Chapter 05: Last Chance

MORANA

"What?" Anguish overwhelmed me. He couldn't be serious. A knot formed in my throat, making it hard to breathe as I felt my stomach churn.

No. This must be a nightmare.

"Does this seem fair to you?"

Fair? I felt my eyes start to well up.

"I... I don't think I'm suitable for this." I declared, trying to find a way to escape this nightmare.

"You were raised for this, I think you're more than suitable."

No, please, no. I struggled to control my emotions and prevent tears from spilling.

None of this made sense. I wasn't suitable for Volk, but I would serve as a wife for the king?

"I don't understand... You are the king."

"Yes, but it is Volk who carries the legacy of my family. He needs to ensure a future pure and strong lineage."

Volk cleared his throat.

"Then, I suppose my presence here isn't necessary." He said as if he couldn't care less about everything that was happening.

"Wait." Viltarin requested. "I hope you understand why I'm doing this, nephew."

"Yes, I understand, I'm sure you'll find someone suitable for me."

Suitable? He didn't seem to find me so unsuitable the night before. I couldn't understand him. Why had he saved me if he was so despicable? I felt disgusted for having let him put his hands on me.

"Yes. I'm already working on that. You are only free for now." Viltarin emphasized.

"And about you, will we have a ceremony soon?" Volk wanted to know.

"Yes, however, I want to finalize everything right now. Miss Varagan just needs to sign right here to become my wife." He pointed to a paper on the table.

Now? I felt the knot in my throat grow.

"Then, we'll take care of the rest later." He said, letting his gaze wander over my body.

Later. My body shuddered at the thought. My instincts were telling me to run, to flee, and not look back. But as had been the case all my life, I knew I had no choice.

He was the king, the Alpha, and I was nobody. I couldn't reject him without putting my life at risk.

"Morana?" He called me.

No choice.

I took a deep breath, swallowing the knot in my throat, before moving towards the table. In the end, I always knew this would happen. This was my fate and I needed to accept it.

Stopping in front of the table, I picked up the pen next to the paper and leaned over to sign my name at the bottom of the sheet.

When I finished, I stared at my name on the paper. It was done. There was no turning back.

Viltarin held my chin, making me look into his blue eyes. His touch was enough to make me shudder.

"My queen." He said, making my stomach twist even more. "I have to leave now, but I will be back tonight. I'll have someone take you to get to know your new home better."

My new home. I nodded, trying to swallow all the horrible feelings.

Volk cleared his throat, reminding me he was still in the room.

"Let me be the first to congratulate you, uncle." He said, approaching to hug Viltarin.

As he embraced him, his gaze focused on me, as if he finally acknowledged my presence, but this time there was no indifference in his look.

No. I recognized that look all too well. It was the same look he had given me the previous night, the same look that was enough to stir something inside me, leaving me restless.

His amber eyes stared at me as if they carried a secret or promise that something was coming.

---

After one of the servants took me on a brief tour of part of the castle, I was accommodated in one of the rooms. The entire place had a somber and lifeless atmosphere, which perfectly matched my current state.

Any hope I had completely disappeared. I was resigned, had accepted that my fate would be even worse than I imagined, and I no longer had the desire to cry or to escape. All I felt was an immense emptiness.

It seems my challenge from now on would just be to survive. To survive this night and all the nights to come. This would be the most difficult because the mere idea of Viltarin's touch was enough to make me consider the idea of ending it all.

I couldn't eat or do anything for the rest of the day, I just sat on the bed in front of one of the windows, watching the mountains, trees, and fog outside.

In the late afternoon, as the sky began to darken, I felt a darkness growing within me, a mix of the worst feelings, anguish, hopelessness, despair, resignation, and apathy.

I was still in the same position when someone

knocked on my door. I imagined it was someone bringing dinner, before realizing it was already night and it could be him. My husband.

A knot formed in my throat as I tried to force my body to move. Gathering strength, I got up and dragged myself to the door, but I was surprised when I opened it.

Volk.

Without waiting for an invitation, he suddenly entered, making me step back and closing the door behind him.

"What are you doing?" I asked, staring at his back.

He turned and when his gaze met mine, it was full of apprehension.

"I just need to be sure this is really what you want." He said as if choosing each word carefully.

What?

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused.

"You never wanted a marriage. You didn't want any of this. Am I right?"

How did he know these things? And why was he doing this?

"Why does it matter?"

"I need you to tell me that you want this, even if there's another option."

Another option? His words only made me even more confused.

"There is no other." I declared, still not understanding his intentions.

"I need you to tell me. Just tell me this isn't what you want."

"It's too late for that." I thought aloud, at the same time wondering why he was so tense.

"Not if there's someone who can help you. But we don't have time, I need to be sure of what you want."

What was he trying to do?

"Why are you doing this? Is this some kind of game?"

Maybe he was trying to set me up against me.

"I just need you to tell me that you would choose to leave if you could, or maybe I'm wrong, and you prefer to stay and be the queen." He probed.

Was he trying to help me? It didn't make sense.

"Why would I trust you?"

"Because this is your only chance and after tonight, after he takes you, I won't be able to help you anymore because you'll be his. Is that what you want?"

"No." The words escaped instantly.

He nodded, seeming relieved.

"Then I can help you escape, but that means you have to leave as far away as possible, to a place where he can never find you, because if he finds you..."

"I understand."

"We have to go now, we don't have much time."

I hesitated. I didn't trust him at all. Not after seeing the way he acted, with such indifference. As if he agreed with everything his uncle had said as if he agreed with it all. And now he was trying to help me? Why?

Turning, he went back to the door and opened it slightly, checking the corridor.

"Are you ready?" He asked, turning to me.

I wanted to go. To flee as far away as possible, but I was afraid of being deceived. I had no way of knowing what his true intentions were.

"I don't..."

"This is your last chance." He warned, making it clear that I needed to make a choice.