“Ariyan!” Ariyan’s eyes jolted open as he heard his mother’s frantic voice. He peered out into the darkness, and for a moment he believed that it was all a dream. His brother, and father being slaughtered before his eyes. His mother and sister’s lives being threatened. Lord Erik’s forceful claiming.

He wished it was a dream.

“Wake up,” she whispered harshly, sitting at the edge of his bed.

“Mama?” Ariyan croaked out. The pain in his back, hips and hole let him know the truth. This was no dream. His mother gave him a firm hug, pulling his head against her bosom.

“What did he do to you? Did he hurt you?”

“No,” Ariyan lied. “He….well…he claimed me, but it didn’t hurt.” He feigned a smile as she pulled away from him. She reached up and held his face in her firm grasp, searching his emerald eyes.

“You’ve always been a terrible liar,” she breathed steadily. Ariyan felt the tears welling in his eyes and he lowered his head, turning away from her.

“You shouldn’t be here…” he said softly. He pulled his face out her grasp. “You’ll be caught.”

“We can run,” she told Ariyan. “You, me and your sisters.”

“He would not allow us to flee so easily, Mama. He needs us. Me especially.”

“How do you know?” she whispered. “What makes you so sure?” Ariyan stared at her. Her eyes were blood red from crying, and she had deep and dark circles around her eyes.

She looked…broken.

As if someone had drained the life out of her.

“He won’t kill me. His claim to the Gaitland Wood depends on it,” Ariyan replied calmly. “He needs me alive. At least until King Duncan confirms our mating.”

“And then?” she demanded. “What will become of you when you no longer serve his purpose? What will become of us if they decide to come back and kill us all?!”

It was a question Ariyan didn’t know the answer to. He’d considered it, surely. The demon had promised in exchange for his body, and name, that he would let his mother and sisters go. However, there was no indication that he would keep his word. All Ariyan /did/ know was that Lord Erik was a savage and a demon….and savages had no honor.

“Listen to me, Mama,” Ariyan said. “Lord Erik is going to take me with him to the Winter Islands as his mate.”

“What?” His mother frowned.

“When I leave from here…” Ariyan continued more quietly. “When he takes me away… I want you to leave.”

“Why not come with us?

“I…” Ariyan thought of the demon’s cold eyes as they gutted his innocent brother. “I can’t, Mama.”

“Why can’t you?! We’ll flee from this place and hide in Onlay. I have family there. An aunt. She’ll hide us.”

“No!” Ariyan whispered harshly. His mother and sisters might have had a chance to be free, but he was claimed now. Whether he wanted it or not, Lord Erik’s mark was on his neck. Lord Erik would hunt them, and find them. “I gave my word and I’m going to stand by it.”

“Your hand was forced!” she hissed. “They threatened you!”

“It doesn’t matter,” Ariyan said gravely. “My word is all I have left. I won’t break it.”

“Please,” his mother begged. “Please come with us.”

“Mama I—”

“I won’t let him take you away from me like he took Austin!” His mother broke down into an ugly sob. Ariyan reached out and pulled her close against his chest.

“He won’t kill me, Mama. Not while I’m still valuable to him. When the time comes that I no longer serve a purpose, I will find a way out.” He squeezed his mother tightly. “Trust me,” he whispered into her ear. The woman nodded before she pulled back, her green eyes glassy with tears. She handed him a bag smelling strongly of primrose oil.

“Do you remember how to make the potion for your heats?” Ariyan nodded. A combination of herbs his mother always gave him during his heat would calm down the worst of it. Since he’d never had a mate, it was all he could do to relieve himself.

“Now that you’re mated, it’s important for you to know the other options available to you. For after your heat,” she explained urgently. “There’s an herb called black cohosh, it will help purge your system of anything…unwanted.”

‘Unwanted…’ Ariyan stared at the bag. His mother had almost died having a miscarriage five years ago. Since that time, despite her continued heats, she’d never been pregnant again.

Ariyan nodded, pressing his lips together in a tight line. They didn’t need to discuss it out loud. When the time came he would take care of it.

“Thank you, Mama.”

“Don’t thank me.” She stood from the bed, staring down at him miserably. “Just live. Just survive.”
                                                              ~*~ 

The next morning Ariyan felt a gentle nudge. He woke to Anatoly standing above him, smiling with a tray of breakfast. He stared down at the food. A bit of smoked pork, some toast and pheasant eggs. He pushed the food around with his fork before he bit off a tiny piece of toast and then pushed the tray away.

“Ariyan, you must eat.” Anatoly pushed the tray back toward him. “We have quite the journey east, and longer once we board the ships. You’ll need your strength.”

Ariyan didn’t answer, nor did he touch the food. The doctor sighed before he went to touch the mark on Ariyan’s neck. This time the young wolf didn’t slap him away.

“That’s looking better. The salve must have helped. How did you sleep?” he asked. Ariyan shook his head. He hardly slept at all after his mother came into his room. His head was so full of what if’s, how’s and why’s that he couldn’t manage to close his eyes.

“Your things are packed. If there’s anything else you will need I would urge you to gather it. We’ll be leaving soon.” Ariyan didn’t reply, but he stood. Anatoly excused himself, and Ariyan opened his armoire, sliding out a large drawer and then a hidden one beneath it. Here is where he’d hidden the bag his mother had given him. Along with his most prized possessions. His grandfather’s ring. His mother’s necklace, and now the bag of priceless herbs. Everything else was worthless to him. He would leave it here for his sisters and mother to sell. If they planned to run they would need all the money they could get.

After he’d packed the small bag, he slowly made his way to the living area of the pack house. His sisters all gave him teary good byes, but his mother gave him a stiff nod. The look in her eyes said one thing.

‘Survive.’ He nodded back to her before he leaned in and kissed her cheek lightly. A tear rolled down the same cheek as he pulled away.

“It’s…time to go,” one of the lord’s betas said. Ariyan didn’t protest, not wanting to cause a scene. He and his mother had already said their goodbyes last night anyway.

Ariyan limped over to the horse prepared for him. He was a good rider, but with his ass in the shape that it was, he didn’t know whether he’d last the full day’s journey. Thankfully he didn’t need to. Anatoly came over to him, and ushered him toward the cart he was riding in. It had sacks of grain piled up along the walls, but it was covered from the sun, and Anatoly had laid out soft blankets stuffed with feathers.

“You’ll be more comfortable here,” the doctor explained. Ariyan thought for a moment to protest. To ride through the pain, but what point would that prove? Lord Erik already knew he had hurt him. Ariyan lifted the flap of the tent, watching his home fade into the distance as the wheels of the cart creaked under their weight. He was leaving the place he knew and loved, for the nest of demons. The Winter Islands were as desolate and isolated as the men who inhabited them. Cold. Perilous. Deadly. Just like the Lord Erik. The alpha whom he belonged to.

“Rest easy, Ariyan,” Anatoly said before closing the cart flap. “It is a long journey home.”