Isabella

I noticed that a few people had started leaving the dining hall, so I seized the opportunity to flee. I got up and bowed to the King and Queen and thanked them for the sumptuous meal and their warm welcome.

I pushed back my chair, excused myself, and said goodnight to the rest of the table while Queen Selena pulled me for a hug

" Good night my daughter." She said and planted a kiss on my forehead.

I didn't know how to react to her motherly affection towards me, I just smiled and did my best to make a noble exit. All I wanted was to be in the comfort of my room where I won't be able to see those emerald-colored eyes that burned with fury.

I had barely left the dining hall when I felt something grab me roughly on my arms and slammed my back against the wall, and I found myself staring into those emerald green eyes. His hold tightened and his nails dug into my skin

" Please… You're hurting me," I could barely hear my voice, staring into his eyes which were blazing with fire. But he didn't let me go

My other hand clung to his tightly, pleading. I felt the tingling sparks that erupted at the mere contact. His eyes gauged me as if I were a piece of trash and I felt uncomfortable under his cold stare. His eyes were intimidating and dominating and I had to shift my gaze from him.

" You don't seem like the second daughter of Alpha Nicholas, I was told she's beautiful, intelligent, and also an artisan. You don't fit into any of this description." He growled and as if he wanted to be convinced, he inspected my fingers one after the other

" Which position are you among his daughters?" His tone was harsh and deadly

And for the first time in my life, I thought about lying to save myself, it won't be so bad if I steal my sister Gwen's identity but what if he finds out and decides to banish me from their pack, and I will be left at the mercy of the rogues. I decided to tell him the truth but what if ****

" Speak up!" He growled

I tried to form the word but it seems my mouth has decided to work against me and I don't want him to perceive me as a weakling knowing that he had already hated me for no reason.

" The last daughter," I mumbled

" The cursed one with the weird eyes," I knew something was fishy when I set my eyes on you, your dad pledged that the parting gift would be his favorite daughter but he decided to play smart with me after signing the contract and sent you, the unloved and not-so-beautiful one." He chuckled viciously and continued

" Since your dad decided to play a fast one on me, and I can't go back on my words on the treaty contract you will pay for his sins," he said in a domineering tone and as if to mark his words, he gave me an extra shove against the wall and started walking off

I was confused. How could he treat me like that after knowing that we're mates?

"Arden but we're mates, at least respect the mate bond between us," The words left my mouth before I could stop them and they seemed to have earned his attention and he came to a halt and veered to face me

" From today onwards, it'll be Alpha Arden to you." He spoke to me like he was addressing the servants, and I ignored his words

" I'm not my father that tricked you, you can easily reject me and go back and take my sister, why make me pay for the sins I didn't commit." I didn't even know when my eyes gathered with tears and they rolled carelessly from my eyes

He stared at me intently and said

" Isabella Cross, I will marry you to fulfill the alliance contract, going back on it will deem my position in the clan. And before you get your hopes high, let me make something clear to you. You will never be my Luna and you'll never be my mate. You mean absolutely nothing to me. His voice was cruel and there was a snarl on his lips.

" Reject me, set me free!" I yelled at him

His eyes became stony and his soft lips which were the color of blood, curled up amusingly. He moved closer to me, so close that our nose was almost touching. I felt his hot breath fan my face, and my breathing became hitched, and my legs became so feeble. The attraction between us was too strong to ignore.

Couldn't he feel it too?

" Nope! I won't reject you but you will stay here in this pack and suffer for your dad's treachery, I won't kill you, but you will beg for death yourself." His voice was more brutal than the winter's gravest wind and sharper than any sword to my chest.

I could only stare in utter disbelief at his words, without hesitation he turned his back to me and left. And I stood there staring after him… my mouth open, my face pale, and my arm was aching. And there was a pain in my chest like something was ripping away. It was so powerful enough that I had to hold my chest and gasp for breath. A few people were coming out of the dining hall and casting curious glances at me. I knew I had to drag myself to my room to avoid unnecessary questions.

I was too weak to walk so I decided to use the castle elevator. I stopped on the third floor and made my way down to the foyer to my room. Once inside the safety of my room, I locked the door and fell across the bed.

" I will not cry." I chanted

"I will not cry." I chanted

But my heart was already betraying me and the tears were streaming down my cheeks despite trying my best to stay strong but the pain was much.

" How could Dad do this to me?"

" Damn, Alpha, Nicholas Cross! To hell with you Dad?"

" Why swap me with Gwen's position and how cruel could he be."

I wiped my face with the back of my hand and I decided that I'm done crying and wallowing in self-pity.

" Dad didn't want me, he hates me?"

" And my mate hates me too and doesn't want to have anything to do with me."

I decided that since Arden hates me that once the marriage ceremony is completed, and all the pack alliances are signed and sealed, then I will reject him myself.

"And then what becomes of me?"

"Sighs" I would worry about the rest of my life, another day. For now, I decided to settle for a warm bath and soaked my aching body, and scrubbed the makeup off my face. I tried not to think about Arden but I couldn't help it, he seems to be living rent-free in my head. I picked up a shower gel from a dozen bottles stacked on the glass rack on the opposite wall.

I sighed and pulled the plug out of the tub, letting the warm drain down. And I grabbed a towel and cleaned my body and came out of the bathroom. I slipped into my pajamas and crawled into the bed, totally overwhelmed with everything my brain had to process in just one day.

"Phew!"

"