A Bright Dawn

The pack could whisper all they wanted. I had made my decision. And I was going to keep to it.

Tonight I was going to head to Bright Dawn and stay with Venice and her pack for a while before figuring out what next.

Elias’s voice haunted me, his commands, his lies. All the promises he made were nothing but empty words. He had chosen appearances over the truth, power over loyalty. There was nothing left for me here but pain.

“Seize her”

Elias’s barked an order behind me and I froze in my tracks. My stomach dropped as I turned slowly.

He was leaning against a pillar, his posture as casual as if he were watching a game.

“You have to let me go,” I said, my voice breaking as I spoke out.

A muscle in his jaw ticked, but he didn’t budge. “You’re not leaving, Selene.”

“I am,” I shot back, trying to sidestep the guards blocking my path.

But they were faster, their huge frame cutting me off with ease. Before I could make another move, he raised a hand, and they tried to hold me.

“Don’t touch me!” I snapped, but they didn’t stop. Rough hands grabbed my arms, holding me in place. I thrashed against their grip, but it was no use.

Elias closed the distance between us. His eyes burned into mine, his face tense as he spoke. “You will not embarrass me tonight. Do you have any idea what it would look like if the Alpha’s mate ran away on the night of the bonding ceremony?”

I glared at him, forcing my voice to stay steady. “You care more about your reputation than you ever did about me. I won’t be paraded around like some ornament for your ego, Elias. Let me go.”

His gaze softened for a split second, a flicker of hesitation that almost made me falter. But then, just as quickly, his mask slipped back into place. “You’re not thinking clearly,” he said, his tone almost patronizing. “This is the bond speaking. You don’t really want to leave.”

I laughed bitterly. “The bond? You destroyed that bond the moment you lied, cheated and spat on our union. Don’t pretend to care now.”

The words hit him like a slap, but he wasn’t giving me up. He turned to the guards, his voice cold and authoritative. “Take her to the room and lock her in. She doesn’t leave until the ceremony begins.”

“No!” I yelled, struggling against the guards as they dragged me away.

I turned my head, shouting over my shoulder. “You’ll regret this, Elias! I will never forgive you!”

He didn’t respond, didn’t even look at me. His eyes were just staring at the floor, deep in thoughts, but he said nothing.

The guards pushed me through a side door, my boots scrapping against the stone floor as I kept resisting, but it was no use. They were too strong.

We stopped in front of a small, dimly lit room. Without ceremony, they shoved me inside. I stumbled, catching myself against the cold, bare wall as the heavy door slammed shut behind me.

The sound of the lock clicking into place brough reality to my eyes, but I refused to let it show. I turned to face the door, pressing my palms against it as if I could will it open.

“This isn’t over,” I muttered, a part of me losing hope.

But the hallway beyond was silent, the guards’ footsteps fading into the distance. I was alone.

The room was small, with only a narrow cot and a barred window letting in the faintest light from outside. I squeezed myself to one edge of the room, my hands trembling as I clenched them into fists.

My wolf stirred within me, restless and angry. She hated this as much as I did, but there was little comfort in that shared fury.

Elias wanted me to know that I couldn’t run away from him. Message passed.

I didn’t know how, but I would find a way out.

For a moment, I tried to bask in the silence and listen for any sounds.

I heard one instantly.

A loud knock on the door, startling me.

My head snapped toward the door, my heart pounding. For a moment, I thought it might be Elias, coming to gloat or perhaps to demand some forced apology.

Instead, the lock rattled, and the door creaked open.

My maid, Maria stepped inside, balancing a tray with a plate of food. Her face was calm, almost neutral, but her dark eyes betrayed her. I knew something was up.

She closed the door behind her and approached me, setting the tray down on the cot with a bit more force than necessary.

“Maria,” I began, confused, “how did you—”

She cut me off with a sharp whisper. “My Queen, please keep your voice down.”

I blinked at her, taken aback. My eyes darted to the tray—simple bread and stew, nothing out of the ordinary—and then back to her. “What are you doing here?”

She straightened, glancing over her shoulder as if she expected someone to burst in at any moment. “I’m here to get you out of here,” she said firmly.

“What?” I stared at her, trying to process her words. “Maria, what are you talking about? How did you even know I was—”

“I saw the guards drag you away,” she interrupted again. “I sent word to the closest person I knew, Venice as soon as I could. She ordered me to get you out of here by any means necessary.”

Venice. My friend turned sister. The mention of her name gave me hope.

“Rise, my Queen. There’s limited time before the ceremony starts.”

I hesitated, still trying to make sense of everything. Maria had always been loyal, but this? Risking her own safety to help me escape?

She didn’t give me time to question it further. “The food is just a cover,” she said, pulling me to my feet. “We need to leave. Now.”