The Dark King’s Forced Mate

Malyn

Weddings are meant to be happy events, in which the bride and groom are helplessly in love with each other and are beyond excited to start their new lives together. 

It's a day people look forward to for positive reasons and a wedding tends be an affair in which everyone on the guest list knows each other and have a somewhat cordial relationship. The point is that a wedding should be a celebration of love in its purest form, and the bride is usually the happiest person attending. 

In my case, none of the above applies.

I'm standing directly across from the man who will be my spouse slash mate. Our hands are clasped and have been for about thirty minutes while the holy words from our holy books are spoken over us. But despite the physical contact, I feel nothing. It's like I'm holding onto branches instead of hands. 

My future mate is closed up to me entirely but I wouldn't say it's his fault. 

This marriage was never meant to happen. Our packs have been at war for centuries and now, this union has been arranged as a means to an end. Now, our packs need to be united so that we can fight a common enemy who's been giving us trouble. 

So, because I'm the daughter of the Alpha of my pack and Sparrow Winters is the Alpha of his, we were the number one candidates for a union that would tie our packs together. 

I've always wondered why marriage needs to be used for this. Couldn't an agreement just be put in place? My questions didn't matter and weren't heard because here I am, having my palm sliced open so that he and I can mix our bloods together and become one. 

Sparrow's eyes are cold as he studies my face. He's barely looked at me the whole night and honestly, I kept my eyes to myself, too. 

This is the first time that we're meeting, and honestly, it's beyond awkward. Our hands are clasped together and we hear a very soft round of applause. A lot of people aren't happy with this. There's a lot of bad blood between my pack, the Black Fang  and his pack, the Winter Moon. 

A union between the two of us won't clean that blood up and smooth things over. 

Technically, after the mingling of bloods, the couple should kiss, but both of us turn away from each other automatically. He walks toward his pack and I walk toward mine. I roll a bandage around my cut hand to stop the bleeding. 

"Malyn," my father says as soon as I near him. He places both of his hands on the sides of my face and kisses my forehead. "You've done well, my darling. Really well."

I smile softly. "Thanks, Dad."

The next person to congratulate me is my aunt, Becca. She embraces me and rubs my back soothingly as she says in a voice barely above a whisper, "I'm so sorry, Malyn. So, so sorry.“

"Don't say that," I beg of her. "I'm fine. I really am."

She pulls away. Her eyes are misty. "Are you? Really? Everyone dreams of the day when they can marry their mates but it tends to be a happier affair. Neither of you looked happy."

I suppress the urge to roll my eyes at her. "You seem to be forgetting that this union is valid just until we can defeat that rogue pack. Then, we'll go our separate ways and maybe even go back to fighting."

Aunt Becca tilts her head. "That doesn't make this okay."

"I'm doing it for my pack," I assure her. My cut hand stings as if in cue. "It's my duty."

After our conversation, I turn to look over my shoulder at the bleak Winter Moons. We're separated by the gazebo where the ceremony just took place. It's been elaborately devastated with wild red roses and garlands. The difference between our packs is quite visible. They've always been cold, whereas we have too much fire coursing through our veins. Our side of the field is rowdy and theirs is as silent as a grave. 

My gaze lands on Sparrow. He's talking to a much shorter man who I recall is his Beta. He's older, with graying hair, and his expression is grave. 

Sparrow looks just as grave. He's standing upright like a soldier. He's not as pale as the Beta; his skin is more olive-toned and his hair is thick and as black as the midnight sky. From here, his eyes are almost black, but when I was standing directly across from him, I noticed that his eyes were the color of honey. 

We make eye contact for a beat and I break it immediately. I inch closer to Aunt Becca and fold my arms. 

What now?

I know that after the ceremony, I'll have to move in with the Winters. I'm so not looking forward to it but at least I'll have Santiago and a few other people with me. Santiago is my best friend, and I requested for him. My father had no problem in agreeing to it. It's important that I have people around me that I trust, so, my maid is coming along, too. 

"This is ridiculous," Aunt Becca complains. "Wasn't this wedding supposed to bring us together?"

My father overhears this and turns his head to look over at us. "Yes, and it has served its purpose. The only reason why we're all still here is because it's demanded of us."

My aunt narrows her eyes at her brother. "You're so eager to be away from this place but you seem to be forgetting that Malyn will be stuck with these cold bastards. Show some sympathy."

"I'm fine, Aunt Becca. Really."

She cuts me a look. "That's beside the point, Malyn."

Before my father gets a chance to speak, the Beta of Winter Moon starts walking toward us. I look over his shoulder and notice that Sparrow is nowhere to be seen. 

My father walks to meet him halfway and the two of them have a lengthy talk. 

I watch them curiously, wondering what it is this time. A few minutes later, my father returns to our side. His eyes are on me. 

"They wish to leave," he informs me. "It's time for you to go."

A knot forms in my throat but I nod. Aunt Becca embraces me. She sniffles and I can tell she's crying. I try not to feel too emotional about this goodbye and assure myself that it's only for a little while. She pulls away and holds me at arm's length, and then says, "You're like a daughter to me, Malyn. I hope you know that."

My mother died at childbirth. I never met her. Aunt Becca is the only mother I've ever had. "Of course. You're the only mother I've ever had."

She cries harder at this and hugs me tighter the second time around. She then says in my ear, "If he ever dares to cross you or hurt you, show him who you are." She pulls away and peers into my eyes. "Show him whag you're made of."

