03

Every beauty needs her beast to protect her from everything but him.

-N.R. Hart

"I'd rather die!" I spat, backing away from River who growled angrily, his eyes dark and murderous.

He gripped the chain that locked onto the metal collar he had put around my neck and pulled me back with a strong yank, causing me to fly backwards straight into him. I didn't want to test his strength again, as just one yank made my neck burn and my entire body fall back as if I were as light as a feather. Damn, he was incredibly strong. This only succeeded in both scaring and pissing me off even more.

My back hit his hard chest as his hands snaked around my wrists, gripping them. "Wrong answer." He snarled into my ear before turning me around to face him. His breathing stayed unsteady as his nostrils continued to flare. The beautiful blue was nowhere to be seen in those orbs of his, this managed to scare me. I knew he was close to losing it as his body shook and his grip was tighter than ever. River snarled at me, his sharp fangs revealed as I began to tremble in his grasp. He roared out with an impatient temper when I failed to respond, causing the room to shake as if an earthquake just grew angry and decided to take it all out on the palace.

Guess he was throwing a big tantrum. Being a prince and all does that to you. He was a man that was used to getting everything he wanted.

"You're gonna go along with the betrothal whether you like it or not, slave! And you are attending the gathering tonight." He loosened his grip on my wrists and hesitated to leave for a second, his eyes becoming pained. Finally, he let go and left the room in just a few strides, while I lowered onto the floor, tears building up in my eyes. I had no choice, I would eventually have to marry him whether I liked it or not.

I stayed seated on the floor, my body shaking with full blown anxiety. I clutched my hands tightly to stop the shaking and squeezed my eyes shut.

Flashes of the fire and my family pierced through my head. Wincing, I clutched my head and screamed out in pain. My family was dead because of him. And that alone tore me apart from the inside out. It was now my reality. Even if I had escaped, I'd have no home to return to.

No one to turn to.

Anger began to take over as it boiled up in me and I slowly stood after screaming my pain out. He would pay for my family's deaths.

"I hate you!" I shouted with all my might and slammed my fist against the hard wall, narrowing my blurry eyes. I squeezed them shut again as a fresh set of tears made their way down my cheeks and I hugged my hand to my chest when it started to burn.

But luckily, it didn't feel broken, just bruised.

I just wanted my family back.

That's all I wanted.

But I knew deep down I'd never see them again. No matter how much I wished and screamed for them.

They weren't coming back.

*

I held Autumn's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze as we sat at the large dining table. The Queen and King sat at the ends, while unfortunately the princes sat across from us.

Hawk arose from his seat and made his way around the table to where me and Autumn sat. Once he stood near enough to Autumn, he offered his hand and gave a low growl when she didn't take it. She looked terrified to death, her face paling, as she reached out, shakily taking his hand. She knew she shouldn't disobey a dire wolf, especially when he growled. We all learned that the hard way, sadly.

I watched them dance and silently stood, it was pointless being here. He hadn't even offered to dance with me. But I guess that was a good thing, since that gave me a good chance to leave.

Luckily, River hadn't seemed to notice, he was all too busy being surrounded by flustered servant girls, it was like watching vultures circling your catch. I ignored the thought of him being mine and made my way towards the exit. Well, at least I was free for a little while, though I knew that freedom wouldn't last long.

Grasping a wine glass along the way, I hurried out of the ball room right as they announced the Royal dire wolf family to dance with their beloved partners.

Crud.

Maybe if I quicken my pace, I'll make it far enough from the ball, so that River wouldn't find me in time for the stupid dance.

Quickly walking down, the dark hall, I made my way around the corridor only to pass a guy who began to stagger after me. The strong smell of alcohol hit my nose, so I instantly picked up my pace, hoping he would give up and return to drinking whatever nasty alcohol he had gotten drunk off of.

Turning my head, I looked over my shoulder to see if he was still following me but grew confused and frightened when he was nowhere to be seen.

Slowly, I turned my head back around and was met by his pitch-black gaze. A startled cry left me, and I stumbled backwards after instinctively hitting him on the head with the wine glass, as the shards of glass shattered against his head, I watched the smirk on his face grow.

"I like feisty."

His voice was hoarse and turned into a deep growl, causing shivers to run up my spine. And they weren't the good kind either. Suddenly, with inhuman speed, he gripped my arm tightly causing me to cry out again in pain and shoved me up against the wall, his mouth going straight for my neck. I sobbed aloud as he began to nip and suck, I could feel the tips of his fangs scraping along my skin. He was able to make small cuts on my neck with each scrape of his fangs, while his hands roamed my body. My cries soon echoed down the hall as I writhed against him, but I was no match for his strength.

He growled, clamping his hand over my mouth when he realized I was making too much noise.

"Shut up!"

I continued to squirm and kick, despite my actions being rendered useless against a werewolf. "What a beauty you are huh? Well, don't worry sweet cheeks. You'll be mine soon." He slurred out and chuckled as he flashed his fangs ready to bite down on my neck. But before he could take a nasty bite out of me, a deadly roar stopped him just seconds before he was going to land the fatal blow.

The power radiating off a furious figure that approached, caused the man to scramble away from me, sobering him up immediately as fear overcame him. I stiffen at the noise and slowly glance at the person who made the noise, and there stood none other than a furious River.

His eyes were a pitch black, his fangs bared, and his fists clenched. All of which was never a good sign. Within a matter of seconds, he had the guy held up against the wall by the throat, "She's mine!" He growled out loudly, causing a scene as a few guests from the ball peeked out from behind a wall to see what was going on.

The man's feet dangled above the floor as River held him up and kept him pinned against the wall. He began to beg as River let him slump down to the floor, before he didn't hesitate to grasp both sides of his skull and snap the drunk's neck, leaving him to fall limp on the floor.

The price of touching a dire-wolfs slave or mate was instant death.

But I hadn't known this and watched in fear as River killed the man with just his hands. He did it so easily as if taking a life meant nothing to him. Like he was accustomed to do it every day, which was probably true. His eyes soon returned to its normal blue as he sent me a glance, his fingers snapping which sent a few men to enter the hall and carry the limp body out. A few slave women followed them in and began cleaning the mess. This has become a routine for them, hasn't it? I questioned fearfully to no one, but myself after realizing how quickly and robotically the group worked.

Without saying a thing, River fixed the cuffs on his suit and grasped my hand, taking me back into the ball room where his brothers and my friends danced. He acted as if nothing happened, as if he hadn't just killed someone.

I earned only a harsh growl, not an explanation.

"You should've never left the room, Dove."

Was all he said as he gripped my waist, while our right hands joined together, my left on the other hand trembled against his chest. It rested there because I was too short and couldn't reach his shoulder even with heels on. He seemed to notice, his lips forming a teasing smirk, despite my frown and trembling body. I didn't know whether to hit him or thank him. He did technically save me, but also committed murder in the process. So, I was drifting between throwing up, screaming, and showing my 'gratitude.' I hated that he was right in the first place, I shouldn't have left. Now that whole intense scenario was practically all my fault.

I managed to glare up at him, despite my heart beating wildly in my chest and dark thoughts, but a sudden gasp left me as I felt his hand slither down from my waist to my bottom.

He leaned forward, satisfied by my reaction.

"You're in deep trouble, little Dove."