His Vow

Chapter 1

Rose glared at the guard who stood outside her cell door with a stoic look on his face. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her family!

Her brother, just how selfish and thoughtless had he been when he decided to elope with the Alpha’s fiancée. Did he not think of his family at all? She wanted to hate him; however she knew how much he loved that wench. Rose had always been a huge believer in love, so she tried her very hardest to understand her brother's feelings and actions. However, she just couldn’t understand why he’d do something like that for that wench.

Wench. She laughed at that word. She always wanted her sister-in-law to be a sweet woman she could get along with. Instead, her idiotic brother fell in love with that woman who had seduced her way into every man in their town’s bed. Not only had she played with the men in her town, but she’d also seduced her way into her naïve brother’s heart. Rose knew that her brother was completely in love with that woman, but she didn't know that he was crazy enough to elope with her. Did he really not think about what this would do to their family? What this would do to their parents?

Her parents. The thought of them brought tears to her eyes. She wondered what her parents were doing at that moment. Were they even alive? That thought stopped her beating heart. They were alive.. Right?

It had been over a week since they were abruptly taken to the alpha's mansion. She was confused at first, but then when she saw the angry look on the alpha’s face and the look of fear on her parents’ face, she knew things weren’t right. She later found out that her brother had eloped with the Alpha’s fiancée, Isabella. There was only one way out of this situation, and that was death. The look on her parents’ face told her that they had already accepted the punishment in place of their son.

She didn't know what to think. In any normal situation she would have argued that they had no proof that it was her brother who had eloped with Isabella, but before she could even open her mouth, the Beta walked in with two eye witnesses.

She knew that it was all over. They had evidence and so the only thing she could do was to accept her fate. And that was exactly what she did. She proudly accepted death in her brother’s name.

Stephan was scared. No, he was petrified. He couldn’t bear the thought of his first love dying right in front of his eyes. However, Alpha Hayes was too stubborn to go back on his words. Her fate had been confirmed and there was absolutely nothing Stephan could do about it.

He paced back and forth thinking of a solution for this problem. He’d rather die himself than see the woman he loved die in front of him. A tear dropped down his face as he gazed up at the sky. He had already lost his mother; he couldn’t let someone else he cared for this much leave as well.

Alexander moodily threw the novel in his hand at his housekeeper.

“Why are you still in here?” He seethed through his teeth. He stood up and slowly walked towards the elder man. “Answer me!”

“I’m sorry, sir. I’ll take my leave now.” He said as he slowly backed away, slightly bowing his head. He’s known the Alpha since he was a small pup, hence he felt no fear towards him.

Alexander glared as he watched the elder man leave. In any normal situation he would've been angry that he'd left without answering his question, but his mind was in havoc to even care. Ever since the news of his young fiancée’s escape hit him, he had been more emotional than usual. Anyone who even looked his way would have to face the wrath of the angry Prince.

He didn't love her, but he trusted her. She was the only woman he trusted enough to open to. How could she betray him like that? He told her things that he hadn't told anyone else before. The thought of her walking around with his secrets fresh in her mind angered him even more. He wanted her dead just as much as he wanted the filthy dog who eloped with her dead. He wanted to watch them beg for their lives as they burned in front of his eyes.

Stephan paced back and forth in front of his brother's office. How would he react? Would he beat him for saying such things? Stephan didn't know, but this was his only way to save Rose.

He deeply inhaled before walking into his brother’s office. Alexander’s expression immediately softened upon seeing his younger brother.

“Stephan, what brings you here at this late hour?”

“I have something I want to talk to you about.”

Alexander’s eyes rose in surprise. Whatever his brother had to speak about must be important if he came to see him at this ungodly hour.

“What is it?”

“I asked Edward to wake father up. I want to propose something that will be of benefit to all of us.”

“And why couldn’t this wait till the morning?”

“Tomorrow is the execution date for the family of the criminal. What I have to say concerns them.” Stephan said as he fidgeted with his hands.

Anger bubbled up in Alexander’s chest as he remembered that family. He wanted to beat up his brother for simply mentioning them, however his brother was too weak and frail. He was like a newborn pup. Tears would spring to his eyes if Alexander even raised his voice at him. He didn’t want to imagine what would happen to his younger brother if he beat him.

