Chapter 5

I walked alongside my mother, my heart breaking as the seconds ticked. Derrick had let my mother heal me so I was “prepared for my husband”, so each step I took didn’t feel like one closer to my grave. I had resigned myself to my fate, knowing that I would be married off to a monster. But nothing could have prepared me for the shock that awaited me.

As we entered the living room, my eyes scanned the space, searching for the man who would be my husband. And then, I saw him. The stranger from yesterday. The one who had saved me from the brink of death.

My mind went blank, my thoughts scattering like leaves in the wind. I searched my brain for something to say, but my words were stuck in my throat. I couldn't believe it. The man who had saved me, who had looked at me with a glimmer of kindness, however fleeting, was the same man who would now own me.

For a moment, I thought that maybe, just maybe, my life wouldn't be as bad as I had imagined. If he was really heartless and ruthless, like the rumors said, he wouldn't have saved me. But perhaps, there was a spark of humanity in him, a spark that I could fan into a flame.

But that hope was dashed the moment he opened his mouth after literally stripping me naked with his eyes. “Fair enough.”

My mouth literally fell to the ground. What?

I felt a shiver run down my spine as his eyes locked onto mine. There was something in his gaze that made me feel like a possession, a thing to be owned and controlled, but I wasn’t having it.

Derrick's whisper in my ear stopped me from lashing out. "Remember your place, Ariana. Do whatever your new husband asks of you. Any day you fall short, your mother dies."

I glanced at my mother, who stood beside me, her eyes filled with tears. My heart broke, shattered into a million pieces.

Ryker's voice cut through the air once more, his tone impatient. "Hurry up with the goodbye. I haven't got all day."

I felt a surge of tears as I turned to my mother, embracing her tightly. We held each other, our bodies shaking with sobs. It was a painful goodbye, one that seemed to bore Derrick.

"Enough," he growled, his tone flippant. "You'll see each other again, Ariana. Now, go with your husband."

My mother's arms tightened around me, her voice trembling like the rest of her body. "I love you, Ariana. Be strong, my child. Survive."

I nodded, my throat constricted with emotion. I pulled back, looking into her eyes, memorizing every feature. I didn't know when I would see her again, or if I would ever see her again.

Ryker spoke again, his tone doing nothing to hide the irritation in his eyes. "Ariana, let's go."

I turned to face him, my eyes flashing with anger. How could he be so cruel, so heartless? I watched as he turned and walked away, his back to me.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead. I would survive, for my mother's sake, for my own sake. I would endure whatever Ryker had in store for me, no matter how painful, no matter how brutal.

As I followed Ryker out of the house, I made the mistake of looking back at my mother, who was now crumpled on the floor, her body shaking with sobs.

Whatever was left of my broken heart shattered on the asphalt, and Ryker seemed to effortlessly stomp all over it in his expensive shoes.

I slid into the car, moving as far away from Ryker as possible. I couldn't bear to be near him, not after what I had just witnessed. The tears flowed freely, my body heaving, my chest constricting painfully.

Despite the space between us and even the pain in my heart, I could feel sparks dancing along my skin, butterflies erupting in my belly. His scent filled my nostrils, sweet and intoxicating. I was tempted to take another look at him, to see if I could find any trace of the man who had saved me yesterday. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. I was too hurt, too angry.

Ryker's voice cut through the air, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Can you keep quiet?" he growled, long fingers hovering above his iPad. "You're disturbing my peace."

I was shocked, heartbroken. How could someone who had been an angel turn into the devil I was seeing?

I didn't respond, just kept sobbing. The rest of the ride was filled with silence, as I sobbed quietly in my corner till my tear-tank ran out of moisture.

Finally, we arrived at his pack. I gasped, my jaw dropping in awe. I was used to wealth, but this was on a whole other level. The majestic house sat on large acres of land, stretching as far as my eyes could go. It was like a private paradise, hidden from the rest of the world.

Ryker growled behind me. "Move quickly. We don't have all day."

I glared at him. How dare he speak to me like that? I was his wife, not some servant.

He led me through the house, his long strides forcing me to hurry to keep up. I didn't have time to take in the beautiful decor, the lavish furnishings. He moved too quickly, his pace relentless.

We arrived at a large bedroom, and Ryker began to give me orders. "You'll sleep here. You'll eat in the dining room. You'll not leave the house without my permission."

I felt a surge of resentment, my anger spilling over the lid. "You might as well have gotten a slave," I spat, my hands balled in fists.

Ryker's eyes narrowed, his face darkening. "Don't run your mouth again," he warned. "You're different from a slave. Your job is to get pregnant for me. Give me a child. That's why I exchanged you for my precious land."

I was shocked, my mind reeling. Exchanged me? Like I was some commodity, some object to be bought and sold? I felt a wave of humiliation wash over me, followed by anger.

"You...you can't be serious," I stuttered.

Ryker's expression was cold, detached. "I'm very serious. You'll do your duty, Ariana. You'll give me a child, and you'll do it soon."

I felt like I had been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Ryker's voice cut through my thoughts, his tone commanding. "Strip."

I stared blankly at him, and it felt like buckets of ice cold and boiling hot water had been emptied over my head at once.