Chapter 3 Unwiling

Lyra's POV

The weird feeling I had all morning is happening now. My heart was beating fast because I remembered how mean he had been to me before. He tried to hurt me and wanted me to be submissive to him. But I'm not going to be his plaything. From what happened today, I can tell he's indeed a monster and incapable of loving anyone.

"Sit down and hold your tongue," Luna Ophelia snapped at me.

"Excuse me, what did you just say?" my father asked, shocked by my protest.

"I said no! I do not want to marry him. I want to marry someone who loves me, my fated mate. I won't marry anyone else, especially not him!" I looked straight at the Lycan, my voice firm. The people around us gasped in surprise. They didn't expect me to be daring.

"Who asked you to speak? You have no say in this. I will do as I please with you. I own you," my father shouted, attempting to slap me, but Logan intervened, stopping him. I was surprised at his action but that didn't stop me from replying.

"You have controlled my life from the beginning. I won't be used for your selfish desires this time. You do not own me." I said, clenching my fists. The crowd gasped again in surprise.

"You dare defy me and question my authority?" he growled. But a loud clap sounded in the hall.

"That was quite the performance. You are quite the actress," Logan said, laughing. "Not what I expected, but entertaining nonetheless."

The hall fell silent as everyone observed Logan's outburst. He was known for revelling in others' suffering, living up to his reputation. Despite this, I stood my ground, ready to be heard.

"Lycan Logan, she is just distressed," my father began but was interrupted.

"It's fine. She's feisty, and I love that. I will enjoy taming her, putting her in her place," Logan said, caressing my face as if it fascinated him.

"Are you willing to risk the lives of your pack and your father for your childishness?" he questioned, his gaze piercing into me. "What a joke," he sighed.

"Going back on your words means hell because Lycans hold onto words," he blatantly, turning to the frightened Alphas.

"And we are committed to fulfilling our promise to your Highness," an Alpha responded, bowing to the Lycan.

"Take her upstairs and prepare her for the ceremony," my father ordered.

Two guards grabbed my arms, dragging me out of the hall against my will. I struggled to break free from the guard's painful grip. For once I wished Luna Ophelia would come to my aid for once, I looked at her, and she grinned, finally, she was getting rid of me.

They shoved me into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. I collapsed onto the floor, wrapping my arms tightly around my legs, as I tried to understand why my own father was giving me to the ruthless Lycan. The thought of falling into his cruel hands sent shivers down my spine, and I trembled with dread, imagining the unspeakable things that awaited me in his pack.

"Mother, why did you leave me with these cruel people? You should have taken me with you," I cried out.

The soft turn of the doorknob made me freeze, my heart skipping a beat as I prepared for whoever was behind the door. The door opened, and Kayla, a familiar Omega, entered.

"I was instructed to bring this to you. You are to wear this dress for the wedding," she said, handing me the clothes.

"Oh," I whispered, not sure what to say.

I changed into the gown, accepting my role as the sacrificial lamb. I would never believe in such a short period of time my fate was about to get worse. I wished it was all a bad dream that would go away once I was awake.

I didn't bother to freshen up. I simply wore the gown, embracing my fate and waited for my father's minions to come for me. I took deep breaths, preparing myself for what was to come.

A few minutes later, one of Kaida's minions burst into the room, commanding me to get up. "Your fate is about to change, and not for the better," she sneered, dragging me out of the room.

"You're about to marry the brutal Logan, given away like a gift? Ah!" she mocked.

I rolled my eyes, resigned to my fate. I followed her to the wedding venue in the pack's backyard, where the ancient nuptial oak tree stood as the altar. The moon goddess had blessed the first mated couples under this tree while she was on Earth. There, one of the Frostbite Pack elders and the Lycan king awaited us.

My father, who was already waiting for me by the door, didn't hesitate to take my hand in his arm as he led me down the aisle. He didn't bother hiding his relief at finding a potential buyer; I suppose he's just as eager as the others to send me away. When we reached the end of the aisle, I stood in front of Logan as the elder instructed us to repeat after him.

"I, Lyra Darko of the Frostbite Pack, accept King Logan as my chosen mate," I said.

"I, King Logan of the Stormbringer Pack, accept Lyra Darko of the Frostbite Pack as my chosen mate," he said as well.

We were to mark each other after the vows. The mark is a bite on the neck that completes the full mating ritual, creating a link between chosen mates and binding them together. It is permanent; if they were to reject each other, they would experience the same pain as fated mates do, which is why marking during the mating ceremony is mandatory. The female was meant to mark first during the ceremony.

Immediately I heard the word "mark," panic set in, and my body shook uncontrollably with sweat. The word lingered in the air as I looked down at the crowd, expecting my wolf to emerge and complete the mating ritual. But I couldn't, as I had no wolf. I vividly remember my 18th birthday when I waited in my room, expecting my wolf to speak to me. Calantha had told me that I would hear a voice in my head that morning before transforming into a wolf at midnight, but that not once happened.

At first, I considered informing the Alpha that I hadn't transformed, but I decided against it out of fear of severe punishment, being called a weakling like my mother or being cast out to the mercy of rogues. Rogues are outcasted wolves who have lost their human side and have become wild, killing anything in sight. I thought they wouldn't care about my wolf, so I kept to myself that I was wolfless with an Alpha's blood.