~ Roselle ~

The creaking sound of the iron cell door makes my senses snap awake. My nose twitches as I try to catch any possible scent of food, my stomach already grumbling in protest. It's been three long days since I've had a proper meal, nothing but water and scraps barely enough to keep me going.

My body feels weak, numb, even. The cell door finally opens, and I scramble toward it, even though every inch of me aches. It takes everything I have just to move.

I'm more than surprised. This is unusual. Normally, they don't bother opening the door, they just slide the food in through the slot.

So… what's going on?

Are they finally going to kill me?

My pulse picks up at the thought. It's still dark inside, and I can barely see anything… as a matter of fact, I haven't seen the sun in almost a year.

"Well, look at you, dummy…" that familiar voice drawls from the darkness, dripping with mockery.

I drag myself backward, already bracing for what comes next—a slap, or fingers tangling painfully in my hair.

The light suddenly flicks on, blinding me instantly. I squeeze my eyes shut, my vision struggling to adjust after so long without it.

Then I feel a sharp tug at my hair, yanking my limp body to my feet. Hell, I'm too weak to even stand on my own.

The slap comes immediately after. My cheek burns, heat spreading across my skin as it reddens.

"This is where you belong, you've always belonged here, you weakling. Open your eyes. Now."

Another slap lands across my face, stinging so badly it forces a gasp from my lips. I squeeze my eyes open, knowing she won't stop until I do.

Nova, my mate's fiancée… or maybe his wife now. I don't even know anymore.

With trembling, weak hands, I try to sign, to explain that I can't, that I'm too weak..

Another slap cuts me off instantly.

"Open your fucking eyes, or speak… oh, wait," she sneers, her lips curling in cruel amusement. "I forgot, you can't talk. You're wolfless. You can't even speak. How are you even a princess?"

I keep my hands to myself. I don't know why I even bother trying to explain when years of experience have taught me that trying to communicate only brings more punishment.

I force my eyes open, the light piercing through my vision. It burns, by the goddess, it burns. I blink rapidly, fighting to adjust, struggling just to keep them open.

And it's suddenly dawning on me that all this time… there's been a bulb in here, and they chose not to turn it on. Not until now.

I stare right at the woman my mate chose over me.

Long auburn hair. Flawless skin, everything mine isn't. She's two years older, confident, able to speak without hesitation. Her wolf is strong, her bloodline powerful.

Everything I'm not.

Just a useless princess, mute, wolfless, hidden away my entire life like some shameful secret. I don't even remember my past. But I do remember Warren, my mate.

He promised to rule in my place, said it was for the good of the people. That it would be a disaster if they ever found out the truth… that their only heir to the throne is a silent, broken princess.

Another smack lands straight across my face.

"You should be lucky you're breathing the same air as I am, weakling." With a snap of her fingers, two guards come out and seize me away from her.

Oh hell yeah, they're finally here to kill me.

"I think I need to wash my hands before you fucking infect me with your dumbness," she adds.

The two guards are still holding me captive, even though my weak legs struggle to stand. It's all just wobble and weakness, since I've been used to crawling. Standing only drains more energy from me.

"Who knows? You'll finally be of good use to us. Alpha Ronan is making his appearance here today, and these guards will see to your meal and dress. Be on your finest behavior. Is that clear?"

Alpha Ronan?

I haven't met him in person, but I have heard of him—the last fearless Alpha across every pack. The same Alpha that rumors say every wife he takes ends up dying. Rumor has it his wolf is a beast and ends up feasting on every wife he gets.

Why is he coming? What does he need with Warren? And above all, why does Nova want me on my best behavior?

I nod, knowing if I don't, it's clearly going to earn me another punishment.

She barks orders at the guards, then hisses, spits on the floor, and walks away.

I weakly stare after her, catching the familiar gown she's putting on. That gown is mine. It used to be my favorite. As a matter of fact, it's the gown I wore during Warren and my mating ceremony.

One of the guards slings me over his shoulder, carrying me straight to one of the pack quarters.

The maids who once worked for me are nowhere to be found, and instead, I meet strange faces.