“I’m sure father is ready now. Shall we go?” Stephan asked his brother. Alexander angrily sighed. He was too curious to reject his brother but at the same time he didn’t want to hear anything about that family aside from the news that their execution was successful.

Rose stared at the food she was given. Bread and water. How could they be cruel enough to give someone who was about to die food as disgusting as this? Could this even be considered a meal?

She had heard the guards talk about her and her family. She knew eavesdropping was wrong, but she couldn’t help but listen when she knew the topic was her and her family. She was glad to hear that her parents were still alive, but the thought of them all dying the next day had her stomach turning in knots. One of her biggest fears was death. The fact that she knew when and how she would die scared her a lot. At the same time she was glad she knew. Who wouldn’t want to know when they’d die?

She stared at the walls of her cell. She wanted to sleep so that her mind would stop thinking so much. However, she was too scared to sleep. What if they killed her in her sleep? She would never be able to wake up again. She wanted to see her parents one last time before she was sent off to Heaven.

“Mother? Father?” She called out to no one in particular. “I love you.” She whispered. Tears sprung to her eyes at the thought of watching her parents dying in front of her. She prayed that she’d be executed first. That way she wouldn’t have to watch her parents die.

“I accept your proposition.” Julian said as he slowly sat up.

“What?!” Alexander shouted. Stephan flinched at his brother’s tone but that didn’t stop Alexander. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Has his father gone mad?

“Stop and think about it, Alexander. Your brother comes with a good point. If we do this then our name won’t be shamed.”

“This is atrocious. You and I both know it. Stephan is thinking with his heart instead of his brain again. He’s friends with that girl, is he not? He wouldn’t care half as much if this was a complete stranger. I will not agree to something that was –“

“I did not think of this proposal because she is my acquaintance,” Stephan lied. “I’m doing this because it is of benefit to us!”

Alexander laughed a loud and menacing laugh. He slowly turned and walked towards his brother. “Of benefit to us?” He seethed, as he took hold of his younger brother’s collar. Stephan’s eyes widened in fear, but even the look in his eyes wasn’t enough to calm Alexander’s anger down. Alexander opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by their father.

“Let go of your brother, Alexander.” He said in a threatening tone.

Alexander’s eyes narrowed at his brother but he let go nonetheless. Stephan sighed a sigh of relief and backed away.

“I have already accepted the proposition. No one knows of this incident yet. They do not know that your bride eloped with another man. The only people who know anything about this incident are those who are involved. They’re also the only ones who know that Isabella was supposed to be your bride.”

Stephan nodded at his father's words and continued in his place. “All they know is that you’ll be wedded to an alpha's daughter. Rose fits the description that everyone has heard. It would do us well if Rose was to take Isabella’s place as your wife and the pack’s Luna.”

None of this was making sense to Alexander. He just couldn’t accept that the family member of someone who committed a crime against him would be his lawfully wedded wife.

“She isn’t lacking in any area.” Stephan added, hopefully. “She’s beautiful and has the characteristics of a Luna. She’s also one of the more powerful she-wolves out there. It runs in her blood.”

Is that the only thing that runs in her blood? His wolf sarcastically retorted.

He stopped listening after that. This topic was making him feel sick to his stomach. One moment his soon-to-be bride elopes with another man and the next moment he is to be wedded to that said man’s sister.

Instead of saying anything else, he turned on his heels and stormed out the room.

It wasn’t like he had a choice anyway. His father was still first in command and therefore things would go his way until his place was officially given to Alexander. That wouldn’t happen until Alexander was wedded and with child. He had no choice. His father made the final decision.

Rose’s heart started beating faster and faster as the footsteps drew closer and closer. The cell door slowly opened and her cell guard walked in. She could now feel her heart in her throat. She slowly stood up and walked towards the guard. If she was going to die, then she’d die pridefully without showing any fear.

She walked towards the guard with her head held up high and offered her hands up to him.

“You won’t need to be shackled.” Someone said from outside the cell door.

Outside Stephan watched Rose with a small smile on his lips. You could smell the fear off of her, yet she still held her head up high and tried to hide it. He found it very admirable.

He walked towards her, smiling reassuringly. “Follow me, dear.”

She looked at the guard, as if to ask for permission. He looked down and moved out of her way.

“Where are we going?”

Instead of answering, he took her hand and led her out of the dungeon.