CHAPTER 22
The tension in the room was rising. Not just from Clark, Aidens father, but also Marie and Aiden himself. They were all watching my parents, straightening their backs and readying themselves.
“What did you say?” My dad asked and stood straight. Clark was bigger, broader shoulders and form but my dad was an a*shole with a big ego so he wouldn’t back down.
“I said-” Clark said and stepped around the table, got up closer to my father and stared him dead in
the eye.
“-It’s time for you to leave. Gabriella is now a part of our family and our pack. She is this packs Luna and nobody, reagideless of whether or not they are blood, will treat her with disrespect. Therefor, I’m asking you kindly, to leave.”
My mother slowly stood from her seat and took a stance next to my dad.
71 think maybe we’ve taken a bad turn here, why don’t we speak with Gabby in private and afterwards we will be on our way home,” Mom said and placed her hand on dads arm.
They turned their heads and looked at me.
Me and my father were in Aiden’s office. The door closed and he was heaving. My mom was staying in the dining room, talking with the others and probably smoothing everything over with some nice, comforting lies.
“How dare you embarrass us like that!” He whisper shouted and came to stand in front of me. I backed up but hit the desk. My hand began shaking but was doing everything I could to stand strong in
my spot.
“I think you did most of the work, father,”
“You will not disrespect us like this again. You will go out there and tell them how you lied everything up or I swear to god-”
“What?” I asked and stepped forward.
“Is this what we came here for? Too meet our ungrateful daughter?”
“I didn’t even want you to come!” His hand came down on my cheek and the stinging pain was much worse than the slam my body took as I hit the floor.
“Why don’t you break out the belt too while you’re at it,” I seethed as I got back up with my hand covering my cheek.
My father dragged his hand over his face and looked nervously around the room. He should be
O
1/4
11:34 Tue, May 21 GND.
CHAPTER 22
nervous, he just hit the Luna of the pack he was currently in. It didn’t matter wether or not we were related, it would go over well with anyone.
1 removed my hand and he looked at my cheek.
“You better obey your husband better then you do your parents. This deal has been made and to nothing you can do to back out from it. With this alliance we are powerful and stronger than ever and yo will not ruin it.”
We walked back out, I held my hands down and looked quickly in the passing mirror to see so my cheek wasn’t red but it was. I turned around and walked up the stairs, hurrying to the room to apply some makeup over it.
The door to the room opened up just as I was done in the bathroom and put my makeup away.
“Gabby?” Aiden asked and stepped inside. I closed the drawer and walked out, nearly walking into him. as I exited.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“You tell me. You just ran off,” he said and his eyes glanced down to my cheek with something weird swirling in them.
“Sorry, I just had to use the bathroom,”
I walked around him and back downstairs. My parents were getting in the car and I stood by the door
to the house.
They threw me a last glance and smiled brightly as they got in and left. Hopefully I wouldn’t have too see them for a long time. Or preferably ever.
off.
“I’m sorry-” I felt Aidens hand on my shoulder as he spoke and I quickly turned around and slapped it
“You told them too come sooner. I asked you to keep them away and instead you did the opposite. For a second there I actually believed you were about to do something nice but don’t worry, it won’t happen again. So save your apologies,” I walked into the house, Cassy followed me and we went down into the gaming room.
“Ugh, f*ck!” I screamed and punched against the wall. Cassy slumped down on the couch with a soda in her hand and munched on popcorn.
“So those are you parents, huh. Explains a lot,” I turned and looked at her beffudledly.
“What exactly does it explain?” I asked and crossed my arms over my chest.
“The trust issues, how you think love can only be shown through the exchange of money, your inability to let anyone close and that thick armor you have across your whole body,” No candor.
T
2/4
11:34 Tue, May 21 GND.
CHAPTER 22
The door opened up and a much too angry Alpha stepped inside. His anger only spurred my own and I was steaming as I looked him dead in the eyes. It rose to a point where I hoped I still had control. I wanted him to leave, to leave me alone and just disappear. Just because we were married didn’t mean we ha spend time together nor that he had to come and impose on things that he no business in.
