Chapter 11
The air around me felt stifling as I looked at my mother, her eyes alight with a strange mixture of excitement and satisfaction. My heart pounded erratically, and my voice trembled as I finally managed to ask, “Who is he?”
“Alpha King Damon,” she said softly, her tone reverent. “You are going to mate with the Alpha King”
The name hit me like a hammer, my entire world tilting on its axis. Damon, the Alpha King–his name alone carried enough weight to make even the strongest shiver. I tried to process her words, but they sat heavily in my mind, refusing to sink in. Damon. The Alpha
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King. My mate?
I opened my mouth to protest, to say something–anything–but the words choked in my throat. I’d heard the stories, the whispers about him that flowed through every pack like a haunting legend. He was ruthless, a conqueror feared by all. The thought of being bound to someone like him filled me with an icy dread that settled deep within my bones.
“Mom, are you serious?” I managed, my voice barely a whisper.
Her smile widened, as if she’d just told me something wonderful. “Yes, Malinda. The King himself. He’s the only one who can match your bloodline–the only one powerful enough to stabilize it.
JJ
I shook my head, struggling to understand.
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The only one powerful enough… I knew what she meant, but it felt like a betrayal wrapped in honor. My parents wanted me to be with a man I had only ever feared, a man whose name was a threat whispered in warning to children. This was supposed to be my future? My fate?
Before I could question her further, her expression shifted, her eyes glazing over briefly. “Your father just mind–linked me,” she murmured, her voice distant. “I need to go.”
“Wait! Mom, I-” My hand shot out to grab hers, desperate for some reassurance, some explanation, but she simply rested her hand on my shoulder and gave me a comforting
squeeze.
“Everything will be fine, darling. Trust me.
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And with that, she was gone, leaving me standing alone in the silence.
The room felt cold, oppressive, as if her absence had sucked out all the warmth. My heart pounded as the reality of her words weighed on me. Alpha King Damon. Ruthless. Unforgiving. Deadly. The image of a brutal conqueror, a warrior with a trail of blood behind him, filled my mind. His very presence was rumored to send warriors cowering, his name evoking fear in every corner of the realm.
The thought of him made me feel like prey, cornered and defenseless.
I sank into the nearest chair, my mind whirling with questions and doubts. How could my parents possibly think this was a
good idea? How could they think hinding me
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to a man so feared would give me stability, strength? My mate was supposed to be my equal, someone who would understand and cherish me, not a killer in whose shadow I would be forced to cower.
Every whispered story I’d heard about Damon replayed in my mind. It was said he hid his face behind a mask, that his appearance alone was so terrifying that even those closest to him refused to look him in the eye. The idea that I might be bound to a masked monster made my skin crawl, and a sick feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.
But a small, treacherous thought wormed its way into my mind. What if he’s not what he seems? It sounded absurd, and yet… My parents wouldn’t do this without reason,
right? They had always promised that I would
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be safe, that they would ensure my bloodline was protected. But now, they were placing me in the hands of a man whose reputation was soaked in violence.
My wolf stirred uneasily within me, a low growl rumbling in her chest, mirroring my own frustration and fear. She didn’t want this any more than I did, didn’t want to be tied to a stranger cloaked in rumors and mystery. And yet… I couldn’t deny the faint tug of curiosity lingering beneath my fear.
Who is this Alpha King? What lies beneath the mask, beneath the stories?
My mind warred with itself, torn between the tales I’d heard and the faint hope that perhaps, just maybe, Damon was more than the monster everyone claimed. But even that hone felt foolish like grasping at shadows
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hope felt foolish, like grasping at shadows. The reality was, I was about to be bound to a man who had likely never shown kindness to anyone. What could I possibly expect from him? Mercy? Understanding? No, Damon was feared for a reason.
I rose from the chair, feeling restless and trapped. My feet carried me around the room as I paced, trying to calm the storm inside me. My parents had always valued strength, stability, and power. That much I understood. But choosing him–this ruthless king–as my mate? It felt like a betrayal, a sacrifice I hadn’t agreed to.
Still, as I thought about my family, about their legacy, I felt a reluctant acceptance creep in. My bloodline had always been my burden, a weight that had defined me since birth. If this
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was what they believed would keep it secure, then what choice did I have? I had spent my entire life trying to live up to their
expectations, to be the strong daughter they needed.
But Alpha King or not, I would not meet him as some submissive pawn in his game. My fear and uncertainty might weigh heavy on my heart, but I wouldn’t let him see it. If he was truly to be my mate, then he would see me as an equal. No matter what lay behind his mask or what dark past he carried, I would not let him control me
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