Chapter 1

Katerina:

I walked down the aisle where I was to marry the man who our elders saw fit to choose for me. 

Our family members united to see us both out of this hellhole that they called forest. A marriage that was to force me to submit to a man who wasn’t my own, a man who I cannot call a mate. A 'chosen' arranged marriage for both of us. 

I was told of times where wolves were chosen by a mating bond, but these times were mere stories now, a memory for our elders. 

The Alpha that I was to marry was known for his ruthless, cold, and rigid heart. His eyes which were as blue as the ocean were as cold as ice, and one glare from him was enough to make my heart drop to my stomach. 

We both stood in front of our elders, my forest green eyes meeting his ocean blue ones. Those who did not know of his reputation would have been attracted to his fine looks. 

“Do you, Beta Katerina Sforza of the Silver-Night’s Pack, take Alpha Nathan of the Dark-Moon’s Pack Kozlov as your husband?” One of the elders asked me. Her brown eyes meeting my own despite her wearing her hood, and the intimidation of her tone told me to submit to my fate. They had chosen the man for me and I, just like him, was to submit to their will.

“I do” I said, looking down at his chest. Being taller than I was, the man had the advantage of both his height, strength, and experience.

“Do you, Alpha Natha Kozlov of the Dark-Moon’s Pack, take Beta Katerina Sforza, of the Silver-Night’s Pack as your wife?”

“I do” he said, glaring at me. The elders nodded and our parents cheered while the two of us kept our eyes on one another. The times were dark, we both knew that we had been abandoned by those who chose our bonds, we were well aware of that.

“You two are to mate, live together, and bear your children. Those children would be the future of our dynasty and the continuation of our blood. That is something that you needn’t forget” the male elder said, looking at the two of us. We both nodded in understanding, knowing that saying anything against them would only lead to our families’ disgrace, and that was not something that neither one of us would do.

“You may leave for your new home, Beta Katerina, and you have permission to say your goodbye to your family one last time” I nodded. Slowly raising my white dress, I walked toward my parents who were looking at me. 

My mother smiled, cupping my cheeks to make me look her in the eye. Her message loud and clear without the need of her saying a word. 

She had given me the lessons that she saw that I needed to know. 

Please him.

Pleasure him.

And most importantly, do not go against him.

“Your job in that house is to be your husband’s wife. If he asks you to bend, you do. If he wishes to take you in the bathroom stall, you strip, and if he orders you to suck, you do not deny. You are his wife, and he is your Alpha, your life as a beta is no longer there”

“I am proud of you, Katerina” mother said, keeping her eyes on mine, her eyes speaking the words that her mouth wouldn’t. I smiled and took her hand in mine, kissing it as a manner of respect before walking toward my father. 

His eyes hardened, and taking a step back, he extended his hand for me to kiss, and doing as told; I bent down and kissed it. 

“Remember, Katerina, you are no longer beta. What you have learned and what you saw in our pack will be forgotten, do you understand me?”

“Yes, father” I said, avoiding his eyes. I was the daughter of an Alpha, and yet, I was sent a slave to another.

“Good, now go, your husband is waiting. We shall show ourselves out of the forest”

“Yes, Alpha”