Chapter one : The price of duty

Raven's POV

"No."

The word fell from my lips like a stone sinking into an endless abyss, the weight of it pulling me under. I stood frozen, staring at my father, Alpha Thalion Elowen, as if I had misheard him. Surely, he didn’t just say what I thought he did.

"You will marry Kael Rathmore," my father said again, his voice resolute, a tone that brooked no argument.

The air in the room felt heavy, oppressive. My heart thudded in my chest, each beat louder than the last. The walls of the Nyxhowl meeting chamber seemed to close in around me, suffocating me.

"I won’t do it," I said, my voice trembling but firm. I straightened my spine, meeting his piercing gaze. "I refuse to be a pawn in some political game."

For a moment, something flickered in his eyes, a glimmer of regret, maybe even sorrow but it was gone as quickly as it came. My father’s face hardened, the lines of age and responsibility etched deeply into his skin.

“This isn’t a game, Raven,” he said, his voice low but powerful. “It’s survival. Our pack is on the brink of collapse. If we don’t secure this alliance, we’ll be wiped out.”

“Then fight!” I snapped, my hands curling into fists. “We’ve faced rogues before. We don’t need Kael Rathmore or his pack.”

“You don’t understand the threat we’re facing.”

His words cut through me, colder than the winter winds that howled outside. I wanted to argue, to scream, but the look in his eyes stopped me. This wasn’t just about politics. It was about life and death.

“Kael Rathmore is ruthless,” I said bitterly. “He’s cold, heartless. He doesn’t care about us.”

“And yet, he’s the only one strong enough to stand against Darian Veylor.”

At the mention of the rogue Alpha’s name, a shiver ran down my spine. Darian was a name whispered in fear, a shadow that loomed over every corner of our pack’s territory. Stories of his brutality were told in hushed tones, and the thought of him brought an icy dread that settled in my stomach.

“I’m your daughter, not a bargaining chip,” I said, my voice cracking. “How can you do this to me?”

For a moment, my father’s shoulders sagged, the weight of his position visibly pressing down on him. “Because I’m not just your father, Raven. I’m the Alpha. And as Alpha, I have to put the pack above everything else, above myself, above you.”

His words stung, tearing at the fragile bond between us. I felt a hot sting behind my eyes but blinked it away. I wouldn’t cry. Not here, not now.

“And what about my choice? My future?” I whispered.

His silence was answer enough.

~

That night, I found no solace in the moonlight that streamed through my bedroom window. The bed beneath me felt like a cage, the walls of my room too small to contain the storm raging inside me.

Marry Kael Rathmore.

The words echoed in my mind, each repetition more suffocating than the last. I had met Kael only once, years ago, at a summit between our packs. He had been cold and distant, his gray eyes devoid of warmth. He was nothing more than a figure of power and authority, a man who commanded respect but gave none in return.

And now, I was supposed to marry him?

I rose from the bed, my bare feet silent against the wooden floor as I crossed to the window. The forest stretched out before me, endless and dark, the wind whispering secrets through the trees. It was my home, my sanctuary. And now, it was slipping away from me.

“Raven?”

I turned sharply, startled to find my mother standing in the doorway. Her face was soft, her amethyst eyes filled with concern.

“May I come in?” she asked gently.

I nodded, and she stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She sat on the edge of my bed, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

“I know this isn’t what you want,” she began, her voice calm and soothing. “And I wish… I wish there were another way.”

“Then why are you letting this happen?” I asked, the frustration bubbling to the surface. “Why can’t you stop him?”

Her gaze dropped to her hands, and for a moment, she looked so much older, so much more fragile than I’d ever seen her. “Because your father is right. Darian Veylor isn’t like the others. He’s relentless, ruthless. He won’t stop until we’re destroyed. This marriage… it’s the only way to protect our pack.”

“But what about protecting me?”

She looked up at me then, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “You’re stronger than you think, Raven. You always have been. And I believe… I believe you’ll find a way to make this your own.”

Her words did little to soothe the ache in my chest, but I nodded anyway, unable to muster the strength to argue.

As she left the room, closing the door softly behind her, I sank to the floor, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. My life was no longer my own.

The morning of the ceremony arrived too soon.

The forest was alive with the sound of preparations, the hum of voices, the rustle of fabric, the steady rhythm of footsteps. I stood in front of the mirror, staring at the reflection of a woman I barely recognized. My black hair was braided intricately, violet flowers woven into the strands. The ceremonial dress clung to me like a second skin, its silver embroidery catching the light.

“You look beautiful,” Lysandra said softly as she entered the room.

I didn’t respond. Beauty didn’t matter. None of this mattered.

A knock at the door interrupted us. My father’s Beta, Garron, stepped inside. “It’s time,” he said simply.

Time.

The word felt like a death sentence.

I followed him silently, my heart pounding in my chest. The path to Eclipse Hollow was lined with pack members, their eyes filled with a mix of hope and pity. They didn’t see me, they saw a savior, a solution to their problems.

As we reached the ceremonial grounds, my breath caught in my throat. Kael Rathmore stood at the center of the clearing, his gray eyes piercing as they locked onto mine. He was every bit as intimidating as I remembered: tall, broad-shouldered, his expression carved from stone.

For a moment, the world seemed to still, the weight of the moment pressing down on us both.

“This is your choice,” Kael said suddenly, his voice low and unreadable.

I blinked, startled. “What?”

“You can say no.” His gaze was steady, unreadable. “No one’s forcing you.”

Anger flared in my chest, hot and wild. “Don’t pretend you care about my choice,” I snapped. “You’re here for the same reason I am. Duty.”

For the first time, something flickered in his eyes…regret? Pain? But it was gone before I could decipher it.

“Then let’s get this over with,” he said, his tone colder than the wind that swept through the clearing.

As we stood before the pack, the ancient vows echoing in the air, I felt a chill creep down my spine. It wasn’t just the ceremony or Kael’s distant gaze. It was the feeling of being watched, of unseen eyes lurking in the shadows.

Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled, a mournful, haunting sound that sent shivers through the crowd.

And in that moment, I realized: this was only the beginning.