Betrothed To The Alpha

CHAPTER 13

My hand trembles slightly, the grip on my fork loosening as I digest Luna Marley's words. I had always imagined if I ever moved out of the pack house and get myself place in the human world, I would be on my own, not with a husband. I am not saying I wasn't expecting I would move in with Alex, but not before we get married.

"I know it might be a lot, but we thought to give you guys a real chance to know one another before you get married," Luna Marley explains, her words pulling me from my thoughts.

"I see," I murmur, offering her a tight-lipped smile as I turn my gaze towards Alex once more. I expect him to object, but he remains silent, his attention fixed on his plate as though everything is alright.

Releasing a deep sigh, I return my focus to my meal, the food suddenly tasting bland and unappetizing. I will speak to him later about talking to his parents. I am not ready to live with him yet. I have accepted to marry him but not live with him yet.

I continue to eat in silence, my eyes trained on Alex as I await an opportunity to speak with him privately. The moment he sets his fork down, I follow suit, hastily excusing myself from the table and rushing after him as he exits the room.

I quicken my pace, determined to catch up to Alex. As I finally draw level with him, I voice out my thoughts.

"Do you really want to live with me already?" I blurt out, the words tumbling from my lips in a rush. Alex comes to a sudden stop, his gaze locking onto mine, but he remains silent, his expression unreadable.

Undeterred, I press on. "Are you really ready to see me 24/7? You don't even like me, so I doubt it."

Still, he says nothing, his silence stretching between us like a chasm. Taking his lack of response as a good sign, I continue.

"I believe it would be in our best interest if we turn down your parents' gift," I conclude, the weight of my words hanging heavy in the air as I await his reply.

"Are you serious right now?" Alex finally speaks, his voice laced with disbelief as he arches a skeptical brow in my direction.

My brow furrows in confusion, my face a mirror of my perplexity. I don't understand why he would think I'm not right now.

"Does it make any difference if we move in now or later? We're still going to live together," Alex counters, his tone tinged with annoyance.

"But wouldn't it be better if it's later?" I persist, attempting to make him see reason.

"No, it won't," he asserts firmly, his response leaving little room for argument.

I sigh, a sense of defeat washing over me as I feel my shoulders slump.

"Okay, I understand," I admit reluctantly, my voice tinged with resignation. Pouting slightly, I struggle to come to terms with the reality of the situation. Whether I wanted it or not, it seems that the decision has already been made, and there's little I can do to change it now.

***

The next day at school I head to school to finish up with something before I graduate. I walk into class, and immediately, I am pulled aside by my friend Bee. Bee and I go way back, practically inseparable since middle school. She's always been the type to bring out the best in me, but there's one thing I've kept hidden from her—my werewolf secret.

It all came crashing down when she paid me a surprise visit at my place. Just my luck, she caught a werewolf shifting right outside my window. The shock was too much for her, and she fainted on the spot. But here's the twist—Bee's a huge fan of fantasy novels. So when she realized that werewolves weren't just fiction and that her best friend was one of them, she couldn't contain her excitement. Suddenly, I found myself bombarded with questions about werewolf lore, courtesy of a very intrigued Bee.

"Have you heard the rumors going around?" Bee whispers, glancing around the classroom as if she's afraid of being overheard.

"Which rumors?" I ask, my curiosity piqued.

"There's a rumor that you're actually adopted and sold yourself out to earn money for your lavish lifestyle," Bee reveals in a hushed tone.

"What?" I exclaim, taken aback. I'm not sure which part of the rumor is more surprising—the suggestion that I'm adopted or the outrageous claim that I've resorted to selling myself. Who would spread such false rumors about me?

"I know, the same expression I had," Bee remarks, noting the confusion mirrored on my face.

"Where did you hear this from?" I inquire.

"I had someone help me find out, and they say it was Alice who made up those rumors," Bee explains.

"Alice," I mutter, my eyes rolling involuntarily at the mention of her name. Ever since Alice entered my life and we started attending the same school, a slew of horrible rumors about me have surfaced. I shouldn't even be surprised that she's behind this latest one.

"Yes," Bee confirms with a nod.

"It's not the first time, so don't bother yourself about it, Bee. We're about to graduate, so it won't matter anymore," I assure her, trying to ease her concern.

"Really?" she asks, still looking a little worried.

"Yeah," I reply, offering a reassuring smile.

"Alright, if you say so. And I wanted to ask if you've received any feedback from the company you applied to last week," Bee continues, changing the subject.

I feel a pang of anxiety at her question. I applied for a job at a financial company called M Crop because I won't be able to afford college. My parents claim they only have enough money to send Alice to college, leaving me to fend for myself.

"No, I haven't, but I hope to soon," I respond, feeling a flicker of hope despite my uncertainty. Just then, I hear my phone ping, signaling a new email. With anticipation, I pull out my phone and check the notification, feeling a smile tug at my lips.

"I guess I just did," I say, unable to contain my excitement as I turn the phone to show Bee the email.

"What?" Bee exclaims, leaning over to see what's causing my sudden joy.

"I have an interview tomorrow," I announce, my smile widening as I share the good news with her.

She squeals with excitement and pulls me into a tight hug. "You're going to kill it!"

"I hope so, too," I reply, returning her hug with a sense of optimism.