Did he just say that…about his own daughter?
The shock pulls me out of my trance a little, and I look around at the others. Rex and Brad are clearly uncomfortable on both my behalf and that of this poor young woman, and the girls in our party look ready to separate Jackson from his head.
“Okay,” I say, taking the money and stuffing it into my pockets. “I accept your…generosity. I completely understand the situation, and I’m more than happy to take your daughter as my luna. I would like to rest now so I am well-prepared for the ceremony tomorrow, and I’m sure my bride wants to do the same.”
“Of course!” Jackson says, forcefully grabbing the girl’s hand and shoving it in mine. “Talon’s house is behind the hall. Sara will show you the way, and she’ll attend to all your needs—won’t you, Sara?”
“Yes, Father,” she mutters, walking past me to lead me around the hall. Her meek voice doesn’t match the fury buried deep in her gaze, and my attraction for her is stoked by curiosity.
Who is this woman? Beauty and fire all in one—and yet she plays the role of a slave?
I can hear the others talking behind me as Rex makes arrangements with Jackson, but my attention is all on Sara as she leads me away from the group and into the darkness.
Chapter 4 - Sara
There’s a lump in my throat and a searing pain in my chest as I walk around the hall towards Talon’s house, my husband-to-be following behind me. I have to hold my breath to stop the sobs from rising, as if the years of abuse are finally reaching a boiling point and a primal scream has been simmering all this time, waiting for release.
This situation is bad enough—I didn’t have to see this jerk’s reaction to me! Father had to pay him to make him take me!
Even though I don’t want this marriage, being rejected by this stranger has added a level of humiliation to this situation that I simply can’t bear. My dreams of running away from Clover dance through my mind, and I consider them far more seriously than I ever have before.
I’ll have to plan carefully and move quickly. Can I pull it off before the wedding?
We come around the back of the hall, and Talon’s old farmhouse comes into view. A rambling one-story building made of whitewashed wood, faded to gray over the years. The sight of it lifts my spirits, even under these circumstances.
The long wooden porch covered in vines where I’d sit with Jess and drink homemade lemonade on long, hot afternoons. The covered greenhouse out back with her special herbs and exotic flowers. Talon’s library…I suppose all of this belongs to me now.
I stop at the low stairs, looking up at the house. I haven’t been inside for a long time. As I got older, Father made sure I was busy at home and didn’t have time to visit Talon.
He liked me being close to the alpha, but he was always aware of the danger if Talon guessed what was going on…If he saw the bruises on me…
“Excuse me?” Shawn says, clearing his throat a little as he stops beside me. “I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced?”
Why bother?
“No, I don’t think so,” I reply, turning to look at him. In the dark, I can only see faint details of his face. He has strong, sharp features, deep-set green eyes, and a long tangle of jet-black hair.
“I’m Shawn,” he says. “Shawn Lent.”
“Sara Slade,” I reply, shaking his hand briefly. “I’m sorry about this situation. I can see it isn’t easy for you.”
Why the fuck am I apologizing?
“I was about to say the same thing to you,” he answers, and his tone sounds sympathetic. Almost painfully genuine.
No. Don’t get sucked in. He’s a power-hungry freak like Father, and he’ll say anything to seal the deal! For all I know, those other packs are waiting to slaughter us!
“Really?” I mutter.
“Yes, really. I wasn’t actually aware of this whole marriage thing. I agreed to take the alpha position, and I didn’t know it was tradition to take a bride from the new pack.”
“Uh-huh. So, you’re not from around here?”
“No,” he says. He’s about to elaborate when I start walking up the stairs, leaving him behind me.
I don’t want to know where he’s from. It can’t possibly make any difference.
As I open up the door to Talon’s house, I think even more about my plan to escape. Even though it would probably be a bad idea to try for it tonight, I’m panicked about the wedding, and I’m more motivated to run now than I ever have been before.
