Aaliyah
We arrived at the airport and boarded a private jet, flying straight to Seattle. I fell asleep almost instantly, and when I opened my eyes again, we were at the back of a car. I looked around, trying to clear the fog from my brain.
"Where are we?"
"We just arrived."
"Where exactly?" I asked, peering through the window.
"Home," he said. As the word left his lips, the car door clicked open, revealing a chauffeur. The man bowed his head slightly, waiting for us to step out. I climbed out of the vehicle, looking down at my white, torn gown. A rush of embarrassment washed over me. Tristan stepped down right after me, his large hand sliding around my waist.
Standing before us was a beautiful modern mansion, completely different from the pack houses I was used to. The structure was made partly with brick and glass that glittered under the afternoon sun. The design was breathtaking, featuring countless balconies that looked out over the property.
Right next to the mansion stretched a lush garden filled with flowers of every color. My pulse quickened as we walked toward the front entrance.
"This… this is your house?" I asked, letting out a long breath.
"Yes," he said. "This is where I live."
I looked around, the nerves in my stomach twisting tightly. Suddenly, my eyes locked onto a group of men impaled against the outer wall. I gasped and stumbled backward, but Tristan's grip kept me upright. The men were stripped bare, blood dripping slowly down their bodies. They were still very much alive.
My stomach churned, and my hands instinctively clutched my ruined gown.
"Why?" I gasped, turning my head to look at Tristan. "Why are those people impaled on the fence?"
"They attempted to murder me," he muttered coldly.
"You found them that quickly?"
"Yes," he replied, his face expressionless. "They are up there as a warning to anyone else who tries."
I was stunned. First, he killed my brother and his executioners, and now he had his enemies tortured on display outside his home. Who was this man, really? It felt like every passing second revealed a new, darker version of him. I knew I should be terrified of him and what he could do to me.
I stayed silent as he steered me away from the gruesome sight and led me toward the house.
"I… I have so many questions," I whispered, feeling bile rise in my throat.
"I know," Tristan replied curtly. He glanced down at a Lycan who was currently walking toward us. "This is Noah. He's one of my trusted guards, along with Marcus and Tyler."
I cleared my throat and met Noah's gaze. "Hello."
"Hi."
"I'm—"
"Aaliyah," he finished for me.
I raised an eyebrow. "Have we met before?"
"Of course not," he chuckled softly. "But it's not hard to recognize the daughter of the famous Alpha of the Montana pack."
"He's dead," I said flatly. "My father is dead."
"I heard about that," Noah said, his voice softening. "I hope you are okay."
"I am."
Noah nodded, following closely behind us as we moved inside.
Tristan adjusted his grip on my waist. "I want to keep your presence quiet for now, but I'm sure word has already spread from the moment I declared you as mine," he said to me. "Many people will be curious about you. Just stay close to me. I know you are exhausted."
Tristan then turned his sharp gaze back to Noah. "She'll be introduced to everyone as my wife. Understood?"
"What about the Elders?" Noah asked, sounding hesitant.
"The Elders will understand."
There were so many questions flooding my mind, but I chose to keep my mouth shut.
My heart pounded furiously against my ribs as Tristan pushed open the massive front door. My eyes widened in surprise at how beautiful the mansion looked from the inside. I stared up at the sparkling chandeliers, which glowed with brilliant, warm light.
"Come in," Tristan murmured, guiding me forward. I took a step inside, absolutely captivated by the luxury. Suddenly, two figures descended the long, winding staircase and appeared in front of us.
They looked almost unreal, as if they had just stepped out of a flawless painting. The woman wore a long, tight-fitting gown, while the man was dressed formally, just like Tristan. The man's dark blonde hair fell over one side of his face, and his skin was quite pale. The woman had beautiful curly hair and a rich, caramel complexion.
It was obvious from the way their bodies brushed against each other that they were together. My eyes immediately fell on the wedding ring on the woman's finger.
"Hi there," the woman said, glancing at me before turning her attention to Tristan. "Your grace?"
"Ryan, Sarah, this is Aaliyah."
"How did you know my name?" I whispered, looking at them.
Tristan merely smirked before addressing the couple.
"Your Grace, is this one of your girlfriends?" the woman asked, crossing her arms. "Interesting."
"She is not that," Tristan said, his jaw clenching tightly.
"Then who is she?" Ryan asked.
"She is my wife," Tristan replied firmly.
The couple froze, staring at me in absolute disbelief.
"I have a lot of questions," Sarah said, eyeing me up and down. "Why does she look like she was forced to come here?"
"Did she actually agree to this?" Ryan chimed in. "Are you sure she's your wife?"
I glanced down at my gown, which was covered in a mixture of dirt and dried blood. I really did look like a captive. Because, in a way, I was. I had never actually agreed to marry Tristan.
"It's complicated," Tristan replied, cutting them off. "Do you have anything else to say? My wife is tired and needs to rest."
"Actually, we were just heading out," Ryan said, taking his wife's hand. "Let's go," he whispered to her.
Sarah smiled gently at me, closing the distance between us and leaning in close. "Tell me you were forced into this, and I can help you escape," she whispered playfully.
Before I can speak, Tristan cut in.
"Sarah," Tristan warned. The couple finally turned and walked out the front door.
I let out a heavy sigh and turned back to Noah, who was still standing quietly behind Tristan.
"What are you still doing here?" Tristan asked him.
"Figured you might need me, Your Grace" Noah replied easily.
"Go," Tristan ordered. "If I need you, I will call you."
Bowing his head respectfully, Noah paced out of the foyer. I let out a long breath, turning around to face Tristan. He was standing only inches away from me.
"Shall I carry you upstairs to your room since you're so exhausted?" he teased.
A sudden heat rushed straight to my cheeks.