CRESSIDA'S POV
My world—or what was left of it—had fallen apart. My hands trembled in fear, and my voice came out like a croak.
"No," I whispered, staring back at my stepmother. "My father would never make such a decree, he would never do that to me."
Lady Dimitri smiled. "Oh, but he did." She stepped down from the throne, walking towards me slowly.
"This scroll proves it, you can check the seal for yourself," she said, handing me the scroll.
My trembling hands grabbed the scroll almost desperately. My eyes scanned the page even as tears blurred my vision, anxious to read the decree for myself.
It was as she said—I was to be sent as tribute to the Lycan Empire and it was sealed by my father's very own royal seal.
"You once said that you would do anything to save this pack," her voice was mocking. "Here is your chance."
I scoffed as I stepped back, the scroll in my hands falling to the floor in a loud clatter. "You must have stolen the royal seal and forged this letter," I said, glaring at her.
"You dare accuse the matriarch of theft and deceit?" Edmund, her glowering son, cut in.
"Oh, shut it Edmund!" I fired back angrily. "Who made Lady Dimitri the matriarch of this pack? She dares to sit on my father's throne when he is still alive and now she presents this fake decree for all of us to accept?!"
The elders remained silent. Even if they questioned the validity of the scroll, they needed it to be real—if it was, it would be the pack's redemption.
"If you really think I am lying, then prove it," Lady Dimitri said with a casual shrug.
I scoffed again, feeling my hands tighten into fists. "You are right, there is no point arguing with you."
With that, I turned away from them and ran.
My father's chambers were guarded but no one stopped me.
I burst through his doors angrily, already thinking of how I was going to report Lady Dimitri.
"Father, I—"
My words trailed off as my eyes landed on his body. His eyes were closed and the rest of his body had been covered completely.
His eyes did not open at the sound of my voice. His body didn't even twitch.
Anxiously, I rushed to his bed, yanking off the bed cover. "Father?! Why are you not moving? What is going on?"
I shook and tapped him but he did not budge.
Was he—No, it couldn't be.
I put my ear over his chest and almost collapsed in relief when I heard the light sounds of his heartbeat.
He wasn't dead—not yet.
"Your father's illness has worsened," Lady Dimitri suddenly said from behind me.
I turned to her, as rage filled my bones. He hadn't been like this when I had left him this morning, she must have done something.
This evil witch must have hurt him.
"You witch!" I screamed out rushing to her in rage. "What did you do to him?!"
Just before I could reach her, guards surrounded me, blocking my access.
"You keep blaming me for everything that goes wrong in this palace."
"That is because I know exactly the kind of person you are," I screamed angrily.
She only smiled. "Look princess, I know we have had our differences, but I did not worsen your father's illness. It was bound to happen. The pressure of the impending war only hastened it."
Her explanation was as stupid as that decree.
"So how did he get the strength to issue that decree and conveniently become unconscious?" I asked in disbelief.
She only shrugged. "I suppose it was his last wish."
Anger flared in my chest before I could think. I pushed past the guards pulling out my dagger from my heeled boot, about to strike her—when a guard struck the dagger away from my grasp and kicked me to the ground.
I fell to my knees, the dagger clattering beside me.
"Take her back to the Royal Court," Lady Dimitri instructed in a bored voice as tears ran down my face.
I allowed them to drag me away, my eyes locked on my father's unmoving body, hoping that he would manage to defy all odds and open his eyes.
He did not open his eyes.
The guards dropped me in front of the court and my knees crumpled to the ground.
My chest felt tight with anger and I felt too helpless to do anything about it.
"As you have seen, this decree was signed by your father," Lady Dimitri began again.
I shook my head, refusing to accept it. "You stole his seal and forged that decree."
"But you cannot prove it," she said coldly.
My eyes snapped up to her immediately, turning around to see that the rest of the elders heard what I just heard.
But the elders remained silent, their heads lowered.
She sat on the throne again, her cold eyes seeming to soften. "You have a choice in this, Cressida, no one is forcing you to do anything."
A choice? My breath hitched.
"You may reject your father's proposal and choose not to become King Alessio's bride, but if you do, Stormhaven will have failed to repay its debt and this pack will fall, the enemy will break through and seize our lands. Our people, the very pack you swore to protect will be enslaved or worse, executed."
Bile rose in my throat as my lips trembled.
"And you…" Lady Dimitri continued. "..you will live, knowing you could have stopped it."
Her words were cold like a knife digging into my skin, but they were true.
This wasn't just a choice.
It was an execution and I had to decide who was truly worth saving.
****
Alicia pulled me into her arms as soon as I walked back into my chambers.
"I am so sorry," she whispered, rubbing my back.
I stayed silent, biting my lower lip like I was afraid to cry.
"I can't believe that they are making you do this," her warm eyes searched mine. "There has to be another way, maybe you can send a messenger and buy the pack time or—"
"What if the enemy doesn't accept? What if I can't buy us time? What if the border is invaded and you end up losing your family?" I asked her and her eyes fell to the floor.
My father's words kept resounding in my head like a warning. I have failed this pack…I have failed you.
I could not fail.
It had been so easy for me to promise to protect our people and now it felt like an impossible decision.
I had to choose between my life, or theirs.
My mind drifted back to the oath I had sworn as heir, the decision I had made under the moon to protect this pack with my life if the need ever arose.
My eyes locked on Alicia's. How many would die if I chose myself?
Even if Lady Dimitri had manipulated everything, sacrificing myself was the only real solution to saving this pack.
"They will not take Stormhaven," I said quietly.
Alicia looked stunned then heartbroken. "Cressida…"
I removed my hands from hers and wiped my tears. "I will accept the marriage."
She looked horrified. "You will die."
"Yes," I whispered shakily.
Everyone knew what happened to the Black King's brides.
They never survived his mate's bond.
I turned to the darkening sky outside my window, biting my trembling lip.
"If this is the price, then I will pay it."
With a final glance out the window, I turned to the door, ready to announce my decision.
"Stormhaven will live even if I don't."
Alicia broke down in tears as I walked out of the room, knowing I had just signed my death sentence.