Chapter 4

My blood ran cold as I realized that I had been discovered. I turned slowly, my eyes locking onto the imposing figure emerging from the darkness—a tall, powerful man with piercing blue eyes, the unmistakable aura of an Alpha. I couldn’t stop myself from admiring him, and warmth spread across my body. Xander Vaughn, The Alpha of Silver Moon Pack. But, there was something in his eyes that made me scared. I noticed the little escape and made a run for it, scolding myself for making a rash decision. But I was no match for Xander’s power, as in another second I was on the ground, and Xander was on me. His scent assaulted my nose, and my wolf whined. I struggled to get out of his hold, but he was dead weight on me. “Little wolf, caught sneaking around,” he purred, and goosebumps ran down my body. “What were you doing little intruder?” he asked me while sniffing, “Nothing?” I answered, being completely aware that I was under his mercy. “It didn’t feel nothing to me? Were you snooping around? Trying to fetch information for your father?” He growled at me, his eyes burning brighter in the dark of the night. I could sense suspicion clouding his features. “I wasn’t snooping. It was just a coincidence.” I whispered, and his hold loosened on me, but at the exact moment, his big hand gripped my throat, and I quivered under his hold. “Tell me the truth and I might pardon you?” he hissed at me. My mind whirled with endless possibilities and all the things he could do to me, but I also wanted to survive, wanted to take revenge. “Deal..” I sputered, and rammed my fist on his solid chest, but nothing happened. He loosened his grip, and I took a lungful of air, to breathe in. “Speak,” he barked at me. “Marry me.” I blurted. “Marry me and you will be free from the curse and so will be your pack.” I added. “And what would you gain from that?” he asked, while stroking my pulse point, on my neck. “Revenge and freedom. I want revenge from my cheating fiance and I can help you become the Alpha King.” I knew I had to choose my words very carefully, he was no friend after all. “And what makes you so confident that I will agree to your terms.” he asked, his dominating voice, doing things to my body. Things that I didn’t want to think about. Like how his voice was making me melt from the inside and how his dark earthy scent was making my inside squirm. How his touch was igniting my whole body. “Because you need a mate and think if you die, what my father would do to your pack..” I said and added “If it remained,” I cursed myself for that, because he tightened his grip on my throat, cutting off all the air supply. I thrashed and struggled but it was no use, maybe this was my last night. I waited as darkness engulfed me. “Where the hell were you?” Daniel barked at me when I came back from the forest. Both Daniel and Logan were waiting for me at the front door of my house. Logan was breathing heavily, his eyes softened when he realized I came back. “Went for a walk? Why is that illegal?” I snapped at them. “We thought you ran away, we even sent pack members in your search. They told us they found your scent to the borders of the Silver Moon Pack. We were scared.” Logan said, in his old warm voice, that used to make me fall in love with him. Not anymore. “And you were scared to breach the territory? What kind of Alpha you are Logan that you can’t even fight for your mate?” I taunted him. “No, I was…” I stopped him in mid sentence, not caring to hear him. His voice grated on my nerves. “I need rest, tomorrow is my wedding.” I announced and started to leave, When I entered the hall, Daniel spoke. “Emma is pregnant.” I stopped in mid-tracks. Now this was the only thing that was left to make my birthday more memorable. “And, what are you going to do about it? Father,” I hissed at him. “You have to accept her as Logan’s lover. For my sake, for my family’s sake. You will always be Pack’s Luna.” he said. But I knew it was an order. I barked a hollow laugh, I couldn’t believe the audacity of it all—the betrayal, the deceit, and now this bombshell. My anger simmered beneath the surface as I glared at Logan, who had a fucking smile on his face. “Anything else Alpha,” I asked, I knew there was nothing I could do or say that would make him change his decision. The ball was now in my court and I was hell of a player. I headed toward my room, thinking about the deal I had with Xander. I thought he was going to kill me, but at the right moment, he released his grip on my throat. It was a power move, to make me understand that he was the one with the power, not the other way around. I told him about Logan and everything they did. I also told him about my wedding and according to our deal he would come to stop it. Then I would reject Logan and marry Xander. But can I trust Xander? He was our pack rival, why would he help me? I thought to myself. Even though I knew he was my rival, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about him. The hard ridges of his body and that scent. It was mouth-watering and earth shattering. I had never smelled something like that. This was the other reason why I wanted to get away from my father and Logan, because in their right mind, they would have sensed the scent of the Silver Moon Pack’s wolf on me. But like always they decided that I wasn’t worth the attention. Good for me. When I entered my room, I noticed another person’s presence there. Emma was laying down on my bed, flipping through my books, like she belonged here. I had hoped for a moment of peace after the eventful day, but no. Luck was not in my favor today. “What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped at her. Her eyes landed on me and there was a wild twinkle in her eyes. She approached me with a cunning glint in her eyes. I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as Emma came closer to me. Her voice dripped with venom as she spoke, her words a calculated attack. “Grace, you might know by now but I am pregnant with Logan’s child. He is going to be the future Alpha and this baby will be his heir. And, you should know that Logan promised not to sleep with you. He wants a child, an heir, and he knows he won't have one with you. As the childless Luna, your status will be stripped away soon enough, and one day, I will take everything from you." My anger flared, fists clenched at my sides. I had endured enough betrayals for one day, and Emma’s words cut deep. "Are you sure it’s Logan’s child? Because as far as I know, you can fuck a broom, if it's long and thick enough." I threw a jab at her. All playfulness evaporated from her eyes, there was only fury left. “Keep this tongue with you, because the future is waiting for you. You will be nothing but worthless trash in this pack.” she said. “Just like you and your mom,” I smirked at her. “You..” she lunged at me, but instead of touching her, I let out a commanding growl. She stopped in her tracks, submission was in her blood and she couldn’t fight nature. “Protect the child, it’s your ticket to the lottery,” I growled. “I have to clean everything now that you have touched it. Who knows how many deadly diseases you would be carrying with you.” I snorted at her and watched her face turn red. “Scram now, I have things to do.” I barked and she left. This confrontation had only deepened the rift between me and my family. I expected nothing from anyone else but deep in my heart, I had some faith in my father. But like always he let me down and showed me that his name is all he cares about. I was left speechless to grapple with the harsh reality of my fiance's betrayal and the ruthless ambition of my step-sister. I knew that if things worked out as I had planned, my life was about to become a battlefield, with my own family members as my adversaries. The struggle for power and revenge had only just begun. I let sleep overtake me, dreading the events that were about to take place.