Chapter 2. The Sea-King Alpha of Oceana

Lyra POV

Days have passed, and I’m so exhausted from the jolting and rocking of the carriage that I’m ready to crawl into whatever bed the Sea-King Alpha provides me, no matter how frightening he turns out to be. Cally has fixed my makeup so many times that it must look caked on ten layers thick, and she’s redone my hair twice as often.

But finally, the sharp, crystal spires of Oceana Castle, home of the Sea-King Alpha and his royal court, finally appear in the distance. I hitch a breath at its wonder, at least three to four times the size of my home back in Maelie. I always knew I’d been born into privilege, the way my father’s castle was covered in gold and jewels, and I always had anything I needed. It’s why I try not to complain about my betrothal to the Sea-King. Our people rely on the ocean so much for food, trade, defense, and survival.

But this place…

The castle and its land sit against a sharp cliff with ocean waves pounding the rocks below. The outer walls, made of thick, impenetrable stone and adorned with iridescent seashells glistening in the sun, stand far outside the castle itself, leaving a massive expanse of protected grounds within. The castle itself rises vertically far into the sky, its upper-floor windows appearing like specks of dust.

Yet despite its size, it gives off an aura of belonging, as though nature itself had formed the structure eons ago. I stare in fascination as we approach the castle walls.

I’m startled out of my thoughts when our caravan stops suddenly, just feet outside the boundary.

“What’s going on, Your Highness?” Cally asks, pulling back a curtain.

I shake my head. “I don’t know. Maybe there’s a problem with one of the wagons.”

But I’m wrong.

Within seconds, a swarm of wolves surrounds our caravan, their eyes flashing red, and their sharp fangs jutting out of snarling mouths.

Cally gasps in shock and jumps backward, practically landing on me. “Y-Your Highness!”

I inhale sharply, pulling her back onto the carriage floor. “Stay down.”

She nods rapidly, leaning against the seat I just vacated and holding herself tightly, her knees up against her chin. I close the curtain quickly but leave a small crack in it open, just enough to see what’s happening outside.

Right away, I regret the choice. One of the wolves, a slightly larger, black one, begins to transform, his body contorting rapidly while he stands upright, black fur melting away to be replaced by skin—human, naked skin.

I break my gaze instantly, my heart pounding frantically as I try to catch my breath. I’d heard the stories before, of course. Men shift into wolves and back again effortlessly, a power we as humans can’t quite fathom. But I’ve never seen it happen with my own eyes before.

As the newly shifted man starts to speak, I sneak another glance through the crack in the curtain, amazed to see that somehow, he’s now partially dressed.

“I am Beta Turgan Rumok of Oceana,” he hollers, his voice firm and frightening. “What the hell is the meaning of all this?”

The head of the Maelie Guard dismounts but does not step far from his horse. As he speaks, his voice is edged with a slight tremor. “His Royal Majesty King Chez Molliton of Maelie extends his wishes for a fruitful marriage with his daughter. He has provided these gifts as a—”

“We don’t need any of your fucking gifts,” the Beta interrupts harshly. “And who the hell are these clowns? This isn’t the circus!”

“His Royal Majesty wished to provide entertainment for—”

Again, the Beta cuts off the guard mid-sentence. “The Sea-King Alpha has no need for your entertainment or your gifts. Do you think we do not amply provide for ourselves?”

“His Royal Majesty did not wish to offend,” the guard says, his voice squeaking a little.

“Quit wasting our time,” the Beta grumbles. “You’re to bring a bride and leave. Did you not bring a bride?”

“Her Royal Highness Princess Lyra Molliton is in the carriage, and—”

The wolves don’t wait for the guard to answer before they all start shifting. Within seconds, my carriage is surrounded by men—naked men—who throw open the door and reach for me.

I scream from the shock of it all as they haul me out the door. I catch sight of Cally running after me, but the men grab her and start to pull her away.

“She’s my lady’s maiden!” I holler.

“Take her,” the Beta says calmly, and soon they’re dragging both Cally and me toward the castle.

I catch a peek back at my caravan, where the wolves who are now men are grabbing all the crates, boxes, and trunks and throwing them all over the cliff into the ocean.

“Those are my things!” I scream as they take hold of my trunk, trying to run back, but a powerful arm grabs me and turns me around, pushing me forward.

“You have no need for human things anymore,” he says sharply.

I glance at Cally, whose eyes are wide as the guard holding her shoves her forward. I give her a nod, trying to be reassuring. After all, I was given to the Sea-King Alpha, so I’m sure he will provide me with whatever I need. She relaxes and stops fighting the men, as do I. It’s useless anyway.

This is my fate.

As we’re led through the castle entrance, I look up at the terrace above, locking eyes with the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in my life. His physique is tall and powerful, with solid, defined muscles visible through his tight shirt. His eyes are bright silver, rimmed with crimson around the irises, and his hair is nearly white with a silver tint.

I hitch a breath as his eyes meet mine, chills rushing up my spine and raising the hairs on the back of my neck. I freeze in place, my feet no longer moving behind me, and the men behind me start pushing me forward.

The handsome man above breaks his gaze, turns around, and walks away, leaving my breath caught in my lungs as I struggle to walk into the castle.

It takes a few moments of being out of his presence before I can walk again. Now that I do, I try to walk quickly. The sooner they take me to my room, the sooner I can relax and be alone for a moment to recover from the shock.

All my beautiful dresses, my precious books, my keepsakes I’ve had since childhood… they’ve all been thrown into the ocean currents, never to be seen again.

My old life has likewise been cast off, leaving me no choice but to accept this new role as the bride of this Alpha.

Was that him I saw on the balcony?

If so, I now know which rumors of his appearance are true. But despite his stunning good looks, only a cold-hearted man would treat his bride this way.

Am I really stuck with this evil man forever?

The grand hallway entrance is not what I’d expected. Back home, everything is covered in jewels and gold. Here, simple, natural materials fill the room, and despite my rattled nerves, somehow, the place feels elegant and welcoming. I’m curious what my room will look like.

But instead of heading up the staircase to the living quarters, we descend into a hallway that leads down below the castle. After walking for several minutes, I catch a whiff of… a horrible stench, a terrible combination of sweat, urine, and mildew. With a turn of the corner, I soon see why.

I’m in the dungeon.

I barely have time to recognize my predicament before Cally screams. Though it’s getting darker, there’s no mistaking it. She’s being dragged off in another direction down a long, empty hall.

“Hey, she’s with me,” I assert, stopping and turning to one of the guards.

He just grabs me by the arm and pushes me forward with a grunt.

As Cally’s screams disappear into the distance, the guards shove me into a cage. One of them moves to close it, but he stops and looks at me first. Stepping in, he moves toward me, and I back up quickly against the cold rock wall behind me.

He smirks, reaching his hand up toward my chest.

Is he going to—oh, no!

Panic rushes through my nerves as I try to block him with my hands. “I-I belong to the king!”

He won’t dare put his hands on me if I remind him of that, right?

But instead of touching me, the man grabs for Mother’s necklace, yanking it off. “So does this,” he snarls, slinking back out of the cage and slamming the door shut behind him.

As the group of guards walks off, laughing, I sink down to the filthy floor, my lavender lace skirt flopping into the grimy dust. I reach up to my bare neck, letting the tears come.

What does this Alpha even want with me?

I guess I’m not his bride, but his prisoner.