She felt a little relieved about that. One year. Just twelve months. That sounded… doable. Calling it a year made it sound too far. Twelve months made it sound better. But as she read further down, her anger began to boil. The contract states that the marriage is an open one. Then she kept reading, and the relief died. It was an open marriage, on paper only. They would live separate lives. She could not get pregnant by anyone else during that year. She was required to produce a male heir within those twelve months. Upon the birth of a son, the contract would dissolve, and they would part as strangers.
“A son?!” Kira shrieked, glaring up at the Lycan King.
“Do you need a breakdown of the biology, or is the fine print too complicated for you?” he asked, his tone dripping with icy sarcasm.
“I am not some baby factory you can just… order a child from!”
“It is called a sacrifice for a reason,” Derek countered, his attention shifting to Rolf with blatant boredom. “Alpha Rolf, I’m not here for a debate. Control your daughter before I decide war is the more efficient investment.”
Rolf’s face flushed a deep, angry red as he looked at Kira. “Chlo,” he warned, his voice a low growl of desperation. “Think about the packs. Think about what happens if he walks out that door.”
Kira felt the cage doors closing. She knew exactly what was at stake. She wouldn’t have cared less if the Lycan King threatened her father alone. But the lives of other werewolves lay in her hands now. She was caught between a rock and a hard place. If she walked, the werewolf packs would be liquidated. Derek wouldn’t just take their lands; he’d take their lives. She thought of Jessica, of her friends at the university, of everyone who would pay the price for her “freedom.” The guilt was already heavy enough to drown in.
This was difficult for her. She looked at the pregnancy clause again. She had never thought there would be a pregnancy clause in this marriage contract. She sighed in defeat and blinked back the moisture in her eyes, refusing to cry for these men.
“Before I sign my life away, I’m adding an addendum,” Kira said, squaring her shoulders and meeting Derek’s cold gaze.
Declan looked at his King, who gave a nearly imperceptible nod of permission. “Let’s hear the terms,” Declan said.
“This marriage doesn’t touch my education,” she stated, her voice steady. “I’m staying in my program. I’ll finish my degree. Even if… I’m pregnant.”
Derek studied her for a long, silent moment, his expression a mask of expensive, tailored indifference. Kira held her breath, searching her brain for something else to add, but her head couldn’t come up with anything at the moment.
“Is that all?” Derek asked.
“For now.”
Silence.
“I don’t care how you spend your free time,” he finally said, “as long as your ‘hobbies’ don’t damage my reputation or the health of my heir.”
“Good,” Kira said quickly. “That’s all.”
Kira’s clause was added, and they both signed the hardware and software version of the contract.
Then, the registrar was summoned, and their marriage was registered. Rolf and Declan both signed as witnesses, and their marriage certificate was issued. The digital stamps were authorised, and in a matter of clicks and ink, Kira’s life was signed over to the most dangerous man in the city.
Once the papers were signed, the room felt too small. Kira needed to escape the heavy silence and the cold gaze of the King. She excused herself and hurried into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Leaning against the cool sink, she stared at her reflection. Her life had moved too fast. Only hours ago, she was just a normal girl, dreaming of finding her true mate. Now, she was the wife of a ruthless Lycan King, bound to move to a dangerous new land.
“Don’t cry,” she whispered to herself. “Do not give them your tears.”
She fanned her face with her hands, forcing herself to focus on the silver lining. The marriage was an open one. She could still go to university, see her friends, and maybe, just maybe, still find her real soulmate one day. She wished her mother were alive. She didn’t know anything about her, but this was one of those times she felt her absence like a deep wound. If her mother were here, would she have let this happen? Would she have protected her from her father’s cruelty?
When the door pushed open, Kira was so relieved to see her bestie, Jessica.
“Oh, Kira,” Jessica whispered, opening her arms wide.
The wall Kira had built around her heart crumbled. She crashed into her best friend’s arms, and the tears finally fell. They stood there, holding onto each other and sobbing, letting out all the fear and pain of the morning. Eventually, Kira pulled back, wiping her red eyes.
“Well,” Kira said, trying to force a tiny smile. “I’m officially a married woman now.”
Jessica let out a watery laugh as she wiped away her own tears. “Look on the bright side. You’re married to the most powerful man alive. ‘Daddy Dearest’ can’t lay a finger on you anymore. You’re out of his reach.”
Kira nodded slowly. “I guess that’s one win for me.”
“How is the wound on your back?” Jessica asked, her voice full of worry. “How are you really doing?”
“It still stings like crazy,” Kira admitted, thinking of the whip. “But I’m tough. I’ll manage.”
Jessica leaned in, her eyes dancing with a bit of mischief to break the tension. “Okay, forgive me for saying this now, but girl… your husband is fine!” she whisper-shouted.
