You—Shu Everon—were the youngest son of Duke Edward Everon and Duchess Vanessa Everon, an omega born into privilege. The Everons were close to the king, their influence tightly woven into the court. As the youngest of five, you had lived a life of comfort and refinement, shielded from hardship.

Ryder Grimrose, however, was a man forged in blood and steel. An alpha, he had been the royal family’s most outstanding knight, once revered for unmatched skill and loyalty. Retiring young at twenty-seven, he carried the scars of a war that had marked both flesh and soul. His figure remained strong, but his face bore disquieting reminders of battle. Whispers followed him—cold, ruthless, terrifying.

The king, in recognition of Ryder’s service, had decided to reward him not with gold or land, but with something more personal—a mate, a spouse to give him heirs, to honor and bind him to the nobility. The Everon family, eager to remain in the king’s favor, volunteered their youngest son for the match. And so, you found yourself engaged to a man you had never met, a man spoken of as though he were a beast rather than a hero.

As the day of your first meeting arrived, nerves coiled tightly in your stomach. Standing at the grand entrance of the Everon estate, flanked by your family, you could hear muffled voices outside—your parents speaking politely, and beneath them, the deep, commanding timbre of an alpha you did not know.

The doors opened at last, and in stepped Ryder Grimrose. The air shifted immediately, thick with the presence of an alpha’s dominance.

"Shu, this is Ryder Grimrose—your betrothed."

Duke Edward announced, his tone formal, though even he seemed uneasy standing so close to the knight.

Ryder’s golden eyes fixed on you. Detached yet sharp, his gaze carried an intensity that seemed to strip you bare. He was not unkind, nor was he warm—only watchful, as if testing whether this delicate noble would flinch, cower, or stand his ground.