CHAPTER 1

            —Prologue—

As I gazed at my reflection in the mirror, I couldn’t hold back the tears welling up in my eyes. Today marked the day that I would be taken by the king’s guard to meet my selected spouse, Alpha Hawthorne. 

It wasn’t the prospect of meeting him that troubled me, but rather the unsettling rumors surrounding him. Whispers from several of our former palace maids painted him as a heartless leader, viewing women as mere objects for his pleasure.

The tales of his devilish nature and cruelty made my heart skip a beat, and the realization that I was about to marry the very man I dreaded sent shivers down my spine.

Just then, the door swung open, and I saw my step-sister, Lily, glaring at me with cold eyes from the dressing mirror. Her yellow gown accentuated her curves, and her golden hair was braided elegantly with a yellow bangle adorning her wrist. She wore her signature glossy red lipstick while holding a yellow hand fan, seemingly obsessed with the color.

“Get ready soon, Father is waiting downstairs and the royal escorts will be here at any moment.” She informed while I corrected.

“Your father.”

To my surprise, she didn’t display annoyance or any emotion at all. She glanced around the room before storming off, slamming the door behind her.

Memories of my father flooded my mind – he had tragically died with a broken neck in an accident. My mother, left to raise me alone, eventually found love again and married my step-father. At first, I believed he would be the perfect father figure, but everything changed with the birth of my step-sisters, Lily and Lila. 

My step-father’s love for them overshadowed any care he had for me, and his resentment grew further when my mother passed away, and he inherited her possessions. I became a mere slave in my own home, and he even attempted to send me away, but the councilmen, considering my parents’ high position, forbade him from doing so.

After several years of waiting, an opportunity arose when Alpha Hawthorne sought a Luna, his destined soulmate. Despite the lack of any bond between us, I was chosen to marry him, even though I wouldn't be able to shift into a werewolf until I turned twenty, four months away. For now, my sense of hearing was the closest resemblance to a werewolf trait.

Soon, I stood up and walked toward the door. Taking In a deep breath, I twisted the knob and walked out of the room, heading down the stairs. Descending the stairs, the weight of everyone’s eyes on me made me feel nauseous.

Alpha Hawthorne, sitting opposite my stepfather with a leg crossed over the other, emanated an aura that made my heart race, threatening to make me stumble and break a bone or two. His eyes had this magnetic feeling, like they were drawing me closer to him.

Everything about him was appealing. His eyes, his muscular build, his fashion sense and calmness. He stared at me with a smile on his face and it seemed to ease my tension. He looked like a man who was happy after being separated for a very long time, from his wife. I tried to smile to conceal my unease and gloominess.

Soon, I was down to the last stair and walking toward my stepfather, I kept my eyes on my selected spouse. I inclined my head and took a seat. However, my stepfather appeared displeased with my behavior and felt the need to apologize on my behalf

“Forgive her manners, my lord.” He apologized on my behalf and I could sense nervousness in his tone.

Surprisingly, Alpha Hawthorne took no offense “No offense taken.” He replied and to be frank, I felt even more drawn to him.

Maybe he wasn’t as malevolent as the stories portrayed him to be. He glanced at my stepfather, then back at me, introducing himself.

“I’m Alpha Hawthorne.”

“Aurora, my lord.” I replied and he smiled. His smile was warm and reassuring. I could notice from the corner of my eyes, as my properties were being taken out by the maids and some of his guards.

He stood up. “Then we should get going. “ he said as he extended his hand, which I took and stood up as well. I stole a glance at my step-sisters and my, do they both have terrible acting skills?

Their act of sadness over my departure appeared pathetic, as I knew they were more than eager to watch me leave and be gone from their lives.

Exiting the building, we headed towards one of the three vehicles, and Alpha Hawthorne led me to the second one, opening the passenger door for me. As I settled in, he closed the door and walked to the other side.

Sitting beside me, he ordered the driver to move and soon, the cars began to move out of the small estate. Once we were on the road, I felt my shoulders slump as I stared out the window at the home I had grown up in with my family.

Suddenly, a rough yet gentle hand grasped my chin, and I found myself looking into the eyes of the man I feared the most. His breath caressed my lips, and a spark of connection surged between us as he brushed his lips against mine.

My eyes subconsciously moved toward his lips. I was being tempted to grab him and taking possession of those lips. The temptation to give in was strong as he sucked on them, leaving me almost breathless.

“You will be fine,” he assured me, and I turned away, struggling to comprehend how I could be falling for the man who seemed like a devil. 

As the car continued to drive, I couldn’t help but wonder about the truth behind the stories I had heard about him. What kind of man was he, and was this all a façade to hide his true nature?

These were the questions that I knew I had to uncover the answers to on my own as I embarked on this uncertain journey.

                    —Days later—

 “It seems your ignorance is due to you being new here," I listened to Hawthorne ordering me around as he sat on the sofa. I stood before him like a loyal servant, unable to look him in the eyes, "So these are the rules for this house," he said, handing me a small paper.

"It had only been three days since I was taken by the Alpha to be his Luna, but it became apparent that I had been deceived. I wasn't chosen to be his Luna; instead, it seemed like I was sold off to be his slave, which sadly made sense. Knowing that I wasn't mated to him, I should have realized I wouldn't become his bride.

I took the paper from his hands, and he got up, leaving me to my own thoughts. I cursed beneath my breath, realizing how low I had stooped to fall for him. The rumors turned out to be true, confirming my suspicions. I had been sold off as a slave and a mere object of pleasure for him, expected to work and warm his bed, perhaps even bear his child.

"Do a good job, Aurora," he said nonchalantly before leaving the living room. As I read the contents of the paper, I felt stressed by his precise instructions and sense of perfection.

He instructed me to work with the maids, ensuring breakfast was ready and on the table before he woke up. He even provided a timetable of the food he wanted to eat.

How did it all come to this? I wondered to myself, going through the paper and keeping it in my pocket before starting my tasks.

However, despite being aware of the rules, things only got worse. He was never satisfied with anything I did for him. Every dish I cooked was either too salty or too sweet, and no matter how much I cleaned, there was always a speck of dust or dirt somewhere. He was a perfectionist to the core, which greatly annoyed me, but I had no choice but to comply.

As I prepared a dish, I muttered to myself, wondering what the old maid faced when she was here. The aroma of the dish tempted me to eat it, but I quickly shrugged off the thought and rushed to set the table, placing his dish on it before covering it.

Just as I finished cleaning another room, I heard Hawthorne's footsteps in the dining room. My heart skipped a beat, and I prayed he wouldn't complain about the dish this time. Unfortunately for me, things turned out just as I expected.

"AURORA!" He roared my name, and I rolled my eyes before heading to the dining room. As usual, I received another round of scolding and punishments before he finally left the house."