Chapter 3

Darius’ POV

I looked down at the chains on my wrist, my back against the brick wall of the gloomy prison.

It reeked of iron and despair, and every breath I took carried the taste of ash, the memory of my pack house burning to the ground engraved in my mind, reminding me of how much of a fool I was.

I had been charged with two crimes; murder and treason. Murder because I had driven the princess to her early grave. Aveline had slit her wrist after I didn’t show up at the wedding, making a public display that took the kingdom by storm.

Treason, because by refusing to stand at the altar with her, I had gone against the authority of the royal family by decree.

I had sacrificed everything at the thought of freedom, believing in a love that was never there.

In the lonely silence of the prison, Luca’s letter replayed in my mind like a broken record. Even with the evident betrayal, I couldn’t help but wonder why he would do such a thing.

Or had he planned it from the very beginning?

From the moment we met on a stormy night, fangs bared at each other in blood and grime.

He was a rogue wolf, and I had been ambushed on a raid, left with a gaping wound that sealed my fate. I fought with every last strength I could muster, but he pinned me down easily, overwhelming me with his strength.

I had blacked out then, only to wake up in a damp cave, his back turned to me, silver hair glistening in the sun’s rays.

Luca saved my life, and even now I don’t know what he did to heal the wound.

That was when it all started.

He was charming, cold, with a sharp mouth that never failed to shake my ego.

Each time he drew close to change the bandages across my chest, his touch would linger longer than it should, becoming the peak of my ruin.

I had never felt such feelings before, and for a man at that. It felt wrong. I didn’t want to indulge in it, but my body betrayed me when his lips brushed against mine, forcing me to accept reality.

But now Luca is gone. He has taken the crest, and maybe my heart with him, leaving me to bear the brunt of the consequences.

The creak of the prison gates cut through my train of thought. Two hefty guards marched in and hauled me to my feet.

I hung my head low as I was dragged through the dungeon, heading to the court that would determine my fate.

The sunlight stung my eyes as we emerged to the surface. I knelt in the middle of the court, the metal of the chains biting into my skin. They were made of a material that prevented werewolves from shifting, but I doubt I could even if I wanted to.

I couldn’t summon my wolf. Ever since that fateful night, every chance of escape seemed bleak.

The court erupted into murmurs at my arrival, probably deducing what method would be best to dispose of me.

But then, Prince Kael arrived.

The silence that followed was deafening, his commanding presence enveloping the whole space.

He took his seat, wearing a bored expression as he crossed his legs, his elbow propped on the armrest of the chair, with his head resting on his firm knuckles.

I stilled as he met my gaze. His amber eyes seemed to glow in the sun’s rays, like embers of a bright flame. They cut into me with a hatred so sharp, it could strike me down if welded into a weapon.

“Bring in the witness.” He said flatly, and I was stunned to see Asher being ushered in.

My Beta, the man I had trusted more than anyone, stepped forward and testified against me.

He glanced at me, his gaze hesitant but final.

“The pack didn’t know Alpha Kael was going to refuse the wedding.” He began, “We made all the necessary preparations, but when the time came, he vanished. He abandoned us.”

His words burned deep, especially when they were nothing but the truth. I had left without considering what would happen to my pack.

Asher bowed before Kael, his shoulders trembling as he begged for mercy, and in that moment I realized the pack I had bled for was no longer mine.

Kael’s judgment came swiftly.

“Asher Rivers, you and your pack are exonerated from the crimes committed by your Alpha, but you are hereby exiled from the kingdom.”

I heaved out a sigh of relief, grateful that they wouldn’t have to get dragged down with me.

Asher lowered his head, but he accepted. “Yes, your highness.”

And with that, he left, shifting the attention of everyone in the room to me.

I squared my shoulders, looking up at the sky as I braced myself for a death sentence, an execution to end my humiliation.

My eyes fluttered closed, and even in my final moments, I thought of him…of Luca.

A bitter smile pulled at the corner of my lips.

A fool I was till the very end.

“Death is too merciful,” Kael’s voice rang in my head like booming thunder.

My eyes flew open, and I watched as he stood from his seat, stalking towards me like a predator on prey.

“You will serve me instead. Lower than an omega, lower than the dirt under my boots.”

The prince slashed out his claws, and I winced as he grabbed a fistful of my hair, drawing blood and staining streaks of blonde.

My chest heaved as he bent to my eye level, his grip tight, making it hard to look away.

