THE LYCANS PREY

MARRIED TO THE KILLER IN THE WOODS

Chapter 4(Married to the Killer in the Woods)“You think I care about your damn feelings? You are getting married to him; that's final!” my father bellowed, his voice leaving no room for argument.I bowed my head, tears racing down my cheeks. I had no say in this; my opinions weren't allowed. I had tried to refuse, but all I got was a slap from my father.“You are useless in this family. At least prove your worth!” I could still hear his voice ringing in my mind. The night was going to be a long, depressing one.My eyes shifted to my white silk gown on the wardrobe. My wedding was the next day. Everything had happened so fast.I curled up, my lips quivering. I never wanted to get married—at least not like this. I wasn't going to let their damn decisions affect my life. I had one thing in mind: run away.I knew how crazy it was to run away from the Lycan Alpha the night before my wedding. But do you know what's crazier? Getting forced to marry someone I disliked everything about.I stifled my sob, throwing my legs off the bed and standing on my feet. Never would I get married to him. Never!I walked over to my backpack, slipping my hand into its arms and swallowing hard. I traced my steps to the silver mirror that hung on the wall, staring at my puffy eyes.“Stay strong, Emma. Stay strong,” I whispered to my reflection, my voice trembling.I stole a glance at my room one last time before slipping out of the window. The cold wind of the night tousled through my hair, a sign of freedom… or so I thought.I walked on the tarred road, my vision a little blurry. After a while, I felt uneasy, as if I were being watched. I twirled around, my eyes scanning the streets for any sign of life but saw nothing.The street was dark, poorly illuminated by the rays of light from the streetlight. It was still and silent.Maybe the thought of being watched was stuck in my head. I exhaled, calming my mind of all the worries.I couldn't help but wonder if this was actually the best decision or if I was just being a coward. Regardless of the thoughts that crept in, one thing was clear: I wasn't returning home, nor was I going to get married to Davon.Just as I was about to turn to a familiar route that led to the northern part of the country, I felt a hand grab me from behind, its grip firm on my arms as if trying to squeeze the life out of me.“Let me go,” I cried, hot tears racing down my face. I struggled to break free but was too weak.Suddenly, everywhere turned dark. I felt like I was suffocating; it was clear that I was masked. I could hear the purring of a car’s engine.“Where are you taking me?” I cried, my voice cracking. All I got was silence. I was already exhausted, tired of crying. If they wanted to grant me peace, they should just kill me. After all, my life didn't matter… not anymore.A few hours later, I was dragged out of the car forcefully. I was too weak to resist. The blindfold was taken off my face, and my jaw dropped, sweat beading down my forehead as I stared at the face before me.“D… Dad,” I stammered. How the hell did I get back home? I looked at the people who had abducted me and realized that they were the border guards.You’ve got to be kidding me.In response to the words I said, my father's hand collided with my chin, the pain stinging my skin. I stumbled backward, tears forcing their way out of my eyes.“You dare run away from home?! You are supposed to be the Alpha's wife!” he spat, gripping my arm tightly.“Do you understand what this means for the family? For the pack? You will not disgrace us by running away like a coward!”It was all about their happiness, nothing about me. I dared not speak a word, the taste of blood from my lips lingering on my tongue.My mother heaved an audible sigh, walking to the border guards.“Thank you for bringing her home. We will take it from here,” she said dismissively, watching them leave.I was dragged into the sitting room like a rag doll, ready to face what awaited me. Just to make sure I was safe and not having any silly ideas, my father locked me up in a basement. I sat in the corner of the dark room, doing what I knew how to do best: drenching my body with tears and cursing myself.I tried to will myself to sleep, but escape the reality of what lay ahead was impossible. My mind was racing, unable to settle down. I just wanted to wake up and be told that this was nothing but a nightmare.How was I going to live with the thought that I was getting married to a murderer? Why was I meant to suffer like a nobody?Dear Luna goddess, please grant me this one request by taking my miserable life away.The night passed without a twinkle of an eye. I was brought out of the basement and led to my room. The royal makeup artist did some makeup on my face as I prepared to get married to Davon.“Emma, come here,” my mother barged into the room, her face pale. The ladies that were dressing me retreated to give us privacy.She kissed me on my chin and whispered into my ear, “Don’t ruin today for us, okay? Try running away, and you will be dead.” She smirked, raising her head and walking out of the room.What other death was she talking about? I have died a thousand times!I walked down the aisle, a white veil covering my face, my legs trembling. I was told a veil is used to cover the beauty and show the innocence of a bride during her marriage. Well, I think they're all wrong.Mine was used to cover the pain I was passing through, the regrets that were written on my face—the disappointment, the fear, the hatred, and the bitterness.My palms grew wet as I stared at his huge physique, the red roses I held shaking as my hand trembled.My gaze swept across the crowd gathered, a smile on everyone's faces… except Emily's. Wasn't this what she wanted too?I tried hard to avoid staring at my groom as I knelt before the elders with him, my breath coming in short, labored gasps.Zed, the most feared elder, began addressing the crowd. I couldn't hear him clearly; the only sound I heard was the violent pounding of my heart.My mouth grew sore, my eyes shifting as I stole a glance at him. The moon shimmered on his grey hair, his face bowed to the earth. Despite how calm he looked, I could still see arrogance in him. This was hell; I wasn't sure if I would survive this matrimony.Then, the words I dreaded the most escaped the lips of Zed.“You may now unveil your… Luna,” he said, retreating to his seat.My tongue dried up, my eyes widening as he raised my veil. I could see a reflection of my red eyes in his pupils. He leaned close, his lips burying in mine, the crowd cheering.After a while, he broke free, staring deep into my eyes and whispering in a cold tone, “My Luna.”