Fiona's POV

The club was dimly lit and pulsing with bass that vibrated through my chest, mixing with hushed whispers and laughter from people I couldn't see clearly. The mask covering my face gave me something I desperately needed right now: anonymity.

Freedom.

This place was known for its masked events and indulgence in everything considered immoral by polite society. A month ago, I never would have set foot in a place like this. The former heiress of a respected family didn't go to clubs where people hid their identities and did things they'd never admit to in daylight.

But that girl was gone.

I'd spent my whole life trying to be the perfect daughter they wanted. I sacrificed everything I wanted, every dream I had, molding myself into their image of perfection. And it was never enough. No matter how hard I tried, I was always the outsider, the disposable one they could throw away the second their real daughter came home.

Blood was thicker than water. That was the lesson I'd learned.

And now they wanted to marry me off to some stranger, some man who was supposed to be Serena's betrothed originally. They were using me as a tool again, a replacement for their precious biological daughter who deserved better.

Well, I was done being their obedient little puppet.

The vibrant energy of the club pulsed around me as I settled into a secluded corner, scanning the room for a potential companion for the night. If I was going to be forced into marriage with some decrepit man I'd never met, then I was damn well going to make this decision for myself first. I refused to surrender my virginity to a stranger against my will. I'd give it to whoever I wanted, on my own terms.

My eyes roamed the crowd and suddenly locked onto another pair across the room.

We stared at each other through our masks, and something electric sparked between us. Time seemed to slow down, suspended in the tension crackling through the air.

But before I could even process what I was feeling, an unwelcome hand snaked around my waist with a touch that was all too familiar.

My heart lurched.

I turned to confront whoever had the audacity to grab me like that, and the scent of his cologne hit me like a tidal wave of memories I'd rather drown.

Nathan.

My ex-mate stood there with a mask covering his face and a cocky grin that made my skin crawl. Despite the disguise, I recognized him instantly.

I almost scoffed out loud and blew my cover right then and there. The irony was almost laughable. Here he was, the same man who'd broken my heart for my sister just hours ago, claiming it was all about love and destiny and other absolute garbage, and now he was at a masked party hitting on random women.

The thought crossed my mind to call Serena over and expose him for the scumbag he really was. But then a wave of gratitude washed over me instead.

Gratitude that we weren't mates anymore.

Scumbags belonged with scumbags. And I deserved so much better than the likes of him.

"Are you here alone? Would you like some company, beautiful?" His voice dripped with fake charm that made my stomach turn.

I scoffed loudly, unable to hide my disgust.

The fact that he didn't recognize me beneath this mask, even though I'd known him instantly, just proved how one-sided our relationship had always been. He'd never really seen me at all.

I refused to dignify him with a response because speaking would give away my voice, so I ignored him completely and pretended he didn't exist.

But he kept pushing.

"Do you not hear me? I am speaking to you." His tone turned harsh and annoyed.

I stayed silent and got off my chair, determined to find another spot far away from him.

But before I could take more than two steps, he seized my hands with brutal force and yanked me back hard enough to make me wince.

"Who the hell do you think you are, ignoring me like that?" he spat, his anger radiating off him in waves. "Dressed like a whore and acting like some noble lady? Do you even know who you are giving this stupid attitude?"

His words sliced through me but I kept my mouth shut, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response that would reveal who I was.

I tried to pull away again but he grabbed me by the waist, his grip tightening like a vice. I struggled against him, panic rising in my throat as I fought to keep my mask in place.

His fingers inched toward my face, reaching for the edges of my disguise.

"You think you're invincible, hiding behind that mask, right?" he sneered, venom dripping from every word. "Let's see what happens when it's off. You'll never be able to work anywhere again, never live peacefully once I get to know who you are. I'll make sure of it. You slut-"

Before his fingers could touch my mask, his body was suddenly ripped away from me.

I spun around and found the stranger I'd locked eyes with earlier now standing between us like a wall. In one swift motion, he delivered a devastating punch to Nathan's face that sent him stumbling backward with a cry of pain.

Blood poured from his nose and his lip split open from the impact. He tried to regain his footing but the stranger stepped forward, his stance radiating barely controlled violence.

"She does not need to speak before you know that she does not want you, you pervert!" The man's deep voice resonated through the room and made me swallow hard.

"Do you know who I am? How dare you punch me? How-" Nathan sputtered, trying to salvage his pride as he scrambled up from the floor. But the stranger towered over him, his build and presence so intimidating that Nathan visibly shrank back in fear.

"That's what I thought. Now, will you get lost before I break your hands too?" The threat in his voice was crystal clear.

