~CIARA~

No. No. No.

My fingers trembled around the contract as my eyes scanned it again.

Graham Hayes.

The same Alpha from earlier.

The same man whose touch still burned against my skin.

I'd heard rumors about his ruthlessness. Cruelty. Unhinged personality. He didn't seem like the polite man that had steadied me on the road.

"I can't marry him," I voiced out my thoughts. "I...can't get married to a man who just wants me to produce pups for him."

My stepmother's mocking laugh made my stomach drop through the floor. I knew that laugh. It was the one that came before she said something hurtful.

"Why else would he marry someone like you?" Her voice bit into my skin. "You should be grateful. An omega like you being Alpha Graham's breeder is practically charity."

My heart sank. "Mom!"

"What?" She snapped back. "Stop acting like you don't like the idea of warming Alpha Graham's bed and check out the damn wedding gown. It needs to be perfect for tomorrow."

From my peripheral vision, Stephanie was giggling, saying something about how pathetic I am, but I just ignored her for my own sanity.

I paused when I picked up the dress. "This...it belongs to my mother, why did you have to make adjustments on her dress?"

"She's dead, right?" Stephanie smirked. "The living has to make use of what's left."

Something inside me snapped. "What did you just say?"

Stephanie didn't cower. "I said the dead is dead and-" I crossed the space between us and smacked her so hard, she stumbled a few steps back.

Her eyes widened with shock. "Did you just slap me?"

"You can insult me all you want, Stephanie. You can call me useless, pathetic, weak, whatever makes you happy, but I won't stand here and listen to you talk about my mother like she was nothing!"

Stephanie looked genuinely shocked.

"Have you lost your damn mind?" Janet shrieked, her palm colliding with my back as pain shot through me. "How dare you put your filthy hands on my daughter!"

I winced.

"You're not just a worthless omega, you're an ungrateful bitch as well." She continued. "Now listen carefully. Tomorrow you're getting married to Alpha Graham and you're wearing that goddamn dress. Now go upstairs and check if it needs any damn adjustments before I lock you up in the basement."

Anger burned through me.

"Hurry!"

I lowered my eyes and turned toward the stairs before things escalated further. As I climbed them, clutching the dress against my chest, only one thought occupied my mind. I was getting out of this house tonight.

~~~~

I waited patiently for everyone in the house to go to bed before climbing out of my window. My heart pounded wildly as I landed on the grass and took off running, not pausing for a minute because of how cunning my father was.

I was close to the eastern border already. I could already smell my freedom, taste it even. Hope surged through me so I pushed myself further, sprinting through the dark woods because my life literally depended on this.

Then I came to a sharp halt as my gaze landed on the wolves standing ahead.

My father's guards?

No, no no.

They weren't supposed to be here today.

My stomach dropped because there were too many of them, their eyes scanning every possible route out of the pack like they had been expecting someone to try to escape.

As though they had been expecting me.

"Well, this is disappointing."

The sound of that voice made my blood turn to ice. I turned slowly, watching as my father stepped out from behind the trees, dressed like he'd been waiting for hours, his hands clasped behind his back.

There wasn't an ounce of surprise on his face. "You really thought I wouldn't see this coming?" he asked calmly.

My hands curled into fists as tears burned my eyes. I was this close. "You can't force me to do this."

His expression remained unchanged. "Unfortunately, Ciara, I can."

Anger flared inside me. "I am your first daughter but you're selling me off like livestock!"

"I'm securing this family's future."

I let out a bitter laugh. "No. You're securing yours."

His jaw tightened. For the first time, I knew I'd hit a nerve. "Take her back." He ordered the guards, and panic exploded inside me.

I turned around and tried to run again.

But I barely made it three steps before strong hands grabbed my arms. "Let me go!" I screamed, fighting with everything I had, but the guard didn't bulge.

My father watched me cry out for help without moving an inch. He didn't even look guilty. My heart twisted painfully as he stared down at me like I was nothing but a pawn in his game.

"Lock her room," he ordered coldly. "And station someone outside the door until morning."

~~~~

I stared at my reflection in the mirror and all I could see was a young woman being forced into a life she didn't want.

My mother would have never allowed this.

The moon goddess shouldn't have taken her.

"I'm applying the final touch of your makeup." Giselle, one of my father's maids, smiled down at me. "God, you're such a pretty bride."

"Giselle, don't." I whispered. "Don't try to make this feel right."

Her eyes softened. "I know it isn't. I'm sorry you're being forced to get married to-" She shuddered. She couldn't even bring herself to call his name. That was how much fear he instilled in people. "I'm sure it can't be that bad."

"I'm getting married to a monster." Tears prickled the corner of my eyes and Giselle panicked.

"You...you can't cry, you'll ruin everything and Janet's going to make sure you're punished."

"Honestly, I don't care anymore."

"Ciara-" She came to sit next to me and took my hand. "I know this is hard, but look on the bright side. You don't have to see Janet and Stephanie anymore. Your father can't beat you up just as he likes."

The thought of that was exciting, but I didn't like giving myself false hope. "You don't know if Alpha Graham is going to encourage their cruel acts."

She shook her head. "If there's one thing I know about that Alpha, it's the fact that he always protects whatever belongs to him. And after the wedding, you are his."

I closed my eyes and inhaled a sharp breath. I didn't know if Giselle was trying to comfort me or make me feel worse.

