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Chapter 2: And So She Meets Him

The walk down the stone steps never seemed so long. Each click of my heels feels like a step towards my death. My mother keeps a tight grip on my hand, releasing her pheromones at will to keep me calm. Each circle of light from the candles draws me closer to my fate like golden will-o-the-wisps. We get to the last step and I pause. The sudden stop forces my hand from my mother’s and she turns to look at me. I stare at the closed, wooden door and feel sweat erupt on my palms and my upper lip. I sit on the step and pull my knees to my chest. A million thoughts race through my mind, none of them a comfort. I’m only 20 years old! I have things I want to achieve! What about my friends? What about my life? Does none of it matter? Was I only born to be sold and bred like cattle? Why do I have to suffer for the sins of my mother? This isn’t fair. IT’S NOT FAIR!

Heat washes over my body and I cannot stop the change once it happens. Fur escapes my skin and my spine bends to the will of the wolf. The dress falls from my body and my limbs twist and crack into an unnatural shape. I can hear distant voices and some sort of commotion, but all I can think of is being free. The wooden door is open and there is a room full of people surrounding me. I let out a howl so loud it shook the ground and burst through the room and out the front doors. I hear people calling my name, but I refuse to turn around. I can’t. Going back means sealing my fate. I catch a familiar scent on the wind and I instantly turn towards it. The woods are dense and dark, the moon hidden behind clouds. But I know the way. The path the scent is leading me is so familiar that I do not even need to pause in my tread. I burst through the treeline and I stand, human and naked before a glowing lake and a man I did not know.

His hair is long and darker than the sky above us. His eyes are slanted but wide. They glow yellow and stare at me curiously. His smell, honeysuckle, and summer mist, fill the air around us. I am enveloped in the scent like a warm blanket and I find myself walking slowly towards him. He is wearing dark pants and a turtle neck, but I can see his toned body beneath the fabric. He is built like a protector.

“Mine.” The word escapes my lips in a whisper and I reach to touch his chiseled face. I want to brush those long lashes with my fingertips, feel his smooth peach-toned skin, and be embraced by those strong arms. I am inches away. I can feel his heat on my palm. He grabs my hand and pushes me away, keeping me at arm's length.

“Chan-Il, hold her there!” I hear someone shout and I am brought back from the spell this man had cast on me. I try to pull my hand away, but he has a vice grip. I hear footsteps approaching rapidly and I look around for something to cover myself with. Heavy fabric falls over my shoulders the same scent that lured me here flows around me. I feel a belt tighten at my waist and before I can process that my hand is free, he has me again.

“Don’t move. It seems you’ve already made things more difficult than they have to be.” His voice is deep and velvety. I can hear the annoyance underneath the pleasant sound and I want to hear him speak more.

“Who are you?” I ask. He looks at me again and a small smile touches his face.

“Not yours, that’s for sure.” He spins me around and I am faced with a crowd of people breaking from the trees. My mother, father, stepfather, and siblings lead the group. There are mixed looks of anger, fear, and outrage. Behind the panicked, angry looks of my family, I see the distinguished, calm gazes of the Ryeok leaders and their vassals.

“Anissina, what do you think you are doing?!” My father demands. His voice echoes around the clearing with the authority of an Alpha and I shrink away from his rage. He is a hulky, muscled man with dark brown skin. His hair is neatly dreaded and falls just short of his waist. He walks over to me and the man, Chan-Il. Though his pheromones surround us, Chan-Il is relaxed and meets his gaze calmly. My father stands almost an entire foot taller than him and he gazes at him as though they were the same height. Alpha and Alpha locked in an unintentional battle of wills. My father maintains eye contact with Chan-Il and pulls me roughly away. Chan-Il lets go, almost reluctantly, and I am ushered towards the awaiting group. I am forced to my knees in front of an elderly gentleman who resembles Chan-Il a bit. His hair is streaked with silver and he has a full beard that is neatly trimmed. His eyes are not as wide, but they have the same slant and glowing yellow hue. There is a hint of amusement in his gaze as he stares down at me.

“Lord Ryeok, I apologize for my insolent daughter. It seems she has gained more than just her mother’s looks.” The scorn in his voice wounds me and I see my mother flinch from the corner of my eye.

