"Dad?" I slurred, panic rising in my chest. "What's... happening?"
The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was the pained expression on my father's face and the whispered words, "I'm sorry, Freya. This is for the best."
I drifted in and out of consciousness, aware of movement and voices but unable to fully wake. When I finally clawed my way back to awareness, I found myself in unfamiliar surroundings.
Gone was my simple bedroom, replaced by opulent furnishings and heavy velvet drapes. I was propped up in an enormous four-poster bed, dressed in an elaborate white gown that sparkled in the dim light.
"Where am I?" I mumbled, my tongue feeling thick and uncooperative.
"You're in the Shadowfang Pack territory, my dear," a silky voice replied. An older woman with steel-gray hair and piercing blue eyes stepped into view. "I am Luna Fanny, grandmother of Alpha King Fenris. Welcome to your new home."
Reality came crashing down around me. The drugged pie, the betrayal – it had all been a ruse to get me here. "No," I gasped, struggling to sit up. "I won't do this. You can't make me!"
Luna Fanny's eyes hardened. "I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter. The mating ceremony is about to begin, and you will participate.""But why?" I demanded. "Why me? And where is Fenris?"
A flicker of something – pain? fear? – crossed the Luna's face. "My grandson has been... indisposed for some months now. A powerful curse has left him in a coma-like state. We believe that completing the mating bond with a strong, pure-blooded she-wolf like yourself might be enough to wake him."
My mind reeled. This wasn't just an arranged mating – it was a desperate gamble. "And if it doesn't work?"
"Then at least we'll have secured an alliance with your pack," she replied coldly. "Now, it's time. The ceremony waits for no one."
I tried to resist as two burly guards entered the room, but the lingering effects of whatever drug they'd given me left me weak and uncoordinated. They half-carried, half-dragged me down a long hallway and into a cavernous chamber.
Dozens of unfamiliar faces turned to stare as I was brought in. At the center of the room, on a raised dais, lay an unconscious man. Even in repose, I could see he was handsome – strong jaw, dark hair, powerful build. This, then, was Alpha King Fenris.
"Please," I begged as they tied me to a stone altar beside Fenris. "Don't do this. I don't want this!"
But my pleas fell on deaf ears. The Luna began to chant in an ancient language, her voice rising and falling in an eerie cadence. I felt a strange pressure building in the air, magic crackling like electricity.
Phoebe! I called out desperately in my mind. Help me!
But my wolf remained silent, leaving me to face this alone.
As the chanting reached a fever pitch, I felt a tugging sensation in my chest. Something was trying to form – the mating bond, I realized with horror. I fought against it with every ounce of my being, but it was like trying to hold back the tide.
And then, just as I thought I couldn't resist any longer, Fenris's eyes snapped open.
They glowed an unnatural, feral gold, filled with a wild power that sent chills down my spine. He let out an inhuman growl, his features shifting to become more wolf-like – elongated snout, sharp fangs, pointed ears.
"Freya," he snarled, my name sounding like both a threat and a promise on his lips.
Panic erupted in the chamber. People screamed and ran for the exits as Fenris tore through the ropes binding him as if they were tissue paper. He reached for me with clawed hands, his intentions unclear.
In that moment, survival instinct took over. I don't know where I found the strength, but I managed to break free from my own bonds and scramble off the altar. Without a backward glance, I ran.
I burst out of the pack house and into the surrounding forest, my bare feet slapping against the cold earth. Behind me, I could hear the sounds of pursuit – crashing footsteps and feral growls that could only belong to Fenris.
My lungs burned as I pushed myself harder, deeper into the ancient woods. Branches whipped at my face and arms, tearing at the delicate white gown. But I didn't dare slow down.
Finally, my legs gave out. I collapsed against a massive oak tree, gasping for breath. The sound of pursuit had faded, but I knew it was only a matter of time before Fenris found me.
As if summoned by my thoughts, he burst into the small clearing. His eyes still glowed that eerie gold, but there was something different about them now – a flicker of awareness that hadn't been there before.
"Freya," he growled again, stalking towards me with predatory grace.
I pressed myself harder against the tree, wishing I could melt into its bark. "Please," I whispered. "Don't hurt me."
He cocked his head to the side, studying me intently. For a long moment, neither of us moved. Suddenly, he lowered his head and kissed me, his tongue skillfully penetrating my mouth, teasing me. My whole body went weak, and I didn't know whether I should push him away. When the kiss ended, his face returned to human.
"Danger," he rasped, his voice hoarse from disuse. "Within the pack. Trust no one."