Chapter 9: It's time.

Hope's POV

My heart was racing as I sat on my bed, waiting. The sun had fully reclined behind the horizon, giving way to the cloak of darkness and I knew the time for the wedding rites was coming. With each minute that passed, it felt almost impossible to breathe any longer.

I didn't know how to feel: excited or scared at the events that were unfolding. I was excited because I would be with my mate even though I hadn't fully gotten my wolf yet and scared because I didn't know what he was capable of.

After the Alpha had told us about his plans during dinner, my stomach twisted into nervous knots as I observed the faces of Orion and Kaia. Orion had shoved his chair backward and had left his food untouched, storming out of the room. His father didn't bother to call him back, but continued to eat his food unbothered his son's reaction.

When I slowly turned toward Kaia, I found her lethal gaze fixed on me. I could read the amount of hate that was pouring out of her darkened orbs and it made my skin crawl with an awkward feeling. She didn't leave like Orion did, but ate her food quietly, thanked the Alpha when she was done and left without any word.

I didn't need more than few days to understand the kind of person she was: she wanted to mark her territory by all means and I was encroaching in her space. But I didn't even want to, I didn't ask the Goddess to make Orion my mate, I didn't want all these.

There was a gentle knock again on the door and I immediately knew it was Ivy from earlier.

“Ma'am? It's time,” she said calmly without opening the door and I nodded even though she couldn't see me. I stood from my bed wearing the dress that had been provided for me. It was a short white dress, with single straps on my shoulders, that flowed to my knee and my waist was snuggly held by a thin lace belt.

I breathed in and out, trying hard to reactivate my lungs before I moved to grab the door. Goosebumps littered my skin as I walked behind Ivy, following her toward the area for the rites. I didn't know what I would do or say when I got there, I didn't know their tradition and it scared me that I could make a wrong move that would feel like an insult to them.

Insult? I don't know why I cared about insulting their tradition when they hadn't thought twice before spitting on my father's reputation. The thought of my father calmed my racing heart and I felt sudden comfort, masking the fear I had.

“It's through here. You just walk down the hall and you'll come out at the other end of the theatre. Good luck, Ma'am,” Ivy whispered and smiled as she waved gently at me. I smiled back, feeling comforted that at least one person liked me.

The closer I got to the theatre, the louder my heart beat. The fear was back and no thought of defending my father's honour could drown the chills I felt. I clenched and unclenched my fist as I walked through the other end.

I scrunched my face in suprise when all I saw were trees and shrubs, it looked like I had emerged in the forest. I quickly turned behind, the entrance to the hallway I had emerged from was surprisingly locked. I knitted my brows in confusion as I felt this sudden flow of panic. I moved briskly toward the door, clawing for a handle to pull it open.

“Ivy!” I called out, banging the wooden doors.

“Ivy!?” I yelled even louder, but there was no response. I stood banging and scanned the door for any means of opening it.

“You really think I'll let some duaghter of a traitor soil out Alpha’s bloodline?” I heard the once sweet voice of Ivy, now cold and disdainful, at the other end of the door. It felt like I had been drenched with cold water, I instantly froze. My mouth hung open in shock as I stared at the door, hoping that it was a perverse form of a joke.

“After you miss the wedding rituals tonight, you will have to wait for another full moon before you can perform the rites and that will give us enough time to think of what to do to you,” she said casually. I couldn't believe my ears, this was the same person I heard defending me behind my back.

Or was she? It was awfully convenient how they had started talking about me as soon as I arrived at the spot, they must have known, they must have planned it.

Wait, did she say us? Who is “us?”

I heard a branch snap behind me and I gasped. I held my breath, silencing the noise I was making. My eyes were blown wide as I focused on the door, afraid to even turn back. The hairs on my neck stood erect as I heard the heavy footfalls coming closer.

My skin tingled and my eyes prickled with tears. I let out short breaths when my lungs burned for air. A tear slipped from my eye as I turned my head slowly to see who was behind me. At that moment, I felt a sharp prick to the other side of my neck and I turned the other way, swatting my arm, but in a matter of seconds, I felt immensely tired and sleepy.

My arms lost mobility and my legs followed suit causing me to crash to the dirt ground. I saw a masked man with a strong build saunter toward me, he stretched and yanked me from the dirt, sweeping me into his arms; carrying me bridal style toward a dark car that was parked at the other end.

My eyes fluttered, my eyes lids feeling too heavy to leave open. The last thing I remember was the man opening the trunk and dumping me into it before slamming the cover, plunging me into eternal darkness.