chapter 1

 Prologue 

As I walked to his house, I had sweat dripping down my armpit and hands. I had never been this nervous. I thought of what will become of me if Cadel vented his anger on me. I knew it wasn't in my place to interfere but I just couldn't sit back and watch her be killed. I just couldn't. It wasn't her fault anyway. She was a child who knew nothing about laws and rules of the land. 

When I got to the door and was about to knock, I heard a voice and I froze. 

"Come in" a voice growled from the inside. I stood for a while before recognizing that it was none other than Cadel's voice. How he knew that I was at the door surprised me. I took in a deep breath and walked in. His Chambers was as beautiful as the last time I saw it. I have only been to his room since we got here, two times. And on those two times, it didn't end well, at least from my end. I walked in and saw him leaning on a wall, drinking liquor. Cadel, as I have come to know, never drank unless he had something brewing on his mind. And what scared the shit out of me was that he was doing that, because of me. I waited for him to speak but I heard nothing from him. Just at the moment I was about to ask him to speak, he said a word that made me want to run, without looking back. 

"Strip." 

"What!?" My heart stopped beating but somehow I was still breathing. "You heard me," he said with a bored look on his face. 

"But sir, I…." my eyes were on the floor as I protested.

"But what?!– he snapped– You said you would do anything to be in her place." he said, taking a sip of his drink. 

"Yes I said so.." he cuts me off. 

"So you lied?" he turned to face me. His facial expression was getting scarier. On a closer look he looked angry. 

"No I didn't. I meant it when I said so but I..." I look at my feet and back at him. 

He took a step towards me, not breaking his stare. I had a strong desire to take a step back but I can't seem to move my legs, but finally I do. He stared at my feet and smirked. 

"Then you do not know what the word' anything' means" he took another step closer. "I do"I say in a whisper. I move too 

"No you don't" Another step towards me. He is closer now. I can perceive his scent. 

" I really want to make it up to you. I really do" I babble. As he takes another step, I take one back but I find out that I am against his bookshelf. Now I am cornered. I look up to find him watching me. He leans in more, in such a way that I only have to look at him. 

"You know she committed a crime and the punishment is death" he said looking into my eyes. I swallowed hard. 

"Yes I know what she did was wrong but she's only a child" I said. 

"Child?!– he sneered the word like it disgusted him– that is only a mere excuse to commit crime" he said. "But I am ready to let her live if you do what I say"

"What?" I whisper. Not that I don't know what he was talking about. I just can't bring myself to say those words. 

"Simple. Strip." He said as he left me to go to his liquor. 

I open my mouth to talk but no words come out. He has rendered me utterly speechless. 

"I'm waiting" he said as leaned on the table watching me. I squirm at his scrutiny. I try to give my self some pep talk. Slowly but quietly I lift the Hem of my top. I toy with a loose strand of clothing but that is where it ends. I can't do it. 

I just can't. 

"Please Sir, have mercy" I begged. Before I know it he is standing right in front of me. It almost gives me a heart attack. He looked into eyes like as if he was searching for something and I immediately looked away. There was something about his eyes that made me weak. And the more I looked, I felt some sort of electricity run through me. It made me have thoughts that I shouldn't be thinking of in the first place. It felt like 

he held an unknown power by his stares. He used the tip of his finger and titled my face towards him. 

"Don't you dare, look away when I'm talking to you" he growled. I didn't need anyone to tell me otherwise. Cadel never wasted his words. 

"Mercy? — he continued — you don't know me girl" he said. As I stared longer at him I then realize that his eyes are cocoa brown. They were the most beautiful pair I have ever seen but there was something else. His eyes held no emotion. They were as cold as snow. I willed myself to not look away because this time, my actions would come 

with consequences.

Suddenly I noticed I was still holding the Hem of my top. I looked up to have him staring at the Hem of my top. I knew what he was thinking and if I didn't act fast, I would be without clothes. Immediately I made for the door, he gripped my hands and within a twinkle of an eye, he had ripped me off my top. 

"No! Sir please stop!" I begged. Suddenly I heard an inaudible gasp from behind. I turned around eyes wide. I wondered what he had seen to make him gasp. I ran immediately to his dresser and there I saw a mark. the mark that a werewolf gets when in the presence of his/her mate. 

Was. His. Mate.