Arranged To The Beast Alpha
How bad can a honeymoon be?

LEAH

THE NEXT DAY

I took a shaky breath, clutching my sister's arm as I stood by the car. My eyes were still puffy from all the crying I'd done the night before. I wasn't ready to let Sarah go, wasn't ready to see her vanish back to Dad's pack, but I knew she had to. Still, this...this wasn't exactly how I'd imagined our goodbyes to go.

Sarah was the one seeing me off. I mean, who would've thought? I'd expected to help her load up and send her off with our father. But then, this morning, I was shocked-Damian had arranged some kind of honeymoon. Just the thought made my stomach do a strange flip. When Royanna joked about it at the reception, I laughed, thinking she was just joking around, but no. My bags had been packed last night.

I wanted to talk to Damien, ask him if he'd really set all this up, maybe even argue about it, but he'd barely looked at me this morning, much less given me a chance to talk.

He was off doing whatever he does best-avoiding me, probably. The only person I'd managed to get a word in with was Andy. I asked her to look after Sarah and keep her company while I was gone. Knowing Andy would be around was a comfort, but it didn't take the sting away from what I was feeling now.

Sarah pulled back and signed to me, "I'll come by when you get back. Father promised."

I couldn't help but sigh in relief. For once, I hoped Dad could stick to his word. I leaned in, pressing a kiss to her forehead, her familiar warmth grounding me even as everything around me felt like it was spinning. "Take care of yourself, okay?" I said softly before slipping into the car.

Through the window, I kept my hand up, waving as the engine roared to life. I watched Sarah standing there, her face slipping further and further away until I could barely make her out. My heart felt like it was being pulled in two different directions as we pulled out of sight.

Leaning back against the seat, I felt a weight settle over me. A honeymoon. I didn't even know what that meant for us. Was this supposed to be some kind of fresh start? A romantic getaway? Or just a weird tradition Damien felt obligated to follow? Whatever it was, I had no control over it. I was just along for the ride.

"Is this really necessary?" I blurted out, taking a glance at Damien's stoic face.

He didn't reply; he just relaxed on the chair and closed his eyes. I felt like a fool for asking.

Eventually, the car wound its way down quiet roads lined with towering trees, finally arriving at a secluded penthouse tucked into the edge of a dense, untouched part of the pack's land. It was beautiful and peaceful in a way that felt almost unreal, like a dream. For a moment, it was easy to just take it all in, to let the surroundings calm the storm churning inside me.

When we stepped out, two attendants greeted us warmly. Their smiles were polished and professional. I tried to smile back, but I wasn't sure I managed much more than a half-hearted twitch of my lips. One of them guided me toward the master suite, but I noticed Damien veer off in the opposite direction without a word. A part of me wanted to go after him, but what would I even say? So I just let him go.

Once in the room, I wandered over to the floor-to-ceiling glass wall, looking out over the lush greenery. Birds with feathers in all shades of brilliant color flitted around outside, diving through the leaves like they didn't have a care in the world. It was...soothing, in a strange way, like a balm easing something I didn't even know was hurting

I yawned tiredly; I barely slept a wink last night. My bed was right there, huge and inviting, and without thinking, I let myself collapse into it. The world outside faded, and with it, my racing thoughts finally slowed down. Sleep tugged at me, warm and comforting, pulling me under before I could even think to fight it.

******

I woke up to the mouthwatering scent of food-a feast of savory, warm dishes laid out like I was some kind of royalty. Steak, potatoes, and a mix of other rich, buttery aromas wafted through the air, calling me to the table. I didn't need any more persuasion; I slid out of bed, the comforter falling away as I shuffled over to the food and settled in. The steak was perfect-juicy, with just the right amount of seasoning and I was taking my time, savoring each bite.

But then, in a split second, the peaceful calm shattered-literally. The sound was sharp, a high-pitched crash, and before I could even register it, the glass wall exploded.

Shards flew everywhere, and I froze, my fork hovering in midair as an arrow embedded itself deep into the table right in front of me. The shock hit me like a punch to the gut. I jolted, falling out of my chair and hitting the floor hard, my heart pounding in my ears. My body felt like it had been doused in ice, and panic clawed at me, pressing down on my chest like I could barely breathe.

"Oh, Goddess," I whispered, the fear so thick it was hard to swallow. I knew it was an attack, knew someone was out to kill me, and all I could do was curse them, curse them, and curse my father for putting me through this phase of life. More arrows shot through the broken glass, slicing through the air and crashing into the walls, tearing up the room like it was nothing. I had to get out.

Move, Leah, just move! I tried to crawl, my hands shaking as I pulled myself toward the doorway. But just as I started, another arrow-this one flaming-landed close by. The flames spread quickly, licking up the curtains and sparking on the carpet. Within seconds, the whole room seemed to be alive with fire, smoke curling up around me, thick and suffocating.

I could feel the heat searing my skin, the sting of it so close I could almost taste it.

My mind spun with desperation was this it? Was I really going to die like this, burned alive? No, no, I couldn't let it end like this. I forced myself to my feet, ignoring the way my skin screamed in pain, and I stumbled toward the door. Flames singed my clothes, the heat blistering patches of my skin, but I managed to throw myself out of the room, crashing through the doorway and into the hallway.

My body throbbed with every beat of my heart as I staggered down the stairs. "Damian!" I called out, my voice rough and cracking, but there was no answer, only the heavy silence pressing in on me. Panic was flooding my veins again, making it hard to focus, hard to breathe.

Just then, a sharp pain ripped through my shoulder, and I gasped, feeling the sick warmth of blood dripping down my arm.

I looked down to see an arrow embedded in my flesh, my hand instinctively clutching at the wound as tears blurred my vision.

Everything started to dim, to close in around me like the world was spinning away, and in that moment, memories came flooding back-snapshots of my life, everything that had brought me to this twisted point.

And then I saw him. A huge, menacing figure standing at the bottom of the stairs, a bow in his hand, his eyes cold and fixed on me, like he was here to finish the job.