Like my parents for example.
Was he the reason why my brothers weren’t here? Was he the one who had told my parents no bring them?
“What do you want?” I seethed.
“Don’t talk to me like that. Cassandra, leave us.” She looked between me and Aiden. She wanted to stay but he was her Alpha and she couldn’t disobey orders.
“She’s not going anywhere.”
“That’s not your decision to make.” He said with his chest rising and falling hard.
“I am this packs Luna which means I carry every ounce of authority that you do.”
“LEAVE, that is an order.” He growled and looked at her. This jackass was getting on my last nerve
“Gabby-” she said softly.
“It’s fine, we’ll both go.” I said and walked around him. Cassandra was by the door when he grabbed my arm och pulled me close. His eyes burnt with a fierce fire as he glared down at me..
“Casandra, leave us.”
I nodded my head and she closed the door.
“What did I say about you defying me?” I was sick of men asking me to submit.
“What you said and what I heard are two very different things. I am not your slave or your dog, I am your equal and you better start acting like it.” He straightened his back and clenched his jaw.
“You have a real big attitude, little girl,” He was one year older than me and I’m the little girl?
“Aiden, you can’t-”
“I can do whatever the f*ck I want-” he said. His voice suddenly lowering and bcoming dangerously
calm.
“-Not only are you the Luna but you are first and foremost my wife. I own you, Gabby and you better start learning your place.”
“Or what?” I asked and turned my whole body so that I faced him.
|||
3/4
11:34 Tue, May 21 GND.
CHAPTER 22
He was just about to speak when his eyes flickered to my cheek.
“What’s that?” He asked.
“What’s what?”
“Your cheek, it’s red, why?” Did the makeup not cover it?
How could it still be there and not have healed yet?
50%
“Blush,” I said in a monotone voice. He growled and stepped closer, grabbing my wrist as I tried to back away and he grabbed my chin, pressing his thumb against the very spot where my father had hit me.
I winced and my head jerked away from his hand.
「
4/4
Alpha’s Betted Bride
His eyes grew darker, black almost and something omitious swirled inside of them.
“Who did that to you?” He asked slowly, with a calculated and soft oice but there was a noticeable edge to it. One that said not to le ot defy him right now.
“No one, I walked intro a door,” I said an shrugged a
“I’m clumsy,”
“Gabrella,” he said and leaned closer,
“Who hit you?” His voice sent shivers down my spine, it was low and lark. My eyes flickered to his lips for a mere secol before I looked back up into his eyes. Why did he even cate?
“Who would hit me?” I asked and looked at him, awaiting to see if he had a clue of what I had endured for all my life.
He let me go, just like he was pulling himself away.
came to apologize.” he what?
*I shouldn’t have gone behind your back like that with your parents, I’m sorry.”
“Why did you?” I asked him. He shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly and placed his hands in his pockets,
“I wanted to know more about your past and who raised you, I wanted to see a glimpse of you were,”
“Who I was? You thought that by meeting them you would get to know me? I hope you found what you were looking for.” I spat and walked toward the door. He thought he could get to me know through any parents? So that’s what he thought of me, that I was like them.
“I did ” he said and I stopped in the doorframe.
I didn’t turn around but I listened.
*i leanered that not all people are the product of their upbringing, som rise above the pain and bullshit of their parents.”
“Where you the one who told them not to bring my brothers?” I asked without turning.
“No.”
“I learned something to. That the love, protection and kindness of parent for a child, doesn’t guarantee him to grow into a good man. He didn’t say anything and I didn’t turn to see his reaction. I walked away.
I went to find Cassy but instead walked into someone else. This day was just getting better and better.
“Hey, if it with a pout.
miss moneybags. My car died yesterday, could you buy me a new one?” Sam said and tilted her head to the side.
“No, sorry, but next time take a hint from your car and die with it, said and smiled.
“What did you just say to me?” She seethed.
