Chapter 12
Her mind churned, caught between disbelief. and fear. She tried to imagine her future, tied to a man who was little more than a stranger, a shadow cloaked in rumors and mystery. The tales of his ferocity, his cold–blooded nature, painted a picture of someone she could never connect with. And if even half the stories were true, what could she expect from him? Ruthlessness? Dominance? An iron grip she couldn’t escape?
How could my parents think this was right? she wondered, her thoughts spiraling into darker corners. Her father’s words echoed in her mind–the only one powerful. enough. But she couldn’t shake the images the rumors had conjured: of an ugly, scarred man hidden beneath a mask, of a leader who ruled by fear alone. She felt like prey about
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to be thrown to a predator, one who might find her inadequate and cast her aside… or
worse.
But there was something more, something that lingered in the back of her mind, pricking at her like a thorn. What if he’s not what he seems? The question was absurd, and yet it nagged at her. She knew her parents, knew the sacrifices they had made for her. They had promised her strength and stability, yet here they were, placing her life in the hands of a man known as a monster. Why would they do this if they didn’t believe in him?
Her wolf stirred uneasily within her, pacing just as she was, the restless, frustrated energy coiling through her. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want to be bound to a man she didn’t know, especially one with a reputation as black as Kyle’s. But another part of her, smaller, quieter, asked, What
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choice do I have?
Sylvia sank into the chair, her fingers curling into fists as her mind circled back to one thought: the weight of her family’s bloodline. It had been her burden since she was born, and now it had led her to this.
Her
Her parents had been willing to sacrifice everything for her, to conceal their heritage, even to give up their own. dreams. Now they were asking her to trust them, to accept a mate they believed could finally bring her the stability she’d never known.
But could she trust them? Could she trust
him?
Curiosity. Despite herself, she found her mind returning to the question, repeating like a heartbeat. Who is this Alpha King? If he was as powerful as they said, perhaps he
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was more than the stories claimed. Perhaps he was more than a ruthless killer.
But even as the thought took root, another voice in her mind whispered a darker possibility. What if the stories were true? What if he was exactly the monster she feared? Her wolf shivered at the thought, a low growl rumbling within her, uncertain and
wary.
She closed her eyes, trying to steady her racing heart. Soon, she would meet him, this man who held her fate in his hands.
And when that moment came, she would face him with the strength she had fought so hard to build, even if that strength was only a facade. She would not let him see her fear, her uncertainty. She would meet him on her own terms, Alpha King or not.
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Her hands clenched tighter, her resolve hardening. If this Alpha King was willing to have a mate bond with her, then she would face him with all the courage her parents had instilled in her. No matter what lay behind the mask, no matter the truth of his face or his past, she would not shrink away. She would show him that she was no weak mate to be cast aside.
As the moon climbed higher in the sky, Sylvia sat alone in her room, the stillness of the night thickening around her. She could feel the weight of the future pressing down on her, a heavy, unbreakable chain. And yet, in the darkness, a glimmer of defiance flickered within her, a spark that refused to be extinguished.
She might be bound to the Alpha King, but she would not be cowed by him.
