Arranged Bonds

Chapter 2: The Bond

Walking.

Soft, bare feet squishing into the earth as we make our way through the the forest towards my destruction.

I try to take my steps as slowly as possible, delaying the inevitable. I know now that if I try to run my throat will be cut. I can feel that, feel the aggression my father is emitting, poring from him in tumbling waves. My shoulders have started to slouch inwards from the force of it, something I don't want my intended to see. Something I don't want anyone to see.

I try to pull more strength into myself but it is useless.

My father tugs me along like a rag doll, something I have never experienced.

Always do as you're told.
Always do as you're told.

I have to remind myself what exactly is at stake as we near the forests edge. I breathe in the scent of crisp pine as we make our way down the dreaded path. Soon there will be lines and lines of pack members to watch this display, to watch the joining of two packs. I can see the blurring figures of our pack members, all looking on with conflicted emotions.

When we reach the small clearing that serves as our stage, I feel even smaller. I have to grit my teeth to keep from hunching forward once again, to keep from being a disgrace.

I don't look up, but I can feel Blackwood's eyes on me. They feel angry and disappointed.

Well sorry I'm not what you wanted , you weren't my first choice either.

I hear a growl and realize that part of my thoughts had been voiced. My fathers grip is tighter than it has ever been, afraid I will run I suppose, but I can feel the power in Blackwood's veins even from halfway down this corrupted aisle.  There's nowhere I could run that he wouldn't find.  I can feel that and I flinch when we finally make it to the end of the line. The end of my reign as Wrenly, daughter of  the Nightingales and the beginning of Wrenly, mate to Blackwood.

It's funny, I don't even know his first name. I only know rumors and misguided words.

"Take his hand, daughter." My father seethes under his breath. I have never been treated this way by him before and I don't recall the last time he called me anything but just plain Wren.

I must not have moved quick enough because before I knew it my hand was wrenched from my fathers arm and into the ominous grip of Blackwood himself. I try not to quake under his scrutiny.

I don't dare to look up through the entirety of the ceremony and his anger seems to magnify. I feel it passing through his skin to mine, seeping into my every vein and bone starting from my clammy hand in his.

I don't notice the turquoise ribbon around my wrist until he pulls at it, untying it and handing it to my father. I look up in surprise into the most dashing face I've ever seen, only marred by the small scar across his left cheekbone. His eyes are a crystalline silver, like none I've ever seen. They almost seem like I'm looking into a glass of pure Mercury.

I don't realize I'm staring until I see the snarl on his lips. I start to shake as my father ties what I now realize to be my mother's bonding ribbon, passed down in her family for centuries, it is old and frayed now, but the sentiment is there. My eyes water at the sight.

I don't even hear the words passing in and out, in and out of my ears in a constant cycle until it's over and Blackwood is pulling me unceremoniously towards our family cabin, deep, deep into the woods, where no one will hear if I scream.

At the cabin I am roughly dragged across the barrier, nearly ripping our newfound bonds. My eyes mist. I can feel his power on full display and I know now that it was ignorant of me to think he would save the consummation until we have gotten to know one another.

I'm such a stupid girl.

I'm still deep in thought when his deep baritone shoots daggers into my very being. "Take it off."

Take it off? Take what off?

I start to panic. I might be half naked, but no man has ever seen my bared body before. I pull the arm not connected to his hand and cover as much skin as possible until he growls and seethes at me to pull the damned ribbon off. I jump and make quick work squeezing my small hand out of the loop and then easing it from his thick wrist.

He gives me a hateful glare as he grunts and turns his back to shed his top up and over his muscled shoulders. He is going for his dress pants when I start to back away in slow measurements, sure that I don't want to lose my innocence to a man as violent as him.

I make it to the front door when he suddenly turns, his eyes no longer Mercury filled silver, but black globes of madness as he launches at me.