1

J A D E

My eyes were glued to the woman staring back at me from the mirror. Her eyes were hollow and dull with their light all lost. Her makeup failed horribly at hiding how heartbroken and pathetic she felt.

A sigh escaped both our lips as we fought back the tears in our eyes. My eyes fell to her neck to gaze upon the necklace hanging around her pale neck.

My fingers found their way to it. Clutching and tugging but not daring to pjull, even though I desperately wanted to do so.

It would only amount to more suffering and Mason’s wrath. He was a psychopath and I feared a slap against my cheek would be the least he’d do, once he found out that his bride-to-be, rejected his gift.

“You look beautiful.” One of the maids said as she glanced at me with a genuine smile on her lips. They looked like they were mocking me and not sincere. “Mason is lucky to have you.” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. They were having fun with my misery.

“Thank you.” I couldn’t help but voice out in a raspy voice. My disappointment was not hidden, as tears welled up in my eyes.

“Don’t.” She warned in fright as she hurried towards me. “Your wedding is about to start and if he finds out that you soiled your makeup, he’d be furious.”

She sounded concerned and worried, but I knew it was only because they would be punished if anything went wrong and not actually because they cared. I watched her as she reached for a glass of cold water on the side table and brought it close to my lips.

“Drink. You sound parched.” She urged and I obliged, before handing her back the glass.

“Thank you.” I said, pulling my gaze away from her and back to the mirror in front of me. “Can I have a moment alone, please?” I asked and she nodded, leaving the room after informing me that she’d check up later.

If someone asked me how I felt at the moment, I might say I was fine but on a deeper level, I feel broken and rejected and weak. Weak for being an omega and being bullied all the time.

Broken from having lost everything I once owned—a loving home. Rejected from the fact that my fated mate was out there somewhere, probably wining and dining to his heart’s content and not bothering to look for me.

My eyes fell on the stand of red hair that stood out from the blond in my hair. It was the mate mark—a mark used to indicate that we had a mate.

At the age of eighteen, all wolves get their marks if their mates still live. If not, they’d not have the slightest mate mark on their hair or any parts of their bodies. Mason’s mate Mark had disappeared a year ago and I could still recall how saddened he was to know that he was mateless.

It was an embarrassing thing for him, his father, and the pack. A mateless Alpha could never rule and that was why I was chosen to take her place, against my will.

He’d lie to the pack that I was his fated mate and had shown them a red mark underneath his forearm to prove it but I knew it was probably tattooed.

I loathed him so much. He has done nothing but cause me pain, both physically and emotionally. He was a bully and was selfish and trust me, he wasn’t the type to bully you and let you be. No, he was the type to torture you until you crack and every shred of sanity in you, is lost forever.

I heard the door suddenly creak and the cold air rushing in. My heart skipped as soon as I watched him enter the room.

Fixing his cuffs, he shut the door close with his leg and winked at me in the mirror.

I shifted my focus from him and stared at the corset on the table. I could hear his shoes slowly approaching thumping against the floor. I could hear his bones crack as he moved his neck from left to right.

“You look beautiful, my sweet wife.” He said as soon as he was close enough.

His tone was in mockery and my brows furrowed. I knew he was deliberating taunting me in the attempt to remind me that I don’t have a say and that he calls the shots.

“Smile for me, sweet wife.” I almost hauled when I felt him too close. His breath reeked of alcohol and it took everything in me not to punch his face.

I would be dead in a blink of an eye.

My eyes squinted at the table as though it was the reason for my anger. I could feel his hot breath against my neck, as he traced his fingers along my jawline, to my greatest disgust, before pulling my gaze to the mirror.

“Smile, Jade.” He spoke with a smile that seemed rather forced as we glared at each other. He knew how much I hated him and that gave me satisfaction.

I complied in defeat, parting my lips into a weak smile before shifting my gaze away from him. He gave me some light slaps on my cheeks, a chuckle tearing through his lungs before he lowered his head close to my ears.

“Curse all you want and you can spend your life crying and swimming in pools of tears for all I care. You should count yourself lucky that I’m in a good mood right now.” He said before he kissed my neck, making me flinch in disgust. “I’d let your actions slide today because I wouldn’t want to kiss a tear-filled bride. But, once we are married, do keep in mind that I wouldn’t tolerate any of your childishness.” He warned, sounding exactly like his father.

I swallowed as I heard him speak. Oh, he meant every word he said and I knew it. He was a bully like I said and I was a victim. He’d hit me whenever he got the chance to and I knew that this wedding was a chance for him to finally do with me whatever he sees fit.

He was going to turn me into a slave. He’d make sure I prepared all his meals, clean the entire mansion, satisfy his sexual fantasies and if possible, tuck him to bed as well. Maybe add in some bedtime stories, to make my life a living hell.

The thought made me lose all hope of ever gaining my freedom. Is this what will become of me? Is this how I would have to live for the rest of my life with this asshole?

I forced a smile, knowing that I couldn’t afford to cry right now but feel sorry for myself. There was simply no way I was going to get a facelift from him, because of a single teardrop ruining my makeup.

“Now, I’d be going and I’d expect you to join me soon. Don’t disappoint me, dear wife.” He said, fixing his tie before leaning for a kiss but I didn’t part my lips for a French kiss, even though he was going for that.

His fingers brushed mine and he smiled. “Once we are married, I’d be sure to teach you some manners, dear wife.” He promised before walking out again and shutting the door behind him.

Hearing the word ‘wife’ from him made my skin crawl. Was I really going to settle for this?

This was the last chance I had to escape from this disaster. I looked at the door and I could hear footsteps from a distance.

I needed to do something now.

I could hear my heart pound loudly against my chest. My chest rose and fell continuously and I felt faint. I ran to the door and locked it before immediately dashing to the window.

There’s no way I would let this wedding happen. There’s no way I would marry a man like Mason. I’d rather lose my life than spend the rest of my life with Mason. I must escape from this hellish place. I must leave this pack.

Just how fast could I run before they catch me?