Sasha
“I have some rules,” He finally says. After hours of silence, I slept for a few hours and woke up at first light. This place is so far from my pack.
I shift my attention to him so that I hear his rules. I have lived by the rules all my life.
Never speak unless you are spoken to. Never eat it unless it’s given. It’s always been about rules, so I know how to live by them.
“When we get to the palace. I will introduce you as my wife. Do you understand what that means?” he asks, of course, I know what it is. I have always prayed to the moon goddess to give me one, and he never came. Maybe because I was wolfless, I didn’t know who it was.
“You will live in a separate room and have access to the entire palace, but you will stay away from my side of the building. Are we clear?”
“How will I know which one is the side of the house?” I ask.
“It’s on the second floor. The entire floor is mine. You are to stay away from all my men. I don’t want you looking in their way,” he goes on, and I nod my head, same rules as my father, so it won’t be difficult.
“When I call, you answer,” He adds. I didn’t know what he meant by that, so I just nodded my head. Father had similar rules. Except if I took a long time, he would hit me.
“You will not touch me unless I tell you.” He asked, and I nodded my head. I don’t know why he doesn’t want to be touched, but I don’t plan on touching him. The man scares the hell out of me.
“Do you have questions?” he asks me. My heart starts to race as I stare at him blankly. I don’t know if I should ask him. What if he doesn’t like my questions?
“Sasha?”
“I’m sorry.” I lower my gaze, playing with my fingernails. He growls and then curses again. ‘Questions?”
“No. I have no questions.”
Lies.
I have so many questions I want to ask him. Things I would like to know about all this, but I keep quiet. I want to know if he married me there or if it was some kind of contract he signed with my father so I could be a breeder for him.
He is an alpha king and a lycan, on the other hand. I am a wolfless omega.
Does he know? Did my father tell him that? I don’t bother asking him, so I just keep to myself when we drive through the streets. I can’t help but stare at how people seem so free and happy in the capital.
I have never been here but always wanted to come. To see how people lived here. They don’t abide by rules like ours, so I was curious, but my father never took me anywhere with him.
My eyes go up to the tall building in front of me. It’s about ten times bigger than our pack house with enormous windows. I can’t help but stare. My heart was racing. I had never seen such an enormous building in my entire life, or maybe that’s because I was never allowed to leave the pack.
Taylor gets down from the driver’s seat and opens the door for me. Cassian is already making his way towards the pack house. I pull on my dress, rushing after him when a piercing pain strikes my hip again.
I fight back the tears, then continue running after him. I want to shout at him, but I don’t want to make him upset. He is a king. I can’t shout at him. I know better.
He disappeared into the house, and I stood there, not sure where to go. On both sides are just corridors with doors.
I looked behind me, and Taylor didn’t follow me inside. I stand there, not sure what to do. My heart is racing, and my palms are getting sweaty. Oh, I am going to be in trouble. How will I find him now? My eyes sting as I purse my lips together.
Pick a side, Sasha. Which way will you go? I ask myself, heart racing. I have never had to make choices. Everything was made for me already. Even which doors or routes I used back home were designated.
My eyes sting as I hold tight to my dress.
On the right is a hallway that leads to where the loud voices are coming from, and left, there’s what looks like an elevator, then next to it is the staircase.
Oh, goddess, help me.
“Sasha?” Cassian calls, coming out of the door from the left near the elevator. “You follow me.”
“I’m sorry... You were…” I stutter but stop. I can’t tell him he was walking so fast. It’s like I am blaming him.
“I just got lost.”
“I will show you to your room. Let’s go,” he says monotone, and I follow him up the staircase. My hip is in pain, but I don’t want to complain.
We pass the first floor and then head up to another floor. He continues going up to the second floor. I look back, wondering, didn’t he say this entire floor was his alone? He makes a turn and then continues walking down the hallway to the furthest room.
He pushes the door open and then walks in. “This will be your room. You are free to do whatever you want,” he says as I hold on to the bag I came with. It’s a vast room, with a four-poster bed that looks so comfortable with white sheets covering it.
“I will let you change, then someone will bring you something to eat,” he says, then turns on his heel, about to walk away.
“Your Grace?” I called after him before he could leave.
“Thank you,” I say, trying to plaster a smile on my face. He hasn’t hurt me so far, so I guess I should at least thank him for being kind to me so far.
“No need to thank me. I told you I am not a good man. Freshen up. I need to speak to you later,” he says, then closes the door.
I sigh heavily, looking at the room. I have never had a chance to sleep on a proper bed, and yet this man, who claims he is not a good man, gave me a bed? This is better than home.
