Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1
~ GENEVIEVE ~
I stare at my bedroom windows from the grassy hill above, wondering what lies beyond them. I'm about making a decision, and it might be a stupid one. But whatever happens... I know it's for the better.
Today is my engagement ceremony to the most feared Alpha in the entire kingdom. He's a dork... a tyrant... and all my life, I've been raised to be his perfect little mule.
I've been taught to stand apart from everyone else. I've been taught how to please a man, how to seduce a man, how to play the piano, how to dance with grace, how to smile at the right moments... The list is endless.
"He's a beast, isn't he? Don't try to convince me otherwise," I say to Elowen, my maid-in-waiting. She's three years older than I am and, somehow, my closest friend. She's the only person I can tell about everything that aches inside me.
"He is... but your status will be raised. You're doing this for the sake of Hollowbrook and its future. You won't be considered a—"
"There's no 'but,' Elowen." I cut her off, shaking my head. "A monster is a monster. He beats women, and he killed two of his wives. Now I'm supposed to be next? What don't you see?"
"I thought we'd already gone over this, Evie. We need to start preparing you for the ceremony... unless you're thinking of running away, which is impossible. Your father has already laid his trap."
Of course he has.
To him, I'm nothing more than a woman... a weak little thing meant to be traded for power. Even though I've stood by his side time and time again, sweet-talked Alphas into accepting his deals, and proved my worth over and over with everything I've been taught... none of it matters.
The only thing that matters is that he sees me as a placeholder. A bargaining chip to strengthen the pack.
"Sure. I'll be right here... if you don't mind doing one thing for me."
Elowen narrows her eyes. "What?"
"The white moon lilies." I point toward the village beyond the eastern gate. "The florist forgot to deliver them this morning. Mother always said they bring good fortune to a bride." I force a nervous smile. "If I'm going to be paraded around like a prized mare, I'd at least like the room to smell nice."
She nods before heading for the door. With a soft click, she closes it behind her.
I let out a slow breath, knowing this is the little time I have left to put my plan into motion.
I hurry to my wardrobe and pull out the maid's uniform I'd stolen days ago. I twist my hair into a neat bun before tying an apron around my waist. The pockets are already stuffed with everything I think I'll need, a few stacks of money, gold coins, and several pieces of jewelry.
My feet scurry out of the room as I race down the hallway toward the path leading outside. Around the pack house, everyone is running around in a frenzy, decorating and making the final preparations for the engagement ceremony that's set to begin in just four hours.
It's only a matter of time before someone notices I'm missing.
I make my way toward the garden wall, using it as my exit from the pack house. It's the safest route out of the pack without running into the guards or the patrols.
Luckily, no one is in the garden to stop me. My heart pounds against my ribs at the thought of getting caught.
I exhale and lift my eyes to the top of the garden wall, only to realize what a fool I've been. It's far too high. There's no way I can climb it.
I glance around for something, anything, that might help, only to freeze when I hear the rustling sound of leaves.
A figure appears on the other side of the garden fence.
I duck behind a neatly trimmed flower hedge, barely daring to breathe, terrified that I've already been caught.
My nose catches an unfamiliar scent drifting through the air. It's a Rogue.
Without thinking, I peek out from my hiding place and find myself staring at the broad back of a man. His skin is deeply tanned, his frame tall and powerfully built. My gaze follows his as he scans the path, looking as though he's searching for someone.
"Hey!" I call out. His eyes immediately snaps to mine. They're an icy shade of blue-gray, striking against his sun-kissed skin. Long, chestnut-brown hair falls past his shoulders, framing a strong, sculpted jaw which is softened by a neatly groomed beard that gives him a rugged, masculine edge without hiding his handsome features. His lips are full, naturally pink, and curved into the faintest, most relaxed expression, making him look oddly approachable despite his intimidating physique.
For a moment, I expect him to bolt. Any rogue with half a brain would run the second they realized they'd been spotted inside a pack's territory.
But he doesn't. Instead, he flashes me a slow, devastating smile.
Fuck. He is gorgeous.
My instincts should be telling me to ask what he's doing here... but honestly, I couldn't care less.
Rogues break into pack territories all the time to steal food, supplies, or whatever else they can get their hands on. That's the least of my worries right now.
I need his help. In fact, I have a job for him, one that would be worth far more than whatever scraps he came here hoping to steal. Besides, he's just a rogue, and completely out of my class.
"I need your help. It'll be worth far more than whatever scraps you came here to steal."
His eyes never leave mine.
"No, I—"
"You don't have a choice," I cut him off. "Either you agree, I pay you, and we both walk away happy... or I mind-link the pack guards and have you dragged straight to the dungeon for trespassing."
I shrug, as if it's the simplest decision in the world.
"Which, if you ask me, is a pretty easy choice."
He studies me for a long moment, as though weighing my words and trying to decide whether I'm serious.
Finally, he sighs.
"...What exactly do you want?"
"I need your help getting over the garden wall."
One of his brows arches. "Why?"
I fold my arms across my chest. "That's none of your business."
His gaze lingers on me, searching my face for answers, but I give him nothing.
"If you really need my help like you claim you do... then you're going to tell me why you want to get over that garden wall."
"No."
"Then I'm not helping you."
I let out an irritated sigh.
"Fine. It's not like you're going to tell anyone anyway. You'll be as good as dead if you're caught." I pause before adding, "I'm running away. Today just happens to be my engagement ceremony... and I don't want any part of it."
For a split second, those soft blue-gray eyes harden.
A muscle ticks in his jaw as his expression pulls into a tight frown.
"Okay," he says simply, giving a small shrug.
I can't help but notice the sudden shift in his demeanor. The warmth that had been there only moments ago is gone, replaced by something cold... distant.
He's no longer looking at me with quiet amusement. Now he's looking at me as though I'm nothing more than vermin.
I brush it off as he hauls me effortlessly over his shoulder.
My body stiffens, butterflies erupting in my stomach as I instinctively grab onto him for balance. Within seconds, he sets me down on the top of the garden wall, where I carefully steady myself along the edge.
I slip a hand into the pocket of my apron and pull out a handful of gold coins before holding them out to him.
"Here. Thank you."
He shakes his head.
"Keep it."
I can almost taste the disdain in his voice, and somehow, I can't help but wonder what I did wrong.
Ignoring him, I toss the coins down anyway.
"I'm from the royal family. If there's one thing I do, it's keep my word."
With that, I leap down from the wall. The moment my feet hit the ground, my eyes drink in the vast open fields stretching endlessly before me.
Freedom. This... this is what freedom tastes like.
The cool breeze brushes against my skin, filling my lungs as I breathe deeper than I ever have before.
I hurry farther into the forest before stripping off the maid's uniform. If I'm spotted wearing it outside the pack, it'll be far too easy for someone from Hollowbrook to start asking why one of the palace maids is wandering beyond the territory.
I've barely taken another step when I look up.
Eight rogues.
They're surrounding me.
I'm hopelessly outnumbered.
My heart lurches into my throat. Acting on pure instinct, I drop to my knees and quickly empty everything from my pockets, pushing the money, gold, and jewelry toward them with trembling hands.
"These are all I have," I whisper, forcing the words past the lump in my throat. "Please... just take them."
One of the rogues steps forward. The others part for him without a word.
He crouches in front of me, tilts my chin up with two fingers, and forces my gaze to meet his.
A slow, smile spreading across his face.
"No, Princess..." he murmurs. "You are what we want."
My heart tumbles into my stomach. Every ounce of warmth drains from my body as the realization crashes over me.
