01

I was sold.

This truth echoed in my mind, over and over, as the carriage rattled along the uneven road, every jolt shaking my body and tearing at my resolve. My stepfather’s laughter from that day haunted me. His greed. His satisfaction. He had traded me for gold coins as if I were no more than livestock, a thing to be bartered. My hands trembled beneath the thin, tattered cloak I wore, a gift from my mother before she passed away. The fabric, once soft and comforting, now felt suffocating, clinging to me like a shroud.

The carriage jolted violently, and I braced myself against the splintered wood, my stomach twisting with every bump. I glanced out the small window. The landscape was desolate—jagged mountains rising against a gray sky, a place as cold and unwelcoming as the man I was being delivered to. The thought of him sent chills through me, colder than the icy air seeping into the carriage.

"We’re here," the driver barked, his voice rough from years of shouting over roaring winds.

The carriage slowed to a halt, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. I stared at the towering gates before us, their iron bars blackened as if scorched by fire. Beyond them loomed a massive castle, dark and foreboding, its jagged spires piercing the sky. Shadows seemed to cling to every corner of its structure, a monument to despair.

“Out,” a guard commanded, his voice as sharp as the blade at his side.

I hesitated, frozen in place. My mind screamed for me to run, but my legs refused to move. The guard growled in frustration and yanked the carriage door open, reaching for me. His grip was rough as he pulled me out, dragging me to my feet. My knees buckled slightly, but I managed to stand, swallowing the bile rising in my throat.

The gates creaked open, the sound echoing like a dirge. The guard’s hand clamped around my arm as he led me forward, his grip bruising. I forced myself to focus on the uneven stones beneath my feet, trying to steady my breathing.

Inside, the castle was as cold as the mountains surrounding it. The air was heavy with silence, broken only by the echo of our footsteps. I could feel eyes on me, unseen but oppressive, as if the walls themselves were watching.

And then I saw him.

Standing in the center of the grand hall, he seemed to command the very shadows. Kaelor.

The Alpha King.

He was taller than I had imagined, his broad shoulders encased in dark armor that seemed to absorb the faint light around him. His black hair was pulled back, sharp cheekbones and a strong jawline giving him a cruel, almost otherworldly beauty. But it was his eyes that struck me—the cold, endless black of them, like staring into an abyss.

“So, this is her,” Kaelor said, his voice low and smooth, yet it cut through the air like a blade.

My body tensed, my instincts screaming at me to run. But there was no escape.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the guard replied, bowing slightly. “The woman born under the full moon, as you requested.”

His words sent a chill down my spine. I knew why I was here. My stepfather had made it painfully clear. I was to give this man an heir, a child who would free him from the curse that haunted his bloodline. To Kaelor, I was nothing more than a means to an end.

Kaelor’s gaze raked over me, assessing, judging. His lips curled slightly, though it wasn’t a smile—it was more a flicker of disdain.

“She looks fragile,” he murmured, taking a step closer.

I froze as he reached out, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from my face. For a moment, his eyes glimmered with something—curiosity, perhaps? Or recognition? But just as quickly, the light vanished, replaced by cold indifference.

“Take her to her chambers,” he commanded, turning away from me. “Ensure she is ready for the ritual.”

The ritual. The words echoed in my mind, heavy with foreboding. I knew what it meant. They wanted an heir. My child. A baby that would be my freedom but also the weight I would carry forever.

The guards led me down a long corridor, their heavy boots echoing against the stone walls. I felt like a prisoner being marched to my cell, the air growing colder with each step. When they opened the door to my new chambers, I stepped inside hesitantly.

The room was luxurious, far grander than anything I had ever known, but it felt lifeless. The massive bed was draped in rich fabrics, the walls adorned with tapestries depicting battles and triumphs. Yet, it was all devoid of warmth, just like the man who ruled this place.

Once alone, I sat on the edge of the bed, my hands gripping the edge tightly. My heart pounded in my chest as the reality of my situation crashed over me.

I had been sold to a monster.

My thoughts drifted to my mother, to her soft voice telling me stories of love and destiny. She had always said that fate was a powerful force, but that love could change even the coldest heart. I wanted to believe her, but how could I? There was no love here, only obligation. Only survival.

I stared out the window, my gaze fixed on the jagged peaks of the mountains. The moon hung low in the sky, its pale light spilling over the land. As I watched, a strange sensation washed over me—a warmth, a spark.

My breath hitched. I could feel him. Even from across the castle, his presence was like a pull, a force I couldn’t explain. Kaelor.

For a fleeting moment, I wondered if he felt it too. If somewhere, beneath that cold, unfeeling exterior, he sensed the bond that tied us together. But I quickly pushed the thought away. No, he couldn’t feel it. The bond was sealed, buried by the curse that shrouded his soul.

Still, a part of me clung to hope. Hope that one day, he would see me, not as a tool, but as something more. Someone more.

But for now, hope wasn’t enough. I had to survive. And in this castle, under the shadow of the Alpha King, survival would be my greatest victory.