"Hang around, Josie. We'll need your help carrying her. We need to bathe her first, then give her food so she can rest and recover. And Cassie, go get the herbs that'll strengthen her bones," the eldest maid orders, and everyone begins acknowledging her instructions.

Josie, the guard carrying me, leads me to the bathtub and carefully lowers me into the warm bath. My entire body of sores stings upon coming in contact with the water and whatever it's been mixed with.

I can't scream. I'm too weak to even sign.

Hours later, I'm already dressed and heading down the stairs, even though my body hasn't entirely recovered. But for what it's worth, I eat a good amount of food, drink water to my fill, and the herbs the maid gives me are quite effective.

I descend the stairs all alone, the gown I wear flowing as I walk. My body is weak, but I try my best. I still don't know what the Alpha wants with our pack. I should be more concerned about someone coming to help me away from all this, and maybe someone who will listen to me instead of shunning me away when I try to sign something.

Relief floods through me when I reach the last step to the ground floor, but just then, I step on my gown, stumbling forward and expecting to hit the floor.

But suddenly, I find myself caught, staring into a strong pair of eyes, the most bedazzling eyes I've ever seen.

My heart rate spikes.

~ ROSELLE ~

You know that moment where Cinderella gets to dance with her prince? Yeah, it feels that way. His cologne of vanilla and chocolate fills my nose… But oh well, I shouldn't be dreaming, because he's only going to look at me the same when he finds out I'm nothing but a mute.

"You smell different…" he mutters, eyes never leaving mine. If anything, they seem to stare straight into my soul as though they can see through every layer…

"You should be careful…" he says finally, before letting me down… I've never felt so short until this very moment. With a height that towers over me, broad shoulders, thick black hair, well-defined jaw. He's dressed ever so casually… And I know he's not one of the guards, because they'll be in uniform, and he's definitely not.

He bows gently, and then suddenly leaves me standing alone to think and try to solve the mystery of who he is… He bows, which actually means he must have known that I'm the princess.

My gaze trails after him as he leaves. I steady my stance, grabbing my gown as I keep walking, my destination to meet Warren.

He's in his office when I get inside. He stands right in front of me, those cold looks filled with hatred staring back at me, when I was younger, I kept thinking I was misreading it, that maybe I just didn't understand what love looked like yet. I understand now. That look has a name, and it's called disgust.

"What's going on?" I sign, even though I know I'm not supposed to talk to him. I'm more concerned about the pack and why Alpha Ronan is at the pack.

"Close the door," he says flatly.

I walk back to the door, closing it properly even though my hands are still trembling slightly from meeting that strange guy on the stairs. I press my palms together and sign again carefully.

"What's happening? Why is Alpha Ronan here?"

Warren watches my hands move with the same expression someone wears when a fly won't stop buzzing near their ear.

"Stop that." He doesn't even look at what I'm signing. "I told you about doing that in front of me."

I lower my hands. That's it… he doesn't want to hear me talk, even with the little effort I try to make with the signals from my hands, it's irritating, he doesn't want to hear it.

Warren moves to his desk, straightening papers that don't need straightening. It's something he does when he's about to say something he knows is going to land badly. I've learned his tells the same way prey learns a predator's habits.

"You look terrible," he says, glancing up briefly. "They should have done better with your hair."

I stare at him.

He straightens his cuffs, but doesn't meet my eyes.

"Alpha Ronan is here on pack business." A pause. " Which is specifically... you."

My stomach drops.

I sign again, even though I know he doesn't want me to. "Me? What does he want with me?"

"What do you think he wants?" Warren finally looks at me then, and I wish he hadn't. Because that look is the one I know best. The one that says I am a problem he has finally found a solution for. "You're going to be his bride."

The words land in the room like something dropped from a great height.

His bride.

Alpha Ronan? The one whose wives end up dead. I shake my head. Both hands come up, frantic now, signing fast, too fast, probably illegible and I don't care.

No. Warren, no. You can't, I'm your mate, I'm still your...

The slap comes out of nowhere.

My head snaps sideways, cheek blazing, and I grab the edge of his desk to keep from going down, my vision whites out briefly.

