"Charlotte, it is only for the deal. The two of us are not going to...
"You are going to be touching her, Dimitri. The packs expect to see a fucking mark on the woman." | heard my best friend's voice, making me frown as | walked toward Dimitri's office. The two of us were getting ready to go out to the mating ceremony, and | couldn't help but find myself frowning when he disappeared.
However, | knew that he had a few things to tend to, and because of that, | chose not to make a fuss out of it. But when he took as long as he did and we were being called, | knew that | had to go and at least check where my mate went.
"lam merely going to give her a temporary mark. It will be enough for them to see, and | will be rejecting her. The woman would be my 'mate' for duties, but the last thing that | am going to do is be in a relationship. with her." He said, and | took a deep breath, trying to process what | was hearing. The man couldn't be serious. MY mate, and my best friend couldn't be seriously saying what | was hearing.
"You are saying this now, but it is only a matter of fucking time before the two of you are suddenly lovers." Charlotte said, raising her voice at him. "Today, you are telling me this, you are angry that you are being forced into a relationship that you don't want. You hate who she is and where she comes from and that is something that | understand. But that fucking bitch is smart and if she doesn't manage to seduce you now, she will in the future. What the fuck am | going to be doing by then?"
"Charlotte, you know that I have my duties as Alpha..."
"You are not the only Alpha out there." She said, and | watched through. the crack of the door as he cupped her cheeks, pulling her closer to him. Tears brimmed my vision as he connected his I*ps with hers in a gentle k*ss that stopped her from talking. She looped her fingers with his belt loops, pulling him closer, and he smiled into the k*ss before biting her bottom I*p before pulling away to rest his forehead against hers.
"You know that being the Alpha of Alphas, | have my duties to fulfill. But trust my word, the last thing that | am going to do is look at an orphaned omega who was adopted by the Alpha and his Luna out of pity." He said, making my heart race against my ribcage. My I*ps quivered and | took a
step back, shaking my head as his words pierced my chest.
| opened the door, catching the two of them off guard as Dimitris eyes met mine. His eyes showed visible hatred, and for the first time since I've met her, I've seen the hate in my best friend's gaze.
"Charlotte, get out." Dimitri ordered, and the woman frowned. "Dimitri..."
"| said a word." He said, stopping her. She looked down at her feet for a second before nodding as she took a step back. His eyes met mine and | shook my head in question.
"Why?"
"You shouldn't have expected any less." He said, taking me off guard. "Surely, you didn't expect me to be with an orphan omega like yourself, did you?"
"The two of us agreed..."
"| agreed and am still agreeing for both the benefit of MY pack and the public eye. But our mating would only be one for that." He said, and | looked down at my feet as he took a step toward me, towering over my b*dy as he glared daggers at me. "One word of this, and | will be sure. that you regret ever agreeing to the mating bond, am | making myself clear, Aurora?"
| didn't respond, | couldn't, as | took a step back. His eyes were fixed on me as | walked out and close the door, knowing that he wouldn't be able to follow me. Charlotte's eyes met mine and | closed mine for a second as | fought back my tears.
| walked back toward MY changing room and couldn't help but scream the second that | closed the door. Asob escaped my I*ps and | watched as the door opened, revealing my mother, whose eyes widened in surprise at my sight.
"Aurora?" She asked, shaking her head in question as she ran toward me. Two of the servants who were within the pack frowned at my sight, but she wouldn't allow them in as a low growl escaped her chest. "Aurora, child, what is going on?"
"He is cheating on me with her." | said, looking away and mom frowned. "I heard them talking in his office, and he doesn't even want to marry me. The man just wants me for his alliances, and | am going to be nothing more than a..."
"Surely, you didn't expect any less, Aurora." She said, taking me off guard. The fact that her tone was now harder than it was made my chest burn. "You are no pure blood, your father barely managed to arrange this agreement for all our safeties."
"Mama..."
"Do not be stupid enough to think about backing out now." She said, making my heart race against my ribcage. If | thought or believed that anyone would be supporting me in this world, it would be her. | didn't. expect her to be willing to throw me into the flames and watch. "You have been chosen to marry him to ensure that you live a decent and strong life, but if you are going to be acting like a toddler who had her toy taken away from her, then you are going to be finding me in front of you. And believe me, the last thing that you would want is for your father to find out about this attitude."
"lam not going to share a bed with a man who was just k*ssing my best friend..."
"Your best friend is a beta blood. She is of higher rank, and you know that very well." Mom said, and | gulped. "As for sharing his bed, you are going to be doing as told, and as a GOOD mate would do. | do not care. whether or not you enjoy it, but you are going to fulfill your duties as hist mate. Otherwise, all your father's efforts would be going in vain, and YOU are going to be suffering consequences that you do not want to deal with."
"So, | am just required to bloody accept a fate that | did not even choose? One with a man who not only lied to me, but is to be having an affair with my best friend?" | asked, and mom got up from the ground. She nodded at me to get up before grabbing me by my hair the second that | did. She pulled me to her chest, making me frown as she hurt me.
"You are going to listen to my words very closely, and | am going to give you this warning once." She said, looking at me through the mirror as she tightened her grip around my hair. "If you choose to mess this up, | will be sure that an exile is the punishment
that you dream of. Therefore, you are going to wash that face of yours and | will send in the cleaners, hair dressers, and makeup artists, and IF anyone hears of what happened here, | am going to be cutting that tongue of yours off, am | making myself clear?"
| didn't respond for a second before she tightened her grip around my hair, pulling me back until she was sure that | cried out. "Yes, yes, you are." | said, wanting to wrap my hand around her wrist and she nodded.
"Good, we are expecting you outside in an hour. And | expect to see a smile on your face when | see you..."