The Howls Of His Love

CHAPTER THREE

The mansion's marble floors gleamed under chandeliers that dripped with crystal, but the air was cold and empty. The laughter that once filled these halls was long gone, replaced by strained silences and my father's sharp commands.

"I can't marry him. Maybe if you spent the last money we have on investing instead of shopping, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Blood. Mettalic and salty tasted in my mouth as my head snapped to the side because of the slap my mother gave me.

My mother's slap brought it all rushing back—Astra's laugh at the edge of the cliff, the sound of her shoes skidding on loose rocks. I'd replayed that night a thousand times in my head, but the ending was always the same: her body, lifeless at the bottom.

The slap came out of nowhere, leaving my cheek stinging and my ears ringing. For a moment, all I could do was stare at her, shock battling with the rage boiling in my chest. My wolf growled low, furious at the humiliation, but I forced her down. Not now, Cassie. Not yet.

"I will not marry him. I will not be the one to sacrifice my happiness for your mistakes. I am done atoning. I am done, so find another scapegoat because I am exhausted from carrying this family's burdens."

I was born to give Astra blood because of her disease. Wolves rarely had disease because we healed faster but this one was a curse from a witch. I wonder how they pissed off a witch. We never got along with the other creatures but at least they didn't go around cursing people. My use was to serve Astra so when she wandered to a party instead of staying at home with me, it was my fault.

"How dare you!? You have to marry him! Stop being stubborn! If Astra was here she would never say such!"

"Well, she isn't here, father."

"Because of you!" My mother's voice sounded in my ears almost making me deaf.

They never cared for me, so what was the point of all this? They were serving me up to be killed because there has never been a wolfless Luna. They would kill me and.... It fell into place. And Nesta would be the one to mate him. It all made sense.

Taking a deep breath, I made a decision. Wow. This was my worth.

"If I find an investor for your company, you will grant me emancipation from this family in every aspect. I won't be a Silver any longer and won't stain your name further."

To be honest, I had thought about this since I turned 18, two years after Astra's death when the abuse was at its highest but I waited 6 years because Astra wouldn't want that. That was what I thought. Astra would want me to stay and protect Mother but I couldn't anymore.

My older sister loved me but just like our parents, I was just a tool for her.

No one spoke. My mother blinked.

"Why would you say-"

"Deal. You want to be emancipated, find an investor and you only have 24 hours." My dad's cold voice overshadowed my mother's.

"Wilson, you cannot be seriously considering this! If she wants to be a child then you shouldn't egg her on!"

"She is not a child, she is twenty-four and capable of making her decisions! You have 24 hours Decker-Chloe to find an investor, if not you will marry Lucas Dawson and there will be no excuses!"

24 hours? That was insane. The words echoed in my mind, twisting like a knife: "24 hours." My hands trembled as I tried to steady myself. How could he demand this? Was this his plan all along—to watch me fail and fall in line like the obedient daughter I was never meant to be

"How do you want me to find an investor in that short period!? You are setting me up to fail. This is unfair!" I protested.

My father smiled wolfishly, "I don't care. Do you agree?"

"Done," I said, though the word tasted bitter on my tongue. My father's wolfish grin told me everything I needed to know: he thought I'd fail. Maybe he was right. But I'd rather crash and burn than let him win

"You don't have to do this, Chloe. Just marry Luke. Please." she pleaded, her green eyes swirling with a thousand unfamiliar emotions.

We were different, my mother and I. I had golden eyes and fiery red hair while she had platinum blonde hair. Instead of her soft features, I inherited sharp ones that commanded attention.

"It's too late for her to change her mind, Amy. Let her go." My father said dismissively, sitting back down on the plush couch to sip tea.

As I left the mansion, the question raked my mind: "Where would I find an investor on such short notice?"

"You can marry me instead." The rich baritone voice rang in my head.

"We could try it, Decker." my Wolf said, her restlessness piercing through me or was it mine? Just remembering him, did things to me.

"No." I shut her down. I didn't know where we would go so I just drove around the city, trying to forget everything that happened.

It was all too much. How the f**k was I to find an investor? I should have studied business administration if I knew it would have come in handy.

Something was off. Something didn't feel right and I didn't know what. It was pushing me, tugging at my brain urging me to find some peace but how could I find peace when I didn't even know what made me uneasy?

I blinked and I found myself in front of the same hotel. How did I get here? It was like I was being pulled back here and I didn't know why.

I got down from the car and I froze when I heard someone. "Hello, Princess."

His voice sent a shiver down my spine, low and smooth like velvet brushing against my skin. Cassie growled in approval, her excitement making my chest tighten.

No, not now. Not him.

"You," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same, Princess." His smirk was maddening, but it was his eyes—sharp and stormy—that unraveled me

"Were you looking for me, Princess?"

"You! How did you know I was here?

"I smelled your scent." He said, a little too smugly. I could feel Cassie growing restless. He was standing way too far, so I took a step forward before I remembered myself.

What the f**k?

"It took you long enough, mate."

His presence was magnetic, pulling me in despite the wall I had built around myself. My wolf stirred, her voice almost a whisper now: "Mate."

The word reverberated through me, breaking apart every defense I had left. No. Not now. Not him. But as his stormy eyes locked with mine, I knew there was no denying it.