Chapter 1: Letters of Warning
SERAPHINA
The letter was sealed in blood-red wax, and I knew before opening it that everything was about to go to hell.
"You have received a letter, my princess."
Greta said, dropping the damn thing on my vanity like it was going to bite her.
I stared at it, my pulse hammering. This would be the sixth one in as many months, and each one made my skin crawl more than the last.
I ripped it open, not bothering to be careful with the seal.
"The destruction of the Lord of Misery is drawing close. He is destroying every pack, every land, which has made his sweat turn to blood, and he would have the heads of your pack. Each and every one of you and your land might be next.
Adieu, Bird Whisperer."
My hands clenched around the letter, crumpling it. I stared at myself in the mirror—white hair, silver eyes, a face that looked too much like my mother's. A princess who was about to marry a man she hated to save a kingdom that might already be doomed.
"Who sent this?"
I asked, not looking at Greta, who had stopped fixing my corset gown—the one that felt like it was trying to suffocate me.
"It was sent through the dragons, like it has been for the past six months."
She whispered, her hands smoothing out the creases in my dress.
I turned to look at her, which made her stutter and step back slightly.
"Whoever this Bird Whisperer is has been sending these letters for six months, and yet nothing's happened. The Lord of Misery has been attacking lands, packs, entire kingdoms, and yet he hasn't touched ours. You think he's just playing with us? Making us sweat before he strikes?"
I questioned, staring at the crumpled letter. But Greta stayed quiet, her hands still fussing with my gown.
"The letters have been coming more often this past month, but you shouldn't worry. We have dragons. The moon goddess blessed us with them—they can protect us. And your marriage to Adrian will make us unstoppable. We can defeat the Lord of Misery with our dragons, with Adrian's men, with your father's authority. Our land will be the last one standing."
She whispered, her eyes shining with hope and courage—enough to make something in my chest tighten.
I wanted to believe her. I really did.
But I'd learned a long time ago that hope was just another way to get your heart ripped out.
I let her finish with my hair, then grabbed the letter and shoved it in my pocket. I needed to show Adrian. Needed to make him understand that whatever power grab he was planning, it didn't matter if we were all dead.
I walked through the castle halls, my steps quick and determined. I could hear them before I saw them—the crack of whips, the screams of slaves being punished for god knows what.
My heart clenched. The sound made me want to throw up, but I kept walking. I'd promised myself that once I married Adrian, once I had some actual power, I'd stop this. All of it.
The slavery. The torture. My father's twisted games.
I just had to survive the wedding first.
I stopped in front of Adrian's door—huge, mahogany, expensive as hell. The last thing I wanted was to see him, but I didn't have a choice.
I took a breath and pushed the door open.
And instantly regretted it.
Adrian was fucking two whores. All three of them naked. One riding his cock like her life depended on it, the other sitting on his face while he ate her out like it was his last meal.
Disgusting.
But I wasn't surprised. I'd caught him like this a dozen times. My future husband, the man I was supposed to spend my life with, couldn't keep his dick in his pants for two seconds.
Our wedding was in two days, and he was here doing this.
"OOOhhh yessss, just like that... ride that cock... oohhhh my god..."
"Yessss my king... your cock is so fucking good... ohhh yesss..."
"Eat me... oohh god... you're so good at this..."
Their moans filled the room, getting louder when they saw me standing there. They knew I was watching, and they didn't give a single fuck.
I'd had enough.
I walked to the table, grabbed the bell, and rang it so hard it practically screamed.
They froze. All three of them. Heads snapping toward me.
Adrian's eyes found mine, his jaw clenching. His hands were still on the whore's waist, and his eyes darkened with anger. Mad that I'd interrupted his fun.
"Do I need to tell you the show's over, or are you going to keep embarrassing yourselves?"
I said, my voice calm but cold enough to freeze water.
The whores scrambled off him, grabbing their clothes and practically running out of the room, bowing as they went.
Leaving me alone with Adrian and his still-hard cock.
Fucking disgusting.
"Interrupting my session is uncalled for, Seraphina."
Adrian snarled, climbing out of bed. He walked toward me—completely naked, slow and predatory—and stopped just an inch away, towering over me.
"We have a wedding in two days, but you're fucking whores. Don't you have any shame, Adrian Bateaus?"
I whispered, forcing myself not to look down at his dick, which was way too close to my stomach. But he just chuckled, the sound making my skin crawl.
"You want me to fuck you instead? I don't mind. Even though this marriage is just duty to our fathers, I'd be happy to turn you around, press you against that wall, rip your dress off, and fuck you from behind until you're screaming. Trust me, you'd enjoy every second of it."
He finished, his eyes shifting between black and gray as he smirked at me.
I bit my tongue, fists clenching. Everything in me wanted to slap him across his smug face.
"The Lord of Misery sent another letter. We need your men here today to protect my pack. You need to hold up your end of this deal."
But he just laughed. His eyes dropped to the letter in my hand, and he snatched it from me. His face went serious as he read it, then he walked to the fireplace and threw it in.
The paper caught fire, red ink bleeding across the edges like blood.
I glared at him.
"How dare you burn that. I was going to give it to my father."
I snarled, but he just walked back toward me.
"I'm going to be the new alpha of two packs. I make the decisions. Not your father."
He snapped, and my eyes widened.
"You're not alpha of anything until you marry me. And I'd rather fuck a slave than fuck you, Adrian."
The words came out before I could stop them.
Big mistake.
His mouth crashed against mine, shoving me against the wall. His hands grabbed my ass, making me gasp—which gave him access to shove his tongue in my mouth. His kiss was rough, demanding, everything I hated.
His hands moved to my breasts, squeezing and rolling my nipples until I let out a moan I tried desperately to stop.
He pulled back, his cock pressing against my stomach—thick and hard. My eyes watered with disgust and something I refused to name.
I hated myself for feeling anything at all.
When I looked up at him, his eyes stared into mine with pure hate.
Then his hand wrapped around my throat, squeezing until I couldn't breathe.
"I fucking hate you, Seraphina. You've turned my world upside down in the worst way. This marriage means nothing. I'll fuck everything in sight just to remind you that you mean nothing to me. You're just an obedient whore when I need you to be. And once we're married, I'll take everything—your dragons, your pack. And after I kill Draven Gravestone, I'll kill your father too. And anyone else who gets in my way."
He shoved me to the floor.
I hit the ground hard, breathless, shocked.
Not believing what he'd just said.
But knowing, deep down, that he meant every word.