"Don't." His voice is low. "Don't you dare stand there and remind me of that. You are not my mate. You are nothing but a fucking mistake. A broken, useless, embarrassing mistake that I have carried the burden of for long enough."

He grabs my wrist when I try to straighten, yanking me close enough that I can smell the whiskey beneath the expensive cologne.

"You can't speak, you can't shift, and you are already eighteen years old and still wolfless. Do you know what they say about me? What they whisper? That the Alpha of Westbrook is shackled to a mute princess who can't even howl at the moon." His grip tightens. "I am done being your keeper. Alpha Ronan wants a bride. You should be grateful someone wants you at all."

He releases me hard enough that I stumble backward.

I catch myself on the wall. Press my back against it. My cheek is burning, my wrist aching.

He smooths his jacket. Rolls his neck like the conversation has been mildly inconvenient for him. "You'll be presented to him within the hour, and don't you try to embarrass me or else you'll go back to that magnificent cell if yours. Don't try sign anything either, you will not make that ridiculous face you make, and you will stand there and look..."

The door suddenly opens, interrupting Warren.

I turn, and the air leaves my lungs completely. It's him. The man from the stairs, with the Vanilla and chocolate cologne.

His eyes find Warren first. Then they move slowly to mine as though he's taking in everything about me that was not there when he first saw me descending the stairs.

A muscle in his jaw ticks, and I dont miss the crease of frown forming in his face.

"Alpha Ronan." Warren's voice has changed entirely. The cruelty evaporates so fast it's almost impressive. He steps forward, hand extended, smile materializing from nothing. "I wasn't expecting you quite so soon, we were just..."

"Is that how you reward females in your pack?"

He questions.

Warren's hand drops, his mouth opens, and then closes. "I... it's nothing, she was just..." He laughs, and it comes out wrong, too high, too fast. "She's spirited. I was simply trying to speak with my... with your bride. Just a conversation that got slightly..."

"Your bride." Alpha Ronan says it slowly. Like he's picking the words up and examining them.

Warren nods, too eagerly. "Yes. Yes, exactly. Yours. Which is why I wanted to make sure she understood what was expected of her. She's my sister that I promised to give you as my bride for the alliance,"

It's almost as if my brain stops working. Sister? Alliance? Not only did Warren take my pack from me, but he fucking lies that I'm his sister and suddenly wants to give me off for an alliance? That's why he fucking released me… so I can finally leave my pack?

One minute Alpha Ronan is standing inches away from us, the next, he crosses the distance, hands suddenly grabbing Warren by his shirt and pinning him to the wall…

"And what gives you the fucking right to touch my bride?"

"I didn't touch her… Alpha…"

~ RONAN ~

"The council's demands are just stupid."

I snort, not even bothering to look at Nikolai as I say it. He knows, because he was there, he had sat right beside me through three hours of the councils debating the terms of an alliance that should have taken twenty minutes to settle.

"A seventh bride might just be the charm," Nik says, with a tinge of smirk in his voice without looking at me.

"Shut the fuck up, Nik."

"I'm just saying..."

"We both know she's going to end up dead like every other bride, so drop it." I say, even though It fucking hurt to say because I want to put a end to all of these fucking madness.

Nikolai goes quiet.

'He's not wrong though,' Kael my wolf, mutters from the back of my skull. "Seven's perfection, idiot. Try to remember that."

You too?

'Just saying what you won't.'

I shut him out. Something I've gotten very good at over the years.

The territory of Westbrook comes into view, and whatever I think about the council and their demands and the whole cursed arrangement, I file it away. I don't walk into another Alpha's territory distracted, because that's how you end up dead.

Nikolai splits off at the gates, saying he needs to confirm the meeting time with Warren's Beta, and I walk the grounds alone.

It's a decent territory. Well-kept, well-guarded. Warren runs a tight pack, I'll give him that. Whatever else he is.

'Something's off,' Kael says suddenly. I slow without meaning to. My scan around, every hair in my skin prickling, and alert.

'There.'

I don't know what I'm expecting; A threat, maybe, or a scout who got too close. Instead I round the corner near the main staircase and stop.

