SYLVARA POV

I told myself I wouldn’t go.

All afternoon, I stayed in my room, sitting by the window and staring at the fading light. The sound of laughter, music, and celebration drifted up from the main hall. The whole pack was already gathering for the wedding.

Every voice, every cheer felt like a knife turning in my chest.

I kept whispering, I won’t go. I won’t give them the satisfaction.

But as the sky turned gold, something inside me refused to stay still. I needed to see it with my own eyes. Needed proof that it was really over.

So I got up. I dressed in a plain grey gown, nothing fancy. No ribbons, no flowers. I pulled my hair back and left my room quietly, walking down the long hallway toward the courtyard.

The closer I got, the louder it became. Music. Cheers. The smell of roasted meat and wine. Everything felt like a cruel celebration of my failure.

I reached the edge of the hall and stayed in the shadows. No one noticed me. All eyes were on Aedric who stood beside his new mate, the Frostmoon Alpha’s daughter.… tall, beautiful, dressed in silver.

They looked perfect together.

Perfect in a way that made my stomach twist.

I tried to tell myself I didn’t care, but my chest felt tight. My eyes burned as I watched him slip a silver band onto her wrist, sealing their bond. The crowd clapped and shouted blessings.

And then someone in the back called out, loud and mocking,

“Congratulations, brother!”

The crowd went silent for a heartbeat. My head snapped toward the voice. It was deep, smooth, carrying amusement and something darker underneath.

I recognized it.… though I couldn’t place it.

I’d heard it before, deep... soft and teasing

Aedric’s shoulders stiffened. His face changed from a proud smile to a grim line.

“What are you doing here?” he asked coldly.

The man laughed softly. I still couldn’t see him through the crowd. “Can’t I come celebrate your special day? It's your mating ceremony... I couldn't miss that”

A murmur ran through the guests. Some whispered. Others stepped back like they didn’t want to be too close.

My heart beat faster. I leaned slightly to the side to catch a glimpse, but all I saw was a tall figure dressed in black, standing near the door, half in shadow.

Aedric’s voice was sharp. “Say what you came to say, and leave. You're not welcome”

The man chuckled. “Ouch, that hurts me, brother. Always so serious. Straight to the point, as always. Fine. I came for what you owe me.”

“Owe you?” Aedric frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“The debt, brother,” the man said calmly. “You know which one. It's been six years now… don't tell me your memory got old.”

A hush fell over the room. A few people exchanged uneasy looks.

My stomach dropped. Brother?

My mind froze. That voice. That lazy tone.

No. It couldn’t be.

Aedric’s face went pale. “How do you want your debt to be paid?”

There was a pause... long enough for the air itself to feel heavy.

Then the man’s voice came again, low and deliberate.

“Your former mate Sylvara. The omega. Give her to me.”

I forgot how to breathe.

My eyes widened as I looked toward the sound. The man stepped forward then, out of the shadows.

And there he was.…. the same man I’d met the night last night… the one whose words made me feel better. The one who’d called me bunny, who had leaned against the wall and told me not to cry.

For a moment, I couldn’t move.

Our eyes met across the hall. His gaze was sharp, calm, almost amused, but there was something fierce behind it that made my knees weak.

The hall buzzed with whispers.

Someone nearby spoke his name... and the moment I heard it, my blood ran cold.

Kaelen.

Kaelen Veyr.

The outcast Alpha. The cursed one. Aedric’s brother.

Stories about him had been told to all packs.. Babies for years... stories of blood, rebellion, and power that made even elders speak his name in a whisper.

Aedric stared at him, disbelief flashing in his eyes. “You want who?”

Kaelen smiled, slow and dangerous. “I'm sure you heard me clearly brother. The mate you rejected. Sylvara”

Gasps echoed through the hall. My breath hitched in my throat.

Aedric stepped forward, furious. “She’s not someone you can toy with or bargain with.”

Kaelen tilted his head. “Bargain? Aren’t you too greedy, brother? You don’t want her, but you want to keep her?” He took another step closer, eyes still locked on mine. “Give her to me. Let her join my pack. My harem, I'm going to take her back with me. Except you have a reason for holding onto her?”

