Hope was tired after a whole day of traveling in that small carriage on a bumpy road. When it stopped, she managed to take a peek at the window, and she could see the Castle of Springwood. The carriage had arrived, and it was waiting for the mobile bridge to land over the Spring River so they could get inside the inner courtyard.

The Castle of Springwood was high on the top of a hill surrounded by thick forest and imprisoned between two meandering arms of the Spring River. People say the previous Lord was the one who had decided the place where the castle was built. He specifically wanted everyone who came to the Castle of Springwood to think twice before bothering him.

Hope realized that she had entered into great trouble only when her gaze fell upon Lord Springwood in the castle's great hall. His black hair fell in strands of various sizes up to his shoulders. His ebony eyes were as dark as darkness itself. His pale white skin seemed like the sun never touched it before. The Lord's smile was cold and a bit creepy, but his gaze made her blush. Why? She had never felt this way before, recognizing that his stunningness had overcome her.

Hope wasn't stupid. She knew that smile was a fake, perceiving some bits of his true intentions hidden behind that smirk. The Lord's eyes were playful and enticing, but if you would look closely, you could see the bitter darkness that flowed beneath all that.

Little she knew that the High Lord of Springwood was entirely bored. For Drake, that being his real name, the measly humans were tedious and troublesome, very few things being able to arouse any feelings inside his heart. Sometimes, the Lord could find exciting individuals to keep him entertained, but they didn't last long. Even the ruler's duties seemed dull. "What is your name?" she heard his baritone voice for the first time.

Drake thought that today could be an exciting day, but he didn't invest too much hope in it. The answer to his question arrived. "Hope." That made him smirk, thinking of the coincidence. Drake found an invigorating feeling spreading through his being. Maybe she won't waste this day after all.

"Tell me, are you going to be an interesting toy, or I should toss you aside like my previous ones?" Drake's smirk widened, seeing Hope's expression. But she didn't back down. "I am not a toy! You can better compare me with a beast than with a doll. My advice is to release me before finding out why I am interesting."

Drake's giggle echoed in the whole room, and all the guards were astonished. The last time he had done that was years ago, and it was a terrible day for all living in the castle. His mood could change, igniting his bloodlust and driving Drake in a full berzerk mode.

He sat up from his throne and walked towards Hope. Drake grabbed her neck and pushed her onto the wall. His face was so close that she could feel his hot breath on her cheeks. Drake's huge sharp nails were scratching off the lime on the wall. Hope heard his husky and threatening voice. "I will see this beast and how it fares in the arena. If you can't survive, then so be it, but I would prefer you alive to try and tame you."

Drake's eyes were glowing, and the murderous feeling was weighing heavy on Hope's chest, leaving her breathless. Or was the hand on her neck? She glared into his eyes indifferently. "The real question is who will be tamed and who will be the tamer."

Drake was starting to enjoy this conversation. No one had dared to address him this way for ages. This girl was ruthless, possessing such boldness he once adored seeing in people before becoming empty on the inside. Drake's inner voice started shouting, "She might be worthy of being my mate. I want to see how she fares in different situations and how she handles herself." He pushed back the voice within, needing to find his own resolution.

Her big brown eyes resembled those of an innocent deer, but her inner strength made Drake perceive her as a fearless tiger stalking its prey. Good! That was becoming interesting, but a tiger still would be far beneath him. At that moment, Drake decided he needed to find out more about her.

A shiver ran through Hope's body when she heard his husky voice whispering in her ear. "I am bored, and you will entertain me. I will find out what makes you tick. After that, when I know everything I need, I will probably get bored again as usual. The real question is, in fact, if you will still be alive then."

Drake turned his back and started moving away, returning to the throne. "Take her to the arena." Hearing his cold voice, Hope shivered, feeling how fear starts creeping inside her heart and realizing this lord can do whatever he wants with her.

The officer who threatened Hope's mother stuck his hand in her hair, pulling Hope out of the room. Maybe she closed her eyes, and that was the reason why she couldn't see Drake's movements. One moment he was near the throne, and the next, he was beside her. Blood covered her face when Drake cut off the hand that was painfully pulling her.

Hope froze in place. There was no way she could describe her amazement. Hope would have done the same thing given a chance. At that particular moment, she didn't know if she should be horrified or satisfied.

The guard started screaming in agony while Drake smiled and licked the blood from his sword. His eyes glowed red when he showed his wicked smile again. "I never said you should inflict pain. That is my prerogative, and yours is to do what I order. Tsk, tsk, tsk...You taste as bad as I've imagined..."