Chapter 1

　　Josie's POV

　　"What do you mean I'm getting married, Dad?"

　　I stared at my father, waiting for him to laugh. Waiting for someone to admit it was a cruel joke. No one did.

　　He took a sip of his drink and nodded,

　　"Exactly what it means, sweetheart. You are getting married to the Lycan King." 

　　"I'm not marrying him. I didn't even know that Lycans existed until recently!"

　　I found out that we lived amongst a group of shifters called Lycans, these are humans who could shift into beasts. The largest and most powerful of them was the Whitewood Pack, ruled by their king, Ronan Osborn.

　　And we'd been in conflict with them for decades.

　　The humans want the conflict to end, and to do so, they must form a political alliance through marriage. That's where I come in. My father is the Chancellor and he has offered me as a bride. 

　　"You were born into this family and have enjoyed the privileges afforded to you. Everyone has a part to play, and yours is this." He was resolute. I dug my nails into my palm until it hurt more than my chest did, and I glanced at the engagement emerald ring on my finger.

　　I wiped my tears, trying to be strong. I wouldn't cry... I shouldn't worry. Surely my father's heart will soften, and he won't let me marry a beast. Besides, I'm engaged to Jonathan. His family is as powerful as mine, and they will save me. 

　　I stormed out of my father's office and drove to my fiancée's house.

　　My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white.

　　Jonathan would know what to do. He always did.

　　The thought was the only thing keeping me from breaking down completely. My father had made his decision, but Jonathan was different. He loved me. He wouldn't stand by and watch me be handed over to a creature I knew nothing about.

　　I glanced at the touched ring on my finger, and a small smile tugged at my lips despite everything. I remembered the day Jonathan gave it to me.

　　We were in his family's garden, beneath the old oak tree where we used to sit for hours talking about our future. The sun was setting, painting everything in gold, and for once, the powerful families we were born into didn't matter. Only us.

　　Jonathan had been unusually nervous that day, and was pacing.

　　"I actually prepared something," he admitted.

　　I had raised an eyebrow. "You? Prepared?"

　　He rolled his eyes but smiled before taking my hand.

　　"I know our families expect a lot from us," he said softly. "But I don't want our marriage just to be another arrangement. I want it to be ours."

　　Then he got down on one knee.

　　My breath caught.

　　"Josie, I don't know what the future will look like, but I know one thing. I want you in it."

　　My eyes had filled with tears as I laughed, covering my mouth.

　　"You practiced that speech, didn't you?"

　　"Several times," he confessed.

　　I laughed harder, and he smiled before sliding the emerald ring onto my finger.

　　"I'll protect you," he whispered. "No matter what happens."

　　The memory gave me hope. He would remember those words, and choose me.

　　I parked outside his house and hurried inside, not even waiting for someone to announce me. I needed to see him. I needed to hear him say that everything would be okay.

　　But as I approached his father's study, I slowed. Voices drifted through the slightly open door.

　　"There is nothing that can be done about it, son."

　　I stopped at the sound of Jonathan's father.

　　"You have no idea how powerful and ruthless the Lycans are. If you meddle, you might end up getting us all killed."

　　My stomach turned, but I stepped closer.

　　"But Dad..." Jonathan started, and hope rushed through me. There he was. He was fighting. He was telling his father he wouldn't let this happen.

　　"I can't let them take her."

　　"Enough!" his father snapped. "We worked too hard to come to this alliance."

　　A long pause followed before his father spoke again.

　　"I will find you another woman. Someone from a good family, perhaps the Granger girl. You used to sneak around with her."

　　It suddenly hurt to breath, no. I waited for him to deny it and tell his father he was wrong and he would only marry me, but his silence felt endless.

　　"Father, do you understand what you are asking me to do?" Jonathan said.

　　"Yes," his father said. "To survive."

　　Another long silence followed before he answered. "Yes, father."

　　The world stopped, and my fingers went numb. That wasn't what he meant, it couldn't.

　　I stepped back, my hand covering my mouth. His ring suddenly felt unbearably heavy. He broke his promise, he didn't fight for me.

　　"Josie?"

　　My heart broke at the sound of his voice. The door opened, and he appeared. The moment he saw me, his expression changed to shock, fear, and then regret.

　　"Josie, wait!"

　　I stared at him, wanting to say something, but the words wouldn't come out.

　　"Let me explain..." he said, stepping towards me, but I shook my head, tears burning my eyes.

　　"No."

　　"Josie..."

　　"You promised me," I said, and his face fell.

　　"I know, love."

　　Those words hurt me more. I turned before he could see me break. He was close on my heel.

　　"Please, let's talk..." he begged. I almost stopped. Almost, but I remembered standing outside the door waiting for him to fight for me. He didn't. I walked faster and didn't turn around because if I did, I would be hopeful again, and I couldn't afford it. Not anymore.