When I Chose an Arranged Marriage, My Three Childhood Friends Cried

I used to think the Moon Goddess had given me three mates to choose from. Cyrus Vance was sharp-tongued, but he was always the first to come running when I got hurt. Draven Locke was quiet, but he would guard my door late into the night. Knox Hollis was gentle. He once promised to stay by my side for the rest of his life. They were the strongest warriors of the Frostmoon pack. And I was the Alpha's only daughter. From the day I was born, they protected and spoiled me as if I were their most precious treasure. Then Nara came into our lives. She had no family or allies, and she brought along a pup everyone shunned. All she had to do was show up, and suddenly, I was invisible. They said that aside from being the Alpha's daughter, I had nothing going for me. Nara, on the other hand, was strong and independent, and far more worth following. Cyrus stopped watching over me. Instead, he started protecting Nara, even treating me coldly for the first time because of her. Draven stopped coming to my door, too. To protect Nara and her pup, he volunteered for a near-suicidal mission in rogue territory. And Knox was the one who changed the most. He stopped answering when I called for him, and then, right to my face, he announced his decision. "I'm going to mark Nara." He said I had a father, a pack, and countless wolves to choose from. He said I wouldn't really lose anything. If that was how they felt, I would give them what they wanted. The night before the marking ceremony Cyrus had planned for Nara, I went to my father's office. "I'm willing to form a mating alliance with the Northern Snow Wolf Pack." Chapter 1 My father shot to his feet. The bone knife snapped in his grip, and the full force of his Alpha power exploded through the room. "Have you lost your mind? Have Cyrus and those two been picking on you?" A mating alliance with the Snow Wolf Pack had always been a one-way trip. It was a death sentence. Life in the northern snowfields was brutal. The werewolves there were savage, and the last bride sent there had died. How could he let the daughter he cherished walk into that kind of danger? "I'm going to punish them right now." I grabbed my father's arm and shook my head. "Don't." I didn't want to humiliate myself. What would I even say? Ask them why they don't love me anymore? Seeing how furious my father was, I thought back to a year ago. Nara had just arrived at the Frostmoon pack with her pup. She was covered in wounds and didn't even have a place to live. Cyrus was the first to rush to her side. Cyrus used to be my guardian. He would spend a whole day and night out hunting just to bring back the game I liked best and make me happy. But the day after Nara arrived, Cyrus volunteered to repair her rundown shelter. Every morning, he'd finish her chores before dropping by to see me, bringing only a couple of wild berries. One morning, when he showed up late, I lost my temper. Cyrus's face hardened in front of the entire patrol. "Lyra, is acting like a spoiled brat all you know how to do?" It was the first time Cyrus had ever snapped at me. That night, I sat on the stone steps and cried for hours. Knox held me and gently told me he would always be by my side. Draven said nothing. He simply stood in the wind with his knife in hand, shielding me from the cold. Later, Draven changed too. He returned from gathering medicinal herbs for Nara's sick pup, covered in injuries. When I tried to tend to his wounds, he accused me of having no compassion for the pup. From then on, he gradually grew distant. I'd believed Knox would be the one who stayed. But in the end, he left me too. When I caught Nara's scent on him, he told me, "Lyra, we're all growing up, but you're still the same spoiled girl you've always been. You can't expect us to look after you forever." One by one, all three of them left me. A long, dead silence fell over the room. The anger drained from my father's face. At last, he sighed. "I can punish them under pack law, but I can't make them love you again. "I'm the Alpha of this pack, and this mating alliance could help us out of our predicament. But I'm your father first. "Don't throw your life away out of spite. Give it three days. If you're still determined to go through with this mating alliance, I'll send you there myself." I nodded, turned, and walked out of the stone house. Night had fallen, and bonfires were burning all over the camp. As I passed the stream, I saw Draven and Knox. They were crouched by the water, teaching Nara's pup to catch fish. I used to want to learn too, but they'd just laugh and