“What????” She shook her head. “I don’t believe you.”
“Believe it or not Miranda, he even went as far as turning one of my loyal pack members against me, do you remember omega Conor, the son of the seamstress?”
She tried to recall, “I think I met him once before, isn’t he Sandy’s good friend?”
“Yes, but unfortunately, Conor wasn’t all he turned out to be, he confessed his crimes with his own mouth before I executed him in my court. Turns out that he was sent by Damian to destroy me and my pack. He’s no friend to my sister, he fooled her and only used her to gain entrance to the packhouse to do Damian’s dirty work!”
“No…. You’re lying… no, I cannot… I do not believe you… I won’t…”
“Believe it or not Miranda,” he repeated. “It’s the truth. I swear that I received no such message about you in captivity, and even if I did, it must have been a trap for him to lure me into his territory. He is evil Miranda; you cannot marry him… you just cannot.”
Miranda began to stutter, “but… b-b-but…”
Walden stood up and went to kneel in front of her, taking her two hands in his, his eyes held desperation, “Miranda, I’m sorry for all that’s happened between us. I only came here to tell you that I’m willing to turn a new leaf if you’ll accept me back. I promise to make things right and always put you as my priority from now on, I know I haven’t been doing a good job at that, but I’m willing to make these changes for you dear if you’ll forgive and accept me. Please Miranda… call off this wedding, do it for the both of us… please.”
“But what about Damian? He was really looking forward to this… he’ll be heartbroken.”
“I can’t believe that you’re still concerned about Damian’s feelings after hearing all these things about him Miranda, can’t you see that he is doing nothing but using you to get your men? Who knows? He might even kill you after then…. I came here for you because I love you, Miranda. I want to protect you and I’m willing to go through many lengths to get you back, please don’t enter into a marriage you’ll regret for the rest of your life.”
She contemplated his words. Damian might have done all those things, but how does she believe the words of Walden whom she’s always known to be nothing but a pathetic liar?
“What to do? What to do? Oh, dear Lily, what to do?”
Lily responded immediately, “follow your heart and not your ears, let it be the one to guide you…”
As if in a short trance, she then heard Walden’s words echo in her ears, “please don’t enter a marriage you’ll regret for the rest of your life…”
Taking Lily’s advice and finally giving him the answer he was waiting for, she spoke her firm reply out loud….
“The only such marriage I’ll ever regret is the one with you Walden.”
Walden was taken aback by her words, which clearly caught him off balance, “what???”
“Yes, you heard me…. And I still stand my ground on what I said. Damian might have done all those things, but regardless, that does not justify all the evil you’ve done through Samara. You’re not in any way better than him, you’re even much worse.”
“Miranda…”
She didn’t let him finish, “I’m going to marry alpha Damian, no matter what you tell me about him, because unlike you, I never back down from a promise. You broke my heart the minute you left me hanging because of Samara, and I’ll never forgive you for that! Even with all you said, if I were to choose who I would marry between you and Damian, I would choose Damian a million times over! He might be a killing machine as you said, but you’re no better, Walden. You know you’re not…!”
“Miranda, I am begging you… please reconsider this decision you are making, I know you’re mad at me, but don’t try to punish me by marrying him, please Miranda!”
“There is nothing to consider Walden, and I am damn sure about what I said earlier, we are never getting back together again. it’s over!”
Making one final attempt, “please Miranda, you can’t do this… you’re making a mistake.”
He then heard her voice reply him again, her tone getting sharper with every sentence… “please, take your leave now Walden, I have a wedding to prepare for.”
Walden sighed frustratedly, standing up from the ground. He’d done all he could, he’d run out of words to say, he didn’t know what to do anymore that would convince her, to make her see sense in what he was saying.
“I know you’re angry at me Miranda, I’d feel the same way too if I were in your shoes. I’ll leave you alone to think things through, please think about all I’ve said. There’s still time, there’s still time to change your mind. I promise to fight by your side Miranda, I promise to never let you go again.”
**********
Valledor had heard about Walden’s arrival, and he didn’t waste time in rushing to the meeting room, his heart racing. Now standing outside the door, he was about to enter at first but then thought better of it. If Miranda saw him in there, she’ll know he was the one who called Walden to come, and then she’ll refuse him for sure. He then decided to wait outside, hoping for a positive result.
“Let’s just hope that Walden is good enough in convincing Miranda to call off the wedding,” he thought to his wolf.
Shortly after, a disappointed Walden came out of the meeting room. Valledor could tell by the look on his face, he needed no soothsayer to tell him that Walden hadn’t succeeded after all. Miranda had clearly made up her mind, and she wasn’t going to back down on her decision to get married today, no matter what anyone told her.