Fiona's Pov

The carriage ride up the mountain to Ironridge was the longest of my life. Every bump in the road made my chest ache, and the thin air burned my lungs. I spent most of the journey with my eyes closed, trying to slow my breathing, trying to calm the shaking in my hands. My father’s words echoed in my head. This is for the good of our people, Fiona. You will be the bridge that brings peace. I wanted to believe him, but all I felt was fear. I was being sent to a stranger, a battle-scarred Alpha I had never met, to be his wife. His mate....