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Chapter 1.

"Your husband arrives today. Stop scrubbing and make yourself presentable," Jared barked, striding into the living room.

"Yes, Uncle," Talia murmured, rising from her knees. She wiped her hands on her threadbare dress.

"Alina! Alina!" he shouted.

"Yes, Father!" Alina swept in, eyes immediately landing on Talia. A smirk curled on her lips.

"Finish the cleaning," Jared said to her. "Talia has a husband to impress." He paused, then added, "He'll be here in a few hours. They're already at the borders."

The words hit Talia like a slap. This was it. The cruel old Alpha. The one Jared had promised her to after trading her freedom for Alina’s school fees. 

She stood still, silent, as the weight of it settled.

"Yes, father" Alina replied, and watched Jared walked up to Talia, then touched her shoulders. 

"There's a red dress in your room. You must try your best to look---" he searched her bony face, with eyes filled with disgust "Good. You must not embarrass me" he added. 

"It’s the least you could do... For Alina." 

"I took you in after your parents died. Fed you, clothed you... even though you’re… an omega.” the words came out his lips like a sting to Talia. 

"You owe this family, so it's your responsibility" he finished and patted her shoulder before stepping away, going to get other things ready. 

"It's nice to see you've stopped whining like a baby, Talia" Alina grinned, making Talia look up at her. She had forgotten her cousin was still there.

"I mean, a few months ago the news was broken to you, you were always crying and moody." She shrugged, grabbing the bucket. 

"Crying won’t change my fate, would it?" Talia murmured, as if consoling herself. 

"That's right. You must consider yourself lucky then. Getting married to Alpha Talone Creed. He's rich after all. Even though he's old, mean, and smells like boiled blood" An annoying laugh erupted from Alina's throat which made Talia turn away in disgust.  

She stormed down the hall, clutching the locket in her pocket which suddenly felt heavier, as if it was a burden. It was the only property she had left of her parents. 

'What if the plan fails and Alpha Creed takes us anyway?' Her wolf, Titi, whimpered in her mind.

"Don't start now, Titi" She muttered.

Biting her lower lips, she got to her room and closed the door after her. 

The Smell of old paint engulfed her and the feel of the old hard door behind her back assured her she was in her safe space. It was hers, despite its weary looks, the sagging cots where she had cried in so many times and the hard walls she had stared at every night when sleeping proves impossible. 

Each thud of her heart felt like a countdown. If she waited a second longer, she might lose her nerve.

Hurrying to the window, she saw that a parcel had been delivered as planned. 

 Her heart hammered in her chest as she dipped her left hand into the parcel, and brought out a piece of paper which had shabbily written words on it.

"Drink the potion when you are alone.

Your heart will stop and your body cold as ice. 

The gravediggers will receive your body.

I have the antidote.

Good luck, Talia.

~Lucien"

"He kept his promise." She snigged, and swallowed hard. "He didn't abandon the plan"

Her fingers trembled, with legs wobbling as she stared blankly at the letter.

 A voice screamed at the back of her head, but she ignored the warning. Her mind was set. 

"I don't like this eerie feeling I'm having, Talia" Titi spoke in her head again.

She darted to the candle, but paused. What if the ashes raised suspicion? With a grimace, she shoved the letter into her mouth and chewed, then swallowed. 

A knock suddenly came at the door, startling her, as Alina's voice barked from outside. 

"You better hurry up, Talia!" Then she spoke in a shrill mocking voice. "Alpha Creed and his escorts are here. You wouldn't want to keep your old ugly husband waiting, would you?" She laughed maniacally.

"I'm coming, give me a second!" Her voice was shaky and she hoped Alina wouldn't want to come into the room. Luckily, she heard Alina's footsteps retreating as she heaved a sigh of relief. 

Quickly, she took off her shabby dress and wore the red gown that was kept on the bed. These type of dresses were only worn by Alina.  

