Page 8 of Aine

A giant plot of land has been completely cleared of foliage, leaving a large, open area full of people. There’s a mixture of human-like bodies and beasts mingling about, and I flinch as one of them runs past, its muscular legs pushing at a speed I’ve never seen before.

I faintly remember seeing these creatures during my execution, but the sheer size and power of them must have slipped my memory. Two particularly huge ones ram into one another, their large teeth tearing into the skin as they take bites out of one other’s fur. Goosebumps rise to my skin at the memory of those teeth sinking into me, and I nervously reach down and prod at my stitches.

I gulp and turn toward the human-form beasts that run laps around the perimeter.

This is horrific.

“There’s your mate,” Jenna whispers, ducking so her mouth is right next to my ear. “To the right of the sparring beasts.”

I follow in the direction she’s pointing until I land on the man who saved me the night of my execution. He stands out among the others and stares at us with his hands clenched into tight fists by his sides. I hold his gaze for a second before he looks away, pretending as if he hasn’t seen us.

This is the man I’m expected to be with?

I can’t make out too many of his features from this distance, but I’m able to see his sharp jaw clench as he stares at the fighting beasts. For a man claiming I’m his life partner, he sure seems uninterested in me.

Jenna huffs, and I look to her for clarification.

“He’s being unreasonable.” She turns me around and leads me back into the forest.

I remain silent but let out a relieved sigh as the sounds of fighting disappear behind us. “That’s the man I’m to marry?” I ask, wanting some more clarification on what, exactly, the expectations are of me.

Jenna laughs, a loud sound that feels unnatural among the quiet of the trees. “In a way. I know this is a lot to take in, but I promise it’s not as bad as it sounds. Damien is a bit standoffish, but he’s not anything like Henry.”

I recoil at the mention of my husband, painful memories moving to the forefront of my mind. My parents were forced to give me to Henry when I was still a teenager, his demands to wed me backed by our leader. It left little room for argument—not that my parents would have had much of one anyway.

We were starving, and he promised to keep me fed.

Things got hard after Anthony died, my brother attacked and murdered by the beasts after venturing too far into the forest. Hunger made him desperate, and he foolishly thought he’d catch an animal before being discovered.

Wishing to change the subject, I gesture toward the cluster of buildings up ahead to the right.

“What’s that?”

“Apartments. A lot of the unmated beasts choose to live there instead of by themselves in a big home,” she says. “Do you want to check them out?”

I don’t hesitate to shake my head. Meeting people is the absolute last thing I want right now. Jenna chuckles at my quick response before veering to the left, putting even more space between us and the apartments.

“I was going to take you to the kitchens,” she says, “but to be honest, my arms are starting to kill me and you’ll see it later tonight with Damien.”

I crane my neck to look at her, my eyes wide in panic. “What?”

“It’s tradition that a beast introduces his mate at dinner,” she says.

Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I turn back around. I suppose I knew Jenna wouldn’t stick with me forever, but I was naively hoping I’d have more time alone with her. She’s the only thing keeping me sane right now.

I’m not exactly excited to meet Damien and am by no means extroverted enough to enjoy the thought of being introduced to a bunch of strangers. Especially considering those strangers tried to kill me less than twenty-four hours ago.

Jenna doesn’t seem to sense my inner turmoil as she chatters about tonight’s menu, her voice bubbly as she wheels me toward wherever it is I’ll be staying. How does she not see how weird this is?

“I’m taking you to Damien’s home,” she says, pivoting us toward a large house on the right. “He should be back soon and will explain everything to you in more detail.”

I tighten my grip on the chair handles, panicked as she rolls me over a decomposing log.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” I ask, cringing as my voice comes out in a high-pitched squeak.

I don’t want to step on any toes, especially the ones that belong to the frightening man I saw back in the clearing.

“It’ll be okay. Everything will be okay now, Aine.” Jenna’s voice is soothing as she speaks, but I have trouble believing her words.