“It is quite alright, Lord Fairley. Let the child stand. All of this must have been too much for her.” I am guided roughly to my feet and pushed into my mother’s arms. She begins to fuss over my appearance and hastens me behind a bush to put me into a much simpler gown. Her lips are pursed into a thin line meaning she is extremely stressed. I can hear whispers as the group waits for me to be presentable again. My stepfather stands as far from my father and Lord Ryeok as he can, making himself seem almost smaller. A clear sign of submission. My stepfather is no dwarf by any means. He can look my father in the eye and maybe even win an arm wrestling match with him, but his pheromones are weak and he cannot change at will. He could never be more than half an Alpha. Submission will be his only option for the rest of his life. How he managed to snatch a Luna and live, I will never know.

My mother tugs me back into the fray and grips both of my arms tightly. A beautiful woman with chestnut brown hair and a willowy frame stands in front of me and gives me a calming smile. Her eyes burn like melted honey. She smells of burning pine and roses. There is a threat in the scent she sends towards me. “Run again and I will kill you” is what it seems to say.

“It is natural for a young woman to fear the prospect of marriage. Especially when she is marrying for money.” The woman steps closer to me and puts gentle hands on my shoulders. “However, as Luna, we must conquer our fears. Or risk being slaves to them. Never forget your honor, if you wish to share a title with me.” I can feel her power push into my skin and I almost shrink away from it. My wolf, however, refuses to take that step back. My spine straightens and I meet her gaze calmly. I can tell she is a Luna to be reckoned with and backing down would be a mistake.

“That’s enough Ha-Rae.” Lord Ryeok says. She releases me instantly and returns to her spot at the old man’s side. She rests her head against his shoulder and my stomach turns as I realize she is his Mate. She is no older than I am and he is older than my father. Lord Ryeok must have seen something on my face. He chuckles and places a gentle hand on Ha-Rae’s hip, “One never knows when they will find their true Mate. Some go their entire lifetimes without ever meeting them. I just met mine a little late.” He places a kiss on top of her head and the love I see pass between them makes me regret my thoughts of disgust.

“My apologies,” I say softly.

“None of that, you will be family soon enough.” He chuckles. He motions for someone to come forward and from the darkness of an oak steps a younger man with silver hair. He is tall, slightly willowy but with clear muscles beneath his gray shirt. His strides are long and sure, not a moment's hesitation in his steps. He stands in front of me and I am greeted with the smell of fresh turned earth and morning glories. He is handsome and his gaze is steady. His eyes are two different colors, one is yellow and one is a pale blue, the color of crystal. His smile is kind, but something inside of me screams at me to get as far from him as I can. My hair stands on end and if it weren’t for my mother’s grip on my arms, I would have bolted again.

“This is Chan-Yung, my youngest son. He will be your husband.” Lord Ryeok declares. Chan-Yung extends his hand to me and I recoil violently enough to cause notice. My mother digs her nails into my skin and I wince, slowly regaining my composure. I see a hint of anger in Chan-Yung’s eyes and I force myself to take his hand. A violent wave of power crushes into me and my wolf howls with pain. I force myself not to scream out loud as the pain sears my skin and crushes any resolve I have managed to muster. I try to yank my hand away, but his grip is as sure as his brother’s. Tears fall from my eyes and I can see a satisfied smile on Ha-Rae’s face. She is enjoying my pain and fear. My vision begins to swim and I feel myself slowly slipping into unconsciousness. Before the darkness takes me, that smell surrounds me. That heady aroma of honeysuckle and sunkissed mist. The pain slowly retreats to a dull ache and my vision becomes steady once again. I see Chan-Il pulling Chan-Yung’s and my hands apart. Once the contact is broken, the pain stops completely.

“I think she gets the point, Yung-a.” He says softly. Chan-Yung glares at him, but Chan-Il’s calm expression never changes. After a moment, Chan-Yung composes himself and puts his smile back into place.

“My apologies, Anissina. My temper gets the best of me sometimes. I will be a kind husband to you. I promise.” He takes my hand again and places a soft kiss on my knuckles. There is no pain this time and I find myself relaxing bit by bit. I try to convince myself as we all walk back towards the manor that I will be fine. I walk side by side with Chan-Yung, but I can feel the heat of Chan-Il behind me. If he is there, I may be able to handle my new life. As we prepare for our departure, my mother’s voice echoes in my head:

“Be smart. Don’t make my mistakes.”