The dress clung to her skin like it would mask her omega-scent. She scowled at her reflection in the mirror. "Like an animal, ready to be slaughtered"

Walking to the table, she snatched a quill, and scrawled a quick note with trembling hands. Pushing the letter aside, she grabbed the tiny bottle from the parcel and raised it to her lips. 

“If you die, I die too,” Titi whispered in her mind. “I’m scared.”

"Then so be it. I'd rather die than live as a rich monster's possession" she said with unsteady voice and shaky hands. 

"Please, moon goddess... Let this work. Please" she prayed under her breath and downed the whole content of the bottle, her anxiety engulfing her. 

'What if he doesn't find her to give her the antidote?' This thought rang in her head as her vision became blurry, and her head banged with a high-pitch sound, ringing in her ears. 

She felt the room spinning and her wolfside was slowly losing grip of her. Slowly, her heartbeat began to drop. 

And like a flash of light, she crashed to the ground and everything went blank. 

A few minutes later, a loud knock came from the door, impatient and fast.

"Talia! What are you still doing there?! Come out this instant!" Alina waited, but was greeted by silence. With a grunt, she pushed the door open and stepped into the room.

"God, I hate the stench of your room! I don't like coming here--" she was still speaking when her eyes darted to the bedside to see Talia lying on the floor. Her face immediately carved into a deep frown. 

"Is this a joke or what?" Alina scoffed and kicked her.

“Get up!”

Still no movement. She knelt and turned Talia over to see the foam lined around her lips.

Alina stumbled back, her face pale. "Talia?" With shaky hands, she shook her but no response. 

Swiftly, she scurried, rushing to the living room. The men stopped their conversation, glancing at her. 

She hurried do Jared's side and whispered something in his ear. Jared was able to conceal his shock as he fidgeted with his tie and stood up. 

Alpha Creed who was impatiently standing at the fireside watched them, his cruel old eyes squinting instantly. 

"Is anything the matter, Mr. Jared?" He questioned, his baritone voice reverberating in the room.

"Not at all, Alpha Creed. I'll be right back" he stood up immediately and left with Alina, almost breaking into a run.

They both got to Talia's room and found her in the same state. He knelt next to her and placed his head on her chest. He couldn't get a heartbeat. 

He touched her wrist, but felt no pulse. Her skin was pale and as cold as ice. 

"She's... She's... dead!" He almost choked on his words, speaking in a whisper. 

"Dead?" Alina's voice cracked through the air. 

He staggered backward as his eyes darted to the letter on the table. In a state of panic, he rushed, and grabbed it, almost stumbling onto Alina.

"I'll choose death than share a bed with a cruel, old Alpha.

I choose the silence of death over a life where love is a cage.

If there’s peace beyond this world, may my parents welcome me home.

~The girl you called a burden."

"Hurry, Alina! Get the Grave diggers, go through the back door" Jared was in a state of panic as he began burning the letter. 

"What?" Confusion spread across Alina's face. 

"Just do as I say, you fool! This is suicide. If word gets out that the Alpha’s bride committed suicide, we’ll be banished!”

He grabbed and shoved her “Do you hear me?"

Alina's eyes widened, she opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Her gaze rested on the corpse as a strange breeze blew past her skin, making the hairs on her body stand still. 

“Hurry, Alina!" Jared shook her as he scurried around, until he stumbled onto the tiny bottle. He placed it in his pocket without thinking and began shifting her body. 

"What about the Alpha? He wouldn't go without Talia!" Alina, finally coming out of her trance, pointed out. 

Jared glanced at her. She was right. Alpha Creed has come all the way to the outskirts of the village to pick Talia, and he wouldn't go empty handed.

"Then you will have to go with him, as his bride" Jared said without thinking.

"What?" Her lips trembled as she shook her head repeatedly. 

"No father! He's old! I don't want him!" Tears choked in her throat as Jared grabbed her shoulders. 

"Do you rather we be banished as outcasts and live as rogues?!"

"Do what I tell you. Get the Grave diggers, now?" He pushed her to the door, making her stumble on the floor.

With tears falling down her cheeks, she scurried through the back door, her heart hammering in her ribcage.