Unwanted Bride: Flash Marriage To The Useless Alpha

Library Encounter

The days following the ball were quieter, though not less tense. Liam’s behavior toward me shifted in small, almost imperceptible ways. He didn’t ignore me as often, and when he did speak, his tone carried less venom. It wasn’t kindness—far from it—but it wasn’t the cold disdain I’d come to expect.

I wasn’t sure what to make of it.

On the other hand, I had taken to spending my mornings in the library, one of the few places where I could escape the stares and whispers of the castle’s inhabitants. The shelves were lined with books so old that their spines cracked under the lightest touch, their pages smelling of age and ink.

I was engrossed in the history of the royal packs when I heard footsteps behind me.

“Researching something interesting?”

I turned to see Liam standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable.

“I like the quiet here,” I replied, closing the book carefully. “It’s… peaceful.”

He stepped closer, his gaze flicking to the title in my hands. “The History of the Lycan Kings.”

I nodded. “It’s fascinating, really. The way the first kings unified the packs, how they—”

“Were betrayed by those closest to them,” he interrupted, his tone sharp.

I blinked at him, unsure how to respond. His shoulders were tense, his jaw clenched as though he were holding back words he didn’t want to say.

“It’s just a story,” I said softly, though even as the words left my mouth, I knew they weren’t true.

Liam’s eyes darkened. “Stories are often rooted in truth, Brielle.”

There was something in his voice—pain, anger, a wound that hadn’t healed. I wanted to ask him what he meant, but the look in his eyes stopped me.

Instead, I placed the book back on the shelf. “Thank you for the recommendation,” I said quietly, brushing past him as I left the library.

That evening, I ventured into the courtyard. The moon hung low in the sky, its silver light casting long shadows across the stone walls. I didn’t expect to see Liam there, but there he was—shirtless, his body glistening with sweat as he sparred with another man.

For a prince deemed useless and weak, he moved with a predator’s grace, each strike calculated and precise. His opponent—a soldier, judging by his build—struggled to keep up.

I stayed in the shadows, watching as Liam dodged a blow and countered with a sweep of his leg, sending the man sprawling to the ground.

“You’re holding back,” Liam said, his voice low but firm. “Again.”

The soldier scrambled to his feet, nodding before launching another attack.

It was mesmerizing to watch, the way Liam moved, the way his body seemed to anticipate every strike before it happened. It was clear now that his frail, sickly demeanor was nothing more than a facade.

‘But why?’

“Enjoying the show?” His voice suddenly rang in my head.

I jumped at the sound of his voice. He was looking directly at me now, his lips curling into a faint smirk.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I said quickly, stepping out of the shadows.

“You didn’t,” he replied, tossing a towel over his shoulder as he approached.

I hesitated, unsure of what to say. “You’re… good at that.”

His smirk widened. “Did you think I wouldn’t be?”

“No,” I admitted. “But the stories people tell about you… they paint a very different picture.”

He tilted his head, studying me. “And what picture do they paint of you, Brielle?”

I stiffened at the question, the weight of his gaze pressing down on me. “It doesn’t matter,” I said finally. “People will believe what they want to believe.”

For a moment, he said nothing. Then he nodded as if accepting my answer. “You’re not wrong,” he said quietly and returned to his practice, I believed.

However, the next day, Victoria made her presence known in the worst way possible.

Throughout my arrival in the castle, she had been cold and rude while putting up a facade of kindness and compassion but I knew those stunts too well and could see right through her acts.

Clearly, she likes Liam but with presence in the castle as his wife seems like a threat to her.

Meanwhile, I was in the kitchen, speaking with one of the servants about the menu for dinner, when she swept in like a storm.

“Brielle,” she said sweetly, her voice laced with false warmth. “I need you to help me with something.”

I turned to face her, my stomach sinking. “Of course,” I said evenly.

In a flash, she led me to the ballroom, where a group of nobles was gathered, their laughter echoing off the high ceilings. Victoria motioned for me to stand beside her, then turned to the group with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“Everyone, this is Brielle Darkhaven,” she announced, her tone overly cheerful. “The newest addition to our royal family.”

The nobles chuckled, their amusement evident.

“Brielle, why don’t you tell us a little about your pack?” Victoria continued, her eyes gleaming with malice. “I’m sure we’d all love to hear about the… Crimson Moon.”

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. I knew what she was doing—using my past as a weapon to humiliate me.

“The Crimson Moon is a small pack,” I said calmly, refusing to let her see how much her words affected me. “But we are strong and resilient.”

Perhaps my response was unexpected as her smile faltered, but she recovered in an instant. “Strong? Resilient? How charming. Tell me, Brielle, is that why your father sent you here? To share your strength with us?”

The nobles laughed again, and I felt my cheeks burn with shame.

Before I could respond, a voice cut through the noise.

“Enough.”

Liam’s voice was cold and sharp, silencing the room instantly. He stepped forward, his gray eyes locked on Victoria.

“This isn’t the time or place for your games, Victoria,” he said icily.

Victoria’s face paled, but she quickly masked her discomfort with a forced smile. “Of course, Your Highness. I was only trying to make conversation.”

“Then find a more appropriate topic,” he replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.

He turned to me then, his gaze softening slightly. “Come with me, Brielle.”

Without another word, I followed him out of the hall room, my heart pounding in my chest.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I said softly as we walked through the empty halls.

“Yes, I did,” he replied without looking at me.

“Why?”

He stopped then, turning to face me. “Because I don’t tolerate cruelty. Not from Victoria, not from anyone.”

For the first time since I’d arrived, I saw something in Liam that I hadn’t seen before a flicker of humanity.

“Thank you,” I said quietly.

He nodded, his expression unreadable. “Don’t mistake this for kindness, Brielle. You’re still an inconvenience to me. But I won’t let them tear you apart.”

With that, he walked away, leaving me alone in the corridor.

And for the first time in weeks, I felt the faintest glimmer of hope.