*Back off, Sam, I’m not in the mood for a catfight,”
1/5
CHAPTER 23
ay the opponent of and then go to the mall,”
“Oh, it wouldnt be much of a fight. From what I’ve heard you’d rather pay
“Gabby,” Ah shit. Marie walked out in all her glory. Her eyes swept over the pack members who were currently in my way.
They all backed away and some looked down on the floor. Sam put on her best puppy dog eyes and looked up through her lashes.
“Hi, Marie,”
“Hello, Sam,” she said and looked sternly at them.
“Is there an issue here?” She asked.
“No, we were just headed in to eat and ran into Gabby on the way,”
“Well then, continue. Gabby, I need to steal you for a moment,” all wanted in this moment was Casandra and me in a afe, drinking coffee and eating cake. That was literally all i wanted. Well, that and a good escape from this hellhole.
Aiden stepped out and walked over to us.
“Are you ready?” Marie asked him and he nodded his head with a devilish little smirk.
“I’m ready,” I felt a surreal chill in my body spiking out and making me feel unsettled.
1 looked around but there was no one there. The others had left.
Why did it feel like I was still being watched? It wasn’t the first time I had had this feeling that I w
I would leave this place before I ever found out what this feeling was caused by.
but I sure as hell hoped it would stop
If it was something I had learned throughout my life it was to trust your intuition and my intuition was telling me
to
ry eager to meet you,” Marie said
“There’s a fair in town. Games, rollercoasters, stands with every imaginable snack and everyone is very eager from the front seat as we drove into town.
I drew in a deep breath.
“That’s great,” I said and smiled. Marie and her husband had stood up for me from the start. I didn’t want to do anything to make them feel like I wasn’t grateful for what they had done.
The lights were flashing and the kids were laughing loudly as they won a stuffed animal while eating cotton candy.
There were a lot of people there. Like, a lot.
It seemed like the entire pack had gathered to have fun but this was anything but. I wanted to run and hide in the crowd, not draw
them all towards me.
The car stopped and I knew it was only a
y a matter of time.
Marie and her husband exited the car.
I opened the door but Aiden leaned over and closed it shut.
“Remember to smile, we’re a happy newly wed couple,” he said and smirked at me.
“Yeah, like the kidnapper and his victim,” I said and opened the door. I heard Aidens chuckle from behind me but didn’t mind him. People began walking toward us right away.
2/5
CHAPTER 23
“Hi, it’s so nice to finally niert you!” A woman said with a gleaming smile as she came up to us.
The children saw us and began running to come up and say hi.
“Hi,” a little boy said, waving his tiny hand.
“Hi there,” I said and squatted down to talk to him at his eye level.
“Play with me,” he said and circled his fingers around two of mine, trying to drag me with him.
“I’d love to,” I said, suddenly captivated by this little bundle of happiness and energy.
The others followed behind us and I said hi to the people who came up to meet me.
I fell into it, it was natural and everyone was so extremely kind.
“You’re so pretty,” a girl, not many years younger than myself, said and gushed over my hair,
“So are you,” I said and smiled, placing my hand on her arm.
We played games, ate snacks and danced on the piano machine they had laying on the ground with a screen attached to it.
The day passed so quickly and suddenly the sun had disappeared and its place the moon rose,
“Mommy, I’m cold!” I took of my sweater and handed it to the little girl, nicely tied it around her and she leaned into me. We stood there for a while just hugging.
“Look at that,” a man said and pointed up at the sky. The stars were so visible even though the lights from carousels were shooting
like crazy.
“Pretty!” The kids said and looked up at the sky.
“I want one,” one of the boys said and pouted.
“So grab it,” I said and smiled at him before looking back up at the star.
He tried, he reached up his arm and tried to grab the star.
“I can’t reach it,” he whined. I sat down on the ground next to him and the kids sat down with me.
“Do you know why?” I asked and he nodded his head.
“I’m to short,” he said with a sad pout.
“No, it’s because the most beautiful things in this life aren’t meant to be touched or kept to ourselves. They are up there so to be protected from greed and lust and so that everyone, for ever, can experience their beauty,” I said and the boy looked at me. He then Jooked up at the stars.
