Amia's POV
When I rushed into the meeting, begging them not to choose my sister, I came face to face with the lord, and I got so scared that I fell to my knees.
The serpent lord had a cloth tied around his head, which covered his whole face completely in front, but what scared me was how he was half snake, half man!
His long tail was black and large, covered in sleek glittering scales that led to his waist. The upper body was that of a very well-built man with amazing abs and muscles, but the hands on the outer side and his fingers had little scales on them. His long hair was silver-white, and it fell right to his waist like silk. His skin was a beautiful chocolate color, and his fingers had claws.
The elder beside him looked human, and his face wasn't covered in any way, but when he smiled, his snake tongue showed.
I moved my hand to my mouth to stop myself from screaming, "Monsters!"
"It seems we will get your young daughter!" the elder who sat next to the serpent lord said.
"Excellent," my father whispered and then stood up, approaching me.
When he grabbed me by the hair, I let out a scream as my scalp burned.
He began dragging me out of the room as tears ran down my cheeks.
I couldn't keep quiet and let them take my sister.
"Take me in her stead, please! I'll be more obedient and submissive! I won't ever question you or talk back!" I pleaded to the lord loudly.
And shockingly, the Serpent Lord raised his hand, and the man beside him spoke again.
"It seems the lord has taken an interest in that she-wolf you are dragging, Alpha. Is she your daughter as well?" the man asked.
My father instantly let go of me and happily explained how I was.
When the Serpent Lord moved, I quickly lowered my gaze to the ground and stood on wobbly legs when my father growled at me. It was a growl of warning that I couldn't ignore.
When a cold, scaly hand grabbed my chin roughly and forced me to look up, that's when it hit me how the lord was my mate.
There was no amazing, mouth-watering scent coming from him as it usually happened for my kind. But then, I was experiencing the most beautiful tingles I had never felt before throughout my body.
My wolf purred at his touch, making it known that he really was our mate, meant for us.
He pushed me back to the ground and moved his hand in silence to the side.
The elder quickly rushed to his side, pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket and giving it to him.
I watched with an aching heart as the Lord brushed the handkerchief against his hands, as if wiping something off, and then threw it down next to me.
It was painful seeing my mate treat me like I was trash at our very first encounter, but then I wasn't that disappointed because I had never thought of being loved.
After all, I was ugly and hated by all the pack members.
And just like that, my fate to be wed was sealed.
To make sure I got through with everything, my sister was taken and locked away.
And now that I had gone through with the wedding, there was only one thing left to do that would ensure my sister's release, and that was to give birth to the serpent's heir.
That was the thing my father stressed over and over again.
He claimed the lord needed an heir from the breeder that the oracle's revelation showed. Once the heir was born, the breeder would be given their freedom to leave and start their life the way they saw fit.
Hearing how my sister would be free and how I would gain my freedom was the only hope I held on to.
I looked at the balcony and sighed heavily.
Hours had gone by, yet there was no knock or any sign of my mate coming to my room.
When I was about to stand up, the doors were pushed open, and the lord moved in. He was putting on a long red robe, and his face was covered.
I quickly lowered my gaze in fear when he moved closer.
I held in a gasp and tensed when a finger went under my chin, forcing me to look up.
When he raised his other hand, I instantly shut my eyes, but quickly opened them when I felt my hair fall to my shoulders.
Unlike humans, who had weddings with rings and veils, most supernatural beings had different types of weddings and bindings.
Most werewolves didn't have to marry a life partner. Just marking and mating with their mate was a sacred act as good as marriage.
But for the serpents, they held a ceremony and shared a drink, as well as a tie, that would bind the two individuals. In place of a veil, there was a pin placed in my tightly wrapped hair, which only my mate was supposed to remove on the night of our mating.
He sighed heavily and then dropped the pin on the floor. When he turned to move away, it dawned on me how he was backing away from spending our first night together.
The thought of my father finding out that nothing had happened between us terrified me. I knew how he couldn't hold back from hurting Cassidy since he hated us both.
"My lord you can't leave, we have to go through with this night!" I exclaimed as I stood up.
He instantly stopped moving.
"You can even imagine me as another woman. It's okay, let's just go through with our first mating, please," I forced out the words.
I didn't want to be treated like anyone besides his mate, but then perhaps that's the very reason he wanted nothing to do with me on our first night.
When he turned back, I quickly lowered my gaze to the floor.
I was shocked when a bright light shone in the room, which was soon followed by the sound of human footsteps. I gasped when two human feet stood in front of me.
As I slowly moved my gaze up, from his gown to his covered face in shock, I was brutally grabbed by the hand and spun around, exposing my back to him. I quickly moved my hands to the table to balance myself and avoid falling.
Before I could move upright, a hand pushed me back, flat on the table, which was followed by my clothes being torn from my body.
I gasped when his foot hit each side of my feet, making me spread my legs apart. I understood what was going to happen, but it terrified me more than I had ever been in my life.
I tensed when I felt claws trailing along my spine, slowly sending a shiver throughout my body. When the hand stopped at my hip, I took deep breaths to steady my stance while the claws slightly pierced my skin.
My legs were slightly trembling.
Don't run away; pain is a part of it all, I reminded myself silently over and over again knowing how my fate was already sealed.