tell me that a pretty girl like me should sit on the bank and let them do the fishing. They'd wade into the cool water, holding up each fish they caught with a triumphant grin, waiting for me to praise them. The splashing water, their laughter, the way their eyes lit up when they looked at me—those were some of my happiest memories. Now none of it belonged to me. I stood at a distance, an outsider looking in on their happy little scene. They were having so much fun. I walked up and stopped in front of them. "Are you teaching the pup to fish? Can I join?" I asked. Draven paused and glanced up at me. "The pup doesn't know you. You'll scare it." Knox stared at me for a long time. He seemed about to say something, but he held it back. Without another word, I turned and headed home. I walked faster and faster, yet I couldn't help listening for footsteps behind me. I made it a long way, and still no one came after me. Back in my stone house, I shut the door and leaned against it, catching my breath. I opened the mind-link the four of us had shared since we were little. Someone answered almost at once. I didn't say anything. I just waited quietly. A moment later, Cyrus's cold voice came through the link. "Lyra, you're too spoiled. We've decided not to mark you." Draven's voice followed right after. "Nara needs us. Even without us, you're still the Alpha's daughter." Knox didn't say a word. Then they cut the mind-link from their end. The stone house fell deathly quiet again. I slid to the floor as the last flicker of hope inside me died. Chapter 2 At dawn, I went alone into the forest at the edge of our territory. I hadn't slept at all since they cut off the mind-link the night before. I needed something to keep my mind off it. There was a lone wild boar in the woods. Before, at least two of them would have come with me. Cyrus would lure the boar away, Draven would lead the attack, and Knox would cover my back as I threw my bone spear. Today, I was alone. The instant my spear pierced the boar's throat, its tusk ripped open my right leg. I collapsed, tore a strip of cloth from my sleeve, and wrapped it tightly around my wound. Before long, it was soaked through. The scent of blood would carry on the wind. The patrol would pick it up soon. I stayed because I wanted to see if they'd still come running to me like they used to when they realized I was hurt. The sun crept across the sky toward the west. The woods were silent. No footsteps. No scent drifting closer. No one came. I looked down, tied a fresh bandage over the wound, and dragged my mangled leg out of the woods, one step at a time. I caught sight of something through a gap in the bushes and stopped. Down the rocky slope, all three of them were keeping Nara company at archery practice. Nara's strong herbal scent covered the smell of my blood, so none of them noticed me. Cyrus adjusted her bowstring while Draven corrected her stance. A little way off, Knox casually nocked an arrow, drew his longbow, and put it dead center in the target. Knox turned to Nara. "See how it's done?" Nara copied him. Her arrow whistled through the air and struck a gray rabbit 100 paces away. "Perfect form," Cyrus said with a smile, and the others nodded. Nara wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I can practice a little longer. You don't have to look after me every second." Even Cyrus, who rarely showed his softer side, took the bow from her hands without a second thought. "You still need to rest. You haven't fully recovered from your injuries, and you have a pup to look after." Hiding behind the bushes, I gripped a branch so hard it dug deep into my palm. This range had once been mine alone. They used to fetch every arrow I missed and bring me my favorite sweet berries. Whenever I got tired of walking, Knox would carry me back to camp on his back. Now they gave her all the patience they once had for me. "I honestly don't know how we put up with it back then." Cyrus's voice carried over again. He slung his bow over his shoulder, sounding fed up. "If Lyra so much as got a scratch, she'd have the entire patrol fussing over her. I was sick of it. Nara's different. She can take care of herself." Draven chuckled. "The Alpha spoiled her rotten. No wonder she's so pampered." Knox didn't chime in, but he didn't defend me either. He let it stand. Every word landed like a blow. I couldn't hold myself up any longer. My foot slipped, and a dry branch snapped beneath it, loud in the quiet woods. They all turned toward me at once, on guard. I didn't hide. I stumbled straight out from behind the bushes. When I stumbled into view, covered in dirt and