Lillian's POV

"Lillian, you've got to help your sister out and marry in her place." 

My father's tired, pleading voice rang through my mind. 

I opened my eyes and surveyed the room I was in. 

Today was my wedding day to Ismail. 

But there was no ceremony nor blessings – just a ring and no sign of the groom. 

In the afternoon, after a fleet of cars from the Amus family picked me up, I was brought to this luxurious bedroom. 

The room was dimly lit, with an eerie atmosphere that made me feel like I was in a dream. I sat at the bedside alone. 

I never expected my wedding to turn out like this; it was so different from what I had envisioned.

But what made me more anxious was the wedding night ahead.

After all, rumor had it that six previous mates of Ismail were dead. My fear began to cripple me at this moment. 

Looking around the room again, I still couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Despite the grand decor and luxurious furnishings, there was a strange energy that permeated the air. Even the gold ring on my finger seemed to emit an ominous glow in the dim light.

I had always been bold. But even at this time, I couldn't help but hug my knees and feel terrified when I thought about what I might have to face later.

A month ago, the Amus family sent a marriage proposal to my home – the Rosenburg family, requesting the hand of my father's eldest daughter, Chloe, for their son Ismail, saying that they were destined to be together.

Yes, they wanted the Rosenburg family's eldest daughter, Chloe.

But at this moment, it was I, Lillian, an illegitimate daughter of the Rosenburg family, who married into the Amus family.

"Ismail is going to be a good match as your mate." After receiving the Amus family's marriage proposal, my father found me the next morning.

As he put his hand on my shoulder, he said in a low growl, "Ismail is the Alpha's son, and besides, he's the next big thing in the Dawn Army. There's no one in the werewolf world got more potential than him. It's for your own good to be able to marry him." 

His gaze flickered for a moment. "Chloe was supposed to marry him, but she got burned and disfigured in a fire so now she can't. Lillian, you can help your sister and marry him in her place. Plus, you never leave the house, and no one knows you exist. You look just like your sister, so no one will notice the difference."

My face must have looked like a jigsaw puzzle at that moment. 

Just because I preferred staying indoors didn't mean I was oblivious to the world and hadn't heard the whispers about Ismail. 

Sure, he was set to be the next leader of the Dawn Army.

But, he was also grappling with a life-threatening disease that would cut his time short before he hit thirty, as predicted by the witches. 

And that wasn't even the worst of it. Ismail had a track record of marrying every year, yet not one of his wives had survived beyond the second day.

In various legions, there had long been talk of Ismail being abandoned by the Moon Goddess. His wolf disappeared, and unable to find a mate.

Such a person was by no means the suitable match my father spoke of. 

I didn't want to marry him at all. 

Yet, this enigmatic man, Ismail, turned out to be the last person I expected to marry. 

Despite my protests and resistance, my father coerced me into becoming Ismail's seventh wife. 

I never believed in fate or destiny. But, I couldn't fathom Ismail's decision in marrying me. 

As someone capable of leading such a huge army, shouldn't he be more careful about choosing his partner?

Besides we had never met each other. Yet, our marriage had been arranged in such a nonchalant manner. 

After pondering for what seemed like an eternity, exhaustion finally overtook me, and I dozed off on the bed. 

As a newlywed in unfamiliar territory, I dared not sleep too deeply. I couldn't tell how long I had been asleep before I was jolted awake by the sound of the door opening. 

As a chill ran down my spine, I instinctively sat up, feeling half of my drowsiness disappear in an instant. 

The door creaked open, and a towering figure appeared before me. 

But as he entered, the gust blew out the last flicker of light in the room, enveloping me in pitch blackness. I could barely make out the shape of a man standing over me.

"How is this even possible?" Ruby's voice suddenly echoed in my ear.

Ruby was my wolf, but because I was a hybrid – half-wolf, half-witch, she couldn't fully materialize and could only communicate with me like this.

"Why can't I see this man's face clearly?" I asked, perplexed.

"This is strange. Very strange," Ruby replied. "As far as I'm concerned, you should be able to see his face with me around. The darkness shouldn't affect us, but for some reason, we can't see his face at all."

"Maybe it's just my nerves tonight," I suggested. "I'm so nervous that my palms are sweating."

Ruby fell silent for a moment. "I'm sorry, Lillian. I can't protect you."

Before I could comfort Ruby, the man's footsteps grew louder and closer, until he was standing right beside me. 

My mind went blank at once.

I couldn't see his face, nor could I discern his expression.

However... I could sense the eerie energy emanating from him, and with just one glance, I found myself gasping for air.

I paused, staring in disbelief. He was my mate? The same man rumored to have lost six previous partners and couldn't live past thirty? 

But he looked perfectly healthy, how could that be possible? 

No way, those were certainly just hearsays!

I shook my head. What the hell was I doing?

At that moment, I couldn't believe I was even thinking about the rumors. Who cared how many partners he had lost before? Who cared whether they were true or not?

Ismail finally made his way towards the bed, causing me to instinctively move towards the center.

Standing over me, he loomed large, his voice as cold as his gaze. "I heard you can cure my illness," he said.

My jaw dropped open, shocked by the statement. Cure his illness? 

What did he mean?

"I'm talking to you." Ismail leaned in, his sinewy fingers gripping my chin and forcing me to meet his intense stare.