Every word burned. My chest felt like it was tearing apart.

The crowd watched, whispering, some looking at me with pity, others with cruel amusement.

Aedric turned to me. Our eyes met for a brief, aching second. There was guilt in his face... guilt and something like fear.

Then he looked back at Kaelen and said quietly, “Fine. She’s yours.”

The world seemed to stop.

My breath caught. My vision blurred.

He had really done it.

Just like that, he’d given me away... like a piece of property. Like I was nothing.

Anger surged through me, hot and sharp. “You can’t just…”

But my words broke off. My voice was shaking too badly.

Kaelen’s eyes stayed on me. Calm. Steady. Satisfied.

And that was when I realized the truth... whatever game this was, I had just become the prize.

I felt betrayed. Humiliated. Furious.

And deep down, a part of me swore that I would never forgive either of them.

SYLVARA POV

The corridor was quiet, but my heart thundered everyone had gone to the great hall of the dance ceremony.

I stormed down the marble steps, straight for Aedric caught up with him. I couldn’t stay in the hall any longer, pretending that his betrayal didn’t hurt. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, trembling with anger, with disbelief.

“How could you?” I demanded, voice shaking but loud enough to echo off the walls. “How could you sell me off like I was nothing? Like I didn’t matter?”

Aedric flinched, as if I had struck him, but he didn’t step back. He looked at me with that familiar calm, though today it only made my fury boil higher.

“Sylvara… I had no choice,” he said quietly. His words were calm, careful, but they rang hollow. “You have to understand…”

“Understand?!” I cut him off, my voice rising with every word. “That's your new word now, what is it that I don't understand… the fact that you gave me out like a piss of shit.. Like trash. I thought I mattered to you!@

He swallowed hard, glancing away. “I… I’m sorry. Truly. I didn’t want this for you…”

“Don’t,” I spat, my throat tight. “Don’t say that. You can fix this. You can undo what you’ve done. You’ve ruined everything!”

A sharp noise from the far end of the corridor made me spin around. Shadows shifted, and a figure stepped out. Leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed, dark eyes fixed on us. Kaelen.

I froze. My chest tightened. Every instinct screamed at me to run, but my legs refused to obey.

“Time to go, Slyvara,” he said smoothly, voice low and teasing.

I whirled toward him, fury sparking through my veins. “Don’t you dare call my name!” I shouted.

He shrugged, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “I call whenever and however I like. Now, let’s not waste time.”

I took a step toward him, heart pounding, voice trembling. “How could you… buy me off? You can’t just…!”

Kaelen leaned slightly, casual, unbothered by my shouts. “You said you wanted to leave this bloody place,” he said. “I’m helping.”

I felt my anger flare even higher. “Helping?” I yelled, almost hysterical. “By buying me like I’m property?”

“Honestly,” he said, tilting his head, his tone calm and deliberate, “my first idea was to kidnap you. But then I saw Aedric’s face…” He smirked faintly. “…and I couldn’t resist.”

Aedric’s jaw tightened. “Kaelen!” he hissed, fury lacing his voice. Then he turned to me, eyes softening, full of guilt. “Be careful of him. His a monster I’ll come get you back when I can. I promise. I’m sorry for all the pain, Sly.”

I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palms. “I don’t need your pity!” I spat. “And don’t pretend that your promises mean anything. You’ve already betrayed me.”

Kaelen chuckled softly. “Oh, please, brother,” he said, voice smooth and calm. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

I took an instinctive step back, staring at him. His presence made the air feel heavy, oppressive. I could feel the power radiating from him like heat. “I am not going anywhere with you!” I yelled, stamping my foot.

Kaelen’s eyes narrowed. Suddenly, the air shifted, dark and commanding. “Bunny,” he said, voice hard, sharp, leaving no room for argument, “we can either do this the simple way… or the hard way. Your choice.”

I shook my head violently. “No. I refuse. I will not go with you!”

He sighed, as if disappointed in my obstinance, and moved before I could react. One arm was around my waist, the other slid under my knees. I thrashed, kicking and yelling, but it was useless. His grip was iron.

“I warned you,” he said quietly, lifting me onto his shoulder like I weighed nothing.

