MATED TO THE RUTHLESS LYCAN KING

~Gabriella’s POV~

I groaned softly as the sound of my alarm drilled into my ears. Just from the way it rang, I already knew—today wasn’t going to be any different. Another bumpy ride, another terrible morning.

The early rays of the sun forced their way through the tiny gaps in my curtain, spilling across my room like they wanted to mock me. A new day had started, but it felt no different from yesterday or the one before. I pushed my eyes open slowly, heavy as rocks. The shadows beneath them told their own story—I was tired of this life. Completely tired.

People liked to remind me that I was the Alpha’s daughter, but that meant nothing. I still did chores beneath the level of a servant. Scrubbing, fetching water, and bending my back while others strutted around in silks. I grabbed the dented bucket by my door and stepped out, heading to the well to fetch water for my bath.

As I walked, I kept my eyes sharp, shifting left and right, not wanting to cross paths with her.

“Gabriella.”

Her voice slithered across my spine, cold as ice. I froze where I stood, then slowly turned around.

“Good morning, Luna,” I said flatly, bowing my head just enough. By now I had nothing left to give her—no emotion, no warmth. My heart felt like it had been drained empty, leaving only darkness behind. Still, deep down, I couldn’t stop wishing that my mate would come soon and pull me out of this nightmare.

The Luna’s eyes bored into me, black and merciless. “Starting today, you’ll take over the maintenance of my hot springs. I dismissed the other maids, so it will be your duty alone. Begin immediately.”

My lips twitched, but I forced them still. I looked at the other maids standing behind her. They were dressed as if they were headed to some grand party, with perfect hair and clean gowns. Always the same. Meanwhile, I wore rags that barely counted as clothes. Sometimes I wondered if I really belonged to this bloodline at all, or if fate had dumped me here by mistake.

I dipped my head. “I understand, Luna. But… permit me to bathe first. I can’t start cleaning your springs in this state, can I?”

Her eyes narrowed, stabbing into me like thin needles. For a moment I braced myself, waiting for the explosion, for her insults to rain down like fire.

Finally, she said, “You’re right. Do bathe first. I don’t want your stench contaminating my springs.”

Then she turned and walked away, her maids trailing behind like spoiled shadows.

Just as expected. Nothing more, nothing less.

Talking to her always felt like balancing on the edge of a blade. One wrong word and it would cut straight through me. I clenched my fist around the handle of the bucket, jaw tightening. My mind flashed, wild and dangerous—imagining ripping out her sharp tongue so I’d never hear it again.

I told myself long ago I couldn’t feel anger anymore, not toward her, not toward the Alpha. But today? Today I did.

Cold water spilled over my head, soaking me to the bone. For a second, it knocked the air out of me. My thoughts slipped away to darker places—death. Would I die in the arms of someone who actually loved me? Or would I die here, a servant, forgotten, nothing?

Running away was always a thought in the back of my mind. But rogues didn’t survive long. They were hunted down like prey. And me? I was too small, too weak. I wouldn’t last a day.

When I finished, I pulled on the only dark clothes I owned. They matched the black of my hair and my marble eyes, turning me into something that almost looked like a witch pulled from the shadows. I wasn’t one of the beauties of the pack. I knew that. But the way I lived only buried whatever beauty I might have once had.

At the springs, I got to work. My hands moved fast, scrubbing, sweeping, cleaning until my back ached. My eyes searched every corner, catching every speck of dirt. Hours blurred by. Finally, I climbed onto a polished rock and looked at what I’d done.

For the first time today, I smiled. Just a little. The water shimmered. The stones gleamed. It wasn’t much, but it was mine, a small piece of pride in a world that gave me none.

“Gabriella.”

The voice behind me snapped the smile right off my face. I turned. Another maid stood there, stiff and serious.

“The Alpha requires your presence.”

My heart skipped. “The Alpha?” I whispered. She nodded once.

The council room swallowed me whole as I stepped inside. The heavy doors shut with a thud that made my stomach lurch. My father sat at the head of the table, his presence towering even when he didn’t move. On either side of him sat the betas, silent, watching.

“Gabriella.”

My father’s voice rolled through the chamber, bold and commanding. My chest tightened. My heart slammed against my ribs. I bowed low. “My lord… how may I serve you today?” My voice wavered, no matter how I tried to steady it.

He smiled, but it wasn’t warm. It was sharp, like a predator baring teeth. “Serve me? No, Gabriella. Today, you’ll serve the entire pack.” He gestured toward the betas, his tone heavy with meaning.

Confusion twisted inside me. “I… I don’t understand, my lord.”

He leaned forward, his voice calm but carrying weight. “The Darkmoon Pack has come to us with an offer of peace. They’ve given us something valuable to prove their goodwill. In return, we must give them something just as valuable.”

I swallowed hard, twisting my fingers together. “I still don’t understand…”

He chuckled low, shaking his head as though I were foolish. Then his eyes sharpened. “Gabriella, what I mean is this—you will be given to the Alpha of the Darkmoon Pack. As his bride.”

The words hit me like a blade straight through the chest. My knees nearly buckled. The air in my lungs vanished. My heart plummeted into darkness, shattering whatever hope I still carried.