Sasha“Mine,” he growls, pulling me into him. I pushed him off, but he held me tight. “Let go of me, Your grace!” I push him and he steps back, narrowing his eyes.“I’m not some object with no feelings! I may not be as educated as Ravenna and have a body that is not covered in scars, but I am human! I have feelings, and it hurts!” I yelled, placing a hand on my chest as tears rolled down my cheeks.His eyes are wide, and his lips parted.My chest rises and falls as I take a step back. “Every single time, you insult me, and yet you expect people to respect me. It doesn’t work like that, your grace.”“Cassian,” he corrects.I shake my head. He always wants me to address him like my husband, but he never acts like it.“You are not Cassian to me. You are my king. And that’s all you will ever be to me. You have made that clear.” I wipe my tears with the back of my hand.“A husband would never let his wife go out at night without looking for her. If you cared even in the slightest. You woul
Cassian“Are you not going after her?” Taylor asks me as soon as we get to my chambers. I don’t respond, but I just start changing. I am not going to be chasing after a woman.“You know, you could let her take over some duties, it’s…”“No.” I cut him short. I throw my coat on the chair as I walk to my desk. Her scent hit my nostrils. Last night, replaying in my mind how she was in my arms.This should not have happened. I shouldn’t have let her get close to me, yet everything around me reminds me of her. I have let her get too close to me. This is for the best.I could feel the pain in her chest every time she looked at Ravenna. But I am only doing this for her. If anyone ever got news that she does not have those high standards they set for her, they would rip her apart, and unfortunately, I wouldn’t just stand by, and unfortunately, my wolf wouldn’t just stand by. I would rip out their tongues for speaking against her.“I’m told she is towards the fields with Alaric. Should I ask th
SashaI shouldn’t be with Alaric. This was such a bad idea, yet I kept following him as he led me to the south side of the palace grounds.“Where are you taking me? Cassian will be—”“He can have my head for all I care. He should realize you are human and have feelings,” he growls, leading me up to the stables. I pause, looking at him.“I shouldn’t be out this late,” I step back, and he smiles, shaking his head. “Relax. We are not going horse riding. He jumps on a parapet and gives me his hand.“No”“Come on, Sasha. You are your person. Trust me, I won’t hurt you,” he assures me as I swallow hard. This is a bad idea. Especially with my mate staking a claim on me. He could be out there and ready to strike.“I won’t hurt you. Plus, your two shadows won’t let me.” He gestures with his chin behind me, and I glance over. My two shadows are standing behind me at a distance.I nodded my head and gave him my hand. He pulled me over and we walked down a path leading behind the stables, then do
Sasha“Ariel, wait!” My hand shot out, grabbing her by the arm.“What is it?” she asked, holding the doorknob. Her eyes were full of confusion.I glance around the hallway and realize it is just the two of us.I can’t let Cassian know about this.“Ariel, please. He can’t know.” She knit her brows, her gaze searching.“Sasha”“Please, Ariel, he can’t know. At least not now,” I insisted, holding her hand.“Sasha, this is not a good idea. If your ma--“I immediately covered her mouth with my hand, looking around. She shouldn’t go around throwing that word.Her eyes widened, trying to speak, but my hand was firm over her mouth“Please. Come with me.” I pulled her back into the bedroom, slamming the door behind us.“Listen. I know it’s not. Good idea, but Cassian and I are just getting closer. If he finds out this. He will--“ I pause. Unable to even imagine what this will do.Will he reject me? This was all so confusing. How could I suddenly have a mate when I just gave my heart to another
Sasha“I’m never letting you go.” The words linger in my mind when I finally come to. I am sitting in Cassian’s private chamber, and he is not in bed. The wind blows through the window, and Cassian stands with his back turned to me. He is wearing nothing but his black sweatpants.The room is dimly lit, and my body feels sore, but I smile, thinking of how I spent the day in his arms. How his voice whispered to me that he wasn’t going to let go of me.Can we have more than this? Would he ever feel anything for me other than obligation?I sniffle back, pulling the bed duvet and getting out of bed. I walk towards him; he is staring into nothing. His shoulders slouched. There’s peace about him that makes me stop in my tracks. I shouldn’t disturb him. I bit my lower lip, but decided against it when I got closer to him. “Cassian?” I called, and he immediately turned to me, his eyes trailing down my body to my feet.“You shouldn’t be out here. It’s cold,” he starts coming towards me, and I s
AlaricI shouldn’t want her. She’s everything I shouldn’t want, yet I find myself drawn to her. When I touched her earlier today, it was like coming home. I felt warmth washing over me, and all I wanted to do was to pull her into my arms and take her.‘It’s good you didn’t. Because Cassian will have your head for it’ My wolf, Niall retorts, I smile, bringing a glass of whiskey to my lips.How fucked life can be? Does she know she belongs to us? Does she also feel like me? I close my eyes, basking in the warmth of the sun.“Have you spoken to him?” My Beta Ruston asks, sitting next to me, and I sigh heavily. I never thought the day I would see my friend I would find the one woman I have been looking for all my life standing by my friend, and she was carrying his fucking mark.“Well, from what I hear. She has no wolf. So, how are you certain that she is your—” Rusty pauses when he hears people walking by.“She has a wolf. But it’s weak. I can sense it.” I retort, thinking of earlier. Sh