Kira actually laughed, a real sound of joy. She knew Jessica was trying to cheer her up.
“He is definitely easy on the eyes,” Jessica continued, giggling. “In another life, I’d be his biggest fan-girl. For now, we’ll just call him a very handsome mistake.” Then, her face turned serious again. She grabbed Kira’s hands. “Listen to me. If this is too much… we can run. We can leave right now and never look back.”
Kira let out a loud, genuine laugh. The idea of them on the run was wild, but she appreciated the loyalty.
“I’m serious, babe,” Jessica insisted.
Kira sighed, patting Jessica’s hand. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay. Honestly? King Derek Wolfe is the one who should be scared. He has no idea what he’s getting into by marrying me. Don’t feel bad for me-feel bad for him.”
Jessica smiled, a look of true pride on her face. “That’s my girl. I trust you to shake up his world.”
Thud!
Kira jolted awake, heart racing. For two or three blurry seconds, she had no idea where she was or even who she was. The world felt foggy and strange. Then, like a bucket of cold water, reality hit her. She was in the back of a sleek black car. She was married to King Derek Wolfe, the Lycan King. The same man who every werewolf called a monster. And he was definitely not her mate.
Tap. Tap.
A sharp knock on the window made her snap her head up. Derek stood right outside, tall and impatient, motioning with two fingers for her to get out. No smile or gentle words. Just that cold, expectant look. Kira’s face twisted. Really? He couldn’t even bother to wake her properly or open the door like a normal person? She gave him a long, unimpressed stare before letting out a tired sigh. Fine. Whatever. She reached for the handle, pushed the door open, and stepped out into the evening air. The air was fresh, with a scent of pine trees mixed with bright citrus, clean and alive in a way her pack lands never felt. For a moment, she basked in the sheer refreshment of it.
When she opened her eyes again, the mansion stole what little calm she had left. It stood like something carved out of a dream; modern, sharp, and powerful. It didn’t have the fussy white paint or golden details. It was painted in dark charcoal grey. Just clean lines, wide balconies with clear glass railings, and floor-to-ceiling windows that caught the last of the sunset and turned it into fire. The whole building seemed to grow straight out of the hill, level after level. Around it spread an entire estate of other houses and mansions, smaller but still expensive-looking, probably for the rest of the pack. But this one? This one felt different. It looked private and made her father’s pack house look like a shabby garden shed in comparison.
She must have been staring too long, because a low, grumpy voice cut through the silence. “Are you done?”
Kira blinked and turned. Derek was scowling down at her, arms crossed, looking like she’d personally offended him by existing. She scrunched her nose right back at him but kept her mouth shut. No point starting a fight before she even stepped inside. He turned without another word and started up the wide white stone steps that led to the huge front doors. Kira followed, heels clicking softly on the stone. Behind her, Declan, the beta, and Connor, the head gamma, moved in quiet sync. They were the only two who had come with Derek to Moonfang to collect her. No big entourage. Just these three dangerous men and one very unwilling bride.
As they climbed, Kira caught movement from the corners of her eyes. Curtains twitched in the windows of nearby houses. Faces appeared briefly on balconies, then vanished again. Everyone was watching. The new werewolf, wolfless, outsider queen was here. Derek didn’t seem to notice or care. He reached the top, pushed open the tall double doors, and walked straight in. Kira hesitated for half a second on the threshold, then lifted her chin, squared her shoulders, and stepped inside after him.
Her jaw actually dropped when she stepped fully inside. The entrance hall was pure luxury, high ceilings with sleek black chandeliers, polished marble floors that reflected everything like dark mirrors, and walls lined with modern art that probably cost more than her entire university tuition. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in soft evening light, turning the whole space into something warm and expensive. Kira was so busy staring, mouth slightly open, that she didn’t notice Derek had stopped walking.
Biff! She slammed straight into his broad back. It felt like hitting a literal brick wall.
“Ouch,” she whined, rubbing her forehead as she stepped back and looked up at him.
Derek didn’t move. He didn’t reach out to steady her. He just looked down at her with eyes like frozen amber. “Get your head out of the clouds,” he said in that low, smooth voice that somehow managed to sound both velvet-soft and dangerous. “This isn’t a sightseeing tour.”
Kira narrowed her eyes and gave him her best glare, but he ignored it completely and kept talking.
“You have to make everyone believe you’re a real wife,” he warned. “Especially Nana.”
Kira opened her mouth to ask who Nana was and why she had to pretend at all, but before a single word came out, Derek’s hand shot out. He caught her arm and tugged her sharply against his side. His other arm slid around her waist, locking her there-close, too close. Pain flared across her back where the whip marks still burned under her clothes. She couldn’t help it; she twisted and squirmed out of his hold with a small hiss.
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