“We should leave them there,” he said and leaned toward me.
The others did as well and we sat there like that, watching the stars together.
I looked to the side and saw Aiden looking at us, or more s pressed into a thin line.
specifically he was looking at me. His eyes were narrowed and his lips were
3/5
CHAPTER 23
The was standing in the back, in the shadows, watching me and it was a weird look, one t
thur oyos were locked and
I had t
before.
Took away. Not until a loud whipping noise was heard and i winced, jerking my head back and shutting my eyes. It was over by the Cowboy machine where the were catching horses on the screen with real whips that they hit against a
board.
I shook my head and plastered on a smile
We were back in our room after the day and night we had at the far I was chasted, wanting to crawl into bed. It had been a day. full of different events that causes different emotions and I was a wred. However fun it had been tonight I still had the image of my parents fresh in my mind after their visit. One I never wanted to live through again.
elax.!
I went under the covers and turned of the lights, Alden was out It was nice to just be able to relax.
“Gabby, come outside!” Edmund said on the phone. I hurried out and saw him and my brothers in a car on the driveway completely dark and everyone was asleep.
“Here, go to this adress. Housing has already been taken care of. Stay there, it’s a human town so no one will know who you are. Keep your head down for a while and we’ll call when it’s dear. You’re finally getting out of here,” the joy that filled my body couldn’t be
explained.
got in the car and they dropped me of by another car outside of the pack borders,
“You can live whatever life you want now, Gabby, it’s all up to you, I hugged them, felt their warmth. A terrifying scream left my lips as a hand wrapped around my throat and
and I was pulled away from them.
One by one they were killed right in front of my eyes,
“See what you’ve done now, seetheart, why couldn’t you just stay pin?” My mom asked as my dad held a strong grip around my throat, stoping my air supply.
I was tossed into a car and driven back to the pack.
Aiden was waiting outside and as I was tossed down on the ground in front of him but I didn’t land on the grass, instead I suddenly landed on concrete with bars in front my face. The cellar door slammed shut andwere locked.
“Maybe this will teach not to leave your husband,” I grabbed the bus and started pulling, Screaming till my lungs ran out of air.
I sat up in the bed quicker than ever before with sweat dripping down my head, I was soaking wet from sweat and so were the sheets. Aiden was beside me, sound asleep.
I breathed heavily and looked around the room.
“Holy shit,” I whispered and dragged a hand over my face. I grabbed my phone and wanted to call my brothers but I knew that I couldnt. My parents couldn’t hnd out. They would call me when they had a plan, Edmund said so. But this dream, was it a warning?
4/5
Alpha’s Betted BrideCHAPTER 24
“Can you meet?” I stared at the screen and nervously chewed on my fingernail while waiting for a reply. She probably wasn’t even
awake.
“On my way”
relief washed over me when she answered and I got dressed and walked outside. Cassy drove up and picked me up. We walked around the dark and quiet town before sitting down on a bench and I told her about my brothers plan.
“So, you’re really leaving?” She asked and I heard the sadness in her voice, she wasn’t trying to mask it.
“I can’t stay, my life isn’t my own and it hasn’t been, ever. I need to take it back,” I said.
“I understand, do you know when?”
“No, they said they’d call once they had a plan but I don’t know when that’s gonna be,” she nodded her head and grabld my hand.
“You deserve to live a life of your own choosing so whatever you need, I’ll help you,” she said and smiled.
We went back to the house and me and Cassy were in the gaming room watching movies until the sun rose. During one of the movies we had both fallen asleep and the voices of people were what woke us up.
“Looks cozy, mind
d if I join
join in,” Cole said and jumped down on the couch. Cassy flinched and scooted closer to me. He had a smirk on his face and his eyes were telling how much he enjoyed the taunting.
“Oh come on, Cass, it’s not like this is anything new. We’ve been much closer than this before,” he said and dragged his finger across
with me from the couch. her neck as he leaned in with his ugly face toward her. I stood up and pulled her up
“You’re disgusting.” I spat and turned around.
