CHAPTER  1: THE BEAST I NEVER WANTED

Rosemary’s bare feet slapped against the cold forest floor, the long hem of her white wedding dress tearing on thorns and twigs as she ran. Blood stained the silk where it dragged through the mud, mixing with the fresh cuts on her legs. Her breath came in sharp gasps, each one burning in her chest. Behind her, she could hear the shouts.

“Miss Rosemary!”

She didn’t stop.

“Where are you, Miss Rosemary? Your marriage to the beast is set. Stop struggling!”

Tears blurred her vision. The pain in her side was sharp, she’d fallen once already, and her body was covered in bruises and scrapes. Still, she pushed herself up again, stumbling behind a large tree.

She crouched, trying to stay silent, but a branch cracked under her weight. Panic surged in her chest.

A hand grabbed her arm.

She gasped, but before she could scream, a deep voice whispered, “Shh…”

It was a man—a wolf. His scent hit her first: wild pine, musk, something powerful. He pulled her back into the shadows of the trees, wrapping an arm around her as he pressed them both behind the thick trunk. Rosemary tried to struggle, but his grip was firm, not painful—protective.

“Keep looking!” a voice called out from nearby.

Then it happened.

A glowing red thread shimmered into view—like a ribbon of light—linking her hand to the stranger’s. They both froze.

The man’s eyes flickered as he squinted through the haze, clearly disoriented. He looked like he’d been drugged, but even through the fog, he saw the red line.

His lips parted.

“You’re… my mate,” he said, breathless. “I need to mark you—now.”

Before Rosemary could even react, his canines extended and he leaned forward, sinking them gently into the side of her neck. Pain bloomed instantly, but it was dulled by a strange warmth—almost as if something ancient had just been awakened inside her.

“No—stop!” she cried out, pushing him off with all the strength she had left.

The man—Austin—stumbled back, blinking, dazed. But Rosemary didn’t wait. She ran, faster than she thought possible, away from the stranger who had just claimed her… and toward the guards she had been running from in the first place.

Austin watched her retreating form disappear into the woods.

“My mate is strong,” he muttered to himself, wiping the blood from his lips. “Too bad… I didn’t see her face.”

Just then, footsteps approached from behind. His Beta, Alex, emerged from the trees.

“Alpha Austin, there you are,” Alex said. “Your contract wedding with the human family is in three days. The elders need you back to get ready.”

Austin didn’t look at him. His eyes were still locked in the direction the girl had run.

“Wedding?” he scoffed. “I just found my true mate. Even if I marry that human girl… she will never be my Luna.”

“But your bride is arriving tomorrow,” Alex reminded him carefully.

Austin clenched his jaw. “I just marked my mate. Go. Find her. I don’t care what it takes—find out who she is.”

Meanwhile, Rosemary hadn’t made it far. Her body was failing her—bleeding, exhausted, terrified.

She didn’t see the guards until it was too late.

“There she is! You can’t escape, Miss Rosemary.”

Two of them grabbed her arms roughly and began dragging her back toward the estate.

She didn’t fight this time.

Her heart wasn’t just racing anymore—it was breaking.

The moment Rosemary was dragged inside the house, Lydia crossed her arms and leaned against the wall with a smug smile.

“Look who’s back,” she said with fake sweetness. “My dear sister, did you really think you could run from your wedding?”

Rosemary struggled against the guards’ grip and glared at Lydia. “It’s your wedding! You’re the one who’s supposed to marry into the Vinci family, not me!”

Lydia let out a mocking laugh. “Oh, sweetie. I’m not marrying those brutal werewolves. And yes, as the adopted sister, you get to take my place. I heard Austin Vinci is old and ugly, but at least he’s rich. Look at you!”

Rosemary’s eyes burned with fury. “Over my dead body.”

A sudden loud slap echoed through the room. Her father, Andrew, had stepped in, face red with rage.

“Enough!” he barked. “This marriage was arranged twenty years ago by the alphas to secure their place in the human world. Do you understand what will happen if you cross them now? What? Are you trying to get us all killed?”

“I’m not your puppet!” Rosemary shouted back. “You cannot make me do this!”

Andrew stepped forward, pointing a shaking finger at her. “You need to start getting a grip of what your place is in all this. After eighteen years of raising you, you will finally be paying us back.”

“Raising me?” Rosemary laughed bitterly. “You mean locking me in a closet and treating me like your maid for eighteen years?”

With a growl of rage, Andrew smashed a glass on the floor. “You ungrateful rat! I’m not asking for your permission, Rosemary. The Vinci elders are here, and tomorrow you will be going with them.”

“No…” she whispered.

“Whether you like it or not.”

Lydia stepped closer, sneering. “Such a pretty face, huh? You should use it, sis.”

Her eyes narrowed as she noticed something on Rosemary’s shoulder. She reached out and yanked the dress aside just enough to reveal the mark.

“Oh God. Is that a hickey?” she said, laughing cruelly. “You’re such a slut, huh? Better hope your old husband doesn’t find out about your dirty little secret.”

Then Lydia shoved Rosemary hard, sending her to the floor.

“Or he might tear you apart.”

The guards didn’t move. No one helped her.

Rosemary stayed on the floor, curled into herself as tears streamed down her face.

“Mom… Dad…” she whispered into the silence. “Where are you? I miss you so much.”

Beta Alex stood by the window of the packhouse, watching the sun creep higher in the sky. His voice was calm but carried urgency.

"Alpha Austin, your bride will arrive this afternoon."

Austin, seated behind his desk, didn’t look up. His jaw was tight, brows drawn in frustration.

“What’s wrong with me?” he muttered, more to himself than to Alex. “Since this morning, I can’t feel the bond.”

Alex turned to face him. “You mean… your mate bond?”

Austin pushed back from his desk, standing abruptly, his voice rising. “Yes! I bit her. I left my mark. The first step was done—but she struggled too much. I couldn’t get my blood in her. I couldn’t even see her face.”

Alex’s eyes widened. “You marked a girl and didn’t complete the blood bond? But Alpha… tomorrow is your wedding day—with the human bride.”

Austin’s eyes darkened. “I don’t care. Find her. I need to seal the bond. I have to.”

Alex nodded slowly. “Sure. But it might take some time. We don’t even know who she is yet.”

Just then, a voice came from the door. One of the patrol warriors stepped in, breathless and wide-eyed.

“Alpha… we found her. Your mate!”

Austin’s heart thudded. He turned immediately, eyes searching behind the warrior.

A figure walked in. She wore a soft smile, confidence in every step. But when Austin saw her face, his expression froze.