Alison’s POV
The air in the dining room felt heavier than it should have, and the Alpha’s hug lingered like a thorn pressing against my chest. I barely registered the warmth of his arms around me which must have been geared at trying to calm me as Cedric finally released me.
“My dear girl, This is Felix, my son” Cedric said, his booming voice filling the room as he gestured to the younger man beside him. “Your betrothed.”
The word hit me like a thunderclap. I blinked, convinced I hadn’t heard him right.
“My What?” The single word escaped my lips before I could stop it, a sharp, incredulous whisper that carried far more venom than I intended.
My father’s deep voice cut through the tension. “Maureen, Felix. why don’t you both step out for a moment? Cedric and I have little matters to discuss.”
“Wait I…” I began, but my father’s stern look silenced me. Reluctantly, I rose from my chair, my hands shaking besides me where no one could see.
Felix extended his arm toward me, his lips curved in an overly confident smirk that made my stomach churn. “Shall we?”
I ignored the gesture, brushing past him as I stormed toward the balcony. The cool breeze was a welcome contrast to the heat rising in my cheeks. My thoughts raced, each more chaotic than the last.
Betrothed? What century are we living in? How? When did this even take place?
The sound of my slipper against the stone floor was the only thing keeping me grounded as I paced back and forth, my hands moving restlessly. I bit my thumbnail, an old habit I hated but couldn’t seem to break.
Felix’s voice interrupted my spiraling thoughts. “You know, pacing like that won’t change anything.”
I turned sharply to see him leaning casually against the doorframe, his arms crossed and that irritating smirk still plastered on his face.
“You better Stay the hell away from me, and do not talk to me,” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended.
Unfazed, he pushed off the frame and began walking toward me, his steps slow and deliberate. “I’m just trying to introduce myself, and perhaps get to know you too. After all, we’re supposed to spend the rest of our lives together.”
“Not in your wildest dreams,” I bit out, backing up until I felt the cold stone of the balcony railing press against my back.
Felix closed the remaining distance between us, his hands braced on either side of me, trapping me in place. My muscles tensed as his scent, fresh pine and something darker and sharper filled the air around me.
“That’s no way to talk to your future Alpha and mate,” he whispered, his voice low and taunting, I could see the teasing spark in his eyes.
The words sent a chill down my spine, but I pushed against his chest with all my strength, forcing him to stumble back a few steps.
“Dream on, I will never be Mated to you” I shot back, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions raging inside me.
For a moment, his eyes darkened, a flicker of irritation breaking through his composure. But before he could respond, raised voices echoed from inside the dining room.
I didn’t think for a second I just moved. I bolted past Felix and through the open doors, my heart pounding in my ears. The sight that greeted me made my breath catch.
Cedric stood towering over my father, his finger jabbing the air between them like a knife. His voice was sharp, commanding, filled with a smug certainty that made my skin crawl.
“You gave me your word, Gaius,” Cedric growled, his words slicing through the room like a blade. “And now I’m back to collect.”
The tension was palpable, each word hanging in the air like a storm cloud about to burst. My father’s jaw was clenched, his face ashen, but he didn’t respond.
Cedric turned suddenly, his expression softening unnervingly as his gaze fell on me. He smiled, a gesture that felt anything but friendly.
“Don’t mind your father and I, we just know how to get on each other’s nerves, Take Very good care, my daughter-in-law,” he said smoothly. “We will be back for the necessary arrangements to claim you.”
My fists clenched at my sides as he motioned for Felix to follow.
Felix paused, giving me one last smirk and a wink before trailing after his father like an obedient dog.
The room felt suffocatingly silent in their absence. My father sank into a chair, his shoulders slumping like the weight of the world had finally crushed him.
“Gaius,” my mother’s voice was soft, almost pleading, as she rushed to his side, grabbing a glass of water from the dining table. She pressed it into his hands, her fingers trembling slightly.
I stood frozen, my thoughts racing as my gaze darted between them. Finally, I found my voice. “What the hell was that about?”
My father’s head lifted slowly, his eyes meeting mine. The weariness in them was almost enough to quell my anger. Almost.
“I… Uhhm” he started, but the words seemed to stick in his throat.
“Talk to me, dad” I demanded, my voice shaking. “What did he mean when he called me in daughter in law’? And what’s thud about hi returning to collect? What kind of deal did you make with him?”
My father’s hands tightened around the glass as he took a long, slow sip, avoiding my gaze. Finally, he sighed, setting the glass down with a soft clink.
“After you went missing, we began searching every nook and cranny but all to no avail, until we decided not to do it alone,” he began, his voice barely above a whisper, “I began to seek help from every pack I could. I was desperate, Maureen.”
I crossed my arms, the weight of his words sinking in but not softening the sharp edge of my frustration.
“Only two Alphas agreed to help me, the rest were scared of Alpha Lucian of Silver Moon,” he continued, his gaze fixed on the table. “One was Xander’s father of the NightFang pack, who later transfered the burden of help to Xander. The other was Cedric of the Red Dawn pack.”
My chest tightened at Xander’s name, but I forced myself to focus on my father’s explanation.
“Unlike Xander’s father, Cedric had… conditions,” he admitted, his voice heavy with regret. “He wanted his son to be mated to you. To unite our packs through marriage. Out of desperation, I agreed. I didn’t consider the pros and cons of that condition”
The words were a punch to the gut. My hands dropped to my sides, fists clenching so tightly my nails dug into my palms.
“Months ago, Cedric called to inform us that he had finally found your old nanny,” he added, his voice cracking. “The one who told us your new identity which led to tracking you down. Without him, we might never have found you.”
“So what?” I shot back, my voice rising. “That gives him the right to decide my future? To treat me like some kind of bargaining chip?”
“Maureen, please-”
“No!” I cut him off, my voice sharp and unyielding. “You don’t get to justify this. You don’t get to make choices like that for me, why would you agree to such conditions?.”
My mother placed a hand on my arm, but I shook her off, stepping back.
“I’m fated to Xander by the moon goddess,” I said, my voice trembling with both anger and conviction. “He’s my mate. He’s marked me.”
I grabbed the loose strands of hair at my neck and pulled them aside, revealing the faintly healed scar that curved across my skin, the undeniable proof of Xander’s claim.
“You see this?” I said, my voice cracking under the weight of my emotions. “This isn’t something you can undo with a deal or a promise. Xander and I are bound. Nothing… no one can change that.”
My parents stared at me, their expressions a mixture of shock and regret.
“I don’t know how you’re going to fix this,” I continued, my voice steadier now, each word laced with defiance. “But you’d better figure it out before Xander catches wind of it. Because if you don’t, you’re going to lose me all over again.”
With that, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the room, the sound of my heartbeat drowning out everything else.