The morning arrived without mercy. Rhea woke before the first light touched the pack house windows, her body stiff from a night spent staring at the ceiling beams.
Sleep had never come. Instead, she had replayed every detail of the treaty, the dress waiting for her, the hall full of watching eyes that would turn her life into a public performance.
Her stomach twisted into a tight knot, and her throat felt scraped raw from the silent screams she had swallowed all night.
She sat up slowly and reached for Kael's coat, pulling it over her shoulders even though the room was already warm. The familiar scent of pine and smoke was almost gone now, just a faint whisper against her skin.
She held it close for a moment, as if it could anchor her. A soft knock sounded at the door. Her mother slipped inside without waiting for a response, carrying the white dress folded carefully in her arms. "It's time to get ready sweetie," she said in a quiet voice that cracked slightly, she clearly wasn't happy about this either. Rhea looked at the silk draped across her mother's arms.
"I know mother." Her mother placed the dress on the bed with gentle hands as Rhea went to take a long bath, in the bathroom, she felt like drowning herself but what good would it be for anyone.
Once she came out of the bathroom, her mother stared at her with teary eyes, "The pack is already gathering outside. They all want to ride with you to the citadel. It's a big day for them."
Rhea stood staring at her mother be scoffed. "It's a big show for them. That's what it is." Her mother's eyes filled with tears. "Rhea, please-" "Don't." Rhea turned her back. "Just help me put it on." She let her towel fall to the floor.
The dress slipped over her skin like cold water, raising goosebumps along her arms and legs. It fit perfectly-high neck, long sleeves, fitted bodice that hugged her ribs, flowing skirt that moved with every slight twist of her body.
There was No veil and no extra embellishments. Just stark, pristine white meant to symbolize peace between two warring peoples. What a bummer! Atleast if they were going to marry her out so quickly, why not adorn her properly? Her mother fastened the back with trembling fingers.
When she finished, she stepped away and whispered, "You look beautiful darling." Rhea turned to the small mirror on the wall. The reflection showed a woman in white silk, hair loose and dark down her back, skin glowing against the fabric, eyes sharp and defiant. She looked striking-tall, strong-shouldered from years of patrols, curves softened only by the dress's clean lines.
She touched the wolf pendant hidden beneath the high neckline. The rough wood rested warm against her chest, a secret piece of home no one could take.
"I look like a sacrifice," she said flatly. Her mother wiped her tears away from the cheeks. "You're saving us all." Rhea didn't respond. There was nothing left to say. She had nothing to say to her mother! Her mother knew how much she hated bloodsuckers but allowed this happen!
Outside, the pack waited in the courtyard. Horses stood saddled and restless. Torin sat at the front on his big black stallion, face set in grim approval. Jiro and Mara rode near the middle, their expressions tight.
Children clutched wildflowers they had picked at first light with wide smiles. Elders wore their best cloaks, gray and green. Almost The whole pack had turned out-hundreds of them-because this was not just a marriage to them. This was the end of war or so they thought, it was the beginning of something that had never happened before.
Her father helped her mount her horse without speaking. His hand squeezed her arm once, then let go. The pack fell into formation behind her as they rode out together. The journey took two hours over familiar trails. At first, silence hung heavy in the crowd.
Then an old pack song started low in someone's throat-words about strength, survival and the moon watching over wolves. Others joined in, voices rising and falling like a tide. Rhea did not sing along, she had no reason to! She kept her gaze fixed on the distant towers of the citadel, watching them grow larger with every step of her horse.
When they reached the gates, the iron swung open wide. Vampire banners of black and silver hung from the walls beside wolf banners of gray and green.
The courtyard teemed with people-pack members mingling uneasily with vampires, guards stationed along the ramparts, servants moving through the crowd with trays of wine and blood-filled goblets. Hundreds had come to witness the spectacle. Elias waited at the top of the steps leading into the great hall. He wore black and red trimmed in silver, the coat buttoned to the throat.
He was taller than she had imagined, broad-shouldered, with sharp cheekbones and a jawline carved like stone. His skin was pale but flawless, almost luminous in the daylight. His gray eyes were deep and piercing, framed by dark long lashes that made them look almost black from a distance.
He was devastatingly handsome-dangerously so-and when Rhea's eyes met his, her breath caught hard in her chest. She hadn't expected him to look like this. She had pictured a monster, cold and withered from centuries. Instead he looked like something out of a dark myth-beautiful, lethal, and completely in control.
She stopped at the bottom of the steps. Her heart hammered once, betraying her. Elias watched her climb. His expression remained unreadable, but his gaze traced the white silk, the way it clung to her figure, the dark hair falling over her shoulders, the defiant set of her chin, it intrigued him a little.
