Chapter 4: A Sleepless Night

Loud gasps erupted from the room. Zaya stood, rooted in shock. The king’s brown eyes locked with hers, and despite the fact that she had been praying for this moment, for someone to finally choose her and see beyond the cursed girl she had been rumored to be, she wasn’t feeling as delighted as she thought she would when this moment finally presented itself.

The words of refusal burned at the back of her throat, but she swallowed it. No one could refuse the king.

His finger brushed her palm. His gaze remained fixed on her, and she realized she was expected to look grateful.

“Thank you for choosing me, my king.” She bowed, stirring more murmurs while everyone watched in stunned silence.

Her eyes found the two women who had glared at her earlier. They now stared as though they wanted to strangle her. Cold sweat slid down her back.

King Darius released her hand, and she quickly drew it back to her side.

He snapped his fingers. A middle-aged man hurried forward.

“Send the official announcement to all neighboring packs. Our engagement will take place exactly two days from now.”

Zaya paled. Everything was happening so quickly she could barely breathe.

“Prince Kayden.”

Her heart skipped at the mention of his name. She turned and found him standing there, his dark clothes stained with blood from the rogue attack. His ice-cold eyes met hers, stealing her next breath.

He walked past her, his arm brushing hers and sending tremors down her spine.

“You came right on time, Kayden.” King Darius beamed. “Meet my soon-to-be bride, Zaya.”

Kayden spared her a brief glance. “Congratulations, Father.”

While they spoke, attendants led Zaya from the throne room to the bedroom allocated to her.

Alone, she could breathe. The reality of what had happened slowly sank in. She, the girl everyone considered worthless, was going to marry the king. It had barely been twenty-four hours since Alexander rejected her.

But she didn’t want this. She was only twenty. She didn’t want to marry a man more than thirty years older, someone she knew nothing about and felt nothing for, even if he was king.

What could she do? She was powerless against them.

Hours passed. A group of attendants arrived to prepare her for dinner with the king. Zaya had never been treated with such care. Having people serve her felt strange, and she tried to refuse, but they insisted it was the king’s direct order. Defying him could only bring trouble.

She let them undress and bathe her before dressing her in expensive silk nightwear. They brushed her brown hair until it fell neatly around her shoulders.

“Dinner is ready, ma’am.”

They escorted her to the grand dining room. Along the way, Zaya decided she would speak to the king. Perhaps she could make him change his mind.

But nothing prepared her for what awaited her.

Two hefty guards held a man on his knees. King Darius raised his sword and, with one powerful swing, severed the man’s head.

Zaya felt the blood drain from her body as the head rolled across the floor.

Fear washed over her. Every plan to confront the king vanished.

Time seemed to move too quickly. Her parents and sister had been invited to the engagement ceremony, along with the high-ranking Lycans from neighboring packs. She had expected her family to arrive immediately, considering how often they pressured her to find a mate.

But they hadn’t come. They hadn’t even responded to the invitation, as though they had never received it.

Later that night, Zaya tossed restlessly in bed. Sleep wouldn’t come. Uneasiness twisted in her stomach. By morning, the engagement ceremony would begin.

Finally giving up, she climbed out of bed and pulled a robe over her silk nightwear. She slipped quietly into the dim hallway, where the candles were almost extinguished.

She headed for the library, hoping a book might keep her occupied. Taking a torch from the wall, she stepped inside. Tall shelves stretched across the room, packed with books.

She reached for one when a voice stopped her.

“What do you think you’re doing here at this hour?”

She jolted. The book slipped from her fingers and hit the floor with a loud thud.

Turning, she met a pair of sharp blue eyes.

Kayden.

She clutched the edges of her robe. The thought that she would soon become his stepmother made her head spin.

“I… I couldn’t sleep,” she stammered. “So I thought I’d read.”

His face twisted into a glare that made her feel utterly unwelcome.

Her gaze travelled over his handsome face and down to his taut chest, partly exposed beneath his black robe.

He said nothing. Instead, he moved past her and pulled a parchment from the next shelf.

Zaya quickly retrieved her book. Every instinct urged her to flee.

“Thank you for saving me that day,” she managed.

She bit her lower lip. He seemed to hate her. Was it because he had heard the rumors? Did he believe she was cursed too?

His first words to her returned to her mind.

“Have we met?” she asked, gathering her courage. “Why do you… hate me so much?”

He continued to ignore her. Her heart sank, and she almost turned to leave when his voice stopped her.

“Are you that thrilled to keep up the act? Want to push my buttons and see what happens next? Because I promise you’ll regret it.”

His eyes drifted slowly to her exposed collarbone.

“Even if you’re my father’s soon-to-be bride.”

Zaya frowned. “What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”

Silence fell. The wind whistled through the open window, and the torch suddenly went out.

Her heart pounded as darkness swallowed the library. Only faint moonlight filtered through the window.

She blinked.

Kayden was suddenly standing right in front of her.

Zaya stepped back. He followed, slamming one hand against the wall beside her head and trapping her.

“Did you really forget, Zaya?”

His hot breath brushed her ear, making the hairs on her neck rise.

“Or did you simply choose to ignore the fact that you severed the mate bond between us?”