"Hi, sweet sis." Stephanie's high-pitched voice made my stomach drop through the floor. "It's time!"

My heart pounded violently as I forced myself to stand. This was it. The moment I'd been dreading. I took one step after another, moving past Stephanie like she was literally invisible.

By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, my father gave me a smile that didn't reach his eyes. I hated this man with everything in me. He took my hand in his. "Ready, child?"

I glared at him. "Yes. I'm ready."

When we stepped into the wedding hall, everyone's eyes were on me.

"Smile." My father's stern voice reached my ears. "And keep your legs moving."

I forced a smile onto my face despite how terrible I felt, counting my steps toward the altar. I couldn't tell if it was due to the exhaustion from last night's escape or the pain in my chest, but I tripped before everyone, nearly falling on my face.

A firm grip steadied me before I could hit the floor. The most beautiful blue eyes roamed my face. "We meet again, Miss Norman."

I gulped. "Al...Alpha Graham."

His fingers tightened around me. "Soon," he murmured, his voice low enough for only me to hear. "You'll be calling me husband."

My breath caught in my throat.

Husband?

The word shouldn't have affected me, but it did anyway. I forced myself to look away from Alpha Graham, but it felt impossible. There was something about his eyes-the way they effortlessly held me in place, like I needed his permission to move my own body.

"Ciara." My father's voice snapped me back to reality. "Apologies, Alpha Graham." He lowered his head. "My daughter's still learning to deal with her clumsiness."

Of course he was going to blame me. That was all he did-act like I was more of a burden than his first daughter. He never looked at me like I was truly his own. I was just a pawn in his hands. I stared at the white shoes Stephanie had borrowed me, keeping my head down because, as an omega, I couldn't stare into an Alpha's eyes.

But Alpha Graham didn't loosen his grip on me. He pushed up the sleeves of my dress and I panicked. I couldn't let him see my bruises. I instantly wrapped my fingers around the sleeves to hold it in place.

My father chuckled next to me. "There's no need to rush, Alpha Graham. As long as you keep the end of the deal, she's all yours. I can even skip the wedding if you're that eager."

I couldn't believe this. My head whipped to the side to stare at my father, eyes wide with surprise, and Alpha Graham took that chance to push my sleeves until he could see the bruises.

I stiffened.

"Where did you get this one from?" A low growl rumbled from his chest. He brushed a thumb over the fresh bruise and I flinched. "Answer me."

"Alpha Graham." My father lowered his voice. "The..the guests are looking. You have to keep your voice down."

"And since when do you tell me what to do?"

Blood drained from my father's face. He had never bothered about hiding my bruises before. In Riverstone, no one questioned injuries on an omega.

To most wolves, it was normal.

I suppose he believed Alpha Graham wouldn't care enough to look, but now that he did, I could tell this wasn't going to go well.

"Did he do this to you?" He directed the question to me, gaze burning through me like acid. My father tightened his grip around my arm to keep me in check. I knew I couldn't mention his name. I knew he would torture me if I did.

So I just kept mute.

My father let out a nervous laugh, "you know how clumsy she is. She falls a couple of times, that's where she got the-"

"Don't fucking lie to me." He sounded so deadly, my knees went weak. "I'm giving you one last chance. Where did she get the bruises?"

My father's name was already on the tip of my tongue, but I knew the punishment that awaited me if it ever got out. So I put on the most natural smile on my face. "Work," I said slowly, hoping he didn't notice the tremor in my voice. "Like my father said, I'm really clumsy."

He lifted a brow at me.

"You've heard her, Alpha Graham. Let's proceed with the ceremony."

Alpha Graham stared at me with that same gaze-like I was a puzzle he was trying to solve, like he couldn't understand why I would cover up for my father when he could be dealt with right there and then. But he didn't need to understand why.

Even I couldn't explain it.

He roamed my face for a few more seconds before finally stepping away to the altar.

My father sighed in relief. Then he leaned in. "Embarrass me before the whole pack again and I'll make sure you regret it. Now smile."

My eyes burned with unshed tears as I sucked in a shaky breath, running my palm over the dress. I blinked back the tears and smiled at him. "Be rest assured. I won't embarrass you anymore."

Standing at the altar, we recited the vows like they were just mere words and that alone was enough to make an ache pang through me. As a child, I had always thought I would be getting married to someone I felt something for. Someone who said the vows like they really mattered, not just to get the wedding over with.

"You may now kiss the bride," the priest echoed and my heart jumped into my throat.

Can't we skip it?

Do we really have to do that in front of everyone?

Sparks danced in my stomach when he leaned into me, brushing his thumb against my chin. His fingers went into my hair before he slammed his lips against mine. My whole body trembled. He went deeper, invading my mouth, letting out a small groan like he wasn't devouring me in public. He pulled away and licked his lips.

Heat rushed up my cheeks at how intense his gaze was.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife!"

Loud cheers erupted in the hall.

I could literally hear my father's boastful voice over everyone else, and Alpha Graham scoffed. "You lied for him, didn't you?"

My stomach tightened. "No, I-"

"He can't hear us." Something dangerous flashed in his eyes as he urged me to tell him the truth. I gave him a small nod, acknowledging the fact that my father had given me the multiple bruises on my body, then his jaw tightened.

"From this moment onwards, no one touches you without my permission," he said coldly. "You belong to me now."