*~Gabrielle's POV~*
~1868~
I have done so many fascinating things in my life, but asking a total stranger to marry me tops them all.
I stood frozen before the mysterious figure, my hands clutching the hem of my dress as I swallowed hard.
"Marry me..." I whispered shakily, forcing myself to face my fear. I couldn't even see his face clearly, just a dark silhouette and those burning golden eyes.
He said nothing. My breath hitched, but I steadied myself, inhaling deeply before taking another step forward.
"Please, marry me," I repeated. Asking a stranger was still better than returning to my mother's house. Better than being found, dragged back, and locked away for years. No, I would never allow that to happen again. Never. And besides, he looked wealthy enough for my mother's approval.
He stepped out of the shadows, and my breath caught in my throat.
Oh my goodness... this is perfection. No! A masterpiece. No... a demigod. Perfect face to swoon mother.
Silver hair framed his chiseled face, and harsh golden eyes gleamed under the moonlight. His jawline was sharp, his aquiline nose perfectly sculpted, and his heart-shaped lips were cruelly beautiful. His full brows and long lashes shadowed eyes that pierced straight through me.
He looked powerful. Wealthy. Dangerous. If anyone could take me far enough from my mother's grasp, it would be him.
"What did you say?" he asked, his voice deep, almost menacing.
I swallowed again. "Please... I said, Marry me."
Confusion flickered across his face as he stepped closer, revealing himself fully. My gaze dropped to the sword in his hand, and my chest tightened—it looked familiar. Too familiar. His face, too.
He kept walking toward me, and I instinctively backed away, step by step, like predator and prey. My eyes darted behind me, praying I wouldn't stumble. Then, in one swift motion, he unsheathed his sword and arched the blade against my throat.
I screamed, throwing my hands up while squeezing my eyes shut.
Oh my God, Gabrielle. What have you done? You've put yourself in danger again. Mother was right. The outside world is dangerous. It isn't made for someone like me. And now I was going to die... at the hands of a gorgeous demigod.
"Azazel...?" his gaze flickered.
"Azazel...?" Is he mistaking me for someone else?
His eyes widened. Slowly, he lowered the sword. My breath shuddered back into my lungs. Relief washed over me, but it was short-lived.
I turned to flee, but before I could escape, his hand clamped around my wrist. He yanked me back, slamming me gently yet firmly against a tree. My back arched as he pinned me, his face now only inches away. His harsh golden eyes studied me with burning intensity, as though searching for something buried deep inside me.
"Gabrielle, where are you? I know you are here. Your mother is looking for you!"
Oh my gods. Mother had found me.
My stomach dropped at the thought of them dragging me back to that prison. The mere idea made my skin crawl.
No. I couldn't allow that to happen. Never.
Instinctively, I grabbed the stranger's robe and pulled him closer to me. Our noses brushed; our lips were just inches apart. Thousands of butterflies stormed through my stomach, and my face burned hot—even though he had tried to kill me only seconds ago. I hadn't even realized how loud my breathing was until he pressed a hand over my nose and mouth to silence me.
The voices drew nearer.
"Gabrielle, we know you are here. Come outside. Don't make this difficult. Just come, Gabrielle. We won't hurt you. Let's go back home."
The sound of boots crushing leaves grew closer. Only the tree we stood behind shielded us from their eyes. I held my breath as tightly as I could. Finally, the footsteps faded, and the voices grew distant.
He lowered his hand, and I let go of his robe. He immediately stepped back, widening the distance between us.
His eyes narrowed into a confused gaze as he studied me. "You are Gabrielle Forbes?"
I straightened up. "I am."
I lifted my hand, showing him the mark etched into my skin. His reaction was immediate―his eyes widened, shock flashing across his face. He grabbed my hand without hesitation.
Slowly, his expression turned sharper, colder. He muttered under his breath, "The White Wolf."
"You will not touch me unless you agree to marry me," I snapped, yanking my hand away.
As my hand slipped from his grasp, irritation flashed in his golden eyes. His brows furrowed and his lips twisted into a snarl. "Are you seriously that foolish? Begging a stranger to marry you?"
"I am desperate," I replied without hesitation. Then, noticing the contempt in his eyes, I took a deep breath and softened my tone. "You don't understand. My mother... I can't stay. She'll only let me leave if I marry a man like..." I slowly looked up, meeting the golden glow of his eyes. "Like you."
That last sentence triggered him, and his face darkened.
"SILENCE!" he growled. "You are pathetic. Go home."
He turned, dismissing me as if I were nothing.
But I grabbed his hand again and yanked him closer, forcing him to look me in the eye. "I'm desperate here! Am I not beautiful enough?" I demanded, though deep down, I knew it was a lie. I was beautiful—too beautiful. My mother had locked me away because of it and my powers, and yet it wasn't working on him. Why wasn't he accepting me?
He shook my grip off effortlessly, his gaze cold and unreadable. Without another word, he turned and kept walking away.
Anger boiled inside me. "Fine! Walk away. I'll just find another wealthy man who will marry me!" I spat, turning to storm off in the opposite direction.
But before I could take three steps, someone's arms scooped me up. My feet left the ground, and my legs kicked furiously in the air. He had thrown me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing at all.
"Put me down!" I shrieked, pounding my fists against his back. But he didn't release me. His pace never faltered as he walked straight in the direction my mother's guards had gone.
My stomach flipped. Oh gods. He was taking me back.
"Please don't take me back!" I pleaded, my voice breaking, but he remained silent, his grip firm and his stride unyielding.
Terror swelled in my chest as images flashed in my mind—my mother punishing me for escaping, locking me once again in that wretched room, or marrying me off to some old creep just to use my powers. I struggled to breathe.
"Gabrielle! Where are you?" The guards' voices were too close for comfort.
"Over here!" he shouted.
The guards rushed forward and surrounded us. He dropped me unceremoniously to the ground, and the leader, Levy, stepped forward with chains in hand.
"Ah! We found you," he sneered. "You are in trouble now."
Cold iron closed around my wrists. My heart cracked as I looked down at the chains binding me.
Three years. Three long years of plotting my escape had been destroyed—all because of one man. One annoyingly gorgeous stranger.
My heart shattered into pieces.
"You should tighten your security next time," the stranger said casually, his voice sharp with disdain. "So she won't escape again."
And then… he turned. Just like that, he walked away. His huge back retreated into the distance, his sword glinting at his side, yet he still looked perfect after ruining my life.
Tears burned my eyes as I cursed him under my breath.
"Curse you, gorgeous monster."