bleeding from my right leg, their expressions changed. "Lyra? You followed us?" Cyrus demanded, startled. Nara stood in the middle, quietly looking me over. I looked at them through a blur of tears and dragged my injured leg forward, my voice shaking. "Cyrus, Draven, Knox... I won't act spoiled anymore. "I won't make you fuss over me all day. I can bandage my own wounds. I promise I won't be any trouble. Just... please don't leave me, okay?" In that moment, the last of my pride shattered. This was the last chance I was giving myself. Cyrus turned his head away, his face cold. "Lyra, quit the act. Drop the spoiled princess routine." Draven opened his mouth, then finally lowered his head. "Go home, Lyra." I stood there, blood dripping from my right leg onto the rocks, feeling like a rogue who'd been abandoned by her pack. Just when I had given up all hope, Knox suddenly strode over. He sighed. The next moment, he scooped me into his arms. His chest was just as solid and warm as I remembered. "I'll take you back," Knox said quietly. The moment Knox held me, I clutched the front of his shirt with all my strength. The pain was clouding my mind, but a tiny spark of hope lit up inside me. Knox was still willing to hold me. Maybe he hasn't completely forgotten about me after all? Chapter 3 Knox carried me into the stone house where they lived. Once, it had belonged to just the three of them. Now I barely recognized the room. Finely woven grass mats covered the floor. Dried wildflowers sat on the windowsill, and the air smelled faintly of berries. Nara's touch was everywhere. Knox set me down on a wooden chair. He found a clean cloth and some herbs, knelt in front of me, and bent to untie the filthy strip around my leg. The cloth had stuck to the wound, and when he pulled it away, it tore off a layer of skin. I trembled from the pain, letting out a small whimper before forcing myself to stay quiet. I had never been fragile. It was only with them that I'd allowed myself to be vulnerable and depend on someone. Again and again, I'd swallowed my pride, hoping they'd show me the same tenderness they once had. Cyrus and Draven were talking by the door. "Back in the woods, I actually thought she'd changed." "Turns out she's the same as ever. She won't stop until everyone's miserable." "She was spoiled from the time she was little. Remember what she said when she was 12?" Cyrus mimicked my younger self. "My father's the Alpha. You all have to do what I say. If you don't, I'll have him throw you out of the pack." Then he and Draven burst out laughing. The laughter grated on my ears. I had said it in anger when I was 12, during a fight over a short sword. Back then, they'd just laughed and ruffled my hair, promising they'd always be there for me as long as I was happy. Knox didn't laugh. He kept his eyes on my injured leg, carefully cleaning the wound with a herb-soaked cloth. My tears finally fell. I reached out with both hands and grabbed Knox's shoulders. "Knox, can you hold me? Just for a moment. Please?" I was so cold. I just needed someone to lean on, even if it was only for a moment. Knox's hands went still. He slowly took hold of my wrists, pulled my fingers off his shoulders one by one, and set my hands back on my knees. "Stop it, Lyra." Knox's voice was low and unreadable. "Let's get this wound bandaged first." He turned me down. Now he wouldn't even give me a halfhearted hug. The last of my hopes crumbled, and I was so humiliated I wished I could disappear. I instinctively pulled away from him, accidentally knocking over a clay jar perched on the corner of the table. The jar hit the stone floor and shattered with a sharp crack. Shards flew everywhere. One sharp piece grazed my cheek. My face stung, and warm blood trickled down and dripped onto my collar. Cyrus's expression changed instantly. He crossed the room in two strides. When he saw the shards on the floor, a vein throbbed in his forehead. "Lyra! When are you going to stop acting like a spoiled brat?" Draven came over too, disappointment written across his face. "Nara's pup spent three whole days making that. Even if you hate Nara, why take it out on a pup?" I pressed a hand to my bleeding face. "I didn't mean to, I just..." Cyrus cut me off. "Why are you always so jealous? Why can't you stand Nara and her pup?!" Knox stood beside the broken shards, still holding the bloody cloth. I looked at Knox, hoping he'd say just one word in my defense. But he didn't say anything. Nara came in, leading her pup by the hand. She looked at the shards on the floor, then at my bloody face, and surprise flickered in her eyes. "How did you get