Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in

r cried, her voice desp

you with me!" Lena wept, her hands tremb

shallow and ragged. "Promise me... promise me you wi

wn upon her mother's bac

ing all in its wake. Her mother's

wail pierced

mmanding voice bo

a figure emerging from the flames. A golden mask obscured half his face,

d, sending a chill t

her head and the jarring of the carriag

reach the pack house?" sneered one of the m

cy," the other grunted.

e to a sudden ha

echoed, dr

shut just as the car

oice comman

ng her from the carriage with

's whelp!" one of

d before her, their ga

one spat, her words laced with venom.

dered coldly, her voice l

mth. N

s hauled her forward, dragging her through the grand hall. The echo of her st

n her burned

l se'ennight," a whis

bled. "Alpha Dari

double doors

e woman commanded

ards thrust her forward. She collapsed to her

silence

er, seated on a throne of b

g the air. Shadows clung to his

roke the stillnes

your

nce had no place here. Sl

ld around h

eeped into

ery ember-pierced her. The mask... that mask

k covered ha

who had burne

who had kill

had led her

one, his steps measured, predatory. He

u're my

r throat. Her eyes snapped

ral laugh ec

s unaware," he sneered

fingers grasping the edge of her hood. He t

hatred erupt

or's s

thy ha

e we

tle mind. His gaze r

anded, his voice cold and final. "

guards grabbed her once more. Her mind screamed in

es followed her as she was

serves

er feel

nto the castle. At last, they halted before a set of imposing, orn

ong shadows upon the stone. At the room's heart stood a large bed, draped i

ach twisted

s his c

shut behind her,

ar a basin of water, their

rd, her tone unyi

dded loudly in h

into fists. "I

woman who had spoken earlier now gl

ling hands, Lena unclasped her cloak, allowing it to fall to the s

the basin and began to cleanse her once

her shoulders. The rich crimson fabric flowed like b

ding

caught in

king the shackles that bound her. Now, she w

roaned open

ure e

ri

nyielding, filling the roo

ed. He said nothing, simply obse

nd commanding, sliced

ne

es, the cold stone floor biting into her

, his voice like a sharpene

ed, caught in her throat. She

th

from her lips, strangling it before it could be uttered. A c

d, the motion deliber

eak through the suffocating grip o

harp, excruciating agony seized her chest, and blood surged up her throat,

to an eerie, opp

ut a word, he wiped the blood from his cheek, his movements measured and d

s voice was as cold as stone, the fi

e room, his dark robe trail