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Chapter 11: The Illusion of Choice
Last Updated:
2025-10-28 00:11:31
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He Hated Me First 16. Ego
I turned my head, finally meeting his gaze. My lips curved, just slightly. "Promises, promises."For a heartbeat, I thought he might hit me. My wolf surged forward, ready to defend, and I had to dig my nails into my palms to keep from shifting. But then he was gone, the door slamming so hard the candles guttered, their flames dancing wildly before steadying. The lock clicked. A key turned.I didn't move.I lay there, spread open on the bed like an offering, the silence pressing in around me. My skin ached where his fingers had dug in, my lips stung from the force of his kiss. Slowly, I sat up, swinging my legs over the edge of the mattress. The rug was soft beneath my feet, the air cool against my damp skin.I didn't reach for the robe draped over the chair. Didn't cover myself. Instead, I walked to the window, my reflection a ghost in the glass, pale, hollow-eyed, my dark hair tumbling over my shoulders like a shroud. But if I looked closer, really looke
He Hated Me First 15. Bound by Moon and Pride
The bedchamber was a gilded cage, and I refused to be its songbird. Thick velvet drapes the color of spilled wine swallowed the last traces of daylight, leaving only flickering candlelight to carve shadows across the walls. The air smelled of beeswax and something darker, sweat, leather, the metallic tang of tension that made my wolf stir restlessly beneath my skin.I stood at the center of it all, naked, my skin pale as marble against the decadence around me. I didn't tremble. Didn't cover myself. My arms hung loose at my sides, my spine straight as a blade, my eyes fixed on the man who owned this room, and, by law, owned me.But he'll never own my wolf, I thought, feeling her pulse just beneath the surface, a constant reminder of what I truly was. What he could never know.Larry leaned against the footboard of the massive four-poster bed, his broad frame dwarfing the carved mahogany. The firelight caught the sharp angles of his face, the stubble darkening his jaw, the way his knuckl
He Hated Me First 14. Gilded Cage II
When I reached him, Larry extended his hand. His grip was firm, impersonal, the touch of a conqueror sealing ownership. “You’re late,” he said softly, his voice low enough for only me to hear.“Maybe I was hoping you’d change your mind,” I replied, matching his tone.A flicker of something crossed his face, amusement, maybe, or pity. “You’ll learn soon enough. I don’t change my mind.”Elder Catherine began the chant, her voice echoing across the clearing. “Under the light of the Blood Moon, we bind Alpha Larry Talbot and Lyra Fenris in unity, body, spirit, and duty.”The words washed over me like a curse.Larry released my hand only to take a ceremonial dagger from the altar, silver edged with black runes. He pricked his palm and held it out. I hesitated. His eyes narrowed slightly, a silent warning, so I did the same. When our blood met, the air shimmered with faint energy, the Moon’s acknowledgment of our bond.It should have been sacred. Instead, it felt like surrender.“Repeat
He Hated Me First 13. Gilded Cage
"Stand still."Elder Catherine’s fingers were cold against my spine as she yanked the zipper upward. I wasn't sure if she was part of Larry's staff or his pack, did it even matter anymore? "I said stand still, girl.""I am standing still," I snapped, then immediately regretted it. Her eyes flashed yellow in the mirror's reflection. Another one. They were all around me. Watching. Waiting for me to break.The dress was gold. Not white Larry had been very clear about that. "White is for virgins and liars," he'd said this morning, standing in my doorway like he had every right to be there. "You're neither, are you, Lyra?"I hadn't answered. What was there to say?"There." Elder Catherine stepped back, surveying her work with the critical eye of someone inspecting livestock. "You'll do."I stared at my reflection. The dress was beautiful, I could admit that much. Gold silk that clung to every curve, intricate beading across the bodice that probably cost more than I'd make in a year. My ha
He Hated Me First 12. TRAPPED
"Your grasp of time is impressive." He turned a page, still not meeting my eyes. "The seamstress will arrive this afternoon for your final fitting. Elder Catherine will brief you on the oath itself. You'll need to memorize it, stumbling over the words would be... unfortunate."Heat crept up my neck, but I forced my voice to stay level. "And when exactly were you planning to tell me about this?""I just did.""Larry." I waited until he looked at me, his silver eyes cold and distant. "Tomorrow. You planned my wedding for tomorrow and didn't think to consult me?""Consult you?" Something flickered across his face, surprise, maybe, or irritation. "About what, exactly?""About the date? About having any say in when I'm bound to the pack for the rest of my life?"He set down his papers with deliberate care. "You thought you had a say in this?""I thought…""You thought what, Lyra?" His voice was still quiet, but something dangerous lurked beneath the surface. "That this was a partnership? T
He Hated Me First Chapter 11: The Illusion of Choice
Someone was shaking my shoulder."Miss Lyra. Miss Lyra, please wake up."The voice pulled me from sleep like a fish being yanked from deep water. I blinked against the morning light streaming through the windows, disoriented, my body still heavy with exhaustion.A young woman stood beside my bed, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. She couldn't have been more than sixteen, with wide hazel eyes and honey-colored hair pulled back in a practical braid."I'm sorry to wake you, Miss, but Alpha Larry said you need to be ready for breakfast by eight, and it's already seven-thirty."I sat up slowly, the silk nightgown sliding against the expensive sheets. "Who are you?""Oh!" She dipped into a quick curtsy. "I'm Emma. Emma Collins. I've been assigned as your personal maid.""My what?""Your maid, Miss. To help you dress and... and whatever else you need." Her cheeks flushed pink. "I know it's strange, but the Alpha insisted. He said a Luna needs proper attendance."I stared at her, t
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