“She’s just
being a tease. If you want me to f*ck you again all you have to do is ask,” He said and stood slowly, biting on his lower lip as he took slow steps toward us. His eyes were looking at Cassy like she was a piece of meet but she shrunk under his gaze. She looked
scared.
“Back off, Cole,”
“Ouch, the puppy’s got claws, when did that happen? Did anyone notice her getting a voice?” He said and the others laughed.
The room was filled with his friends and it was only a matter of time before Sam walked in and probably Aiden too.
“Let’s go,” i said and pulled Cassidys arm.
“Nah, you aint going anywhere,” he pulled her arm and she slammed into his chest.
I pushed Cassy out of the way and raised my hand. It hit Cole square on his jaw and he fell back a step. The only problem here was that he had his wolf, but on the other side I had three brothers, so I knew how to hold my own.
The others growled and Cole snarled as he raised his hand.
“No! No one touches her, she’s Aiden’s,”
“Oh I don’t think she is, he probably wouldn’t mind her getting smacked around a little bit. Might teach the little btich some manners,” Sam walked into the room.
1/3
CHAPTER 24
I turned around for
a second to look at Sam and just then, Cole grabbed my arm and pulled me to him.
His eyes were filled with Just as he held his face near mine.
He looked down at me, his eyes flicking between my eyes and my lips.
think your husband will react to you hitting the Beta?” He asked and with a
The others started clearing their
“How do you thraots and gasping and before I knew it I was pulled back against a rock hard chest and then shifted to the side.
“Why don’t you ask him.” Aiden said and stepped in front of Cole. His eyes, a second ago filled lust and amusement, suddenly dripped
with fear.
“Who the f*ck are you to threaten the Lund using my name? Using any name?” He asked and stepped closer.
“Gabby and Casandra, leave us.” He said. Only us but his friends got to stay. I scoffed and shook my head. His eyes split second and softened.
yes cast o mine for a
“Please,” he added.
“You slept with him?” I asked shockingly as we walked up the stairs and toward the library. Neither one of us wanted to be arround people and Cassy was still shaken up so I figured there had to be more to it. She didn’t answer me until we reached the library and opened the door.
Not willingly,” she said without meeting my eyes.
“Wait,” I grabbed her softly and closed the doors behind me.
“What do you mean not willingly?” She rolled her eyes and averted them, not wanting to look at me.
I walked after her and we sat down on the stairs around a table.
“Cassy, did he rape you?”
“One year ago, Cole gained his wolf. I was friends with all of those guys back then. One night we had been partying and he offered to drive me home. He was a friend, I didn’t think much of it but instead of driving home he drove me here. He told me that he just wanted to grab something and so I went with him into his room. Once there, he lacked the door and began touching me. I said ‘no’ and told him to stop but he didn’t listen and well, like I said, he had his wolf,”
“And you didn’t,” I gasped quietly.
She shook her head and continued.
“He tossed me down on the bed and pinned me down. He ripped my clothes of and started kissing me. His hand covered my mouth but no matter how much I screamed nobody could hear me because, well, the walls are soundproof. He continued, all night, until the sun went up and then he finally stopped. I felt broken, betrayed and hurt both physically and mentally, grabbed my things and walked out in my underwear hoping that nobody would see me but they were all there that morning, in the hall. They saw me and then Cole walked out behind me so they figured we had just hooked up. I told Sam the truth about what had happened but she thought I made it up, she thought I had f*cked Cole and that I was coming for Aiden next and that that’s why I made up the lie. That’s when everything just continued downhill. They all froze me out, name calling, battering, fights, all of it happened at once and eventually they just ignored me completely,
“Did you ever tell Aiden about what had happened?” She scoffed and shook her head.
“Like he would believe me, the girl who was stapled as a whore and the pack slut and a liar, shunned by all of her friends, over his Beta and best friend. I don’t think so,” I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t know what to say.
2/3
CHAPTER 24
I looked around trying to find the right words in my head but there was nothing there.
Unless…
“Do you want to come with me? When I leave,” I asked.
Her face lit up
for a second and she smiled but eventually shook her head.