Nathan glanced around nervously, realized he was completely outmatched, and started backing away while hurling empty threats over his shoulder in a pathetic attempt to save face.

Once he slunk away into the crowd, the tension finally eased and I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

This stranger had just saved me from a disaster, and gratitude flooded through me.

I turned to face him, wanting to thank him properly, but he spoke first. "You alright?"

I nodded and offered him a small smile. "Thank you so much."

"Oh, so she has a voice. I wonder why she did not use it with that man then, uh?" He referred to me in third person, and despite everything, it pulled a smile from my lips.

"Well, not even my voice deserves to be wasted on certain miscreants, don't you think?" I kept my tone low and laced with sarcasm.

"Hmm, you may be right. But what is a beautiful damsel like you doing in a place like this? Even with the revealing gown, you look out of place here. I can't put my finger on it, but you really don't fit. I wouldn't be surprised if this is your first time."

"Well, it is indeed my first time here," I admitted, adding a hint of mystery to my words. "And I am here on a mission."

"Hmm, are you a spy watching a target then?" His eyes gleamed with amusement behind his mask.

"Not really." I leaned in closer, letting my voice drop to something more alluring. "I'm simply a woman looking for a man to spend the night with."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise and a smirk tugged at my lips as I watched his reaction.

"Why the astonishment? Surely you don't believe women should not be able to enjoy the pleasures of casual intimacy just like men?" I teased, my gaze daring him to challenge me.

He stumbled over his words, clearly caught off guard. "Uhm... no, that's not it. I am sorry if I-"

I chuckled softly and leaned back, enjoying the power shift between us. "Relax, darling. You look so shaken."

His breath hitched slightly and his eyes darkened with something that made heat pool in my stomach. "And have you found what you're looking for yet?"

I met his gaze head-on and let a sultry smile play across my lips. "Not quite."

I leaned in closer and let my fingertips trail lightly across his arm, feeling him shiver under my touch. "But I have a feeling," I murmured, my breath warm against his ear, "that you could help me with that."​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Fiona's POV

Darkness surrounded me when I opened my eyes, and every inch of my naked skin was still humming from what we'd done hours ago.

The stranger beside me was a dark silhouette in the shadows, breathing deeply in sleep while my heart raced with the memory of his hands on my body.

We'd kept our masks on the entire time. I refused to show my face and he seemed just as determined to stay anonymous. But even behind the disguise, even in pitch black darkness, something about him had felt achingly familiar, like my soul recognized his even though we were complete strangers.

I needed to leave before he woke up.

Moving as quietly as possible, I gathered my clothes scattered across the hotel room floor and got dressed with shaking hands. Every small sound made me freeze, terrified he'd wake and see me sneaking out like some guilty criminal.

Once I was dressed, I pulled some cash from my purse and left it on the counter. Payment for services rendered, I guess, though calling it that made my stomach twist uncomfortably.

My hand was on the doorknob when doubt crashed through me. What the hell was I thinking last night? Sleeping with a masked stranger hours before my forced wedding?

But there was no time to regret it now.

I slipped out and ran down the hallway, finally ripping the suffocating mask off my face.

That's when my phone exploded with sound.

"Where the hell are you, you ungrateful idiot?" My mother's voice was pure venom through the speaker. "Today is your wedding and you dare sleep out? Are you out of your mind? Did you forget what happens to that precious nanny of yours if you run away from marrying that useless cripple?"

Ice flooded my veins.

"Oh my God!" I slapped my forehead so hard it stung. "The wedding!"

I hung up and bolted down the hallway like the devil himself was chasing me.

Hours later, I stood in front of a mirror wearing the most hideous wedding dress I'd ever seen in my life.

It was at least two sizes too big, hanging off me like a deflated balloon. The cheap fabric looked like it came from a discount bin and the whole thing screamed "we don't actually care about you at all."

They'd done this on purpose. Sent me an oversized monstrosity to make sure I looked as pathetic as possible on what was supposed to be the most important day of my life.

"Why are you in that hideous wedding dress?"

Hannah's voice made me spin around. My best friend stood in the doorway with her jaw hanging open in shock and fury blazing in her eyes.

"Don't tell me you're actually going through with this insane bullshit your parents cooked up!"

"Hannah!" Relief crashed through me and I threw myself at her, hugging her so tight I could barely breathe.

When I finally let go, the words poured out in a desperate rush. "I don't have a choice! They threatened Lolo. You know she's the only person who actually loves me in this world. She raised me when my parents couldn't be bothered. And now she's dying in that hospital and they're holding her treatment over my head like a weapon."

