All Chapters of THE RUTHLESS ALPHA'S MARKED BRIDE : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Tonight, Derek finally marks me, and I can stop pretending I don't see the pity in everyone's eyes when they look at us. I stand in front of the small mirror in my bedroom, turning side to side. The silver dress catches the light with every movement. It is simple but pretty, the kind of dress that makes me feel like I belong tonight. Mara sits on the edge of my bed, fingers working through my long dark auburn hair, twisting it into soft waves. "You look beautiful, Lyra," she says, smiling at me in the reflection. "Derek is going to lose his mind when he sees you." I smile back, but my stomach twists. Five years. We have been together five years, and every Mating Day that passed without him marking me left another crack in my confidence. People in the pack started whispering. They wondered why he waited so long. I always told myself it was because he wanted it to be perfect. Tonight it will be. Tonight he would sink his teeth into my neck during the ceremony and make me his in front

I don't even know his name, and I don't care.His mouth crashes into mine with a hunger that matches the fire burning through my veins. The kiss is not gentle. It is desperate, like he has been waiting for this as long as I have been falling apart. His lips are firm and hot against mine. I grab onto his shoulders, feeling the massive muscle there, and pull him closer. For the first time tonight, I feel alive. Not broken. Not humiliated. Wanted.His big hands slide down my sides. The heat inside me spikes higher with every touch. My body presses against him without thinking. He is so much bigger than me. Powerful. Dangerous. But right now he feels safe. Like the only thing that can fill the empty hole Derek left behind.He breaks the kiss just enough to breathe against my neck. "Beautiful," he growls, voice low and rough. The word sends a shiver through me. "So perfect." No one has ever said those things to me like this. Not with this much need. His red-gold eyes catch the moonlight th

My father delivers my death sentence over breakfast.I sit at the dining table the next morning, stomach already in knots. Marcus called me down with a tone that left no room for argument. Helena and Ivy are both here too. Ivy sits across from me with a perfect little smile, like she is watching her favorite show. Helena pours tea with fake calmness. The mark on my neck feels like it is on fire under their stares.Marcus does not waste time. He sets his fork down hard and looks straight at me. "Pack law is clear. A marked female must be married to her marker or find another willing male within one moon cycle. If not, she is exiled."The words hit me like a punch. Exile. I know what that means. No pack bond. Rogues hunting lone wolves. Hostile territories where outsiders get torn apart. It is basically a death sentence."You would exile your own daughter?" My voice cracks. I grip the edge of the table to keep my hands from shaking.Marcus leans forward, eyes hard. "You exiled yourself

The contract marriage meeting is in three days, and I still don't know if I'm being rescued or sold.Helena has taken over my room like it is her personal project. She stands in the middle of the floor directing everything with sharp hand movements. A dress hangs on the back of my door, modest and traditional with a high collar meant to hide the mark on my neck. She bought it yesterday without asking me. "This is your chance, Lyra," she says while adjusting the fabric. "Do not ruin it by looking desperate."I stand there like a doll while the makeup artist she hired works on my face. The woman dabs powder under my eyes to cover the dark circles. Every touch feels like another layer of pretending. Ivy leans against the wall watching with her arms crossed. Her smile never reaches her eyes."It is going to take a lot of work to make her acceptable," Ivy says. "Look at those shadows. And that mark. Good luck hiding what she really is."I clench my jaw but say nothing. Helena steps back to

Lyra's PovI have two weeks to figure out if I'm marrying my mate or losing my mind.The ride home from the council building was quiet. Marcus kept smiling like he had won the biggest prize of his life. When we walked through the front door, Helena was already waiting with a bottle of wine. "This calls for celebration," she said, pouring glasses. "Our family is finally moving up."I sat at the dinner table feeling completely numb. The food tasted like nothing. Marcus raised his glass. "To Lyra. You will bring honor back to this family. Do not embarrass us up there."I nodded without really hearing him. My mind kept replaying those red-gold eyes. The way the mark burned when Theron looked at me. The way his control slipped for one second before he shut it down completely.Helena was already making plans. "With the Northern connection, we can push for better matches for Ivy. This is going to open so many doors." She glanced at me. "You should be grateful, Lyra. Not many girls get this k