I shrieked, pounding my fists against his chest, but he didn’t even flinch. He carried me down the corridor, past the open doors, past shocked maids and pack members who quickly looked away.

Outside, the carriage waited, horses stamping, nostrils flaring. Kaelen placed me on the seat, still ignoring my screams and struggles, and climbed in beside me. He adjusted the reins with ease, one hand steady on the leather, eyes forward.

“Where are you taking me?” I shouted again, voice hoarse from screaming.

“Home,” he said casually. “Velkorin. Stormfang Pack. You’ll learn to call it home soon enough.”

My stomach dropped. “Stormfang Pack? Velkorin? You can’t just…”

He ignored me, calm, in complete control. His presence filled the small space of the carriage, leaving no room for argument, no room for resistance.

I pressed my face to my hands, heart hammering, lungs burning. The betrayal, the humiliation, the sheer impossibility of it all was crushing.

“Do you always make people this angry, bunny?” he asked casually, smirking from the corner of the carriage.

I glared at him, shaking with fury. “I hate you.”

“Not yet,” he said lightly. “Give it time. You’ll get used to me.”

The carriage jostled along the uneven road, the city fading behind us. I didn’t know where Velkorin was exactly, but the forested mountains and mist rising in the distance promised nothing comforting.

I pressed my face into the folds of my gown, angry tears sliding down my cheeks. I couldn’t believe it.

I, Sylvara Rynne, the girl who had nothing, had been taken… sold, really… to the most feared Alpha of the northern packs. The one whose name alone sent shivers through the elders’ lips.

I had so many questions. And yet, as the carriage continued through the winding mountain roads toward Velkorin, I realized there was nothing I could do but endure.

The castle came into view before long...dark stone, towers that scraped the sky, walls that seemed impossibly thick. Smoke rose from chimneys, curling into the clouds above. This was his domain, his home, and I was now a part of it.

The horses slowed, and the carriage came to a stop at massive doors guarded by armored wolves. Kaelen didn’t speak, didn’t even look at me. He stepped down, lifted me easily, and carried me inside as though I weighed nothing.

Inside, the halls were vast and dimly lit, tapestries hanging on the walls depicting hunts, battles, and the sigil of the Stormfang Pack... a black wolf with silver eyes. The air smelled faintly of pine, metal, and something rich and alive.

I struggled to breathe. I was trapped. Alone in the world that had just been ripped away my freedom from me, and into the hands of the most ruthless, feared Alpha I had ever known.

Kaelen set me down gently but firmly. “Here we are,” he said softly, almost mockingly, his eyes holding mine. “Welcome to your new home.”

I pressed my hands to my face, shaking, furious, humiliated. “This isn’t my home! I don’t belong here! You…”

He stepped closer, dark eyes still locked on mine. “Bunny, I told you. You’ll get used to me.”

Sylvara Pov

Velkorin was nothing like my old pack.

My old home smelled of wet soil, smoke, and too many memories. But Velkorin… Velkorin smelled like cold steel, pine trees, danger, and savagery. The place looked carved out of dark stone, sharp and tall, like the mountains around it. Wolves here walked faster, spoke less, and stared hard. Every step I took felt like stepping into another world.

And I was here not as a guest… but as something bought.

Sold out of my will.

I kept replaying the moment Kaelen threw me over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing. The way he didn’t listen, didn’t slow down, didn’t even look back as I yelled until my throat burned. I had kicked, punched, and hit him, but he didn’t move an inch.

And now here I was… in his kingdom.

His pack.

Velkorin.

My heart beat too fast as I stepped into the main hall. Wolves stood on either side, tall and strong, watching me with unreadable faces. Some looked curious. Some looked annoyed. Some looked like they wanted to know why their Alpha brought home a stranger.

A powerless omega. My failed marriage to Aedric spread like wildfire after the girl left at the altar.

Unwanted.

I didn’t blame them.

I didn’t understand it either.

Why did he bring me here?

Kaelen was a few steps ahead of me. His long black hair fell over his shoulders, his coat heavy and dark, lined with sheep fur. He looked made for this place… dangerous, cold, untouchable.

