Chapter 45

~Christopher~

The spell worked. Of course it did, I planned everything out and it worked perfectly.

She didn’t even notice when I cut off a piece of my own hair and placed it next to hers. Or how I sat in the circle with her and held her hands.

We completed the ritual together, and she had no idea all along.

I was rather proud of myself. I had schemed up a few good plans in my life, but this one was by far my favorite.

Grace and I, it felt like our fates crossed for a reason. She didn’t have to go into the forest that night, she didn’t have to take pity on me and treat my wounds, she didn’t have to follow my directions into the woods and perform the ritual.

But she did.

She made it too easy.

Was it her kindness or naivety?

Either way, I was infatuated with her.

I had never seen another woman like her, so strong and powerful, but so kind-hearted. She believed in the best in everyone.

Of course, that was her greatest flaw, as well.

That’s how she ended up here.

I wanted to bring her here because I knew I couldn’t risk sneaking into the home of the big bad wolf–Lycan King Alexander’s den.

I had always been quick on my feet and able to stay hidden and in the dark, but one of his guards did catch me at the border, that’s what gave me such a big gash that Grace healed up so nicely.

I knew I wasn’t the strongest wolf, but that was why I had to be cunning.

So I lured Grace to me instead.

I knew what she wanted more than anything else in the world. What infertile woman wouldn’t want children?

Sophia, my sister, had told me everything about Grace. I think she was more obsessed with her than she was Liam.

I really couldn’t care less about her whole plan to become Liam’s mate, I had always thought she had been rather shallow. But we’ve stuck together since we were children, and we had no parents to take care of us.

I’d still do anything for her, and she’d do anything for me, at the end of the day.

And so, after Liam got sick of Sophia and kicked her out, she came crying to me and told me every dirty detail about Grace. She hated Grace more than anything–she blamed her for her failure.

But I couldn’t help, as Sophia demonized every little thing about Grace, that I felt… fond of her. I had an increased interest in Grace ever since she saved my life, and it was then I knew I wanted her to be my queen.

Of course, as strong-willed a woman as she was, there was no bribing her with illusions of grandeur and riches, I had to lead her to me in a way she’d never see coming.

And she didn’t.

She fell hook, line, and sinker for my whole act, and now here she was, soul-bound to me by the spell.

One problem about the spell… while it connects two people’s souls to each other and creates an unmistakable attraction toward one another, it cannot force someone into loving another.

And that was my greatest oversight.

My perfect plan was not so perfect after all.

Grace… she hated it here.

It had been three days since she arrived at my camp, and she hadn’t eaten anything, and has barely had enough water to keep herself alive.

She won’t look at me or speak to me.

And Sophia is no help! I tried asking her, as a woman, what I could do to bring Grace out of this depressive state, but Sophia didn’t want to talk to me, either.

I guess she was mad that I brought her “greatest enemy” into our home.

But, really? What was I supposed to do? I brought her gifts, I talked to her, I tried to make deals with her, anything to get her to like me in the slightest.

It was going nowhere.

I needed her to marry me so that I wouldn’t be treated like a joke anymore. Everyone made fun of the Rogue King. The Alpha without a pack. The losers, the loners, the unwanted are Rogues.

It may be true, but that didn’t make me any less of a leader.

Grace was highly looked up to and sought after in the werewolf world, and if I could make her my mate, I would finally be taken seriously. Maybe I could even earn myself a spot on the Council.

But, I had to get her to talk to me, first.

~Grace~

“Starve yourself all you want, you’ll never be pretty,” Sophia’s grating voice cut through the room as she slammed another plate of food down next to me.

I hadn’t eaten the last one, and she picked it up, peering down at it with disgust.

“Honestly. I don’t see what anyone sees in you. You’re a fat, ugly pig who uses others to her own advantage.”

I stayed silent. Sophia had always been mean, but this was dialed up to max.

She had come into my room periodically every day to mock me, berate me, and even prod and poke at me.

Although her first outburst didn’t happen again and she never tried to fight me, I wouldn’t be surprised if any second she snapped and threw herself at me.

Honestly, I knew how to tune her out. I learned back when Liam first brought her around, and I hated her then, and she was making it hard not to hate her, now.

Sophia stood up, holding the uneaten plate of food over my head.

“Since you don’t want to eat it, you must think it's garbage. I bet you think anything that has to do with Rogues are garbage,” Sophia whined, and I internally rolled my eyes.

She was barking up the wrong tree if she thought she could get a reaction out of me.

“But maybe you’re right,” Sophia continued, a wicked smile crossing her face. “Maybe the food is garbage. And garbage belongs together.”

She tipped the plate above my head, and dumped the food right over me.

I only blinked in response, but that seemed to infuriate Sophia more.

“Ugh! You smell awful! Sit in here long enough and someone really will mistake you for a pile of garbage!” She cried before rushing out the door.

I sighed. Sophia didn’t bother me too much, but her antics were getting very old very quickly.

How much longer would I have to sit here? How long would Chrisopher try to win over my affection?

Luckily, in order to “boost my happiness,” Christopher allowed me to take a walk around the perimeter of the camp, alone.

Of course, I was not really alone. Guards watched me from all angles, keeping their eyes on me like a hawk.

But what they don’t know is that I’ve torn off small pieces of my shirt that I’ve been able to discreetly drop behind me, leaving a trail.

Some have even gotten picked up by the wind and carried farther.

I didn’t expect anyone to be able to see the markers, but I knew that Alex had a nose strong enough to follow my scent from just those few pieces of fabric.

Please, Alex. I’m sorry I hid this from you. I just want to go home.