Chapter 3 Three

HAZEL

The woman staring back at me in the mirror looked nothing like the person I remembered.

My hair had been styled into soft waves that fell over my shoulders, and my face was covered with carefully applied makeup. A pair of diamond earrings glittered against my ears while the navy silk gown hugged my body perfectly. Whoever had dressed me had taken their time making sure I looked beautiful.

I looked like a bride prepared for slaughter.

"Can't send damaged goods to the devil, can we?"

The words escaped my lips before I could stop them. I let out a bitter laugh, but the sound died quickly when I remembered why I was here.

My birthday ritual had been nothing more than a public performance. My father had wanted everyone to witness my failure so nobody would question why he was sending me away. Jessica got Noah, while I got a death sentence.

A knock sounded behind me.

"Miss Moore. Are you ready?"

I turned and found Madam Alison standing at the doorway. She wore a black gown, and her hair was pulled into a tight bun. Her eyes moved over me from head to toe before she gave a small nod.

"Almost," I answered.

Silverpine must be desperate, sending a wolfless embarrassment.

My jaw tightened.

I had heard enough insults to last a lifetime, but I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me react. I simply adjusted my gown and walked toward the door.

"Then let's go," I said.

She turned without another word, and I followed her out. The hallway was enormous, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking beautifully maintained gardens. Expensive paintings decorated the walls, and the marble floor reflected the light from the chandeliers. Everything looked like something out of a royal palace, but I barely noticed any of it.

My mind kept returning to the same question. What would happen when I met Alpha Lucas Blackwood? Would he kill me immediately, torture me first, or simply reject me and have his guards throw me into a dungeon? The stories about him were terrible, and nobody from Silverpine had bothered to tell me what I should expect.

I swallowed against the tightness in my throat. Perhaps dying would be easier than returning to Silverpine. At least nobody there would pretend to love me before stabbing me in the back.

We approached a pair of enormous double doors, and Madam Alison pushed them open. The moment I stepped inside, my head nearly exploded.

I only came because of the eighteen million dollar severance package. If he rejects me, I'll finally be free.

I stopped walking.

Why is that woman so beautiful? Look at her dress. Who does she think she is?

Another voice followed before I could make sense of the first.

Please don't let him choose me. Father said he'll destroy my family if I return without his approval.

My hand flew to my temple. What was happening?

The voices grew louder, crashing into one another until I could barely separate them. I looked around, but nobody seemed to be speaking. A woman sat on a chair with her hands folded neatly in her lap, while another adjusted her necklace. Their lips remained closed, yet their thoughts continued pouring into my head.

It felt like a thousand bees were buzzing inside my skull. My vision blurred, and the hallway seemed to tilt beneath my feet. I pressed my palm against the wall, trying to steady myself while my lungs struggled to take in enough air.

Breathe, Hazel. Just breathe.

"Miss Moore?"

Madam Alison turned toward me with an irritated expression.

I tried to answer, but my throat felt tight. "I'm fine."

She looked unconvinced. "Then stop holding up the line."

I forced myself to straighten and followed her into the waiting room. The space was filled with women, at least thirty of them, all dressed in expensive gowns. Some sat quietly with their hands folded in their laps, while others paced around nervously. Every woman had come here for the same reason: to become Alpha Lucas Blackwood's bride.

Before I could find an empty seat, the receiving room doors suddenly burst open. A woman stumbled out, her makeup running down her cheeks and her hands shaking violently. Two guards followed closely behind her.

"Please..." she whispered.

One of the guards stepped forward. "Move."

She shook her head, looking as though her legs could no longer support her. Her thoughts struck me before I could look away.

Cold, heartless. He looked at me like I was dirt.

My stomach tightened.

Another woman followed, wiping tears from her face as she hurried toward the exit.

Monster. Those eyes... He looked at me like a predator deciding when to kill me.

A third woman came out crying, holding her hands against her chest.

I should have listened to Mother. I should never have come here.

I stumbled backward as the voices filled my head again. My fingers pressed harder against my temples, and I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping the noise would disappear.

"Stop..." I whispered.

"Miss Moore!"

Madam Alison grabbed my elbow, making me flinch.

"What's wrong with you?"

"I... I can't..."

"Pull yourself together. You're next."

I stared at her, my heart pounding. Next? My eyes moved toward the enormous doors, where two guards stood on either side. Both watched the waiting women with stern expressions, and neither looked as though he would allow anyone to leave without permission.

My instincts screamed at me to run.

I searched the room for another exit, but there was none. Even if I somehow managed to get past the guards, where would I go? Back to the father who had drugged me and handed me over? Back to the sister who had stolen my boyfriend and laughed while doing it?

No.

I had nowhere to return to.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, straightened my back, and lifted my chin. If this was where I was going to die, I wouldn't walk in with my head lowered.

Madam Alison studied me briefly before turning toward the doors. "Come."

I followed her.

The moment I entered the room, I felt it.

Power.

It pressed against my skin, making every step harder than the last. The room was enormous, decorated with dark wooden furniture and expensive ornaments. Thick curtains covered the tall windows, while a large fireplace stood against the far wall.

But my attention went straight to the man seated on the leather sofa.

Alpha Lucas Blackwood.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair and sharp features that made him look intimidating even while sitting. He wore a black shirt with the sleeves folded to his elbows, and one arm rested against the back of the sofa while his other hand held a glass.

His green eyes were fixed on me.

I swallowed, suddenly aware of how small I must have looked standing in front of him. So this was the man who had sent six women to their deaths? The man people whispered about whenever they thought nobody important was listening?

I tried to look away, but something about his gaze held me in place. My heart began pounding, and I felt the familiar pressure building behind my eyes.

Another one.

The thought came from somewhere inside the room.

I wonder how long she'll last.

I clenched my fingers.

Poor girl.

The voices were coming again, and I knew I wouldn't be able to endure another wave of them. I lowered my eyes, silently begging for the noise to stop.

Then Lucas shifted slightly.

His green eyes met mine.

And suddenly, everything went silent.

I froze.

The buzzing inside my head disappeared so completely that I almost stumbled. I blinked several times, wondering whether I had imagined it, but the silence remained. I could no longer hear the guards' thoughts, Madam Alison's private judgments, or the frightened women waiting outside.

For the first time since the awakening ritual, there was nothing inside my head except my own thoughts.

I drew a slow breath, then another. My shoulders relaxed without me even realizing it, and the tightness in my chest finally eased.

I looked at Lucas again.

He was still watching me, his expression unreadable.

I didn't know why this was happening or what made him different from everyone else. I only knew that I could finally think without hearing the entire world inside my head.

The one man most likely to kill me was the only reason my mind was finally quiet.