Big Bad Wolf Chapter 33: Her Betrothed

When Francine agreed to elope with Alex, she was supposed to have a happy life with him. Or, at least, that was what he had promised her.

*The Treaty be damned!*

But now, as she silently cried in the bed, she knew she should have thought better, for she was arranged to marry Draven, son of Lord Garrett. She had only met him twice but had heard a lot of stories about how vicious he was. And the stories of him secretly keeping human prisoners to drink on their blood, something that was already forbidden for any vampire to do since The Treaty, was more than enough for her to withdraw and diminish her fondness of Draven.

She had had many suitors asking for her hand. And since her father had been unable to produce a male heir, his only choice was to give his daughter to Lord Garrett to marry his son to preserve his seat in the council. Her father mainly made every choice for her, and she had no choice herself but to nod along, even when what she really wanted was to do more than be an obedient life-long companion and bear Draven’s children.

Francine had been raised in a learned household, and her beauty was celebrated and never failed to turn any man's head―especially Alex.

Compared to her betrothed, Francine had already spent many pleasant times with Alex when he suddenly showed up on her doorstep when he decided to pursue her. When she could no longer resist and deny herself the chance to be with her true mate, she packed her bags and returned to America with Alex.

When she and Alex met, she told him right away that she wasn't too thrilled to be just some lord’s better half. And Alex was okay with this, in fact, he was more keen on her having her own opinion and individual goals. And she couldn’t be any happier when Alex told her she was his mate. They were happy together.

Yet, their happiness was cut short when the news of their secret coupling reached her father’s ears. Soon, horror had befallen them. Alex was captured while she was locked in a remote castle in the middle of nowhere. There was no telling when she would next set foot outside her prison or if she would see her mate ever again.

She spent the first day of her unwilling incarceration grieving for her lost freedom and the dying possibility of a future with Alex. But as the days went on, she slowly realized the harsh reality that a happy future with the Lycan was never really possible as it was forbidden for vampires and shifters to couple up with each other, let alone bear children. Just like how it was outlawed for their kind to be with humans.

When words about Alex’s torture had reached her ears, all she was able to do was lash out in her confinement. Once her tears had dried, and she felt more at ease, she immediately began to plan her escape. She may have perfected the ways of being a lady, but she was a strong vampiress. Although she may not be strong enough to fight everyone who would get in her way, she was could well damn try.

But on the first day of her planned escape, she immediately discovered that an invisible barrier had blanketed the entire castle, preventing her, specifically, from leaving. But losing hope wasn’t an option for her, so she desperately tried to find other ways to leave. But each doorway was blocked by an invisible wall, even the windows. Of course, her father would beckon a powerful mage to barricade the castle that was her prison with some strong enchantments. She knew her father would never leave it to chance.

On the third week of her captivity, when her eyes could no longer shed tears from crying almost every night, the door to her room suddenly opened.

“Good evening, my love,” a man in an ornate purple frock coat greeted her, a relaxed grin on his face.

Francine looked up from her bed.

The man’s attractive face was shaven, and his long blonde hair was tied back. He looked too well put together to be one of the manservants in the castle.

*Draven.*

Alex’s face flashed in Francine’s mind. Draven showing up couldn’t be good, and she couldn't have this. In a burst of panic and desperation, she moved quickly from the bed, past the vampire and opened the door, and leaped out.

Not watching to see where she would land, she hit the cold ground hard. She got up on her feet and tried to hobble away in her heels down the hallways. But she didn't get far, for not even a second after she had turned left to a long corridor, a hand snatched her.

Fangs out, she hissed. But Draven moved uncharacteristically faster than her.

"Now don’t insult me like that, my love,” Draven hissed into her ears, his long and sharp fangs coming out. He nipped at her earlobe, and she let out a wild scream.

“Let go of me!” Francine yelled. But Draven only smiled and easily dragged her back to her room despite her thrashing. She was briskly shoved back into her chamber before she could even fight him.

"Do not be rude to me like that again, my love, or you will regret it.” Draven pointed his long index finger at her. His red eyes flashed.

