Chapter 6

Alyssa's POV

“Try this one.” My fiance, Taylor, ordered as his eyes trailed over me.

As my father promised, he arrived at our pack in the early morning and I was pushed to meet him. My father thought a shopping trip for our future wedding would be a good bonding experience so we were in a store with me trying on dress after dress until Taylor was satisfied.

It made me uncomfortable that there seemed to be no one else around at the moment. Maybe he wanted a chance to get to know me alone, but I didn’t like the thought of being with this man. Not with the way he looked at me.

I left the dressing room in a blue off-the-shoulder dress that clung to my curves dramatically with a low cut on the chest. I tried to convince him I didn’t like it but he insisted. It felt like I was naked.

Suddenly, Taylor pulled me against him so that we were face to face and my body was against his. I tried to push away but he held me tighter, admiring my exposed skin and curves with an evil grin.

It was clear what he wanted.

“Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are, my bride?” He asked, pressing his mouth against my neck as he inhaled my scent, “It almost makes up for your crimes.”

I shuddered in disgust, still trying to get away from him.

“I’m not your wife yet.” I reminded him fiercely.

His grip tightened and one of his hands moved to my chin, lifting my face to look into his eyes filled with power and lust, “I think you forget yourself. You were promised to me, you’re already mine to do with as I wish.”

I twisted my head out of his hands, refusing to look at him, to give him that satisfaction that I was the slightest bit afraid.

"If you touch me I’ll make you regret it.”

Taylor chuckled, bruising my arms with his fingertips, his nails cutting into me sharply, “Oh yeah, you and what army?”

I knew what he would do if I didn’t get away. I could picture the marks and the pain and the tears. I wouldn’t let him. So much had been taken from me already: my youth, my family. He would not take more from me.

Taylor got distracted as his hand trailed down my side, thinking I had accepted what he was going to do. I only had one chance to do this. So I swung my knee with all my might right between his leg, sending him straight to the ground, tearing my dress along the way as he tried to stay upright.

He tried to get up, but I sent a kick to his face, my sharp-toed heel landing in his eyes. Blood spurted as I removed my foot and he screamed in agony as he held a hand up to it, trying to stop it bleeding.

"You Bitch!" There was hatred in his eyes as the blood trickled down his face. He was like an animal, so angry it looked like he wanted to shift.

I ran to the door, reaching for a handle but a burst of fire shot towards me, almost singeing my hand.

Shit! I forgot he was from the Fire Bone Pack.

And he didn’t look like he had any mercy left for me.

I backed into a corner, my body shaking as I yelled for help, but before the words could leave my mouth he reached for me, wrapping one hand around my mouth and dragging me further away from the door. I tried to fight back, knowing I wouldn’t escape this unscathed if I didn’t try.

But my strength was nothing compared to his and he threw me to the floor, towering over me and kicking me in the stomach with a cruel smile as his eye slowly stopped bleeding.

I yelped, clutching at my stomach, I think he broke a few things.

“You will regret crossing me, wife.”

It chilled me more thinking he had no intention to kill me. This was only a glimpse of the torture I would face as his wife.

Before he could strike at me again, a wolf’s loud and vengeful howl erupted from outside of the store and the door crumbled as a pure golden wolf broke through, growling viciously at Taylor.

I was stunned to see such a magnificent creature and then my heart swelled. Only royal wolves had a golden coat, was this Alexander coming to save me?

Taylor tried to cover his terrified expression with rage as he roared and threw a fireball towards the golden wolf.

“No!” I shouted, knowing how badly magic from the Fire Bone Pack could burn.

However, as the ball of flame landed on the golden wolf’s fur, it sizzled into nothingness, no singing on the wolf and no smell of burning. He was completely unharmed.

It was the wolf’s turn to retaliate as it leapt forward, clawing through the arm Taylor had just used to cast his magic, tearing it clean off.

“Stay away from my mate!” The wolf growled, taking another threatening step towards Taylor who flinched and cowered.

I watched the blood trail from Taylor’s stump and knew there was no way he'd be able to get that healed properly. I flinched as the wolf walked towards me.

“You don’t have to be afraid of me, Alyssa. I am your mate.” He spoke softly before nudging my hand with his nose, offering a comforting lick too.

“Alexander?” I asked, wondering if I’d been right all this time that he had come for me.

The wolf whimpered, afraid to hurt me as he said, “Unfortunately not. I’m Caspian, that bastard’s wolf.”

“But, how?” I asked, kneeling down to stroke at Caspian’s fur, grateful for his rescue.

“It’s a royal family thing,” He said as he lowered himself for me to get on his back, “We’re independent creatures from our humans. That’s all for now, be quiet and hold tight, you’re hurt.”

I did as he told and tightened my grip on his fur as he began to run.

I looked back briefly, seeing Taylor still cowering as he held onto his arm tightly, looking like he was going to be sick or die. Someone rushed over to help him and I had a sinking feeling in my gut. Have I been responsible for a possible murder after all this time trying to convince people I wasn’t? Caspian came to protect me, if Taylor died it was my fault.

We got lots of looks from outsiders who had witnessed the carnage through the broken wall, but seeing the golden wolf in their midsts, no one dared to try to stop us.

“Where are we going?” I asked quietly, feeling the pain from my injuries more.

“I’m taking you to my bastard of a human so he can take that fucking bracelet off your wrist. Your wolf isn’t healing you right now is she?”

“No, please don’t! I don’t want to see him. Can’t you just take it off?”

“I would if I could, but no, it has to be Alex.”

The second prince wouldn’t help me. He’d rejected me and if my stepmother had already gotten her claws in him he would be closer to hating me than ever. He’d probably enjoy my pain along with Vivian and Freya.

“If you’re Alexander’s wolf, why are you here?”

“Just because I’m his wolf doesn’t mean I support his decision,” Caspian said softly as he ran, “I was angry and wanted to make sure you were okay.”

I rested my head on the back of Caspian’s neck, feeling grateful for the honesty and gentleness of him. I hadn’t received much of it in the past few years.

“Please don’t make me see him, Caspian,” I asked, not wanting my heart to be broken a second time.

Caspian only grunted in response, showing no sign of slowing down.

"Caspian!" I stated, it wasn’t begging anymore, I was ordering, “Take me back home, my father can get rid of it.”

He didn’t listen, just ran faster and faster until we finally arrived at the royal city. Lights cast a golden warmth over the city with a castle lying on the highest point, the city trickling like a river to the sea under it.

I tried to protest again as Caspian led me into the palace and I felt my face flush with embarrassment. I was visiting the Royal Palace for the first time looking like this and on the back of their second prince’s wolf. What did that say about me? I tried not to cry.

“He won’t leave you in pain,” Caspian promised, but I barely listened.

Just as the words left his mouth, another huge golden wolf emerged from a corner and stood in front of us, growling in warning. Next to the wolf stood a tall, blond, blue-eyed man looking at me with a preying curiosity.

Caspian arched his back and let out a low growl.

He felt threatened.