To Honour

Chapter Five

To say this meeting was tense was an understatement.

The pull between us was magnetic. It took all my strength to stop my body from launching itself into the arms of my mate. He was only a few meters away, causing my body to perspire and glisten. I could tell if I got any closer, I'd be full blown sweating.

Seeing him made my mouth go dry and my heart race. I was certain that the whole room could hear my heart beating.

"Hello, Selena. It's nice to finally meet the girl her father talks a lot about." he gave me a smile that could charm the knickers off a nun.

"All good, I hope?" I plastered a smile onto my face, trying to lie to those around us and myself that he wasn't my one true mate.

If I let the façade slip, then my father would kill me. Figuratively speaking. Wait, no, maybe literally speaking. Scratch that; I didn't actually know. My father wants me to mate with Adrian in hopes of him one day becoming an Alpha and holding power. But my mate is an Alpha from a close by pack. He already holds power in his own right. Besides, he didn't look more than a few years older than me.

I quickly glanced at Elaina who was currently trying not to burst into a fit of hysterical giggles. She obviously recognized him from the party.

"Of course, you're more beautiful than your father says you are" he eyed me hungrily, earning a slight growl from the Sköll males and a flush from me. Dominic smirked at our reactions.

I couldn't help but notice the look of scorn and jealousy that Phoebe had on her face.

"Lupe, how good of you to finally join us. We're celebrating something special tonight" Alpha Roman grinned at him.

Dominic raised his eyebrow at Roman. "Selena's birthday? Happy birthday, by the way" he shot me another smile that left me gasping for air. The pull between us was magnetic and not touching him seemed to be like fighting a losing battle.

But all I had to do was avoid touching him, remembering the reaction I had the other night. It would be hard to explain to everyone why I'm sweating like I've run a marathon. The only way that reaction would subside is if I were to bond with him or someone else, making them my mate.

Roman smirked at Dominic but his eyes remained cold and harsh. "Well, yes, but for another reason too. Selena is to be bonded to my son Adrian in a few months. Give us another reason to celebrate. This" he gestured to the beautiful blonde woman "is my daughter Phoebe. The one I've asked you to consider bonding with."

Adrian wrapped an arm around me, as if staking his claim. The words and his arms made me nauseous. I felt like I was going to faint. Maybe even vomit on my father's priceless rug. That thing was probably worth more than my life. Not even exaggerating.

As if Dominic could sense my uneasiness, he tried to rescue me from this tense moment. "Why don't we all wait at the dining table."

We all walked to the formal dining table. On each end was my father and Alpha Roman. To my father's left was Dorian, myself and then Dominic. Facing Dorian was Elaina, who was next to Adrian and then Phoebe.

Just being near Dominic calmed my nerves, but I still had to be careful not to touch him. I was beginning to sweat a bit, earning a few curious stares, but I claimed that the room just felt drafty. The book I read had stated that meeting your one true mate would make the 'fever' set in. The fever would not go away until either you bonded with them or with another person. So basically, I was going to have a fever for a while.

"So, have you considered Roman's proposal?" My father, Caleb, asked Dominic.

Dominic's jaw randomly clenched a little bit. I looked down and could see Phoebe trying to play footsie with Dominic. I felt my jaw clench a little bit too and I began to see a red tinge. I wonder how he felt when Adrian wrapped his arms around me. Was it the same nauseousness that I felt?

Dominic cleared his throat. "I've considered it. But I'm waiting for my mate; my equal."

My father stared at him with a stony expression on his face, while Alpha Roman sneered, obviously insulted at Alpha Dominic rejecting his daughter.

"It is rare to find your one true mate. It's just a fairy-tale" my father lectured, as if he were a child.

"You're the only one carrying on your family name and legacy. The vampires took your father and brother. It'd be in your best interests to secure having an heir" Roman added to my father's lecture.

Before Dominic could say anything, the food arrived.

We ate in silence for a few minutes before my father decided to try play host. "Dominic, you should stay in town for a bit. Phoebe and Adrian will be staying too."

I almost choked on my food. Firstly, I didn't know if I could take constantly being around Dominic due to the fever increasing when he was near. Secondly, the fuck? Adrian and Phoebe are staying?

Alpha Roman tried to explain why his children were staying but not him. "My children will be staying as a sign of good faith." This obviously reminded Dominic that I had been sold off to the highest bidder.

"I'll think about staying then."

There was so much tension going on right now. There was an awkward tension due to the previous conversation, as well as the blatant sexual tension between Dominic and I.

I tried to clear some of the awkward tension in the air. "Could you please pass the salt and pepper?" I directed the question at Adrian.

Instead, Dominic swiftly grabbed the grinders before Adrian could. He passed them to me and I felt our fingertips touch. Bolts of lightening immediately shot through my spine. I pulled the salt and pepper grinders out of his hand, trying to stop the contact.

"Th-thanks." I could feel my cheeks flushing. I quickly drank the full contents of my ice-cold water, almost moaning as the cold liquid soothed my feverish state slightly.

No one else seemed to be paying attention, except my best friend Elaina. Elaina's dark brown eyes bore into my honey-coloured ones before staring between Dominic and I curiously.

I shot her a look that said, "mind your own damn business" and she shrugged, turning away and refocusing on eating her food.

After dinner, Elaina discreetly gestures me to follow her. We excused ourselves by stating that we'd be back shortly. She led me to the study and closed the door behind her.

She frowned. "You're still going to go through with the alliance?"

I gave her a sad smile. "I can feel the connection between my mate and I, but I don't know him. I don't know Adrian that well, either, but if I don't go through with it then we don't get the army of warriors they'll supply."

Elaina opened her mouth, to say something, but then stopped. I followed her trail of vision.

We saw a shadow of feet beneath the door. We reached for the door knob and turned it.

All we saw was an indecipherable blur of movement turn the corner.

My mind was racing. It was a human; but too fastto be a vampire. What could that have been?