“Then leave,” Francine bellowed as she scurried to the bed.

Draven drew nearer to her and grabbed her wrist. She gasped and attempted to wrench her arm free from his grip. He cupped her face with his other hand and turned her face to expose her bare neck and shoulder to him. He held her still before licking her and grazing her cold skin with the tip of his fangs.

“No!” Francine squirmed.

Draven let go of her. He licked his lips, then retreated his appendage. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Francine. I could smell and taste that filthy beast all over you."

Breathing hard on the bed, Francine glared at him. “And you will never have me now, Draven. I don’t want you here. I have not invited you into this room.”

“Have you forgotten that you have already invited me into your own room before?” Draven smiled. “Do I really have to remind you of the second night we met when you couldn’t help but scream in pleasure while I pounded you from behind?”

“Shut up!” Francine shouted angrily at him, not wanting to be reminded how reckless she was that night. Had she known that she was about to meet her true mate months after, she wouldn’t have let Draven anywhere near her.

Her reaction only drew a peal of laughter from Draven. “What do you think Alex would feel when I told him how much we both enjoyed each other that night?”

“You will not tell him anything!” Francine wouldn’t stand to hear his fiancé’s plan on destroying what she and Alex had. Although she knew Alex would understand that what happened between her and Draven that night had happened months before she had met the Lycan, but she had seen how possessive Alex was over her.

"You truly do not understand how voiceless you are in the matter, my love. You have committed a crime against The Treaty. Nobody would give a shit about what you have to say," Draven said after a pause.

"Tell me, Draven, why are you here? I’m sure you already know that I have already found my true mate, so the agreement between our parents has pretty much lost its authority over me. I, for one, no longer want to be bonded with you.”

Draven’s eyes grew darker at those words. "Are you forgetting something, Francine? Our kind doesn’t give a flying fuck about what their moon goddess has to say. We are the children of King Ascian. The humans have their gods, those beasts have their gods and goddesses, and we have our King.”

"I believe in my whole heart that Alex was made for me and I for him!" Francine spat. “I don’t need any god or goddess or king to tell me that.”

“Then you should believe in your whole hear that if Alex doesn’t surrender, he will be sentenced to die.”

"What? What do you mean?" she asked, her voice wavering. “Did he escape? What happened to him? Where is he?"

Draven held her still, face in front of her. “Your dear mate escaped, and you will tell me where the fuck he is. So, where do you think Alexander is hiding now?”

Francine sat frozen on the bed, not minding the painful grip of his hands on her arms, and looking straight into his eyes that have now turned cold blue.

"I asked you a question, my love. You should really know that I don't have a lot of patience,” Draven snapped, standing up.

Francine gasped when he shoved her. “I don’t know. And if I did, why do you think I’d tell you?”

“Because the council is planning on banishing you, and my father’s vote is the only thing that’s preventing you from rotting in Moorland.”

“Moorland?” She heaved. “They’re banishing me to Moorland?”

“Yes, where Alex wouldn’t be able to go after you,” Draven replied, making half circles around her.

"But you wouldn’t go to that forsaken wasteland. Why would they send me there?" Francine asked, watching him watching her.

"You will stay there for a hundred years, or until you finally realize that begging for my forgiveness is your only way out of there,” he said, looking at her and raising an eyebrow.

“I will never beg," she said, her voice cold. "I would rather die."

He smiled. “I knew you’d say that. Then it’s an eternity for you in that abhorrently despicable world.”

"And do you really think my own father would let you exile me to that vile land? He would never!” Francine exclaimed.

“The other lords don’t care what your father wants, my love.” Draven sneered. “And if I’m not being clear here yet, then let me just say this to you straight up…the only way out for you right now is me. I am trying my best to help you here. I am trying to limit the fallout. I am trying to contain what you and that Lycan have done before this gets to the High Chairs, and it’s already too late.”

Francine’s face grew ashen; eyes widened in alarm. “No…” Her jaw trembled in fear, making it hard for her to speak a complete sentence.

“So you better tell me where Alex is, my love,” Draven continued, “or off to Moorland you go…and Alex off with his head.”