hurt this badly?" She took out a handkerchief and reached to wipe the blood from my face. "It's just a clay jar. Don't worry about it. Look at her—she's bleeding! We need to get the healer!" At her words, Cyrus's anger instantly melted away. She handled everything with such grace that no one could possibly fault her. But the sight of her outstretched handkerchief made me sick. I turned my head away from her hand. Cyrus's temper flared again. "Nara's being kind and trying to take care of your wound. What kind of attitude is that? "Apologize." They were all waiting for me to back down. My chest tightened with pain. I knew they no longer cared about me, yet being forced to apologize again was still so humiliating I could barely breathe. I looked up at Nara, then at the three men behind her. These were the warriors who had once sworn to protect me with their lives. "I'm sorry," I said quietly, looking at the floor. Then I gripped the chair's arm, forced myself to my feet, and ran out. Chapter 4 The heavy wooden door behind me stood half-open. From inside came Nara's soothing voice and the sighs of Cyrus and Knox. Dragging my injured leg, I stumbled back to my stone house. Moonlight fell on the wooden chest by my bed. Inside were the gifts the three of them had given me. I used to treasure them more than my own life. I opened the chest, and my fingertips came to rest on the moonstone. When I was 14, I had a fever that wouldn't break. Knox knelt at the Moon Goddess's altar and prayed for me. On every stormy night afterward, he would press the moonstone to my heart and tell me the Moon Goddess would protect me. The wolf fang came from the first snow wolf Cyrus had ever killed on his own. He returned covered in blood and hung it around my neck in front of everyone. He said the fang was his glory, and so was I. At the very bottom lay the soft leather armor Draven had made for my coming-of-age ceremony. He had ventured deep into the Black Marsh and spent a year hunting crocodiles for the toughest hide, then fashioned the armor himself. He said it would protect me from any danger. I'd once believed these gifts would stay with me forever. The moonstone still felt smooth and warm to the touch. The wolf fang still gleamed, and the armor felt soft and cool against my palm. But the men who had promised to protect me with their lives had abandoned me and even forced me to apologize to someone else. I threw them all into the fire and watched the flames swallow them. Years of precious memories, and the girl I used to be, turned to ash in that fire. I wiped away my tears and the blood, then turned and went straight to my father's office. "Father, I'll go through with the Snow Wolf alliance. I'm the Alpha's daughter. I won't run from my duty." My father's heart sank. "Are you sure? Once you go, you may never come back to the Frostmoon pack." "I'm sure." I closed my eyes. My father looked at me for a long time, and I could see how much it hurt him. He pulled me into his arms, and a heavy sigh rumbled in his throat. "All right... I'll see you off." I had barely stepped out of my father's office when three tall figures blocked my way. Cyrus looked thunderous. "Lyra, so you really did run to your father to complain about us." I stopped and looked at him coldly. "Being spoiled was one thing, but now you're being downright cruel just to compete for our attention?" Draven stood off to one side. "Nara spent the whole time defending you, telling us not to blame you. And what did you do?" Knox's voice was even colder. "Lyra, running to your father won't make us give in." The disgust in Cyrus's eyes, the contempt in Draven's, and the misunderstanding in Knox's finally showed me how little they truly knew me, even after all these years. But I didn't care anymore. I would be leaving soon. "Are you done? I didn't tattle. Believe whatever you want." I pushed past them and walked away. The three of them froze. They were used to my demanding ways and my softer side, but they had never seen me this calm. Behind me, Knox snorted coldly. "Let her reflect on what she's done! And don't any of you go after her!" The footsteps faded away. Back home, I leaned against the cold door and slowly slid to the floor. Tomorrow, I would leave this land for good and never look back. The next morning, the thick fog in the valley still hadn't lifted. My father had arranged for guards and several wagons loaded with warm clothes, medicine, and supplies. Wrapped in a heavy cloak, I took one last look at my father, then turned and climbed into the wagon. The wheels rolled over the frosty ground, heading slowly north. I didn't look back.