“I can’t, my family is here, I can’t leave them but thank you for offering.”
“We have to do something about Cole, he cant be allowed to walk around after what he did to you,”
“There’s nothing we can do, he’s a ranked member, you should know what that means,” I did know what that meant and I hated it. It shouldn’t be implied that having rank automatically makes every disgusting thing you do okey.
“I’m sorry about what happened to you and I appreciate that you opened up to me about it,” she smiled and nodded i grabbing my hand and pressing it lightly.
“Now it’s your turn,” she said and looked me dead in the eye.
head.
“What do you
you mean?” 1
I asked and tilted my head back an inch.
“I’ve seen the way you flinch when someone steps to close to fast, or when you hear a loud sound. Why is that? her eyes softened and she squeased my hand harder.
“-what did they do to you?” She asked with sadness brimming in her eyes.
If I was going to tell someone, it would be her.
CHAPTER 25.
I walked over and locked the doors, making sure that nobody would be able to enter.
When I went back to Cassy she had a confused look on her face and she was awkwardly turning in the chair.
“When my parents realized that they hadn’t birthed the perfect daughter, they tried to create one by any means necessary,” I said and removed my cardigan..
“They wouldn’t tell me what to do and what not to do when I was a child because, well, as you saw they aren’t normal. Instead, whenever i stepped over the line or I did anything un-lady like they would try and show what happens to girls who aren’t the mold of perfection…” I removed my long sleeved shirt and placed it on top of my cardigan.
my tank top
..they would try and instill in me these habits and ways of life and their way of doing that… I pulled my tossed it aside. Cassy gasped and she hadn’t even seen a fraction of my fathers art.
I turned around, showing of my back for the first time in my life.
top over my head and
“…was beating it into me,” I heard the tremble in her gasp as she stood up. She walked over to me and stood close.
“Gabby, for how long-” She was crying.
“It started when I was five-” I said, cutting h
her off.
“-i had been playing outside with some friends while it was raining and I came home dirty with mud all over my clothes. My mom picked me up and tossed me into my room and shut the door. A minute later my father came by and softly explained how this will teach me to behave like a lady. From that day on It didn 1-stop until I was sent here,”
“I-i’m…I’m so sorry,”
I put my clothes back on and we sat there on the chairs, talking for a while and I explained how it was living at my old pack.
Her eyes were hooded and the tears were piling up, one by one they fell. Her lips were parted and she shook her head.
“You have to leave, Gabriella,” she whispered through the tears.
My phone rang and I picked it up, seeing my b
brothers name
light up the screen. I looked between Cassy and the phone and imidiet
asnwered.
“Edmund!” I squealed.
“Hey, sis, listen we have a plan but it’ll take like a month. Alright, just be patient and I’ll call you when it’s time. Mom and dad are home so I can’t speak for long but we love you, Gabby, and we’re gonna get you away from everyone. And also, I have a surprise that you’ll
see soon,”
“I love you too,” I said and hung up. Cassy had heard and she had giant smile on her face, Seeing someone so happy for something ! was doing for myself was really refreshing.
We walked back downstairs, in the back of my mind I was still trying to figure out a to succeed.
plan
to get rid of Cole before I left. I had a month
As we reached the first floor, Cole came limping
E past us, h
his face was bruised and blood was still dripping from his nose.
“I’m sorry,” he said and adverted his gaze. I looked back and saw Alden standing there with Sam next to him. She had a shock ridden expression and a fierce glare when she saw me staring. The others looked shocked as well as they piled out of the room. None of them
1/3
CHAPTER 25.
made eye contact with us as they past us.
“Care to join me for a walk?” Aiden asked and walked up to me.
I didnt know how to act, this was weird, why
hy was he asking me to go on a walk? Especially with Sam standing right behind him,
staring daggers at the both of us.
“Uhm.” I looked back at Cassy who smiled and nodded her head.
“I have a shift soon so we can meet up later,” she said and began walking away.
“Sure,” I said to Aiden and pulled my shoulders up to my ears.