He didn’t look at me as he spoke, “Try to keep up, bunny.”

“I have a name,” I muttered.

He ignored me. Of course.

We entered a huge room with tall windows and a fire pit in the middle. The heat felt nice after the cold outside. Kaelen turned around with that same expression he always had… annoyed, bored, half-done with everything.

“You’ll stay here for now,” he said.

“For now?” I asked. “What does that even mean?”

“It means,” he said slowly, “you’re not ready to be seen by everyone.”

I crossed my arms. “I didn’t ask to be seen.”

“And I didn’t ask for your opinion,” he replied easily.

I glared.

He looked at me like he enjoyed the glare.

Before I could answer, he lifted his chin and called out, “Talia.”

A few seconds later, a woman walked in….around my age, maybe a bit older. Beautiful dark skin, thick curls in a braid, warm brown eyes that didn’t judge me. She bowed to Kaelen first, then gave me a small smile.

“You called for me, Alpha?”

He nodded at me. “This is Sylvara. Show her the chambers. Help her clean up. Dress her. Make sure she looks presentable.”

I blinked. “Presentable for what?”

“For when I introduce you to the pack,” Kaelen said.

My stomach dropped. “I don’t… Kaelen, no. I don’t want a public scene. I don’t want anyone staring at me like…”

“Like what?” he asked, eyes narrowing slightly.

“Like... You know the rumors about it are everywhere. And the fact that you bought me from your brother,” I whispered.

He stepped closer… too close. His shadow fell over me, warm despite everything cold about him.

“Bunny,” he said softly, “they already know there's no use hiding. The earlier you face the easier the shame sets in.”

I swallowed hard.

“You can’t hide here,” he went on, voice deep. “This is Velkorin, not your old pack. You walk with your head up. If anyone dares to look at you wrong, they go through me.”

Why did that make my chest tighten strangely?

He stepped back before I could speak again.

“Talia will take you.”

I wanted to argue. I wanted to fight. But I was too tired, too lost, too angry at everything. So I just nodded once, not looking him in the eye.

Talia touched my arm gently. “Come with me, Sylvara.”

I followed her up the stone steps, leaving Kaelen behind in the hall. I could feel his eyes on me, heavy and unreadable, like he was studying something he didn’t understand.

Or something he wasn’t sure he wanted.

Talia led me through a long hallway with dark blue carpets and silver lanterns glowing along the walls.

“I know this must be… a lot,” she said softly.

“That’s one word for it,” I muttered.

She gave me a sympathetic smile. “The Alpha… he isn’t gentle. With anyone.”

“Really?” I asked dryly. “I hadn’t noticed.”

Talia laughed under her breath. “But he’s fair. Strict, good. He protects what’s his.”

“I’m not his,” I snapped.

Her brow lifted slightly. “He brought you here.”

“Because of a debt,” I said. “Because he wanted to annoy his brother. Because he wanted to win.”

“Maybe,” she said. “But Kaelen doesn’t take anyone into Velkorin just for fun. He doesn’t bring omegas here at all. You’re the first.”

My steps slowed.

Was I the first?

Great. Just great.

“Here we are,” she said.

The chamber door opened into a surprisingly warm room… soft furs on the floor, a huge bed, a balcony overlooking the mountains. It was… beautiful. Too beautiful for someone like me.

I didn’t know if I should be grateful or numb.

Or angry.

Probably angry.

Talia walked around, lighting more lanterns. “There are warm baths through that door. Clothes are in the wardrobe. If you need anything, you can call for me.”

She hesitated before leaving. “And Sylvara… Kaelen doesn’t hate you. He just… you'll see. You'll come to understand him.”

I looked down at my hands. “I don’t want to understand that monster.”

Talia gave me one last gentle smile before she left me alone.

The moment the door closed, I let out a long, shaky breath.

Velkorin wasn’t home.

Kaelen wasn’t safe.

Nothing here was certain.

But one thing was clear,

My life had changed forever.

And the man who changed it was downstairs, probably waiting, probably annoyed, probably planning the next thing I wouldn’t like.

I sat on the bed, hugged a pillow, and whispered to myself….

“What have you gotten yourself into, Syl?”