Chapter 1: The Price of Freedom

Violet

My mother went to beg the man who destroyed our pack for my father's freedom. Now she's coming back, and the expression on her face makes my stomach twist into knots.

I drop the needle I've been using to mend my torn dress and rush toward the entrance of the cave. She's walking slowly, her eyes red and her shoulders slumped. For one terrifying moment, I wonder if she's about to tell me my father is dead.

"Mom!"

I throw my arms around her, almost knocking her off balance. She hugs me tightly, and I immediately notice that she's trembling.

"Did you see him?" I ask, pulling away. "Please, tell me you saw Dad. Is he alive?"

She nods, and tears begin rolling down her cheeks.

"He's alive, Violet. I saw him."

Relief washes over me so suddenly that my knees almost give out. I bring a hand to my mouth, struggling to hold back my own tears.

"Thank the Moon Goddess! Is he hurt? Did Darius agree to release him?"

"We need to talk, sweetheart."

My relief disappears.

"About what?"

She glances toward the other survivors before taking my hand and leading me to a quieter corner of the cave. I follow reluctantly, already fearing whatever she's about to say.

It's been almost two weeks since Alpha Darius invaded our territory. Two weeks since his warriors destroyed our homes, killed people I've known my entire life, and dragged my father away as their prisoner. Those of us who survived have been hiding in these miserable caves, sleeping on damp ground and sharing whatever food we can find.

The children cry from hunger every night. Our wounded have barely enough medicine to survive, and the cold is getting worse.

All because of that bastard.

"Darius agreed to release your father," my mother finally says. "He also agreed to let our people become part of his pack."

I blink in surprise.

"He agreed? Just like that?"

"Not exactly."

Of course not. A man like Darius would never do anything out of kindness.

"What does he want?"

My mother takes a shaky breath.

"He wants the two packs permanently united."

"He's already stolen our territory. What else is there to unite?"

"He wants a marriage to secure the agreement."

I stare at her.

"A marriage?"

She nods.

"Between you and him."

For several seconds, I can't speak.

Then I laugh.

It's a short, disbelieving laugh because surely I've misunderstood something.

"You're joking."

"Violet..."

"Tell me you're joking, Mom."

She lowers her eyes.

"Darius wants you to become his wife."

I take a step back.

"What the hell?"

"Sweetheart, please..."

"No! Absolutely not!" I shake my head, staring at her in disbelief. "That monster wants to marry me? After everything he's done to us?"

"Lower your voice."

"I will not lower my voice! He's completely insane!"

My mother reaches for my hand, but I pull away.

Darius destroyed our home. His warriors killed our friends, and he's keeping my father locked in a dungeon. Now he thinks he can simply demand that I become his wife?

Has that bastard completely lost his mind?

"I don't even know him!" I exclaim. "Why would he want to marry someone from a pack he just destroyed?"

"He believes the marriage will guarantee peace between our people."

"Peace?" I almost choke on the word. "He starts a war, murders our people, steals our land, and now he wants to marry me in the name of peace?"

"Violet, listen to me..."

"No, Mom! I'm eighteen years old! I just turned eighteen! I haven't even found my fated mate, and he expects me to spend the rest of my life married to him?"

My mother's eyes fill with tears again.

"Do you think I want this for you?"

Her question catches me off guard.

"I went there to beg for my husband's freedom," she continues, her voice breaking. "I offered everything we had left. Darius refused. He doesn't want money, supplies, or another surrender. He wants this marriage, and he made it clear that he won't negotiate anything else."

"Then he can go straight to hell!"

"Violet!"

"What? Am I supposed to thank him? Should I start planning my wedding and pretend I'm lucky that the man who destroyed our lives has chosen me?"

My mother covers her face with her hands and begins crying.

The sight makes my chest ache.

I know she's suffering. I know she's terrified for my father. But how can she expect me to agree to something so horrible?

"Please, sweetheart," she whispers. "Think about your father."

"I think about him every day!"

"Then you know what will happen if we can't get him out of that prison."

"We'll find another way."

"We've already tried everything."

"Then we'll try again!"

She looks toward the entrance, where several children are sitting beside their mothers, waiting for the small amount of food being prepared.

"And what about them, Violet?"

I follow her gaze.

One little girl is curled up in her grandmother's arms, shivering beneath a thin blanket. Nearby, an injured warrior struggles to sit up while his wife helps him drink some water.

My throat tightens.

"Our people are starving," my mother says quietly. "Some of the wounded won't survive much longer without medicine. Darius has the power to end all of this."

"And the price is me?"

She doesn't answer.

That silence hurts more than anything she could have said.

I turn away, wiping the tears from my cheeks. I've spent the past two weeks watching my entire world fall apart, but somehow, I never imagined things could get even worse.

"I don't want to marry him, Mom," I whisper. "I'm scared."

My mother steps closer and wraps her arms around me.

"I know, my love. I know."

"Then don't ask me to do this."

She holds me tighter, and for a moment, neither of us speaks.

"I wish I could take your place," she finally whispers. "If there were any other way to save your father and our people, I would never have brought this proposal to you."

I close my eyes, fighting back another wave of tears.

Darius has already taken almost everything from us. Our home, our territory, our freedom. Now he wants to take my future too.

I pull away from my mother.

"Tell him I refuse."

"Violet..."

"Tell him to find someone else. I'm not marrying him."

She stares at me with an expression that makes my stomach sink.

"He's waiting for your answer, sweetheart."

"Then he can keep waiting."

I turn and walk toward the farthest corner of the cave before she can say anything else.

My hands are shaking, and my heart is pounding so hard that it hurts. I don't know how we're going to rescue my father. I don't know how much longer our people can survive like this.

But I know one thing.

Darius may have conquered our territory. He may have imprisoned my father and destroyed everything I've ever known.

But that doesn't give him the right to own me.

And I would rather fight him than willingly become his bride.