2 - CALLISTA'S POV

I let out a broken breath and buried my face in my hands.

That was exactly five years ago.

It was the day of the Royal Banquet.

It was the exact day I first met the Alpha King who would eventually order my death.

I spent the next few hours walking around my room like a trapped animal.

My mind raced trying to understand how I was breathing.

The Moon Goddess actually answered my final silent prayer and sent me back.

Odetta tried to calm me down while she laced up my corset.

She draped me in a deep red gown that felt heavy and suffocating against my skin.

I remembered wearing this exact same dress the first time around.

I thought I looked beautiful and regal back then.

I stared at my reflection in the gilded mirror now and barely recognized the girl looking back at me.

She looked so naive and gentle.

She had no idea that the man she was about to meet would slaughter her.

My father knocked on the door and walked in wearing his best noble coat.

Galen Asteri looked healthy and stressed instead of dead on the floor of his study.

"Callie, we need to leave for the palace now," my father said and offered me his arm.

"I am not going," I snapped back and took a step away from him.

My father sighed and rubbed his temples in frustration.

"You have to attend the banquet because the King expects all noble houses to present themselves tonight."

"I do not care what the King expects," I spat out bitterly.

"Callista, please do not make a scene today," he begged in a tired voice.

"Our family standing is fragile and we need to show our loyalty."

I wanted to scream at him and tell him that his loyalty would get him killed.

I wanted to warn him about the Crimson Eclipse hiding in the shadows.

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat and forced a tight nod instead.

I knew I had to play along if I wanted to survive this time.

I could not change the future if I refused to step onto the board.

I took his arm and let him lead me out of the estate.

The carriage ride to the Argyros palace felt like a march to my own funeral.

The wheels bounced over the cobblestone streets and rattled my nerves.

My father talked the entire way about trade routes and political alliances.

I ignored every word he said and stared out the small glass window.

The sun dipped below the horizon and painted the sky in dark purple bruises.

We arrived at the massive front gates and stepped out into the crisp evening air.

The palace loomed over us in all its dark and intimidating glory.

Guards in black armor stood at attention while nobles poured into the grand hall.

I walked beside my father and kept my eyes fixed firmly on the floor.

I did not want to look at the stone towers where I knew the cult operated.

We entered the opulent ballroom and the sheer volume of noise hit me like a wave.

The room was dripping in gold and crimson banners that hung from the ceiling.

Massive crystal chandeliers cast a bright light over the hundreds of dancing nobles.

The heat of so many bodies pressing together made me feel instantly claustrophobic.

Servants walked around carrying silver trays filled with roasted meats and sweet wine.

The smell of the roasted food made my stomach churn with nausea.

I scanned the room and saw the faces of people I watched die.

I saw nobles who lied on the stand and condemned me to the execution block.

A woman in a green dress bumped into my shoulder and spilled wine on the floor.

"Watch where you are stepping," the woman sneered at me.

I recognized her instantly as Lady Saskia.

She was the same jealous noblewoman who would try to ruin my reputation in the coming years.

"Go to hell, Saskia," I cursed in a low voice and glared at her.

Saskia gasped in shock and clutched her pearl necklace.

She clearly did not expect the quiet Asteri girl to speak to her that way.

My father grabbed my elbow and pulled me away before she could cause a scene.

"What is wrong with you tonight?" my father hissed in my ear.

My breathing turned jagged and short while the walls felt like they were closing in.

"I need a drink," I muttered and pulled my arm away from his grip.

"Stay close to the tables and do not embarrass me," he warned.

I did not wait for his response before I turned and walked away.

I pushed through the crowd of silk and velvet to reach the far wall near the garden terrace.

I bumped into several people but I did not stop to apologize.

I leaned against the cool stone pillar and took a deep breath of the night air drifting in through the open doors.

I told myself to stay in the shadows and avoid the King at all costs.

I planned to hide here until my father was ready to leave.

The loud music suddenly seemed to fade into a dull hum in the background.

The air pressure in the room dropped so fast it made my ears pop.

A heavy and overpowering scent of rain mixed with dark pine hit my nose.

My wolf whined in the back of my mind and clawed at my chest.

I knew that scent better than I knew my own name.

I slowly turned my head and looked across the sea of dancing nobles.

The crowd parted naturally to make way for the Alpha King.

Ajax stood near the center of the room under the brightest golden chandelier.

He looked breathtaking and terrifying in his formal black tunic.

His broad shoulders commanded the attention of every single person in the hall.

He turned his head and our eyes locked from across the massive room.

The mate bond suddenly snapped into place between us like a crack of lightning.

The spark seared through my veins but it did not feel like love.

It felt like a burning reminder of the blade slicing through my neck.

I saw his golden eyes widen in shock as his wolf recognized me.

My heart hammered against my ribs and I took a frantic step backward toward the open terrace doors.

Ajax did not hesitate or look away from my face.

He shoved past a high ranking noble and began walking on a direct collision course straight toward me.

I wanted to run but my feet felt glued to the floor.

"Where do you think you are going?" his deep voice echoed directly into my mind through the bond.