Chapter 1

Bianca’s Point of View.

"There you go, good as new. No one will ever know."

My mother says, giving me a small smile.

"Are you sure?"

I ask, my voice tight with tension and she nods her head.

"Yes, you look as beautiful as always. Look for yourself."

She says, gently touching my cheek that she just worked her magic on to conceal to huge bruise.

I slowly turn to look at my reflection in the mirror, making sure the bruise is gone.

It is completely hidden under the makeup, but I can still feel the ache when I speak.

I nod my head, giving her a smile.

"Thank you."

I say as I stand, pulling on my dress's long sleeves, making sure you can't see the bruises on my arm.

My fingers tremble slightly as I smooth down the fabric.

"Is this okay?"

I ask nervously. My mother looks at my dress, slowly walking around me before nodding her head.

"This should work. There is nothing showing."

She says and I fidget nervously with my fingers.

"Why does he want to see me so suddenly?"

I whisper nervously.

"I'm sure it's nothing to serious."

She says, but her voice lacks confidence. She is trying to sound calm, but I know my mother.

I can see the fear in her eyes and my stomach twists as panic begins to rise.

"I have been behaving. I swear, Mom. I haven't done anything to make him angry. I didn't say anything wrong, I didn't leave the house without permission, I didn't..."

My voice cracks.

"I didn't do anything that could make him angry."

I say, the panic making my voice desperate.

My mother grabs my hands, trying to calm me down.

"Bianca, I know okay. Just calm down."

She says and I nod my head, trying to breathe.

"Then why does he want to see me?"

I ask, my voice quiet. Something flashes over her face but it's gone before I can place it and she shakes her head.

"I really don't know, I am sorry. They didn't tell me anything, they just told me to make sure that you look presentable, and to wait in your room until they call for you."

She says softly and I swallow hard, my heart beating fast in my chest.

"Mom..."

I whisper and she squeezes my hands tighter.

"I know you are scared, sweetheart, but you need to calm down and make sure you behave properly before he gets angry."

She says, and I can hear the urgency in her voice.

"What if I did something? Or what if he thinks I did something? And that is why he wants to see me?"

I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

My mother immediately shakes her head.

"No. Don't think like that. I'm sure it's nothing, just... please, Bianca, calm down."

She says calmly but I still hear the fear in her voice and it makes my stomach drop, but I still nod my head.

I sit down on my bed and she sits down next to me, holding my shaking hand tightly.

"You are going to be okay."

She whispers encouragingly, but it sounds like she is trying to convince herself more than me.

When there is finally a knock on the door my entire body tightens. My heart begins to race in my chest, and I begin to shake again.

"I can't..."

I begin, shaking my head when there is another knock and my breathing begins to race.

"We'll be right there."

My mother says quickly before she grabs my shoulders and turns me to look at her.

"Bianca, you need to calm down and breathe... Okay? Breath with me we don't have a lot of time."

She says and I nod my head as I begin to breath with her. As soon as my breathing slows down she squeezes my hand.

"Okay, we need to go. Now Before he gets angry. "

She says and she pulls me up, pulling me with her to the door.

We make our way towards the office and I swallow hard, trying to push down the panic rising inside of me again.

'Calm down, and smile. Please.'

My mother's pleading voice comes into my head and I give a curt nod of my head to show her I understand before I put on my fake smile that I have perfected over the years, the one that hides everything. The one that keeps me safe...

'Are you ready?'

She asks, looking at me, to make sure that I have pulled myself together.

I nod my head quickly even though my stomach keeps churning. She watches me for a second longer before knocking on the door.

"Come in."

He calls out, his voice sending shivers down my spine.

My mother pushes open the door and I take a deep breath before following her inside.

"Ah, there you are. Finally."

My brother says calmly with a big smile but I see the anger shimmering in his eyes.

Damon never needs to raise his voice to scare me. Sometimes the quiet is worse. He stands up from behind his desk and walks towards us.

