6: SIX

K I A R A Asides from being a dangerously handsome man, my new husband had the worst reputation. The news of my marriage spread across the Kingdom like wildfire. Damon Salvatore was known for his brutality and cruelty. He had no mercy for those who crossed him, and would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. There were even rumors that he had killed his own father to become the Alpha. Needless to say, he was feared by everyone. Even his own pack members were terrified of him. And now, I was his wife. As soon as the ceremony was over, my bags were packed and my family whisked me away, sending me off with Damon and his pack. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was married, and my whole life had changed. I stared out the window of the car, watching as the landscape changed. Damon sat next to me and we hadn’t uttered one word to each other. It was quite awkward, but at the same time, I was thankful for the silence. I didn't know how to act around him, and I had no idea what to say. I wasn’t used to being so close to a man like him. After about an hour of driving, the car pulled into a large driveway. A huge mansion stood at the end of the road. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and it made me realize just how different my new life would be. The driver parked the car, and Damon and I got out. The rest of the pack followed suit, and they were greeted by a group of people waiting for them. I stood awkwardly by the car, unsure of what to do. Damon looked at me, and for the first time, I noticed the intense way he was looking at me. "Welcome to your new home." Not wanting to pretend anymore since my father wasn’t here to chide me, I retorted, "I almost thought you lost your tongue." Instead of getting angry like I expected him to, he only smirked and stepped closer to me. His build was so intimidating that I had to crane my neck upwards to look at him. "You’d be surprised just how much my tongue can do." My mouth parted in surprise, and my face flushed. "Come," he ordered, turning and walking away. "I can't believe you just said that," I muttered, following him. He didn't respond, and I didn't expect him to. "This is the main house, and where the family and the staff live. The other houses are scattered around the property. We will give you a tour later." I nodded, and followed him inside. The main house was just as grand as the outside, and it was clear that he had spent a lot of money on the place. "These are your rooms," he said, opening the door. I walked in and looked around. The rooms were huge and luxurious. "I'm assuming you'd want some time to settle in. We can have dinner together and talk. In the meantime, the staff will help you with anything you need," "One more thing," I said, before he could leave. "Why did you marry me?" "It's simple, Kiara. Your father owes me a favor, one that could only be repaid by marrying one of his daughters. And you know what I did? I picked the sexiest and most beautiful of the two," his eyes roamed through my body with that same hunger they had when I walked down the aisle, before shutting the door and leaving. My heart fluttered, and my stomach did a flip. Damon Salvatore had just called me beautiful. He had stared at my body like it was the most normal and sexiest thing he'd seen. A praise that had never come from my own ex mate throughout the three years of being together. Instead, he’d make subtle comments about how I was fat, or how the other girls were thinner and prettier. The more I thought about Nolan, the more I realized that he was a coward. A coward who had taken advantage of my naivety, and hurt me in the worst way possible. But, Damon wasn't a coward. He was a strong wolf. And there was no doubt that he would make good on his promise. But, he could be so much worse than Nolan. And that scared me to my core. Not knowing what kind of man my new husband was. I was supposed to hate him. After all, it was all his fault I was in this forced marriage, but there was something about him that drew me in, and despite knowing that it was a bad idea, I wanted to know more about him. I sighed and collapsed on the bed. This was going to be a lot harder than I thought. If there was one thing I was certain of, it was that my life was about to get a lot more interesting. I stared up at the ceiling wondering how I went from being rejected by my own mate a month ago, and without even being given the proper time to grieve and heal my heart, I was now married. I realized just how selfish my father was. He didn't care that I had been dumped by my own mate, and he didn't even wait for me to move on from it. No. Instead, he sold me off to the highest bidder, not even caring about what I wanted. Because at the end of the day, I was only a result of his failed one night stand. I was his bargaining chip, and he had used me without any remorse. This was definitely not what I had signed up for. All I could do was try to make the best of it, and hope that things wouldn't be as bad as I thought. But, I knew that was wishful thinking. And yet deep down, I knew it was a path I was willing to take. Because Damon Salvatore was a mystery. And I was determined to find out more about him.