Chapter 4: Owned

NYRA’S POV

I sat on the edge of the couch in the grand chamber they had given me, my back straight and my eyes fixed on the heavy wooden door. Sleep never came. Every creak in the old fortress made my heart slam against my ribs. I waited for Valerian to storm in, for his cold fury to finally break after the deception at the altar. Hours passed. He never appeared. That silence terrified me more than any outburst could have.

The bed behind me remained untouched, its silk sheets smooth and perfect. It felt wrong to lie there, as if claiming even that small comfort would make this nightmare more real. Instead I stayed on the couch, knees drawn up, replaying every moment of the day. Arabella’s note. Kieran’s calm voice telling me he loved her. My parents pushing me forward like a spare tool. And then their lies at the altar, blaming me for the switch while I stood there in her gown and veil.

Why did they do that? I had agreed to save them. I had stepped into this marriage so Valerian would not destroy our family. Yet the moment the veil lifted, they turned on me. The memory burned fresh in my chest. They had raised me, given me their name when no one else wanted an orphaned omega, and still they sacrificed me without hesitation.

My wolf, Isolde, stirred weakly inside me, a faint and tired presence. She had always been small, quiet, nothing like the strong wolves that powerful alphas needed at their side. What could I possibly offer a man like Valerian? He ruled packs with an iron will. He needed a Luna who matched his strength, not someone like me. An omega who had spent her life cleaning up Arabella’s messes and fading into the background.

The night stretched on. I imagined him bursting through the door, ending everything in one swift motion. Or worse, dragging me back to my parents in shame. By the time faint gray light crept through the tall windows, exhaustion finally pulled me under on the couch.

A sharp knock jolted me awake. I sat up too fast, my neck stiff and my heart racing. The door opened and Mrs. Elara entered, carrying a simple but elegant dress in deep blue.

“Good morning, Luna,” she said quietly. “The Alpha awaits for you at breakfast. And I brought something suitable for to you to wear.”

I thanked her and hurried through my routine. My hands shook as I washed my face and changed. The dress fit well enough, though it felt too fine for someone who had always worn hand-me-downs. I twisted my hair into a quick knot and followed the housekeeper down the wide stone corridors. My stomach twisted with nerves. I had slept far later than intended.

The dining hall opened before me, grand and intimidating with its long oak table and heavy chandeliers. Valerian sat at the head, cutting into his food with precise movements. Sunlight from the tall windows caught the sharp lines of his jaw. He looked every bit the king even in the morning, cold and unreachable.

I stopped a few steps away and bowed my head out of pure habit. “I am sorry I woke up late. I should have risen earlier to prepare breakfast. It will not happen again.”

Valerian’s fork paused halfway to his mouth. He set it down slowly and looked at me. Those dark eyes studied my face as if I were a puzzle he had not expected. The silence stretched until my cheeks burned.

“Why are you apologizing?” he asked.

The question caught me off guard. In my parents’ house I had always been the first one up, making meals even when servants were available. It kept the peace, it made me useful. “It is my responsibility. Or it was. I did not mean to be lazy.”

He leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable. “Sit down, Nyra.”

I remained standing, fingers twisting in the fabric of my dress. My legs felt weak under his gaze.

“Sit,” he repeated. The single word carried a quiet command.

I obeyed and lowered myself into the chair to his right. Servants placed food in front of me, but I could barely look at it. My hands stayed in my lap.

Valerian picked up his fork again and continued eating. After a long moment he spoke. “About last night.”

My throat tightened. I thought of my parents’ faces, of the life they had built, of the danger I had tried to spare them. “I am sorry you were given the wrong bride. Arabella ran away and I took her place. It was partly my fault. I should have stopped her sooner or spoken up. I know I am not what you wanted. I am not strong like her. My wolf is weak. I have nothing to offer a king.”

The words tasted bitter, but they came out anyway. Better to take the blame than let my family suffer his wrath.

Valerian watched me without blinking. “You still protecting them even now. That’s interesting.”

I swallowed hard. “We can end this. The marriage, I mean. The bond happened under false pretenses. You can annul it. Send me away. No one has to know it was not Arabella at the altar. You deserve a proper Luna, not… this.”

He set his utensils down with deliberate care. The sound echoed in the quiet hall. Then he turned fully toward me. His presence filled the space between us, heavy and unyielding.

“You misunderstand something, Nyra,” he said. His voice stayed low and controlled. “You stood beside me before the Moon Goddess. You spoke the vows. You took my blood and gave yours in return. The bond is sealed. It cannot be undone without consequences far greater than you realize.”

My pulse hammered in my ears. “Still… you do not have to keep me here. I can go back. I will explain everything.”

Valerian’s eyes darkened slightly. He leaned forward just enough that I felt the full weight of his attention. “You do not leave.”

The air grew thicker. I searched his face for any hint of anger or mercy and found neither. Only certainty.

“Because whether you like it or not,” he continued, “you belong to me now.”

His words settled over me like chains. I sat frozen in the chair, the food untouched before me, while the fortress walls seemed to close in tighter. There was no rage in his tone, no raised voice, only the calm declaration of a king who had already decided my fate. And in that moment, with the morning light streaming across the table between us, I understood that the real prison had only just begun.