The Vampire Princess´s Forbidden Attraction to the Enemy Werewolf

DANNA

I stood before the ancient gates of my family's home for what might be the last time, the weight of duty pressing against my chest like a cold blade. My father hadn't bothered to say goodbye. Why would he? I was merely a piece moved across the board-a daughter sacrificed to politics.

The carriage waited, its black lacquer gleaming under the blood-red moon. I stepped forward, chin high, eyes dry. A diplomatic hostage. Such a civilized term for what I truly was: a prisoner walking willingly into the enemy's den.

"Lady Danna." The Court's emissary bowed, his face a blank mask. "The documents require your blood."

I extended my wrist without hesitation. The ritual blade was cold against my skin, the cut precise. My blood dripped onto parchment, black in the dim light. The truce between vampire and werewolf-signed in blood, never in trust.

"You understand your duty." It wasn't a question. My family's advisor stood rigid beside the carriage, her eyes fixed on some point beyond my shoulder.

"I am to represent the Court's interests. To observe. To report." My voice remained steady. "And to die if necessary."

"Your presence ensures peace." She finally met my gaze. "Your death would ensure war."

Simple math. My life balanced against thousands. I nodded and entered the carriage without another word. The door closed with a finality that echoed in my bones.

The ceremony at the border was brief, cold. Representatives from both sides stood at precise distances from each other, centuries of hatred creating invisible boundaries no one dared cross. I stood in the center, a bridge no one trusted.

The Alpha of the Western Pack arrived last. He was older than I expected, his face lined with the weight of command. His eyes narrowed as they fell on me. He didn't bother with pleasantries.

"If she betrays us, she dies." His voice carried across the clearing. "The Court understands this."

Our emissary bowed his head in acknowledgment. I was no longer addressed directly. My status had changed the moment I stepped into the neutral zone.

"The hostage will be treated with appropriate respect," the Alpha continued, "so long as the truce holds."

I bit down on my tongue until I tasted blood. Hostage. Not diplomat. Not envoy. The wolves saw no need for polite fictions.

The journey to the wolf stronghold took three days. With each mile, the landscape changed. The manicured forests of vampire territory gave way to wild growth, untamed and primal. Even the air felt different-heavier, rich with earthy scents that made my skin prickle.

My escort rarely spoke to me. Four wolves, two running alongside the carriage in animal form, two riding ahead in human shape. Their silence was deliberate, a reminder of my isolation.

At night, I felt their eyes on me through the campfire flames. I sat straight, refusing to show weakness. I ate little of the food they offered-not out of distrust, but because my appetite had fled the moment I left home. Still, I forced down enough to maintain strength. I would need it.

On the final day, I sensed the change before I saw it. The forest thinned, revealing a valley cradled between ancient mountains. The stronghold rose from stone and earth, as if the wolves had commanded the mountain itself to form walls and towers. It was nothing like the delicate spires and arches of the vampire court. This place was built for survival, not beauty.

"We're here." The first words spoken to me in days came from the lead guard, a woman with scars across her jaw. "Don't wander. Don't speak unless spoken to."

I stepped from the carriage, feeling dozens of eyes tracking my movement. The stronghold's courtyard filled with wolves in human form, their expressions ranging from curiosity to open hostility. Not one friendly face. Not one welcome.

I adjusted the high collar of my traveling dress, a deep burgundy against my pale skin. I had dressed carefully that morning, choosing garments that spoke of my rank while offering protection-silk lined with thin, flexible leather. My hair was pulled back from my face, secured with silver pins that doubled as weapons if needed.

My father would have called me paranoid. My mother would have called me prepared. Neither of them was here to witness my entrance into exile.

The stone beneath my feet seemed to pulse with ancient power. This place was old-older perhaps than even my family's holdings. I felt small against its weight, though I kept my shoulders squared and my pace measured. Weakness was blood in the water. These wolves would tear me apart at the first sign of fear.

The great doors of the main hall opened, revealing a space lit by fire rather than the cold mage-lights of home. Pelts and weapons decorated the walls. The Alpha's throne-if such a crude seat of stone and bone could be called that-dominated the far end.

I was led forward, the crowd parting reluctantly. Their scent surrounded me-earth and pine, leather and sweat. So different from the cold, clean corridors of the vampire court. My senses sharpened in response to potential threat, catching every whisper, every shift of weight.

"The Court sends its daughter." The Alpha's voice filled the hall. He sat forward, elbows on knees, studying me like one might study an unfamiliar weapon. "Let's hope they value her enough to keep the peace."

I met his gaze directly-a calculated risk. Not challenging enough to provoke, but not subservient enough to suggest weakness.

"I am here to represent the Court's commitment to peace," I said, my voice carrying in the sudden silence. "And to learn the ways of the pack."

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Someone laughed-sharp, disbelieving.

The Alpha's expression didn't change. "You're here because neither side wants war, but neither side trusts. Don't mistake your position, vampire. You're a guarantee, not a guest."

I inclined my head, acknowledging his words without accepting the diminishment. Inside, I calculated survival odds, escape routes, potential allies. None looked promising. I was alone in a fortress of enemies, armed only with diplomacy and whatever strength I could muster.

The die was cast. I had months, perhaps years ahead in this place of stone and shadow. I would survive. I would watch. I would learn their weaknesses and their strengths.

And I would never let them see beneath my mask.