CHAPTER 6
~Gabriella-
Marie was staring at the door behind me where her son had just stood.
It took a while for her to regain her focus and turn back to her regal self.
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A smile that could make anyone feel loved grew on her face once again but the anger in her
visible.
eyes
was
“I’m very sorry about that,” she said and I saw how her jaw clenched.
“No worries,”
“Don’t do that, don’t
stared deep into my eyes.
ever allow yourself to be okay with that behavior-” She grabbed my hands and
“-from anyone.” She said seriously.
I nodded my head, my words were fumbling around on my tongue but they wouldn’t come out.
“Do you want to head back in? I’m sure you’re family would like to see that you’re okay,” They don’t care. The wedding is done, the deal has been sealed and I was on my own from here and on.
But my brothers were in there.
“Don’t tell anyone about what just happened, please,” I said and smiled. My parents wouldn’t make a big deal of it but my brothers would start an all-out war between our packs by going after their Alpha.
“As you wish,” she said and lightly squeezed my hand.
We walked back into the big room and everyone turned their heads.
The chatter began once again until I was pulled to the side. My mind had been foggy and I was in survival mode so I turned and reached out my hand for whoever had grabbed me, thinking they wanted to say hi.
“I’ve known you for 18 years, no need for the formalities,” Nick said and grinned. I released a breath of relief and felt my shoulders relax.
“How are you holding up?” He asked me. Nick was my oldest brother, he was the one who took care of all of us siblings..
I
“I think I’m holding up pretty well,” I said and smiled a half smile.
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CHAPTER 6
boys, and at twenty “No you’re not,” Edmund said as he came up to us. He was the youngest of the years old he was the closest to me in age. We had always been the closest, played together, gone on adventures, and done mischief.
They were all protective but Edmund was a little more explosive in his ways of protecting.
“I’m fine.” I said and gave him a knowing look.
“You’re not fine and that’s okay. Sorry we couldn’t stop it,” he said and his voice lowered as his head hung low.
“It’s okay, it is what it is and none of us could’ve done anything about it. Trust me, I tried-” a hand snaked around my waist and I was pulled against a hard body. I stood stiffly next to Alpha Aiden who looked at my brothers, Noah walked up to us as well when he saw Alpha Aiden and they stood all three in a
line.
“I’m Aiden, you must be Gabriella’s brothers,” he said and reached out his hand, his back was straight. and his body was as stiff as a tree.
I just praved
My brothers were all looking at him with different emotions swirling around in their eyes. I that they wouldn’t act on them. My parents threw us some worried glances and I could tell that they were on their guards as well.
I rolled my eyes and pleaded with them silently. Noah saw and nodded his head. He reached out his hand and shook Alpha Aidens.
I let out a small sigh of relief but felt his fingers digging into my waist. I pinched my lips tighter to sto from showing discomfort.
“I’m Nick. This is Noah and Edmund.” He said and removed his hand. His eyes were searching Alpha Aidens and they didn’t break eye contact until my parents came up to us.
“Look at you boys getting to know each other. Alpha Aiden, it is a pleasure to finally meet you and see everything go through as planned,” It was him who was Alpha but his parents still had a lot of say in things. that went on in the pack. And no Alpha can ever truly take over the title until he has his Luna. Alpha Aiden didn’t want this either but I wasn’t sure my parents knew that.
“Likewise,” he said and shook my dad’s hand.
Alpha Aiden had a winning smile. Like the actors in movies who, when the camera starts rolling, just plaster on a believable smile and woo the audience.
My mom’s eyes were brimming as she gushed over everyone present.
“I do hope this goes without saying but you all are welcome here at any time. We’re family now,” I wanted to gag.
My stomach was acting like a volcano about to erupt and hearing these cheesy comments and everyone’s fake smiles as though this was actually the merging of two families was sickening. This was
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CHAPTER 6
business, both packs would benefit from this marriage but I was left as collateral damage.
The sun outside was about to set as the party came to an end. People were leaving one by one and I was left with Marie standing at the refreshment table.
“I assume you’re exhausted after all of this,” she said and placed her glass down. As the last person. left, her shoulders fell an inch and she maintained a strong posture.
“I am but thank you for everything,” I said and gestured with my hand around the room. I wanted to get out of this dress, remove the makeup and crawl into bed. Pretending for only a night that this wasn’t
real.
“I will show you to your room,” she said and walked out.
We walked up the staircase and turned right. Two doors down and before opening the door, she stopped and turned to me.
“This is Aiden’s room, you’ll, of course, be staying with him but in case no one else has mentioned this, there are no exceptions from you. Ever,” she said and her eyes held mine to make sure I understood.
nodded my head when I couldn’t find any words. She was implying I didn’t have to sleep with her son. which when I think about it, no one else had said. Not even my mom.
Marie walked away and I took a deep breath before opening the door. The perfect scenario would be if he wasn’t in here and perhaps didn’t come back at all wouldn’t mind that.
To my relief the room was empty. My whole body relaxed and the second the door closed I pulled zipper down on my dress.
I took a deep breath and felt my ribs expanding. The dress had a corset that made breathing a chore.
The handle on the door was pressed down, and the click and the little creek of it opening slowly caused my body to freeze. I spun around and was glad that the dress was still covering my front. It was like deja vu only now her dress wasn’t covering her top half. Her breasts were pressed against his front and he was vigorously kissing her neck while pulling her head to the side.
Sam’s back was facing me as her legs were wrapped around his waist but Alpha Aiden opened his eyes, his lips dragged against the side of her neck as his eyes gazed into mine.
“Don’t stop on my account,” he said and gazed down at my dress. Sam tilted her head back, and a loud, ear-ringing shriek sounded from her when she saw me.
“She’s sleeping in here?” She asked as her face contorted into a grimace.
Her teeth were bared and she was seething.
“No,” I said and locked eyes with Alpha Aiden before hurrying out of the room. My dress was sliding down but I held it tightly to my body as I ran down the stairs and into the guest room.
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CHAPTER 6
Everything was bubbling up and nobody could be around when it exploded. Just as the door closed. my tears came to the surface and fell one by one.
My heart was clenching in my chest, not for him but for myself. This was my life now, a husband who f*cked another girl in the room I was expected to sleep in.
I clutched my stomach and fell down on the floor. The tears didn’t stop. Knowing that this was where I lived now, I couldn’t go home or they would send me back and I couldn’t run or my brothers would start a war between the packs.
My choices were non-existent and the only way for me to survive this was to admit defeat. I didn’t have a life anymore, it had been tied to a man who was in love with another woman, a man I didn’t even
want to begin with.
I got up on shaky legs and wiped my tears with my hand. There was a bathroom attached to the room so I went in and washed my face.
My eyes were bloodshot and my skin looked dull under the makeup. My brown eyes looked lifeless and by the looks of everything going on in the mirror, it looked like I had already given up. I got out of my dress and opened the closet. There was nothing in there suitable for sleeping in except a large t-shirt. I put it on and it fell just above my knees, the baggy material was comfortable, much more so than the air-choking dress. I ran a hand through my hair and put some chapstick on my lips from the makeup bag
that Marie had left.
The two big windows outside were letting in some moonlight and the trees were slow dancing in the breeze. Nobody was out and the emptiness somehow calmed the craziness going on inside of me.
I got lost in my thoughts, thinking about my brothers and hoping they were okay.
My eyes widened as the door burst open and slammed into the wall. My body froze and I held my breath. I could only see the counters of his face and body as he stood in the door frame, there was one lamp outside that lit up half his face.