Chapter 1 82 55 vouchers I pictured Cassian Valemont stepping over the bodies of his four wives . Did they scream ? Did he linger to relish the sound , or stride on , already hunting bride number five ? " Atasha , the council assured us that this marriage is done to appease the young lord . It is nothing but formalities , " my mother's voice brought me back from my stupor . Marriage . Yes . A marriage with Cassian Valemont himself . I pressed two fingers against the unmarked skin over my heart and tried , one last futile time , to feel even a flicker of fur beneath . Nothing . Empty , the same as yesterday , the same as every day since my sixteenth birthday . Wolfless . The word echoed with the thunder hammering the council - hall roof . Each rumble felt like the place chanting the verdict I'd lived with for four years : useless , weak , expendable . If my wolf had awakened that night , would they still send me north as Cassian Valemont's fifth bride ? I dragged my eyes back to my parents . Both of them were silent , both waiting for me to say yes . My father broke the silence first . " If you refuse , the treaty dissolves . Nightfall will stand alone . The Alpha King will not protect us when Fang Demon marches . " Genevieve , my mother , spoke next . " Think of your sister . Celeste is the future of this pack . We cannot let her marry that man . The north is too far away from our pack . How could she travel- " she paused . " Atasha ... you are different . You must marry the lord in her stead . " I looked at the face that used to glow with pride . " Lord Cassian has been married four times ," I said flatly . " Three of them died on the wedding night . The fourth lasted a week . " Marrying Lord Cassian would be marrying my own killer . How could they send me to my death ? My mother didn't flinch . " He is widowed now , " she replied quickly . " The envoy swore this union is in name only . You will not remain at his castle . After the ceremony , you can live where you choose . Far from him . Peace , Atasha . Freedom . This is what you want ." Peace . The word rang hollow . Four years had passed since my sixteenth birthday , since I failed to awaken , and every day since had proven how little they valued a daughter without a wolf . Now , thunder rolled again . My father bent over parchment , quill scratching out the final terms . My mother leaned close . " This bargain saves Celeste and secures the pack . You will finally be free of any duties . This is the freedom that you want ." Freedom . A life near the border , maybe . Somewhere no one would bother whispering the word " human . " But 11:00 Wed , Sep 10 Chapter 1 82 55 vouchers how could they use the word freedom after trying to convince me to marry Lord Cassian ? Right . Nothing says ' freedom ' like signing myself over to a bride - killer . But if I don't marry him ? Who will ? Celeste ? I pictured Celeste in white beside the Alpha King . Yes , Celeste should be the one standing next to the Alpha King , not to the King's crazed brother . If marrying Cassian Valemont meant protecting Celeste and securing Nightfall , I'd do it . Even a wolfless daughter could still be of use . I would save Celeste , even if it cost my life . My hand trembled on the quill , then I willed it still and signed in neat strokes - Atasha Genevieve Black . No applause followed . Deals like this didn't deserve it . Near the doors , Celeste caught my eye as she mouthed two words . Thank you . I simply gave her a nod . This wasn't her fault . This wasn't anyone's fault . I knew that we were both victims of the circumstances and that , if given a choice , Celeste would never let me marry that beast . " Cassian Valemont will arrive tomorrow night ," my father said . " He will come to get the bride . Prepare your things . We will ensure that your dowry is sufficient . You do not need to think of anything else . " I nodded as the rain slammed the roof harder . As the ink dried , I straightened my back . Then I left the room without another word . A marriage to Cassian Valemont . The Cassian Valemont . The Alpha's brother . The one who didn't follow the council , didn't answer to the King . The one who led the King's Army like a warhound let off the leash . The man who killed every bride they gave him . Perhaps my dream of living by the borders was nothing but a fairytale . So maybe I wasn't destined for a life on the border after all . Reaching the top of the stairs , I turned right . My room was in the attic . It used to be a storage space . When Celeste asked for the larger room on the second floor , no one argued . I was quietly told to move upstairs . I never complained , Complaining was pointless when you didn't even have a wolf . Stepping inside , I closed the door behind me . The attic felt claustrophobic - its low , sloping ceiling pressing down on a single wooden bed , a battered dresser , and a trunk by the window . A threadbare rug barely hid warped floorboards , and cobwebs clung to every corner . Tonight , the wind howled , and rain lashed the panes , lightning carving jagged shadows through the trees . Sadly , I had no time to linger on the storm . 