We had walked for a long time in silence before reaching the side of town. It was a road that led down to the forest.
“I’m sorry for how they treated you, you can come to me with those typoes of things you know, I’ll take care of it,” He said, breaking
the silence.
“I can take care of it to,” he nodded his head.
“I know but you don’t have to. The world isn’t your obligation to handle, Gabby,
Gabby, you can share the burden,” what the hell was happening? Why was he being nice?
“You’re acting weird,” I said and side eyed him.
He chckled and squinted his eyes as he looked ahead.
“The way you were with those kids at the fair, and everyone for that matter, made t much based of what I’ve heard from others,”
“What is it that you’ve heard?” I asked him.
“That you’re a spoiled, bratty princess who gets whatever she wants,” he said honestly.
“Yeah, I’ve heard that too,” I said and smiled.
“But you’re not, so why is that your reputation?”
think that maybe my perception of you is to
“You met my parents, right? Yo
You can understand what type of people I had around me and whenever I realized that someone was sticking around only for the money, I left them. They didn’t take it well and instead said that I was spoiled and a bitch and all the other
colorful words in the book,”
“Why didn’t you set the record straight?” I narrowed my eyes and shrugged a shoulder.
“Cause it wasn’t my responsibility to do so. If someone decided that they knew me solely based of off the gossip they heard than they had already made up their minds. Why would I waste my own energy trying to prove them wrong? I believe that the right people will find
you, and Cassy found me,” he clenched his jaw and nodded his head.
I gulped and removed the hair from my face. We were about to enter the woods.
“I heard that you guys used to be friends,”
“Yeah,”
“And something happened?”
2/3
CHAPTER 25.
“Do you know what happened?” He asked me.
I didnt answer him, this wasn’t my
from her.
y thing to say if Cassy didn’t want me to. I would find a way to put Cole away and keep him aw
“What’s done is done, no use in dwelling in the past,” he said.
“But-” he said and we stopped. He had a deep grin on his face and rolled back his shoulders.
“-i did feel the need to make it up to you, for what I did with your parents,” something
felt off.
“What do you mean?” Someone jumped up behind me and I screamed but as I turned around and saw Edmunds stupid smile I couldn’t help but nearly cry from joy. Nick was sitting on the hood of the car that he had driven into the woods. He jumped of with a gleaming smile and swung his arms around me.
The first tear fell and I wiped it off, my smile didn’t falter for even a second.
Noah stood leaning against the car and came over to hug me as well. He didn’t let go, not for a long time.
“I’ve missed you much.” He said and pulled back.
“I’ve missed you too,” I said Noah reached up and wiped my tears away. Their eyes went behind me and locked down on Aiden. The stepped in front of me, covering my view of him.
“How have you been treating our sister?” Nick asked and they all grew to their fullest size. I stepped around them and stood to the side. The tension was rising rapidly and I was glad that Edmund and Noah weren’t here alone or the fighting would’ve already begun. Nick was the oldest, he was the one with a leveled head and he usually did the talking and kept the other two in check. Noah was a joyful mix. of the two but him and Edmund would spurr each other on and it usually ended with Nick having to drag them away.
Aiden looked down at the ground, his brows furrowed together and he was in deep thought before lifting his head and looking up at
them.
“Not at all as well as I should have. Not well at all, in fact. But, I do hope to make it up to her,” he said and looked at me. He seeme so genuine and this meeting with my brothers sure bumped him up on the nice list but he sill had a lot to prove. I was however shocked that he told them the truth, I was prepared for a lie.
with our parents when
“I really hope you do. We didn’t get a chance to talk much at the wedding and we were banned from coming they came to visit, a very eventful meeting I heard. Our sister is our everything, she’s been trough more than you know and there is nothing we won’t do to ensure her safety. If we find out that you aren’t treating her well, or that any harm comes to her as she lives here, by your hands or anyobody elses, we will come and we will take her away. Regardless of the war between our packs that it might result in. Are we clear?” Aiden lifted his head and glared into my brothers eyes. A darkness swirled within them but Nick never cowered away from the truth and for the first time, it worried me. O
Chapter Comments
Stephanie
Of is pronounced as uhv or ov. Off is pronounced as awf.
