Chapter 2: The Glamour and the Bond

~Freya~

The transformation took three long, painful hours.

They slapped heavy layers of foundation on my skin to hide my warm tan. They blended it until I looked pale and porcelain like Riya. Dark eyeliner winged out perfectly. Rose-tinted gloss slicked over my lips. My wild waves got ironed flat until they hung in shiny, silk strands down my back.

My mother stood over the makeup artist like a boss, barking orders. “Make her cheeks rosier! Riya always has that natural flush when she’s healthy. And fill in those brows properly—Freya looks like a wild field mouse because she never bothers to take care of herself.”

I stared blankly at the vanity mirror while they dressed me in a shimmering pearl-white silk dress—Riya’s favorite color. I couldn’t even remember the last time Mother brought me makeup or a real dress. Everything I owned was oversized hoodies meant to keep me hidden in the west wing. She never cared enough to ask if I wanted nice things. To her, grooming me was a waste. Grooming Riya was an investment.

When they finished, I stood up and looked into the full-length mirror.

My chest tightened. I didn’t recognize the girl staring back. The dark circles under my eyes were gone. In their place was a glowing, perfectly made-up face. I was looking at a living copy of Riya from before the curse started eating her from the inside.

“The car is here,” Mother said sharply, checking her watch. She didn’t offer a single kind word. “Get your coat. The black sedan is waiting in the driveway.”

We walked downstairs to the foyer. Father stood there in his formal suit. Riya sat tucked into a wheelchair by the door, wrapped in a thick wool blanket. Her face looked hollow, but her eyes shone as she stared at me—her mirror image brought back to life.

“Thank you, sis,” Riya whispered. Her voice was rough as she squeezed my hand. “I’ll be fine here alone with the head nurse. Go with Mom and Dad. Bring back his blood.”

“I will,” I said quietly. The black magic potion felt cold and heavy in my palm. The small glass vial sat safe in the hidden inner pocket of my silk dress.

***

The drive to the Alpha’s Grand Citadel was painfully quiet. Father drove the sleek black sedan. Mother sat in the back with me, checking every strand of my hair over and over.

When we arrived, the fortress was already full of high-society wolves from every territory. Crystal chandeliers lit up the huge ballroom. The air smelled of expensive champagne and strong floral perfume.

The second I stepped out of the sedan with my parents, heads turned. Whispers started right away.

“Is that Riya?” “Oh my god, Riya! Where have you been?”

A group of girls from the elite academy rushed over and circled me before I could even breathe.

“We haven’t seen you in almost a month!” one of them squealed, grabbing my arm. “You stopped coming to school, you haven’t answered any texts… we thought you left the territory!”

I forced Riya’s sweet, bright smile onto my face. My heart pounded hard against my ribs. “Oh, you know… family business. Father had me locked away doing pack diplomacy training.”

“Well, you look gorgeous,” another girl said. She squinted a little at my feet. “Wait, why are you walking so weird? Your steps look so stiff.”

Panic shot through me. I was used to combat boots and flat shoes. Riya’s four-inch stiletto heels were killing my ankles.

“Oh! I… I sprained my ankle during training yesterday,” I lied smoothly, tucking a strand of straight hair behind my ear. “It’s still a little swollen, so I’m trying not to put too much weight on it.”

“Ah, that makes sense!” they giggled, pulling me toward the main floor.

As we moved through the crowds, the quiet chatter in the room suddenly died into complete silence.

The air in the ballroom grew thick and heavy. A strong, crushing pressure filled the space and made every wolf’s knees want to buckle. The Alpha’s aura felt like the sudden drop in pressure right before a big storm.

Alpha Ruzi had entered.

A collective gasp ran through the hall as the crowd parted like the Red Sea. Whispers broke out fast and frantic.

“Look at him… twenty-three and he still doesn’t have a fated mate.” “I heard his royal blood is too pure, too sacred. The Moon Goddess might not even make a female strong enough to take his mark!” “That’s why the High Council forced this ceremony. He gave up waiting for a fated mate, so he’s choosing a bride tonight to protect the bloodline.”

My chest rose and fell hard. I backed toward the edge of the room and hid near a marble pillar. My parents watched me from the balcony with sharp eyes. Mother gave me a hard, meaningful look and tapped her chest—the potion.

My wolf started thrashing inside me. She paced, clawed at my ribs, and whined with wild, chaotic energy.

Calm down, I told her silently. I know you’re terrified. I’m terrified too. We just have to do this and get it over with so Riya will be safe.

The High Elder stepped up to the grand podium. His voice carried across the whole ballroom. “Welcome, noble packs! Tonight, Alpha Ruzi of the Black Ridge shall select his chosen Luna!”

This was it.

My hands shook hard. I reached into the hidden pocket of my dress. My fingers wrapped tightly around the cold, smooth glass of the black magic vial. The plan was simple: pull the stopper off, hold the dark magic in my palm, step into his line of sight, and force him to look into my eyes so the curse would make his wolf choose me.

I pulled the vial halfway out of my dress. My knuckles turned white. My eyes stayed locked on the polished marble floor while the elder kept talking.

Don’t look up yet. Just open it first.

I slowly popped the cork off the bottle. But before I could finish opening it and lift my head, an overwhelming, intoxicating scent cut through the heavy ballroom—dark cedar and rain.

It hit my senses like a physical blow.

My head snapped up on pure instinct. Across the crowded room, through the sea of bowing heads, Alpha Ruzi turned his head.

Dark golden-amber eyes locked straight onto mine.

The glass vial slipped from my frozen fingers and tumbled back into the dark depths of my pocket, completely untouched but partially open.

My breath caught. The air vanished from my lungs as a lightning bolt of raw, electric magic smashed through my chest and burned through every vein in my body.

Inside my mind, my wolf stopped thrashing. She threw her head back and let out a triumphant, deafening roar that echoed deep in my soul:

MATE!