I nod and she backs away. The Beta is waiting for me to join his side. I do so silently. As per the initial arrangement, Santiago and the others will show up tomorrow. 

Tonight is what everyone calls consummation night. So, Sparrow and I are expected to be alone together for the whole night. Well, that's according to a traditional marriage. Ours is messed up, so, I'm not expecting that part of it at all. 

But that doesn't mean I'm not scared that he won't try it. 

I don't know Sparrow Winters. Everyone calls him the 'Dark King' because of how he rules his pack. He has a terrible and cruel reputation. After his father's death a few years ago, he took over, and already he has a bad reputation.

I don't know what to expect from him. 

If he demands a consummation, I'm not sure of what I'm going to do.

Judging by the cold and detached way in which he treated me tonight, I'd say that I was safe. But I can't be sure. 

In any case, I have to prepare myself for the worst.

The field is closer to Winter Moon than it is to our pack so we walk there. There's no need for a carriage. The whole group has already started flocking toward it. The structure of their pack is very similar to ours. There's the village where most of the people live and then the large house where the Alpha and his close relatives live about a mile away. 

That's where I'll be staying. With Sparrow and his family. 

The Beta is silent beside me. Honestly, this is all more tense than I thought it would be but, then again, I didn't expect there to be smiles and for our history to just be forgotten. There was just too much hatred to begin with, so it'll never be forgotten. 

I suspect this will go on until we defeat our common enemy. Then, we'll go back to what we used to be. Naturally, this marriage is to prevent that from happening, but even so. I think a full reconciliation is too much to hope for. 

 Sparrow is nowhere to be seen. I look around and don't see him at all. It seems he disappeared right after the wedding. That gives me some hope. 

If he were next to me and trying to start a conversation, I'd be more scared. 

It takes us about an hour to reach the property. It's farther away than I thought and I'm beyond exhausted when we reach it. 

The gates are massive and two guards open them for us as soon as we walk in. The Beta and I are the only ones coming inside. Everyone else stopped along the way. A loud sound is heard right before it's opened and we head inside. 

The man doesn't say a single word to me. 

I follow him to the front doors of the house, which are also huge and made of solid wood. They're slightly parted. The Beta walks in first and then quickens his pace. My step falters and I stand by the doors, unsure of what to do or where to go. 

 I look around the parlor. The floors are made of white marble and when I look right, I see a grand dining room. The halls are dimly lit, and this casts a sinister shadow to everything. Winter Moon is luxurious, that's for sure, but it's just as bleak as I imagined. 

"Hello?" I say after a few minutes have passed. I'm still standing by the door, unsure of where to go. 

No response. I don't see a single sound around. 

I rub my arms and then keep going. Maybe if I keep walking, I'll come across someone who could tell me where I should go because right now, I'm in the dark. 

I find myself standing at the foot of the grand staircase. I don't see anyone downstairs, so maybe I'll have more luck up there.

I make my way up the stairs, trying to make as little noise as possible. I feel so self-conscious. I've never been this uncomfortable in my entire life. 

When I reach the top of the stairs, I look left and then right. There are two ways I could go, and I become torn momentarily because the last thing I want is to get lost or venture into an area where I’m not supposed to. 

I decide to go left.

Some doors are lining the walls, which makes me wonder where they lead to. Are they all bedrooms? There’s a bend around the corner which will take me to a separate corridor. I head straight toward it. 

As soon as I make the turn, I catch a glimpse of a man and a woman wrapped in a passionate embrace. I back away quickly and silently, my heart starting to race in my chest. 

That was Sparrow, I realize. I know because of the embroidered coat he was wearing, which was a wine-red color. I also recognize the back of his head.

He’s over there, kissing a woman. 

 The next thing I hear is a muffled sob. I pause, holding my breath and listening. The sob is followed by a 'shhh' sound by him, and then the woman says, "But it isn't fair! How can you do this to me? Why?"

"It's for the best," Sparrow answers. His voice is low and soft. It reminds me of a caress. "Until she's here, that's all that can be—"

"But I love you!" she argues. 

"I know," he answers. "I love you, too. I'll always love you, okay? I'll never love her. She's just a means to an end. She'll never have my heart."

The woman hesitates, then asks in a fragile way, "Do you promise?"

I can’t hear any more of this. It makes me too uncomfortable, so I turn away. I head back downstairs quickly and quietly. 

Before I even reach the bottom, I come across a maid. 

I know she’s a maid because of the way she’s dressed. There’s a white cap on her head and she has a white apron tied around her middle. She puts her hands together and says, “The Beta has asked me to see you to your room.”

“Thank you,” I say. 

She walks past me and heads upstairs and I follow her. Instead of taking the left, we go right, away from Sparrow and the woman he’d been kissing. 

Malyn

The maid shows me to a room on the right wing which is bigger than I assumed my room would be, considering the way they've been treating me. 

There's a huge poster bed right at the center of the room, along with painted nightstands on either side of it, a large chest at the door of the bed, a vanity pushed to the farthest corner of the room, and a chest of drawers. There's a pelt of a wolf on the floor beside the bed and the sight of it makes me shiver. 

I imagine it's the skin of one of ours. Is that what they do with them? They put them on the floors so they can step on them before going to bed?

My father has never stooped this low. 

The way the maid looks at me confirms that this is the skin of their enemies, which means this is someone from my pack. I feel my anger rising at the sight of it but say nothing. She wouldn't be the right person for me to bring this up with anyway. 

She might not even deliver the message. 

"Is there anyt