11:00 Wed , Sep 10 Chapter 1 82 55 vouchers Lord Cassian arrives tomorrow . Sweat prickled my palms as I hauled the leather trunk from beneath the cot . With a groan , I flipped it open , and a cloud of cedar - dust revealed the same faded cotton dresses I'd worn since my seventeenth winter , nothing more substantial than a shawl . I slipped a hand between the cotton layers . I could already feel draughts knifing through the attic boards . If this room chilled me , what would a northern keep do ? The north is a land where the sun seldom rises , a place where frost slicks the stones even at noon . And yet here I was , folding lace into my trunk as if it stood a chance against the cold . I started looking for something that would at least keep me warm . After what felt like forever , I found only one cloak thick enough to call a cloak . It was Father's cast - off hunting wrap , wool scarred by burrs , smelling faintly of pine smoke . I pulled it around my shoulders as I pictured northern wind howling through castle corridors and shoved the cloak into the trunk . Then , I took Celeste's quilt from the foot of my bed instead . Midnight blue , stitched with silver thread in tiny moons . She'd sworn it would keep nightmares out . Last night proved otherwise . Now , the trunk was half - full , half - empty . Pressing the lid down , I fastened the brass latch . The leather creaked , protesting the weight , and so did my heart . If my wolf had awakened , would I even be here , packing for my own funeral ? Tomorrow , the Tyrant Lord would take his bride to the northern walls , and I would arrive wearing clothes meant for summer . Well , it's not like I would survive this marriage . I would be lucky if I lasted a month . No. A week . Another flash of lightning cut across the sky . Thunder cracked close behind it , loud enough to rattle the window . Then the curtain lifted violently as if something had surged through the room . Startled , I stood and moved to the window . The latch again , probably . It always slipped loose in storms . My fingers reached for it ... then froze mid - air . The air had shifted . The kind of shift every wolf's instinct recognized . And I immediately knew it wasn't just because of the wind . Someone else was here . My chest seized as the curtains whipped aside . I dared not blink , straining to read the darkness . Then I saw him . A man , standing not too far away from me . And it didn't take too long for me to recognize that face . It was him ! A gasp caught in my throat . Cassian Valemont ! Lightning fractured the sky , etching his broad shoulders and hard features . Dressed in black , he stood 11:00 Wed , Sep 10 Chapter 1 : 82 55 vouchers unmoving at the foot of my bed . For a long , tense moment , the room fell silent as his burnished - steel eyes felt like ice against my bones , yet I could not look away . I had seen him before , once beside the King during a coronation , once on a blood - soaked battlefield . But this was different . This was not a man glimpsed from a distance . This was the tyrant lord standing in my room . In my silence . The Cassian Valemont . The one mothers warned their children about . And now he was here as if this night - this storm - belonged to him . Then he smiled . " You signed your name like a lamb . It makes me curious ... " his gaze slid to my throat . " Will your last scream sound like a wolf's roar or a lamb's bleat ? " I Title: Cohabitating Lover by CrushReel In the romantic tale "Cohabitating Lover," Corinne, a runaway bride still donned in her wedding attire, and Andre find themselves mistakenly tangled in a leasing office mix-up. Despite initial reluctance, they become unexpected roommates after a series of arguments lead to an unconventional living arrangement. Exploring themes of love, transformation, and the magnetic pull of opposites, this modern romance unfolds against the backdrop of a luxurious mansion and a high-powered office setting. As Corinne and Andre navigate their differences and shared living space, their individual glow-ups and personal growth intertwine in a heartwarming display of vulnerability and resilience. This sweet romance novel stands out for its portrayal of characters grappling with unexpected circumstances while discovering the true meaning of companionship. With a blend of CEO dynamics, modern settings, and the allure of opposites attracting, "Cohabitating Lover" offers readers a refreshing take on love and self-discovery. Escape into this ongoing story available to read at CrushReel for a captivating journey through the complexities of relationships and personal evolution.