Chapter 4

LEAH

I stood there completely frozen as I looked at him. Even if something in me was fighting to believe it was true, I couldn't. I knew my mother-in-law hated me, but she couldn't kill me, right?

“I… I'm sorry. I doubt that's possible. I would have died.”

“Are you saying I'm lying?”

My heart slammed against my chest as fear laced through every fiber of my bones. I couldn't make him angry. His reputation was bad enough, I couldn't let him see me as a problem, or I'd just get killed, which was something I was not ready for.

“... Sit down, Leah.”

Were the stories about him true? Was he trying to cover his true face?

I didn't know what in the world was happening, but I didn't like it. I sat down quietly while his eyes burned holes into my forehead. I refused to look up at him. I hated that I could barely concentrate while he was watching me. But why would he choose to marry me of all people?

“You aren't impotent? If you want a doctor's report, then Gareth will take you there now.”

I furrowed my eyebrows confused as tears filled my eyes.

“Why do you want to marry me? I'm fat, ugly, and there's literally nothing in me that's worth liking”

In the blink of an eye, a figure was standing right next to me. He was no longer in his chair, making me swallow hard.

His hand crushed the headboard of the chair, and I jumped to my feet, but I was immediately pushed down gently, yet so aggressively.

“I get to dictate what you look like. Darren made a mistake by letting go of you, and you will go through with this divorce. Moreover, you have nowhere to stay. I'll give you a little time to think. Sign the contract, and you'll be safe.”

He moved away from me, and I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. I swallowed trying to keep every emotion at bay, but that seemed very impossible.

This was bad. I couldn't have possibly gotten his attention. For God's sake, I had only ever heard bad things about this man, and now I was considering marrying him? But where would I go after Darren had kicked me out?

It was dangerous getting down here even with those couples. Going back would lead me to death, and I couldn't die, not yet and definitely not now.

I looked down at the marriage contract, my fingers trembling as they held the pen. I was just going to give him an heir, that was all he really wanted. I could leave after that. But what if I couldn't give him a child?

Anger raged within me at the thought that the wolfsbane in my system might kill me and damage my body. What if my womb was damaged for good?

I had enough of Darren, and somewhere deep in my soul, I wanted to trust Dante, to ignore all the warnings about him. Taking a deep breath, I signed the divorce papers before hesitantly looking at the marriage contract, hoping I wasn't selling myself off. Then, I signed it.

“That didn't take long.”

I jumped in my seat and swiveled to see him looking at me. This man might be the most beautiful creature I've met, but his Aura was something I've never felt before.

“I… I don't have any of my inheritance anymore,” I admitted.

He looked at me as though I had just threatened to kill him in his sleep.

“You don't have to worry about that. Come on, it's late. We'll deal with your divorce tomorrow.”

I fiddled with my fingers, my thoughts running wild.

I had just married the Lycan King. The actual LYCAN KING! As much as that was worth getting a heart attack over, I couldn't afford to break down now. I had to stay composed, for my survival.

I feared that he could change his mind and decide to kill me the next minute.

“Why are you so scared?”

Suddenly, he was in front of me, his presence suffocating. My legs were pinned to the ground.

I swallowed hard as he raised a hand and brushed his fingers against the side of my face. If I wasn’t weak from his beauty before, I am now.

Then, his hand left my face, and I felt empty, like something was missing. Out of nowhere, my legs were swept off the floor, and a scream escaped my mouth.

“You still haven't answered my question.”

“I'm not scared.”

I answered too fast, giving my fear away. But the way his hands wrapped around the back of my thighs was more disturbing than my slip-up.

“Do you know what my second most hated thing is?”

His voice was so dark it cut through the light in the room.

“... Lies.”

He looked at me, his golden eyes shimmering with clear anger and I prayed silently to the moon goddess for my life

“I'm so sorry. I didn't…”

He dropped me onto the couch and looked at me like I was nothing.

“Go out and tell Gareth to direct you to your room.”

Chills ran down my spine.

“I didn't mean to…"

I went silent when he glared at me, swallowing hard as tears filled my eyes.

What in the world was wrong with me? Was it really this simple to make me cry? How weak was I?

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I walked out of the room, knowing his eyes were burning daggers into my back. When I shut the door behind me, I knew I had to run away.

The contract was nothing more than a piece of paper, and I had my divorce. I needed to get out fast.

I looked left, nothing but a dead end. I swayed right, almost bumping into someone. A yelp escaped me.

“What the hell?”

“Sorry, Your Majesty. I'm Gareth, and I will direct you to your room.”

He looked at me with curiosity, but I could see the clear confusion in his eyes, which I refused to acknowledge.

“Thank you.”

As he led the way, I scanned for routes leading to the front door, ignoring the intense glares thrown at me.

I guess rumors spread fast around here, and the ring he had forced on my finger wasn't helping.

It was dark outside. When we reached the room, Gareth left me alone to wallow in my pity.

I looked out the window, but it was far too high for me to jump. For some unknown reason, Gareth had locked the door on his way out.

I just needed to be innovative.

Grabbing pieces of rope from the wardrobe, I started tying them together. But then the click of the door lock sent chills down my spine.

I had messed up.

“What are you doing?”

Sweat broke out on my forehead as I pushed the ropes further into the cupboard.

“I was just trying to find something else to wear.”

He leveled a look at me, and my jaw dropped when he pulled his shirt off in one swift motion and threw it at me.

“You'll get new clothes tomorrow, and you will dress like the queen you are, not in simple-minded dresses. Unless, of course, they belong to me. Like now.”

A shiver ran through me.

“Alright. I thought you were going to bed?”

“I'm sleeping with my wife tonight.”

My mind went into complete chaos. He was going to sleep with me.

No, no, no. I wasn't ready to have him anywhere near me. I couldn't get attached to him so fast. Why was I even attracted to him in the first place?

“We just got married, and I'm tired. Can we not do anything?”

He looked at me like I was crazy, that same angry expression from earlier darkening his face.

I was getting nowhere with this.

I rushed to the bathroom to take a shower, spending an hour in full panic mode. When I got out, he wasn't on the bed.

He was… on the couch?

Is this what he meant when he said he was sleeping here?

“Go to sleep,” he ordered.

Without thinking, I got onto the bed, my body trembling.

I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. It felt unsafe.

I glanced at the couch, he was fast asleep.

Relief washed over me. I walked onto the balcony, staring at the stars.

I just wanted a divorce, not a contract. But when that contract was pulled out, I knew one thing for certain, he wasn’t going to let me go.

I returned to bed, silent tears rolling down my cheeks.

If only my parents were here. None of this would have happened.

Swallowing hard, I squeezed the pillow before turning around…

My heart lodged in my throat.

A pair of golden eyes stared at me intensely from the corner of the room.

Where the hell was he?