Chapter 1: The Breaking Point

The cold water did absolutely nothing to wash away the evidence of her tears and Lyralei just stared at her reflection in the basin, at her eyes so swollen and red they looked like someone else's entirely.

"Bastard." She swore for the ninth time today. She splashed more water on her face, gripping the basin hard enough that her knuckles went white. "Fucking bastard."

She could still feel Theron's breath against her ear from an hour ago when he'd cornered her in the hallway.

"Tonight, I'm going to bend you over and fuck you until you can't walk straight. I'll make you scream my name until your throat is raw and you’ll take everything I give you because you'll be mine. My wife. My property. My little breeding bitch."

His fingers had trailed down her spine, lingering at the small of her back.

"I've been patient, Lyralei. So fucking patient. But after tonight, there's nothing stopping me from taking what's mine. I'm going to ruin you in every way possible."

Her stomach turned at the memory and honestly it still hadn't stopped turning.

"I hope you choke on your own tongue," she whispered to the mirror, to his ghost in her head. "I hope you die slowly, you sick piece of shit."

A knock at the door made her freeze.

"Miss Lyralei?" The voice was soft and apologetic. One of the younger omegas probably . "It's time. The ceremony starts in few minutes."

Few minutes until her life ended.

"I'll be right there," she called back, forcing her voice steady even as her hands shook.

She straightened and looked at herself properly. The dress was beautiful and she hated the fact that it was beautiful. It had silver silk that caught the light, embroidered with delicate patterns that probably cost more than most families made in months. It fit perfectly, hugging her curves in ways that made her want to tear it off.

It made her look like a bride and she wanted to fucking burn it.

Her fingers found the pendant at her throat. The moon charm her mother had worn for years, still warm against her skin.

If only her parents were alive. The thought came suddenly that she had to shake her head to stop thinking about it.

They weren’t alive again. They were dead. Three years dead, and she was still paying for their heroism.

"You had to save everyone," she whispered, her reflection blurring as tears threatened again. "You just had to throw yourselves at those shadow wolves like your lives didn't matter. Like I didn't fucking matter."

The bitterness coated her tongue like poison.

Her parents had died protecting the pack, Alpha Aldric had called them heroes, given them elaborate funerals and promised to honor their sacrifice by ensuring their daughter was cared for.

And he'd kept that promise by offering her to his monster of a son.

The Ravenwood family—what was left of them—had smiled and nodded like this was a blessing. Her cousins. Her uncles. Her aunt. All of them too afraid of Alpha Aldric and his perfect heir to say a word in her defense.

Not one of them had the spine to stand up to the Moonshadows.

Cousin Elara had just given birth two weeks ago. A tiny girl with her father's eyes. The first new Ravenwood in three years, and Lyralei was literally just doing this for her…for all of them in fact because if she refused Theron, if she ran, he wouldn't just let it go.

He'd make them all pay somehow. That’s just how twisted the fucker was.

Another knock, harder this time.

"Miss Lyralei, please."

"Coming."

She dropped her hand from the pendant and took one last look at herself. At the girl who was about to become property. At the daughter of warriors who was walking into her own execution wearing silk and a smile.

She turned from the mirror and headed for the door.

---

The hallway felt too long. Each step toward the great hall was like walking toward the edge of a cliff.

She could hear voices ahead. Laughter, music and celebration.

Her stomach twisted tighter.

"You look absolutely beautiful, dear."

Lyralei turned to see Elder Cassandra, one of the older pack members who'd known her parents. The woman's smile was warm and surprisingly genuine which pissed Lyralei.

"Thank you," Lyralei said instead automatically, her own smile feeling like a mask.

You know what he is. You know what he does to the omega girls. You know and you're still smiling at me like this is something to celebrate.

"Your parents would be so proud."

The words were a knife sliding between her ribs.

They'd be ashamed. Ashamed that no one fought for me. Ashamed that I'm being handed over to a monster and everyone is pretending it's an honor.

"That's very kind of you," Lyralei said, her voice hollow.

She kept walking, and more voices joined in to her dismay.

"Such a beautiful bride."

I'm not a bride. I'm a sacrifice.

"Theron is so lucky to have you."

Lucky? He's getting exactly what he wanted. A toy he can finally break.

"What a perfect match you make."

We're not a match. He's a predator and I'm prey with nowhere left to run.

Each compliment felt like mockery and each smile like a lie. They all knew. She could see it in the way some of them wouldn't quite meet her eyes. In the way Elder Roderick's jaw tightened when he congratulated her. In the way Beta Marcus looked away quickly when she thanked him.

They knew what Theron was. They just didn't care enough to stop it.

Or maybe they were too afraid.

Either way, she was alone.

The great hall opened up before her, and her breath caught in her throat.

Crystal chandeliers threw light across silk decorations and tables laden with food and wine. Pack members everywhere in their finest clothes, talking and laughing and celebrating the union of their future Alpha and his bride.

This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life but she’d never felt more alone.

Someone touched her arm, guiding her forward, and Lyralei moved through the crowd on autopilot. Smiling, nodding and accepting congratulations that felt like condolences.

Then she saw him.

Theron stood near the front of the room with his father, both of them in conversation with some visiting wolves. He was laughing at something, head thrown back, looking every inch the perfect future Alpha in his formal ceremonial leathers.

Handsome, confident and charming.

A monster dressed for a wedding.

Her hands clenched into fists in her gown, nails biting into her palms through the fabric.

Someone said something to him. He turned, still smiling, and his eyes found her across the crowded hall.

The smile stayed on his face. But his eyes changed.

They raked over her body, slow and deliberate. Lingering on the curves of the dress. On the exposed skin at her shoulders and throat as if he was imagining undressing her slowly.

His tongue darted out to wet his lips.

Lyralei's hands trembled and this time not from fear but from rage so pure she felt herself go dizzy.

That fucking look. That same predatory, fucking look that said she already belonged to him. That said tonight, after the vows, after the witnesses left, he'd finally do everything he'd been whispering about for months.

And no one would stop him.

Theron smiled wider and took a step toward her.

At that moment, she just…snapped.