04 The Contract

Sera

"You're Sera Valdris."

Fenris didn't wait for my response to his question. He just walked to the table and sat down in the chair next to where my father had been standing, like he'd been invited. Like this was his house.

My father's jaw tightened but he sat back down without saying anything.

I was still standing there by my chair where I'd backed up when Fenris walked in. My heart was hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat.

"Sit down, Sera," my father said without looking at me.

I didn't move.

"Sera."

I sat. My legs were shaking.

Fenris still hadn't looked at me again since that first moment. He was looking at my father now, waiting.

My father cleared his throat. "Alpha Volkov, I want to thank you for making the journey. I know it's not—"

"The contract," Fenris interrupted. "Your daughter. The one who was promised to my brother."

It wasn't a question but my father nodded anyway. "Yes. As we discussed in our correspondence, the original arrangement was made three years ago with your brother Dimitri. Unfortunately, circumstances prevented the marriage from taking place at that time."

"You canceled the wedding," Fenris said flatly.

My father's expression didn't change. "There was a complication, yes. But we've since resolved the issue, and Sera has returned home to honor the agreement."

"Your letter said the contract transfers to me now that my brother is dead."

"That's correct. The agreement was made with House Volkov. Your brother held the contract originally, but upon his death, the obligations and benefits transfer to you as the current Alpha."

Fenris was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "My brother made this arrangement. I'll honor his word."

Relief flashed across my father's face, just for a second, before he smoothed it away. "I'm pleased to hear that. The alliance between our houses will benefit both our territories significantly."

"The terms are the same as what my brother negotiated?"

"Essentially, yes. We can review the specific details if you'd like, but the core arrangement remains unchanged. A marriage alliance, trade agreements, mutual defense pact—"

"I don't need the details." Fenris shifted in his chair. "My brother was thorough. If he agreed to the terms, they're acceptable."

I couldn't believe this. They were talking about me like I was a piece of furniture being sold. I opened my mouth to say something, but my father's eyes cut to m,e and the look on his face made me close it again.

My mother's hand found mine under the table. She squeezed once but didn't say anything.

Across from me, Lyra was staring at her plate, her hands balled into fists.

"There is one matter we should address," my father said carefully. "In the three years since the original agreement was made, there have been some... developments."

Fenris looked at him. Waited.

"My daughter was mated during that time. The bond has since been severed, but—"

"I can see the scar," Fenris said.

My hand went to my collarbone before I could stop it. I'd forgotten the scar was visible above the neckline of my dress.

"Yes," my father said. "The bond was rejected. Properly severed. There are no lingering ties."

"And children?" Fenris asked. "From the mate bond?"

"No children."

Fenris nodded once. "The contract stands then."

That was it. That was all the consideration he gave to the fact that I'd been mated and rejected, as if it didn't matter at all.

"Excellent," my father said, and I could hear the satisfaction in his voice. "When would you like to—"

"Three days," Fenris said. "She leaves with me in three days."

Three days. I had three days before my entire life changed.

"That's very soon," my father said, but he didn't sound like he was objecting. "We'll need to make arrangements, prepare her things—"

"Three days," Fenris repeated. "The wedding will take place in Ironmaw. My territory."

"Of course. That's perfectly acceptable."

I couldn't stay quiet anymore. "Don't I get a say in any of this?"

Everyone at the table went still.

My father's expression went cold. "Sera—"

"No." I pulled my hand out of my mother's and stood up. "You're sitting here deciding my entire future, and I don't even get to speak? I'm supposed to just sit here quietly while you negotiate me away like I'm livestock?"

"You will sit down and be silent," my father said, his voice low and dangerous.

"Why should I? So you can finish selling me off without having to listen to me object?"

"You lost the right to object when you made a bet and lost." He stood up too. "You agreed to honor the arrangement if your mate didn't work out. Your mate didn't work out. Now you honor your word, or you prove yourself to be exactly as unreliable as I've always suspected."

The words hit like a slap.

Fenris was watching this exchange without saying anything. Just sitting there, observing.

"Aldric, please," my mother said quietly.

"Stay out of this," my father told her without looking away from me. "Sera, you have a choice. You can sit down, be quiet, and accept the consequences of your own decisions like an adult. Or you can throw a tantrum and embarrass yourself in front of our guest. Which is it going to be?"

I looked at my mother. She wouldn't meet my eyes.

I looked at Lyra. She was staring at me with something that might have been pity.

I sat down.

The rest of the negotiation happened in silence. My father had documents brought in and he and Fenris reviewed them together. Trade routes, defense agreements, political alliances. All the reasons why this marriage was happening.

I wasn't asked to sign anything. That should have surprised me but it didn't. I was the commodity being traded, not a party to the contract.

It took maybe twenty minutes for them to finalize everything.

Then Fenris stood. "Three days," he said to my father. "Have her ready."

My father nodded. "She'll be ready."

Fenris turned to leave, then paused. Looked at me for the first time since he'd sat down.

That long, assessing stare. Like he was trying to figure out what exactly he'd just agreed to take on.

I stared back, refusing to look away.

He didn't say anything. Just turned and walked out, his guards following behind him.

The second the doors closed behind them, my father turned to me.

"You will not embarrass me like that again," he said. "Do you understand?"

"I barely said anything—"

"You said too much." He started gathering up the documents. "You have three days to prepare yourself. I suggest you use them wisely. Pack what you need, say your goodbyes. You won't be coming back here."

"Ever?" The word came out smaller than I meant it to.

"That will depend entirely on your husband and the terms of your marriage." He looked at me then, really looked at me. "You made your choices, Sera. Now you live with them."

Then he left too.

The room felt too quiet after he was gone.

I turned to my mother. She was still sitting there, hands folded in her lap, staring at nothing.

"You didn't say anything," I said.

She flinched. "Sera—"

"You sat there and didn't say a single word while he sold me off to a complete stranger. You didn't even try to defend me."

"There was nothing I could say," she said quietly. "You know how your father is when he's made up his mind—"

"You didn't even try!" My voice cracked. "You just sat there holding my hand like that was supposed to make it better. Like that was supposed to be enough."

"What did you want me to do?" She looked at me then, and there were tears in her eyes. "Did you want me to argue with him in front of the Volkov Alpha? Undermine your father's authority? Make the situation worse?"

"I wanted you to be on my side!"

"I am on your side," she said, and she actually sounded like she believed it. "I'm trying to make this as easy for you as I can—"

"Easy?" I laughed, and it came out harshly. "There's nothing easy about this. I'm being forced to marry a man I've never spoken to, who just sat there and negotiated for me like I was a horse he was buying, and you think you're making it easy?"

My mother's face crumpled. "Sera, please—"

"Forget it." I pushed back from the table. "I need to go."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know. Anywhere that's not here."

I left before she could say anything else. 

“Sera!” Lyra called.

“Leave me alone!”

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