.

"I wanted to check on the bride," she said softly, walking toward me. She reached out to touch my cheek, but I pulled away.

"The bride is a prisoner, Mom," I said. "Is this how it’s supposed to be? Am I supposed to feel like I’m waiting for my execution?"

"It’s just nerves, Jess," she whispered, though she wouldn't meet my eyes. "Being a Luna is a heavy burden. You have to think of the pack. Nathan will provide stability. He will provide safety."

I looked at her, really looked at her. I saw the fine lines around her eyes and the way she never quite smiled with her whole face.

"Mom," I said, stepping closer. "Did you ever love Dad? Or was it just the bond?"

She stiffened. And for a long moment, she didn't speak. She looked out the window, like that would make her escape my question.

"I had a crush once," she said, her voice so low I almost didn't hear it. "A boy from the bakery. He had the kindest eyes and he used to save the honey cakes for me. I thought he was my whole world."

"What happened?"

"The Moon Goddess gave me your father," she said, her voice going flat and professional again. "The Alpha. My duty was to the pack, not to my heart. I chose safety, Jessica. I chose the throne because happiness... happiness is a luxury people like us can't afford. You’ll learn that. You’ll learn to live with the silence."

I felt a chill run down my spine. Does she really think everyone wants that life like she did? Like we were supposed to trade our hearts so easily like it meant nothing?

"I don't want your life," I whispered.

I thought she'd get angry; maybe frown. She just looked at me with a sad, empty pity. "None of us do at first. But we all live it anyway."

She left a few minutes later. Her words were supposed to comfort me, but they were the spark I needed. I realized then that I wasn't just fighting for Kaelen, I was fighting to keep from becoming her.

I was still reeling from her visit when the door swung open again. This time, there was no knock.

Nathan walked in. He didn't ask if I was okay. He didn't look at me with love. He walked to the center of the room with his chest puffed out, showing me that even my bedroom belonged to him.

"You look pale, Jess," he said, his voice smooth and cold. "You should be resting. Tomorrow is a big day for us."

"Get out, Nathan," I said, not moving from the window.

He chuckled. "Not yet. I brought you a gift. Something to help you remember your place."

He reached into his pocket and tossed something onto my bed. It was a strip of dark leather. I recognized the buckle immediately. It was Kaelen’s. The leather was torn, and it was stained with fresh, dark blood.

My heart stopped. Instinctively, I rushed to the bed, grabbing the strap, my fingers trembling as I touched the sticky red marks. "What did you do?" I screamed. "What did you do to him?"

Nathan stepped closer, his shadow falling over me. He leaned down, his face inches from mine. I could smell the expensive wine on his breath.

"I thought you never wanted a guard," he said, his face twisting to a frown. "Why are you so concerned about him now?"

I knew my reaction so far had been strange, but I never expected Nathan would be this quick to suspect anything.

Not wanting to give him the satisfaction he wanted, I said. "It doesn't change the fact that he is my protector. So, I deserve to know what happened to him."

"Well," Nathan shrugged, like my words amused him rather than annoy him. "He resisted orders at the gate," Nathan whispered, his eyes flashing with a sick kind of pride. "The mutt forgot who he works for. He had to be disciplined. He’s alive... for now. But he’s bleeding in the dirt where he belongs."

I looked at the blood on my hands and felt something inside me break.

"You're a monster," I whispered.

Nathan gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him. "I'm your Alpha. And tomorrow, you will walk down that aisle. You will wear that dress, and you will smile until your face aches. Everyone will see how happy you are to be mine."

His grip tightened, his fingernails digging into my skin.

"And listen to me carefully, Jessica," he hissed. "If I see you look for that mutt even once—if I even catch you thinking about him—I’ll have his head delivered to our marriage bed before the sun sets. Do you understand me?"

He didn't wait for an answer. He shoved me away and walked out, the door slamming and the locks clicking from the outside.

"No." I shook my head, falling to my knees. "No. No, no, no. NO!”