Chapter 0001

BRUNA'S POV

I was bound tightly in a dimly lit room, my wrists and ankles secured with rough ropes. The air was thick with the smell of mildew and blood, and the walls were marked with stains that seemed to tell the grim history of the place. My heart pounded violently in my chest, and the pain on my skin mixed with the sweat, creating a sensation I could barely endure.

“You thought you could escape, didn’t you?” Patrick’s cold voice echoed from the shadows. He stepped closer, each footfall a reminder of my helplessness. I was tied to a chair, unable to move, my eyes only able to focus on the cruel expression forming on his face.

I didn’t dare look up at him. I kept my head lowered, struggling to stay conscious as pain and fear began to overwhelm me. Every nerve in my body screamed, every breath felt like a jagged knife slicing through me. The physical torment was unbearable, but it was the emotional agony—the knowledge that I had nowhere to run—that truly threatened to break me.

Patrick’s figure loomed closer, his silhouette growing larger as he approached. The sharp click of his boots against the stone floor echoed in the room, a sinister rhythm that matched my racing heartbeat. “You’re not going anywhere, Bruna. Not now, not ever.”

I flinched at the sound of my name, my body instinctively pulling against the ropes, but it was futile. Every part of me screamed for freedom, but there was no escape. Not from him. Not from my father. And certainly not from the nightmare that was my life.

His hand shot out, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look up. His black eyes burned with disdain, and I could feel his breath on my face as he spoke through gritted teeth. “You should have known better than to try and run. You think you’re special? That you can escape all of this?” He sneered, pushing my face to one side.

Pain exploded across my cheek as his slap landed with terrifying force. The sting was immediate, a brutal reminder of my powerlessness.

I barely managed to stifle the sobs threatening to escape my throat, my body trembling from the shock. “Please… don’t,” I gasped, my voice barely a whisper.

But there was no mercy in his eyes. No pity. Just cold, calculating anger. “You are going to marry him,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “The Alpha’s orders. You will be the replacement bride. There’s no escape. Not for you. Not for anyone.”

I could feel my mind spiraling. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. Not like this. But here I was, helpless and broken, trapped by my father’s cruel machinations. He had killed his five wives before!!

“Please, don’t make me do this,” I whimpered, my chest tightening with the weight of the words. “I’ll do anything… just please don’t make me marry him.”

Patrick’s fingers tightened around my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. His eyes flickered with something darker. “You don’t have a choice, Bruna,” he hissed. “The Alpha doesn’t give you choices. And if you disobey, well… let’s just say your sister’s medical bills won’t be the only thing to suffer.”

My heart skipped a beat. “No! Please don’t hurt her!” I cried out, my voice cracking. The thought of Anna—my only family, my only hope—being harmed was more than I could bear. “Please… she’s sick… don’t involve her!”

Patrick's cold gaze softened for a fraction of a second, but his grip on me didn’t loosen. “You want to save her? Then do as you're told. Go back to the pack and do what you're ordered. If you don't, there will be consequences. For you. And for her.”

I felt the room closing in around me, my vision blurring with tears. My whole body was shaking from fear and frustration. My only hope was slipping through my fingers, and there was nothing I could do.

Tears streamed down my face as I whispered, “Okay… okay, I’ll go back. I’ll do it.”

But I knew—deep down, I knew—that even if I went back, I’d never be free. The chains of this pack would always bind me. And the man who controlled my fate—my father—had made sure of that.