Chapter 10 Not what I wanted
Antonella Erickson - POV
I choked on my prawns when Beta Murph looked at me with suspicion. Alpha Alexus quickly got up from his place and passed a glass of water as he rubbed my back. “I am okay.” I reassured him as I took large gulps of the water.
“Whose mating ceremony?” Alpha Alexus asked as he took a seat at his place again.
“You are the one who showed up in the pack with a mate, Max.” Beta Murphy she said in a duh tone while I kept stabbing my tomato, hoping that no one was looking my way. Alpha Alexus and I are already in a mess after that potion, and now a mating ceremony would only strengthen our bond, making it hard to break.
“I don't think that is necessary.” Alpha Alexus dismissed it without a second thought when I saw Beta Murphy’s eyes widen in horror.
“How could you say that, Maximus? I have already started the preparations for the mating ceremony, and the invitations have been sent out as well.” he said when Alpha Alexus looked at him confused.
“What do you mean by that?” he asked his beta in a dangerously low tone.
“You are the alpha of the strongest pack in this country, and how could we have a simple mating ceremony?”
“Why didn't you ask my permission before getting this done, Arthur?” Alpha Alexus growled in anger.
“I still don't get it as to why you want to keep this a secret, Max!” Beta Murphy argued when I briefly felt Alpha Alexus’s eyes on me before he spoke.
“Evangeline needs some time to settle down, and you know we are at war with Elijah. What if he tries to use her as a pawn in this sick game?” Alpha Alexus asked with a thoughtful look on his face. For a second I thought that Beta Murphy would finally let this idea of a mating ceremony go when he shook his head.
“We can't stop this just because of him, Max. And you don't have to worry about Luna Evangeline’s safety. I am the beta of this pack, and I will protect her with my life.” Beta Murphy promised, and I know there is no way out of this anymore. If Alpha Alexus continues to argue even more, it would only raise a lot of suspicion.
“I am ready to face the pack and this world as your mate, Maximus.” I said in a gentle tone when both men looked at me. It felt weird and a little uncomfortable to call him by his first name, but I know I don't have many options left.
“See! Luna Evangeline agreed. I will make sure this will be the best mating ceremony in this country. Better than what Alpha Elijah did for his mate.” Beta Murphy promised when I felt a longing in my heart. “Okay, I will let you two enjoy the evening. I have a lot of things to do,” Beta Murphy said when he wiped his mouth with the napkin before he got up.
“It was nice having you for dinner, Beta Murphy.” I politely told him.
“Call me Arthur, Luna Evangeline. And I will see you around,” he said before he walked out of the dining room, leaving us alone. Once I heard the sound of the front door close, I looked at Alpha Alexus, who was already staring at me.
“I am sorry, Antonella. I Didn't know he would do something like this.”
“That’s all right.” I told him when I placed my fork on the plate and got up from my place.
“You didn't finish your food.” Alpha Alexus pointed out.
“I am not hungry. Good night, Alpha Alexus.” I told him as I walked out of the room.
Madison Smith - POV
I paced back and forth in my living room, but no matter how many times I tried to calm myself, I just couldn't stop thinking about my humiliation. I thought Elijah would be happy that I finally got rid of Antonella.
It's been three days since Antonella left, and Elijah has gradually turned into a maniac. I heard that he had sent out our best trackers to track her down.
Why can't she simply vanish from my life?
I was broken out of my trance when I heard a knock on my door. A frown appeared on my face. I walked to the window and peeped out when I saw four men standing outside. Their faces weren't visible because they were all wearing masks.
A sense of fear engulfed me when I realized that I had never seen them before. “Miss Smith?” I heard one of them call my name when the knocks turned a little louder.
I quickly moved away from the window and looked around the living room when I picked up my knife. For some reason I had this feeling that they were from this pack. I walked to the door and unlocked it before I pulled it open.
“Who are you?”
“Get her!” The man standing in the front yelled when I pulled out the knife and stabbed him in the abdomen. “You bitch!” the man growled, and I knew they were not here to talk. I turned around and ran towards the back door while my heart kept hammering against my chest. My hand barely touched the handle when I got a heavy blow on the back of my head.
I let out an agonized scream as I fell to the floor. Blood began dripping down the side of my forehead, but I still tried to leave when someone grabbed my hair and forced me to look up.
“Alpha Alastair told us to convey a message to you,” the man said while tears kept flowing down my cheeks.
“Please let me go,” I begged him when a sinister smile appeared on his face.
“He told us to let you know that if you would have listened to him and kept your mouth shut, maybe you could have become the Luna in the future,” the man said. I tried to get up and leave, and in that exact moment I felt a needle prick my neck. “Goodbye, Luna Madison.” That was the last thing I heard before everything became dark around me.