My body tenses immediately, every instinct tells me to move away, but I stay still because I have learned that moving when Damon doesn't want you to move only makes things worse.

His eyes scan over me, not like a brother looking at his sister, but like he is inspecting something he owns.

When he is satisfied he nods his head then he takes my arm, and to everyone else, it might look gentle, but he digs his fingers into my flesh and I have to stop myself from flinching. I swallow the whimper and force my smile to stay in place.

My mother quickly makes her way over to my father, keeping her head down.

Movement from the right corner of my eye catches my attention and only then do I realize that there is someone else in the room.

"Alpha Marcus, you know my mother Elena. And this, of course is my sister that I told you about, Bianca."

Damon says with a big smile that makes my stomach churn once again.

The man stands and slowly makes his way over to us. Something about him just screams dangerous, and not in a good way. He looks me over, but the way his eyes move over me makes my skin crawl and I involuntarily try to take a step back, but my brother tightens his hold, holding me in place.

'Stay fucking where you are.'

He hisses through the link and I swallow hard. I begin to tremble slightly, but I don't try to move away again.

"You were right about her. She is beautiful..."

The man murmurs as he continues to stare at me and my unease grows.

"She'll do fine."

He says and Damon, smiles widely at him, nodding his head.

"I knew she would. You won't regret it. I will have everything set up for next week."

He says and Alpha Marcus nods his head.

"Good."

I frown slightly wondering what the hell is going on, but I don't dare to speak unless Damon tells me to.

The man looks at me, an unsettling smile on his face.

I try to step away again when he reaches out to me but Damon harshly pushes me forward.

The man grips my chin tightly and I have to swallow the nausea and panic when his cold eyes catch mine.

"This is going to be fun. I will see you soon beautiful."

He says before stepping out of the office.

As soon as his footsteps fades away my brother grips my arm even harder before spinning me around to look at him.

"You took your sweet time, getting here. Didn't I make it clear that you have to hurry?"

He asks and my stomach drops.

"I... I’m sorry."

I whisper and his eyes narrow slightly at me.

"Of course you are. You are always sorry."

He says with a small laugh.

My fingers curl into my dress.

"I didn't mean to take long."

I say quietly and his expression hardens.

"You never mean to do anything, do you?"

He asks, his words hitting harder than they should, because I know what he means.

He doesn't see me as someone who tries.

He sees me as a burden.

A mistake.

A problem he has been forced to carry.

"You should be grateful I even bother with you."

He says and I swallow hard, nodding my head.

"Of course. I'm sorry."

"When I tell you to hurry, you hurry."

He hisses at me and I swallow hard.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

I whisper softly. He scoffs and lets me go so abruptly that I slightly stumble. He scoffs again, shaking his head.

"Do you know how embarrassing it is having a sister like you?"

He asks and I swallow hard before speaking.

"I..."

I begin, but my voice trails off because I don't know what to say. There is never a right answer.

His lips curl into a cruel smile.

"Do you know what you have always been?"

He asks and my chest tightens, I shake my head.

"Nothing. You are weak. You are emotional. You have no ambition, no strength, no purpose. The only reason you still have value is because of who you were born to."

He says mockingly. My eyes burn, but I refuse to let the tears fall.

Not in front of him

"Damon..."

My mother speaks up, her voice barely audible and his eyes immediately snap to her.

"Did I ask for your opinion?"

He asks, narrowing his eyes at her. She goes quiet, and I see my father glaring at her, his fingers digging into hwr arm. I swallow hard and my heart clenches.

I hate that I caused that. I hate that everyone has to be careful because of me.

Damon looks back at me.

"You should be happy, because even if you are the most incompetent person I have ever known, for once in your life, you are at least going to be useful for something"

He says as he makes his way over to his desk and sits down.

"I don't understand what you mean."

I say softly with a frown and he smirks at me.

