1. Last night of freedom

"you shall take her place."

Eryndra's fingers clutched around the Palace's summon, eyes widening in disbelief.

"You can't be serious," she whispered.

Alpha Reavion's cold gaze didn't soften. It never did when it came to her. "The pack still needs to produce a bride for the Lycan crown prince. You will be the one to give it to him."

"Father, I cannot," her voice trembled. "I can't smile prettily at balls or play the obedient wife. I loathe the Lycans. They are bloodthirsty, arrogant—"

"This is not a request!" His voice rose sharply, echoing off the stone walls. "The court will not wait, nor will they forgive an insult dressed as mourning. Either you marry the prince, or this pack burns."

She hadn't even had time to properly process her sister's death before he decided she would take her sister's place.

His words sank into her stomach like a death sentence.

Only a week ago, they had buried Ishara. The Prince's Chosen.

She hadn't even had time to properly process her sister's death before he decided she would take her sister's place.

To marry the very Lycan Prince rumored to be ruthless.

That night, the suffocating walls of the packhouse became too much.

Eryndra fled into the woods.

Shifting into her wolf, Gia, she sprinted through the woods until her lungs burned and tears blurred her vision.

Then the scent hit her. A smoky, earthy scent that sent goosebumps all over her skin.

*Mate.* Gia purred with traitorous excitement.

Eryndra skidded to a stop, her heart hammering against her ribs.

She... Has a mate?

Shifting back to her human form, she slowly pushed through the tall wet grasses.

There he stood, bathing beneath the waterfall.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, with long, wet hair clinging to his neck. The moonlight caught the sharp lines of his bronze back, tracing a physique that looked almost divine.

Heat flooded Eryndra’s cheeks.

The male stiffened, his head snapping slightly to the side as if sensing her.

Eryndra ducked back into the shadows, her chest heaving.

"No," she whispered, clenching her fists. "Father will kill me."

She should leave. She should turn away and never look back. But the mate bond tugged her chest like a silent anchor.

*Just tonight,* a desperate voice whispered in her mind. *One last moment of freedom.*

Desperate to protect her identity, she tore a long strip from the hem of her dress and tied it securely over her nose and mouth, leaving only her wide blue eyes visible.

When she stepped out, the male was already approaching. A cloth draped around his lower torso that did little to hide how large he was.

His eyes were the most beautiful she had ever seen. Ice-gray with flecks of silver, framed by thick brows.

He closed the distance between them in two steps, lifting a hand to cup her cheek. The contact sparked a shockwave through her veins, stealing the air from her lungs. But as his fingers moved toward the knot of her mask, she shot her hand out, gripping his wrist.

His brows furrowed, a deep, resonant rumble vibrating in his chest.

"A shy mate, huh?"

His lips twitched with amusement, and he tried again.

Eryndra held his wrist tighter. She shook her head.

A muscle ticked in his jaw, but seeing the desperation in her gaze, his eyes softened into something intense and consuming.

"Alright," he murmured, his breath uneven as he pressed his nose against her neck. "We can do the kissing and introductions in the morning."

Eryndra whimpered, dizziness washing over her as she breathed in his intoxicating scent.

For a male this massive, his scent signature was surprisingly low and muted, wrapping around her like a calm fog.

Sensing her surrender, he lifted her effortlessly, his arm locking firmly around her hips.

He carried her into the darkness of the nearby cave, and Eryndra let the rest of the world fade away.

Ishara. The summons. The rumored cruel prince waiting at the end of her future.

There was only him.

All that followed was a blur.

An act she knew her father would end her for.

~~~~~~

Dawn crept over the horizon, and dread settled in Eryndra's bones.

She would give anything to stay in the arms of her male, but she still had to leave.

"Stay here," he whispered. "I'll be right back."

He pressed one last, lingering kiss to her bare shoulder, before rising and stepping out of the cave.

As soon as he left, she scrambled for her clothing, wincing at the ache in her muscles. A fierce reminder of how they had burned together in the dark.

Quickly, she headed to her pack and easily slipped over the wall into her chamber.

But her mother was already pacing in the room.

"Where have you been?!" Maren snapped, rushing forward. "By the gods, Eryndra, I thought you had run away! What happened to your promise to stop sneaking out?"

Words refused to leave Eryndra's mouth. She stood frozen as her mother closed the distance.

Suddenly, Maren stopped. She sniffed the air once. Twice. Her eyes slowly widened into circles of pure horror.

"Is that..." Maren stuttered, backing away. "Is that a male's scent on you?"

Eryndra swallowed hard, her hands trembling.

"Mother… I can explain."

"Who was he?"

"He…" Eryndra closed her eyes. "He is my mate."

Silence followed, heavy like the quiet before a great storm.

"Did you reject him?"

"I could not."

"Have you gone insane?!" Her mother whispered harshly. "Oh, please tell me, by the moon, he didn't know who you were."

"He doesn't know," Eryndra rushed out. "I kept my face covered the entire time. He never saw me."

A small relief flashed across Maren's face.

"Do you realize what you've done? If your father discovers this, he will send hunters to bring that male's head to your feet. And the Crown prince? He would slaughter our entire pack for delivering a compromised bride."

A shiver ran down Eryndra’s spine. Gia stirred possessively at the threat to their mate.

"I won't go back to him," Eryndra promised, the weight of her reality crashing down. "I will marry the prince. For the sake of the Silverion pack, I'll do it."

Maren drew in a deep breath, her eyes hardening with resolve.

"We have to fix this. We need to bury this secret. First, we wash every trace of him off your skin. Then, the mate bond must be hidden."

Eryndra frowned. "Mother. That is too much..."

"It is the only way you can survive," Maren cut her off. "What rank was he? Did you get anything from his aura?"

"I don't know," Eryndra admitted, thinking back to the strange, quiet nature of his energy. "His scent was incredibly low."

"How low?"

"Very low."

"An Omega, perhaps?" Maren's face twisted in distaste. "Good. I shall cast the Veil Spell over your presence. Even if he is the strongest Alpha rank, he will not recognize the mate bond."