Ashley’s POV
I broke into uncontrollable laughter, and Steven’s intense stare only seemed to fuel my amusement. His cold eyes bore into mine, making my giggles grow louder.
“I’m… I’m sorry,” I gasped between bursts of laughter. “It’s just… it’s just so funny to think of you magically healing my mom and then forcing me to marry you in three days.”
The moment I said the words, his face darkened. A low, rumbling growl echoed from deep within him, and the sound sent a chill down my spine. My laughter instantly died, replaced by a deep, uneasy silence. I slowly looked up at him, and what I saw made my blood run cold.
In an instant, Steven’s form shifted before my very eyes. His body rippled, muscles growing and shifting unnaturally. His face twisted as his teeth elongated, and soon, a terrifying beast stood before me-a hairy, towering figure with glowing, predatory eyes and fangs that seemed to gleam like daggers under the dim light.
“Ahhh!” I screamed, stumbling backward in a panic, my breath hitching in my chest. Before I could even think, he lunged, his massive hand closing around my throat with terrifying speed. My body slammed against the wall with a force that knocked the air from my lungs. His grip was unrelenting, his fingers like iron around my neck.
I gasped for breath, my vision blurring as the world around me seemed to spin. My mind couldn’t keep up, my thoughts scrambled and frantic. “You… you’re… not human,” I whispered, barely able to get the words out.
His eyes, glowing with an eerie amber light, narrowed as he growled, his voice a low, menacing rumble. “Never laugh when I’m speaking.”
“I’m… so… sorry,” I choked out, the air in my lungs rapidly depleting. My hands grabbed at his thick wrist, but it was no use-his strength was beyond anything I could comprehend. Panic surged in me, making my heart race wildly. My vision swam as I struggled for air, my body weakening under the pressure.
Then, with a sudden shift, his grip loosened. I fell to the floor in a heap, gasping and coughing desperately as I tried to draw in enough air to fill my burning lungs. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my entire body trembled with fear.
“What… what are you?” I managed to ask, my voice barely a whisper, still shaken by the sheer power he had displayed.
Steven stood over me, his form no longer fully monstrous but still carrying the weight of his transformation. His eyes were still fierce, but there was something almost… regretful in his gaze. He spoke with an eerie calm. “I’m a wolf. Capable of taking on a human form. You would call me a werewolf.”
The words hit me like a hammer to the chest. “That… that’s impossible,” I stammered, unable to process what he was saying. “This is… just a fantasy, right?”
“Well, this ‘fantasy’ is standing right in front of you,” he replied, his voice cold, his words sinking into my mind like stones in water.
“But… but you can really help my mom?” I asked, my voice trembling with a mixture of hope and fear. I was too lost in disbelief to fully grasp the situation.
His eyes softened for a brief moment, before hardening again. “Not permanently,” he said, his tone flat. “But I can take on some of her pain. The disease that is slowly killing her. She’ll wake up, but it will only be for a short while.”
I stared at him, my mind racing as I tried to understand what he was offering. “And… taking her pain… won’t it hurt you?” I asked, a part of me dreading his answer.
“I heal quickly,” he said nonchalantly, as if his ability to recover from unimaginable pain was as simple as blinking. “It’s nothing.”
I sat there, overwhelmed by the sheer power radiating off of him. How was this real? How was any of this possible?
“Just… give me a moment,” I muttered, my voice cracking as I wiped away the tears I hadn’t realized had started to fall. “I still can’t believe this. Who would’ve thought that someone as… as terrifying as you… isn’t even human?”
His gaze hardened. “I don’t have much time, Ashley. We can do this the easy way… or the hard way.”
His words pierced through my disbelief like a sharp knife. The weight of the situation slammed into me, and I realized just how trapped I was. I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breath, my heart hammering in my chest.
“You just told me you’re a werewolf,” I said, my voice shaky. “Do you really think I’d want to spend my life with someone… like you?” My words were barely a whisper, but they carried the weight of all the fear and confusion I felt.
He let out a heavy sigh, his eyes narrowing as he stepped closer to me. I instinctively recoiled, my breath catching in my throat.
“The hard way it is, then,” he said, his voice almost… disappointed.
I stumbled backward, panic rising within me. “What… what are you going to do?”
He smirked, his dark eyes gleaming with something dangerous. “I’m going to bite you. Turn you into a werewolf. Erase your memories. Then I’ll make you my mate, and you’ll have no choice but to stay with me. Because once your memories are gone, you won’t remember anything else. You’ll be bound to me.”
My blood ran cold at his words. A cold, icy dread settled in the pit of my stomach. “Can… can you really… do that?” I stammered, barely able to voice the question. Was he serious? Was this even real?
His lips curled into a sneer. “Do I look like I’m bluffing?” he asked, taking another slow step toward me. His presence was suffocating, overpowering.
“Wait!” I cried, stepping back, my voice panicked. “I never… I never chose the hard way!” My hands shook at my sides, my entire body trembling with fear.
Steven stopped, folding his arms across his chest, and studied me for a long moment. “Then make your choice.”
I stood frozen, my mind spinning. Trapped, angry, and helpless, I felt like a cornered animal. “Why are you doing this to me?” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Why does it have to be me?”
His gaze darkened, his expression hardening as he took a step closer, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. “Do you think I want to be bound to a weak human?” he spat, his voice dripping with disdain. “I made a promise-years ago. I am bound to keep it. And this… this is the only way.”
His words struck me like a blow to the chest. I felt the sting of them, but they also pierced something deeper-something I didn’t want to face. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I didn’t let them fall. “I don’t want to marry someone as… terrifying as you,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
He chuckled bitterly, his eyes flashing with anger. “And I don’t want a mate as weak as you.”
“Then… why do this at all?” I asked, my voice shaking with frustration.
“Because I have no choice, Ashley. Blame the goddess who made it so,” he said, his voice cold and final. “So, make your choice, Ashley. Time is running out.”
I closed my eyes, fighting back the tears that burned behind my eyelids. The pressure of the decision weighed down on me like an anchor, pulling me into the depths of uncertainty. I thought of my mom. She needed me. I needed her.
“Ten seconds, Ashley,” Steven’s voice echoed, counting down the moments. “Ten… nine… eight…”
I took a deep breath, steadying myself as my mother’s words echoed in my mind. *You’re a strong girl, Ashley. One day, you’ll realize that.*
I wiped the tears from my eyes, trying to regain control. “Fine. Wake my mom. I’ll take… the easy way.”
He nodded, his expression softening ever so slightly. “I’ll allow you some time with your mom… once we’re married.”
My eyes widened in disbelief. “But… you said you’d wake her now.”
“I said I’d wake her,” he replied smoothly, his voice dark. “I didn’t say when. Once we’re bonded, I’ll fulfill my end of the deal.”
“And what if you break your promise?”
His gaze turned hard, a warning in his eyes. “An Alpha never breaks his promise.”
My heart sank, and as he turned to leave, he paused at the door, his voice low and dangerous.
“One more thing,” he said, his tone sending a shiver down my spine. “If you tell anyone about what I am, I’ll turn you into a wolf myself… and kill whoever you told.”
My stomach twisted in fear as I realized just how much he controlled. “Be careful, Ashley. I’m always watching,” he added, his voice fading into the silence as he disappeared from the room, leaving me trembling in the wake of his threat.
How had I ended up here? What had I done to deserve this nightmare?
I had fought so hard to stay strong, but now… was this it? Was this the final blow that would break me?