She allowed the sense of purpose to fill her with a sense of determination. She would endure the ceremony, do whatever was necessary to protect her pack from Theo's wrath.
And Lily would not give up hope that one day, she would find a way to escape and return home. For now, though, all she could do was steel herself for what lay ahead, and trust that her brother and the others would keep on fighting for her in the outside world.
When the door to her small room opened, and the ugly faces of several goblins rushed in to help her prepare for the wedding, Lily was as ready as she would ever be.
***
With her head held high, Lily allowed the goblins to lead her out of the room, down the wooden steps that wrapped around the trees, and down to the forest floor. Early morning light filtered through the thick branches overhead, dappling the ground with patches of hazy light. If it wasn't for what was about to happen to her, Lily might find the forest at dawn beautiful.
The goblins ushered her past the tall trees, along a worn path, and deeper into the forest. She could hear the murmurs of many voices up ahead, but she couldn't see them. However, when the trees parted, Theo was the first thing she saw. He waited for her by a tree at the edge of what looked like a clearing up ahead.
He was resplendent in his clothing, a handsome prince dressed in a tailored suit with a white shirt and black tie. A gold chain hung around his neck, disappearing into the collar of his shirt. His dark blond hair was slicked back, and his blue eyes were cold and bright as he watched her approach, undressing her with his gaze.
With that look, the heavy gown of sparkling ivory leaves seemed to weigh nothing. He made her feel as though she was already naked and vulnerable, powerless to stand against him. Despite herself, Lily blushed and looked away. Theo chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down her spine.
"Don't be shy now, my dear," he said, his voice low and smooth. "We'll be married soon enough."
She swallowed hard and steeled herself for what was to come. She would not give Theo the satisfaction of seeing her fear. Instead, she raised her chin and met his gaze head-on.
"I'm not afraid," she lied.
Theo's smile widened. "Good. You'll need all your strength for what's to come."
It made Lily's blood boil to see him looking so pleased with himself, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her rage.
Instead, she lifted her chin and stared him down as she was led closer to him. And yet, despite all that he had done to her, all that he had threatened, Lily couldn't deny how appealing he was to the eye. He exuded power and strength, and there was something about him that made her heart beat faster. She should be repulsed by him, but instead, she found herself drawn to him in a way she didn't understand. It had to be the fear, searching for familiar ways to find comfort and stability in the cage that was swiftly closing around her.
When she finally stood before him, Theo reached out and took her hand in his own, raising it to his lips for a chaste kiss. "My lady," he said softly, his voice like silk. "You look lovely this morning."
"If it were up to me, I would have come to the wedding wearing rags, but the goblins insisted I wear this." Lily sighed, gesturing to the gown of carefully arranged leaves, meticulously drained of color and enchanted with some kind of magic. "But I suppose this will have to do."
Theo laughed and took her arm. "Rags would have done fine." He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "It would be less of a shame to ruin them, compared to this gown, which makes you look like the queen you will be by the night's end."
He led her into the forest where, from the sound of the music and voices, was where the ceremony would take place. She dug her heels into the grass. "Shouldn't you be at the altar?" she whispered. "This doesn't seem right at all. Why are you guiding me?"
"Goblin wedding traditions are different from what you are used to." Theo presented his hand, which still had the black and green ink from their pact. "This mark made you my property the moment you agreed to marry me. For some goblin clans, that verbal agreement is more than enough. However, I, if no one else, consider myself more civilized than that. I am a prince, not a lowly goblin. We will perform a ceremony, of sorts, for your benefit, as well as mine. A select embassy of your pack waits on the other side of these trees. Are you ready?"
Lily's heart was racing, and it squeezed and skipped a few beats when the music shifted into a slower tune. With a few deep breaths, she steadied herself, and she nodded.
Theo squeezed her arm in a small show of reassurance, and then the branches parted to reveal a beautiful meadow with grass that was tall enough to hide the knees of the guests who stood in clumps of clothing colors and dresses. They whispered amongst themselves and stared at Lily, some goblins seeming to approve of her, while others glared at her with the hate of a thousand suns. Their stares made her grip Theo's arm tighter, letting him anchor her and guide her toward the altar, which was a simple archway made of branches from different types of trees. It was in an open circle in front of a huge tree trunk that was covered in vines shaped like hands reaching out hungrily toward them.
Lily tried not to look around at the faces of the goblins gathered there, instead keeping her head high and staring straight ahead. She refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing her fear or her sadness. The gentle morning breeze carried the scent of flowers, and she breathed it in, trying to keep her heart from running out of her chest.
Instead, she was more terrified of what would happen after the ceremony. Her stomach turned, knowing she would be forced to share a bed with Theo, and there would be nothing she could do to stop him from taking what he wanted from her. Would he rape her? Would he allow them to go at her pace?
Deep within her, her wolf was on edge, prepared to burst to life and run at a moment's notice. It was Lily's self-control that kept her from giving in to her wolf's natural instincts. This was for her brother, and her pack. She had to believe that this wedding would benefit them all.
That no matter what horrors she faced as soon as they were alone together, it would be worth it. She wanted to believe, deep down, that Theo wasn't a monster. That he'd managed not to become his father, the man who had slaughtered the Kaldron pack and hunted down endless other creatures for his benefit.
Together, Lily and Theo stopped at the altar.
Theo turned to face her, his beautiful features serious and sharp. "Do you promise to love me, honor me, and be my wife, now and forever?"
Lily swallowed hard, feeling the eyes of all the goblins on her. She nodded, her voice thick with emotion as she forced the words out. "Yes. I do."
She repeated the words Theo prompted her to say, vowing to obey him and be his loyal subject. And then, at last, Theo lifted the veil covering her face. His eyes jumped across her features now that they were entirely visible to him, and then, with more tenderness than Lily thought the goblin prince was capable of, he kissed her softly on the lips, sealing their vows as husband and wife.
Her heart was a fluttering bird in her chest, unable to land or latch onto anything for stability. Nothing but Theo. And then he released her mouth, but he didn't let her pull away.