There's a girl on the stairs.

She's descending slowly, carefully, like each step costs her something. The gown she wears is too fine for someone who moves like she's still learning how to hold herself upright. She's so ethereal, even thouhh she's looking pale with dark circles rounding her eyes. A fading mark across her cheek that my wolf catalogs before my brain even catches up.

She hasn't seen me yet.

"You should go meet her," Kael urges, purring loudly in my ear. This is the first time he's acting all giddy and excited just by seeing a female.

I don't move. I'm trying to place the scent, and that's the strange thing. She has a scent, but it's a faint one, as though it's barely there, like something that was almost extinguished—like a candle someone tried very hard to put out that refused to go completely dark.

One minute I'm still trying to decipher it, the next, she trips on her gown and is already falling. My adrenaline surges, and I close the distance between us immediately.

She lands in my arms instead of the floor, and for a second we're just… still. Fucking still. My brain is calm, the raging storm in my chest pauses to ease.

Her eyes find mine, and they're extraordinary. Wide, dark-circled, frightened. But beneath the fear, there's something else, there's something there, the passion, the fire, the spark in her that tells me she's feeling whatever this is too.

Hell, can someone be this pretty?

"Mate," Kael chuffs. I ignore him, because I know he can be crazy at times… I can't feel any bond with her… the only thing I can sense is her different smell, nothing like a girl that has her wolf or… I can't smell her wolf, and she doesn't smell purely human either.

"You smell different," I say, somewhat out of the blue. Shit… hell, that came out wrong… and why the hell am I suddenly chickening out?

She stares at me without saying a word. Why isn't she saying a word? I do want to hear her talk, but then again, why is it driving me crazy to know more about her?

There's something about the way she holds herself even now, half-caught in a stranger's arms, exhausted and clearly unwell, there's a dignity to it.

I set her down carefully. "She's royalty," Kael says. My thoughts exactly.

I bow. Because my mother raised me with one non-negotiable rule: you honor women. All of them. Regardless of rank, regardless of circumstance.

"You should be careful," I tell her, and then finally leave.

"We're going back for her," Kael says.

"We're going to a meeting."

"Same thing."

Snorting, I roll my eyes, knowing it's going to be stupid arguing with a wolf that's inside my head just to make a point.

***

Warren's office is easy to find, from the description his Beta had sent. I'm about to open the door when a sudden voice in the room halts me. I stop—I don't want to enter and interrupt whatever drama… that's not what I came for… I hear a muffled sound, and Kael almost goes crazy when the scent suddenly hits me.

I storm in, throwing the door open, and my eyes go directly to where the scent is coming from. Same girl, same gown. And Warren's hand comes off her face, her head still turned sideways from the impact.

Everything in me goes very, very quiet. I cross the distance in three steps. My hands find Warren's shirt before he even registers I've moved, and then he's off the ground, back hitting the wall with enough force to rattle the frame.

My hand connects with his face before he can dodge. I slam him onto his desk, watching as the dark wood cracks from the impact… I don't care if he's going to break his spine or bones or whatever the fuck he ends up breaking. I'm not done… Kael lets out a fucking growl, threatening to rip free and fully finish him, but I suppress the urge.

Turning to her, I find her visibly petrified… I don't know if she's surprised I stood up for her or if she's scared of me. I can tell she's frightened… and the fact that she has to see me like this makes me want to break more of Warren's bones.

Her hazel eyes narrow into mine, and like ice, they chill every burning fire raging in me.

I don't register all the fucking words and threats I throw at him, but one thing is fucking clear. I'm going to make Warren pay for ever laying his hand on my bride. I want to ask questions—when he says she's my bride, that she's his sister, that arrangements have been made, why would he hit his own sister? But Kael isn't having it. I'm taking her to my pack.

I immediately mindlink Nikolai.

"Get our lawyer. There needs to be a modification made to our contractual terms…"

"What kind of modification?" he answers immediately.

I whisper the terms, earning a gasp from his side… sometimes, when you want to play chess, you don't move a single piece, you flip the entire fucking board.

"I'll have it drafted in ten," Nikolai says, voice tight with disbelief.