His lips spread into a cruel grin, amusement gleaming in his amber pupils. “You will become my slave, so make sure to entertain me until I grow bored with your suffering.”

My jaw clenched, and the shackles on my wrist felt heavier than before.

****

As the days passed, I began to wish for death.

I had not only been stripped of my rank and reduced to an omega, but the prince treated me like a dog.

“Eat.”

I watched in awe as he dumped the food I had just served him on the ground.

“Are you deaf?” He raised his voice, kicking at the food with his boots.

My fists clenched at my sides, and that second of hesitation was crucial. The lash of his soldiers’ whips broke skin across my back, bringing me to my knees.

Kael clasped the back of my head and slammed it against the food on the floor, keeping me in place until I licked it clean.

“I see you haven’t learned,” he chuckled darkly, his claws sinking into my skin. “The consequences of refusing me are more severe than you think.”

I had no choice but to eat from the floor, my pride reduced to dust. The prince laughed at my suffering, and I experienced firsthand why he was deemed a tyrant.

But alas, every time his hand gripped my chin, forcing my gaze to meet his….every time his fingers tugged at my collar like a leash, every time his body drew too close as he asserted his dominance…..I felt a strange sensation course through me.

It was sizzling heat, something that burned me from within, pulsing through my veins.

I had felt it when we first met, but I was too disoriented to register what it was.

I tried my best to ignore it, but I couldn’t hide the ache between my legs. It was humiliating, confusing, and I hated my body for reacting the way it did.

Kael didn’t notice, and I hoped he never did.

Later that night, I was summoned to the prince’s chambers. Alone.

There were no guards in sight, and I was brought with my usual accessory of chains.

I thought maybe he had finally gotten bored and wanted to end me with his own hands, but instead, he made me pour his wine and stand by his side while he smoked a pack of cigarettes.

The tension in the room was as thick as the clouds of smoke that escaped his lips. I stood still in my spot, my gaze trained on my boots, and my drumming in my ears.

After what seemed like centuries, he broke the silence.

“Where is the crest my sister gifted you?”

The question struck me like lightning. I drew in a sharp breath, the hairs on the back of my neck standing erect.

“I….” I have never been one to stutter, but his fiery gaze pinned me down. “…it’s…gone.”

Kael’s composure cracked, and his aura flared through, consuming the air in the room and making it hard to breathe.

He was on me in a flash, claws curled around my throat, amber eyes glowing like molten lava. My back slammed against the wall, tasting blood on my tongue as I writhed under his vice grip.

“Gone?” His voice was dangerously low. “Do you take me for a fool?”

“I’m telling the truth…” I choked, my lungs burning from the lack of oxygen. “It lost it when I was taken….it must have been destroyed when my house burned down…”

I was risking my life for this lie, and maybe it was because the truth was too bitter to say aloud.

The prince didn’t even blink. Instead, a dark chuckle slipped past his lips, taunting me.

“Liar!” He roared, slamming me into the wall once again. I was blinded by the pain, the walls cracking against his pure strength.

Blood trickled from my temple and my chin, my vision hazy, but I could clearly see the gleam of his amber eyes.

“The crest of Fenrir is forged from the first flame. It can’t be destroyed by ordinary fire, not even a dragon’s breath can dent it.” He continued, raising me high above the ground.

My head hung low as he leaned close, his breath ghosting over my skin. “We searched the ashes of your pack house, but we didn’t find anything. So if you don’t want me to snap your delicate neck right here, you’ll tell me where you hid it.”

I couldn’t answer. My head throbbed, and my muscles gave out.

I was tired, and I wished he would just kill me already, but as I felt my consciousness slip away, something inside me snapped awake.

I took in a sharp breath, heaving out as a violent heat seared through me, scorching my veins like wildfire. My back arched against the wall, a ragged groan rumbling in my chest.

I felt it.

My wolf.

It broke out from its dormant streak, clawing its way to his surface, howling one word with firm certainty.

Mate!

My eyes snapped open, flashing with a golden light. I instinctively reached for Kael’s wrists. My body betrayed me as my wolf surged forward, aching and desperate.

Kael’s eyes widened, his grip on my throat faltering as he stiffened. His amber eyes flared with something other than anger, as if he felt the same sensation that bore into my soul.

He must have sensed it—the magnetic pull coiling around us—the bond.

A mate bond.

“No…” Kael’s voice cracked, and for the first time since we met, I saw uncertainty in the Tyrant Prince’s gaze.

“Fate must be playing a cruel joke on me…”