"That was Alpha Marcus Bass, from The Night Walker pack."

He says and my stomach drops, unease coiling even tighter.

The name alone is enough to make my blood run cold.

I knew he looked familiar.

Everyone knows who he is. Everyone knows the stories. The rumours. The things people say about him. Everyone knows the reputation of the Alpha of the Night Walker pack, how cruel and ruthless he is. He even killed his own fated mate because she couldn't produce him a male heir.

My brother watches my reaction and seems pleased when I swallow nervously.

"I'm still not sure I understand how I will be useful."

I say nervously. The look in my brother's eyes make me uncomfortable and I know whatever it is he needs me for, it isn’t going to be good.

"He has something I want, and I have something that he wants."

He says simply.

For a few seconds I just stare at him, still not understanding, or not wanting to understand.

"What are you talking about?"

I finally asks and his smile grows, a cold, satisfied smile.

"He has a piece of land that I have wanted for a while now and we made a deal. You will be leaving for the Night Walker pack as soon as you are packed."

He says matter of factly.

"What?!"

My mother and I both say at the same time and Damon looks up with a frown.

"He needs someone from an Alpha family to provide him an heir. And you are just here, so in exchange for his land, you will marry him next week."

He says and my entire body freezes as his words settle in.

My stomach drops and I feel my heartbeat getting louder.

"No..."

The word leaves my mouth before I can stop it and Damon raises an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

He asks quietly and I immediately shake my head.

"No, I just..."

I lower my gaze.

"I'm sorry."

I say and he scoffs but before he can say anything my mother speaks.

"Damon... you can't do this."

My mother begins but my father slaps her, hard.

"You will know your place, woman."

He hisses at her and I see her swallow hard before slowly nodding her head.

"Damon, please... You know what people say about him. Don't do this to me."

I whisper, my voice hoarse and Damon glares up at me.

"Are you trying to tell me what to do?"

He asks slowly as he stands and I swallow hard, shaking my head.

"No, no. Of course not, I just..."

"Shut up!"

He hisses at me, making his way over to me.

"You unthankful worthless piece of trash. Do you know how many people would kill for the opportunity you have right now? This is the only useful thing that you have ever done for this family. This is all worth you have! Being sold for gain. Don't you ever forget that!"

He says and I flinch.

"Please, Damon. I will do anything else. I swear, just please don't make me marry him."

"You are going to the Night Walker pack, and you will marry him."

He says coldly.

"Why are you doing this to me? I didn’t do anything."

I say softly, my voice breaking.

Damon's expression turns annoyed.

"Don't start."

"I didn't do anything."

I repeat in a whisper and his eyes harden.

"You still don't understand, do you?"

He asks, shaking his head.

"That is your problem, Bianca. You always think everything is about you."

He says and my eyes fill with tears.

"But this is my life."

I say softly.

For a moment, he just stares at me, then he laughs.

A cold, humorless laugh.

"Your life? You think you have a life? You live in my house. You eat my food. You wear the clothes my family provides."

He hisses at me ad he steps closer.

"The only reason you exist here is because you are an Alpha's daughter."

His eyes move over me again.

"And now, you are finally going to repay that."

He says but I shake my head.

"Please... I will do anything else."

I say and he scoffs.

"You have nothing else to offer. You should be proud. Your entire life has led to this moment."

"Damon, please. You are my brother. Don't do this to me."

I plead. I try to reach out to him but he lifts his hand.

I shut my eyes, waiting for the impact, but it never comes.

"Damon, no. If you leave a mark on her face the deal is off."

My father's voice comes and I see him holding Damon's hand a few cm from my face.

Damon rips his hand from our father's hold and glares at me.

"You are lucky that face of yours is worth protecting."

He says before looking at our mother.

"Get her out of here."

He says and she quickly nods her head before she rusher over to me.

"Let's go."

She says quietly as she grabs my arm. I swallow hard and nod my head before following her out of the room.