My voice cracked. "If I don't marry this man, they'll stop paying for her care and she'll die. So yes, I'm going through with it, even if I have to marry some bastard I've never met."

Hannah's face crumpled and she pulled me back into her arms. "You deserve so much better than this, bestie. You really do." Her voice was thick with sympathy. "But since a life is on the line and your parents are cruel enough to use it against you, I guess you don't have a choice. Good luck, Fiona. I can't exactly say happy married life when this whole thing is a nightmare."

Before I could respond, my mother's shrill voice pierced through the room like nails on a chalkboard.

"Will you get your fat behind out of that room already, Fiona? Do you think we have all the time in the world? Spending so much time in there acting like some Cinderella!"

I exchanged a look with Hannah and sighed. "Coming, Mom!"

"That's not a mom, Fiona," Hannah whispered as we headed for the door. "That's literally a witch!"

Despite everything, I laughed. "If only she had a magic wand and pumpkin carriage to match that attitude."

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, my mother's scowl greeted us like a slap. "Finally! What took you so long?"

I forced a smile. "Sorry, Mom. Just getting ready."

Her eyes raked over me from head to toe, taking in my disheveled appearance and the disaster of a wedding dress. "Well hurry up. We can't keep your groom waiting."

The words sent ice down my spine.

Outside in the compound, I immediately spotted Nathan with a split lip and bruised nose. Serena was fussing over him, asking about his injuries while he puffed up like a peacock.

"I put some weak wolf in his place," Nathan bragged, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Taught him a lesson he won't forget."

I couldn't help myself. "So if you're fighting a weak wolf and end up with a busted nose and split lip, does that mean you're weaker than a weak wolf?" The sarcasm rolled off my tongue effortlessly. "Would your whole body be bloated if you fought a normal wolf? What would happen against a strong one?"

"You're just jealous that Nathan picked me over you!" Serena snapped, glaring daggers at me. "I understand you're bitter because you didn't get the better man!"

I laughed coldly. "Jealousy? Trust me, I couldn't care less about Nathan's choice anymore. His actions already proved he's far from being any kind of 'better man.'"

Serena looked away and went back to fussing over Nathan's injuries. I turned away too, my stomach churning with disgust.

Hours dragged by at the church while we all waited for the groom to arrive.

Part of me hoped he'd been in some horrible accident that would spare me from this nightmare. But then a car appeared in the distance and my brief fantasy died.

Serena wasted no time twisting the knife. "Are you excited to see the ugly crippled bastard you'll be spending the rest of your life with, sis?" Her voice dripped pure malice. "Nathan says his brother is nothing to write home about. People think he's the older one even though he's younger because of how old and haggard he looks." She laughed cruelly. "And you have so much in common! You're an orphan who's merely adopted, while he's an illegitimate bastard child. What a beautiful match made in heaven!"

"Give me one chance to shut this whiny bitch up!" Hannah snarled, her fists clenched.

But before anyone could respond, the car door opened.

An old man in a suit emerged first and my heart plummeted straight to my feet. He looked old enough to be my grandfather and I thought I was going to faint right there.

Then the man walked to the other side of the car, pulled out a wheelchair from the boot, and started helping someone else out.

Relief crashed through me so hard my knees went weak. He wasn't the groom.

The soft sound of wheelchair wheels rolling across pavement filled the air.

And then I saw his face.

My breath stopped completely.

It was nothing like what they'd told me. Nothing like I'd imagined.

Adam's POV

A distant sound pulled me slowly from sleep, something I couldn't quite place in my foggy mind.

I squinted against the light trying to invade my eyelids, then shut them again and stretched with a deep yawn.

Lying there, memories of last night flooded back like a movie on repeat.

I reached out tentatively to touch her smooth skin, still able to smell that soft feminine fragrance that made me crave her all over again.

But my hand met only the softness of empty sheets.

My eyes snapped open immediately.

Where was she?

I sat up fast, looking around with startled confusion. She didn't seem like the type to bail without even a goodbye, but her things were completely gone. Those feisty auburn hair and seemingly green eyes behind that mask.

I shut my eyes in pure frustration.

She didn't just run away from me.

Now I'd be left with nothing but memories of how she smelled, how she felt beneath my hands, and the sounds she made. Hell, I didn't even know her name to begin with.

I ran my fingers through my messy hair and clenched my teeth so hard my jaw ached. "Damn it," I muttered under my breath, fuming.

Then something caught my eye and I looked again just to make sure I wasn't seeing things.