For a second, something flickered in his eyes-surprise, perhaps, or recognition that she was not just a symbol. She reached the top and stopped in front of him. "You're here," he said quietly. "Looks that way." She shot back. He offered his arm. She ignored it.
The priest in gray robes stepped forward, silver chalice in hand. "We begin." The hall doors opened. The crowd filed inside-pack and vampires together, filling the long tables along the sides. Candles burned in tall holders, casting warm light across the stone. Moonlight poured through the high windows, turning the floor silver.
As Rhea and Elias walked down the aisle side by side, the hall grew quieter. Vampires on one side watched the wolves with wary eyes, heads shaking slightly in disbelief, as if they could not quite accept that their prince was marrying a wolf enforcer.
Wolves on the other side stared at the vampires with the same guarded suspicion. Whispers rippled through both sides-murmurs of shock, disbelief, reluctant hope.
This marriage was never supposed to happen. Enemies did not marry. Enemies killed each other! At the altar stood a low stone table holding two chalices, a small dagger, and rings resting on a velvet cushion. The priest raised his hands. "Today we bind two bloodlines," he announced. "Vampire and wolf. War ends. Peace begins." Rhea felt every gaze on her-her pack on one side, Elias's court on the other. The priest turned to Elias.
"Do you, Elias Thorne of the Night Court, take Rhea Blackridge of Blackridge wolf pack as your wife, to share blood, life, and eternity?" Elias looked straight at her. "I do." The priest faced Rhea.
"Do you, Rhea Blackridge of Blackridge wolf pack, take Elias Thorne as your husband, to share blood, life, and eternity?" Her throat closed as no words were able to come out. She thought of Kael bleeding out in the snow, of graves dug too many times, of children who would never know war if this worked.
She met Elias's eyes. Oh! How she wanted to say No! But she couldn't! She was already here! She didn't want to be looked at as selfish by her pack. It was just her life being traded for hundreds and thousands, so it was totally fine, right? "I do." She finally choked out.
The priest nodded. "The bond is sealed with blood." Elias picked up the dagger and drew a shallow cut across his palm and Dark red blood welled.
He let some fall into one chalice. He passed the dagger to her. Rhea took it and She cut her own palm without hesitation.
The sting was quick. Her blood dripped into the second chalice. The priest poured one chalice into the other mixing them properly. The liquid swirled together, having a red-black color and thick consistency. He handed one chalice to Elias and one to Rhea.
"Drink," he commanded. Elias lifted his chalice and drank deeply, eyes locked on hers the entire time. He was stunned for a moment when he tasted the blood, it drove him nearly insane, it was so sweet, the best he had ever had in his life. Even though his boood was mixed in, he could still make out her taste perfectly fine, it got him abit excited. He would get drunk on her blood if he could.
He knew that her scent would be getting other vampires excited right now but he was ready to protect her if need be. Rhea raised her chalice. The taste flooded her mouth-copper, salt, something weird that slid down her throat and settled in her veins. She swallowed every drop with a straight face. Eww disgusting taste, she hated it but didn't express it.
The priest then brought forward the ring. "By blood and vow, you are bound." Elias took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger. Oh no! It felt like she had sealed her fate to something she can lo longer escape.
She slid his ring on in return. The hall erupted with cheers from both sides, clapping, howls from the wolves, sharp whistles from the vampires. Elias leaned in close, his voice low against her ear. "It's done Wife." She looked up at him with stern eyes as she ignored.
Ugh... this man was going to get on her nerves? That would be so inconvenient! The feast began. Tables filled with food and drink. Wine flowed freely.
Blood goblets passed among the vampires. Rhea sat beside Elias. She ate little and drank only water. He did not press her to eat more because she was obviously grossed out by the blood goblets being passed around every now and then, he would've told her it was animal blood but he just decided to keep his words to himself, she clearly wasn't interested in anything he had to say.
Across the hall, her pack mates watched her solemnly. Jiro raised a glass in silent salute. Mara mouthed "We're here for you." Torin nodded once at her, solemn. Her mother wept quietly into a handkerchief.
They wished they could do something but it was already decided. Rhea felt the ring on her finger, the faint taste of his blood lingering on her tongue. Was it compulsory to drink that? It almost made her gag. It was horrible! What the hell do vamps even enjoy in it? She glanced at Elias and cringed hard. Why did he have to be so devastatingly handsome? He glanced back at her but didn't throw her a smile or anything. Neither of them spoke at all.