No way in hell did this mysterious woman leave me cash on the shelf!

What did she think I was, some kind of male prostitute?

Those neatly stacked bills were more humiliating than her running away. Was she trying to pay me off like I was some hired entertainment?

I let out a bitter laugh of frustration.

Looking at the bed where she'd lain beside me, I noticed tiny drops of dried discolored liquid on the sheets. My stomach dropped.

Is that what I think it is?

I lifted the sheets to examine it closer and my fears were confirmed.

Blood.

Fuck.

Don't tell me she was a virgin.

I did not just have a one night stand with a virgin.

No wonder she left. She was probably too terrified to face me after last night, so she ran before I could wake up.

Wait.

She wasn't a minor, was she?

I knew she looked mature with her body and everything, but you could never really tell a woman's true age these days.

I was completely done for.

I ran my fingers through my hair again, fighting the overwhelming urge to punch something just to vent the frustration building like pressure in my chest.

Then my supernatural instincts caught hints of someone walking hastily toward my door and I braced myself.

It had to be her. She was coming back. She must have realized she wasn't supposed to run from me.

I raised my eyes in anticipation as those hasty footsteps drew closer and closer.

The door swung open with such force it startled me, and then I let out a frustrated sigh.

It wasn't her.

"What are you doing still in bed?" Lucian demanded and I sighed again but kept quiet.

"Go get yourself in your tux, man. You're late for your own wedding." He scowled at me with his huge arms folded across his chest. My best friend was clearly pissed.

I glanced at my alarm clock and realized that annoying sound that woke me up was the alarm itself. I was running late.

"Okay, okay," I said resignedly, frowning hard.

"You know everyone is waiting for you," Lucian continued. "Hell, your father is threatening to disown you if you don't show up and hold up your end of the agreement." My best friend and beta reminded me, beyond pissed now.

I let out another heavy sigh.

The fucking agreement.

I rolled my eyes. My morning was just getting worse and worse.

"Why do you even let them do this to you?" Lucian asked, not caring that I'd been silent this whole time. "You know very well this is all your stepmother's handiwork, but you keep letting them use you like some puppet."

I looked away because I knew he was right.

"She knows getting you mated with some insignificant bride will further prove your supposed weakness. Yet you let them do it when you're more than capable of stopping it all." Lucian's teeth were gritted in anger.

This was why I loved my beta and best friend. He knew and fully understood my pain. What he didn't understand was why I was doing any of this.

"Lucian," I began.

"Why don't you just call it all off? I'll help you. Let's get rid of everything and everyone who's trying to control you." His suggestion was deadly serious.

I let out a small smile. "There will be no calling off the marriage ceremony. I'll marry my bride." My tone was resolute, a knowing smile playing on my lips. "No matter what, I have to continue my life this way. At least for now."

I was also trying to convince myself. It was all just a process I had to endure.

Lucian sighed in resignation because he knew I was a stubborn asshole who never changed his mind once it was made up. "Then at least make it to the wedding if you want to go through with this shitty agreement." His voice had a sharp edge.

I nodded.

"I'll wait outside," he said and turned to leave.

Then a thought struck me. "Lucian, wait."

He turned back.

"Last night, the woman I was with... can you help me find her?" I tried to hide my desperation but failed miserably. Those auburn hair and green eyes were the only things I could remember about her.

"I'll try my best," my best friend said and left.

I let out another sigh.

"Can I get my suit and wheelchair, Atticus?" I said aloud, sensing my butler's presence at the bedroom door.

"Yes, sir," Atticus responded immediately, wheeling in my wheelchair along with the neatly ironed black tuxedo.

A few hours later, Atticus was wheeling me toward the venue.

I sat with my knees cramped uncomfortably in the wheelchair as we approached the hall where I'd be wedded to my bride. I wore my wedding suit perfectly and my hair was styled sleekly back. The blue bow tie accentuated my sea blue eyes nicely.

I smiled bitterly.

I was the perfect weakling groom.

My bride was probably some unfortunate woman who had no other suitors and was left with no choice but to marry the ugly, crippled, illegitimate bastard of the Blackwood pack.

She was definitely unlucky.

I must have been too deep in thought because someone was standing in front of me covered with a shawl, clearly wanting to speak with me. But I was already wearing the mean and arrogant exterior I used to protect myself, so I ignored whoever it was as Atticus wheeled me right past them.

This was what I did. Protected myself from everyone's rashness and pity.

Seeing as I was crippled, they all tried to sympathize with me.

And I was not some pathetic charity case who needed anybody's pity!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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