Tami Baldon
D*mn! Go Nick!!!
Nick’s hand was reached out in front of Aiden and the tension rose around us. It thickened for each sedond that Aiden didn’t grab i
Aidens eyes were narrowed but he looked relaxed. His chest was puffed out, his shoulders rolled back and he looked down at Nick’s hand, seemingly analyzing the situation and the words Nick had just said.
“We are.” He said and shook his hand. I released a visible breath and y shoulders sunk. My brothers grinned and Edmund started jumping around. He grabbed my shoulders and guided me away.
“Tell us everything, how’s it been?” Edmund asked and brought me over to a stub where we sat down and talked. Nick patted Aiden’s shoulder and the two walked off, I had no idea where to but I’m guessing to talk about something that the rest of us weren’t allowed to hear. Obviously.
I told them about how it had been living here, obviously leaving out all of the bad parts, so it wasn’t a long story. I didn’t want to tell them about Sam and Cole or the girls that made me pay for their stuff but I did tell them about Cassy and Marie.
They told me about the pack and how Becca was at our house constantly trying to hook up with Noah and sneak into the Alpha family line. She was, luckily, failing missarebly.
“You better not date her!” I said and pointed my finger in his face.
“Are you kidding me, half the pack has been in her pants, I’m not putting a ring on that finger,”
“No, you’re just putting your *ick were half the pack’s already put in Edmund said and chugged down some water.
“What?!” I squealed.
“You slept with her? You knew what she did to me and you slept with her?” I asked and stood up, looking disgustingly at my brother.
“Sis, I’m sorry but come on, she’s hot and has like the biggest tits Ive ever seen,” 1 gaged and was about to throw up.
“You need to stop talking.” I said and covered my mouth with my hand. They guys laughed and Noah winked at me while tossing a peanut into his mouth. The boys had never had a problem getting the girls, for one: They were ranked members and every girl wanted to be married up. And also, they all worked out everyday, were super picky with their hair and clothes and overall looked good.
Edmund had a boyish appearence to him with a more rounded face, thick brows, dark-blonde hair t tht was always shaved down to the shortest lenght. He had thin lips and a slimmer body but he was still stronger than all of the warriors. It was always fun to see someone new provocing him, thinking they’d get upper hand becuase of his slimmer figure but the only two people stronger then Edmund were our other brothers. Noah was broad, muscular like most others and a thick head of hair. Nick was the tallest, he was jut as broad as Noah but with a few inches over his head. Dark hair, hazel eyes and a blonde-red hair color that I had always been jelous of
Aiden and Nick came back from their walk. Aiden’s eyes locked with mine imideitly and it felt like he was looking at a stranger. I could’ve sworn I also saw some pity or sadness in them. Whatever emoiton it was, I hadn’t seen it in his eyes before.
“We gotta head out. Mom and dad think that we just headed into town to party,” Nick said.
* wish you could stay longer,” i said against his shirt as we hugged
“Me too, but we’ll see each other again soon. Promise,” He said.
Me and Aiden walked back to the house in silence. Neither one said a word and I was grateful for that. I wanted this time with my brothers to have lasted forever but at least I had the memory of it and didn’t want it tainted. I wanted to live in that memory for as long sa I could. As we entered the house, a loud annoying voice rose to its highest pitch.
1/4
CHAPTER 26
“Aiden, we’re heading out!*S
Sam said and came running toward him. She circled her arm in his and pushed her breast up against his arm. Her skirt seemed to have gotten shorter since I saw her earlier and I was pretty sure she had taken her bra of
Afden looked at me and I rolled my eyes and continued walking.
h, you smell like that whore,” I heard her say but didn’t pay her any attention.
“Ugh,
“Aiden, what are you” I felt a hand on the small of my back and turned my head. Aiden was looking straight ahead as we walked up the stairs. I looked over my shoulder and saw Sam stating daggers at me. Her face was beet red and was fuming from where she stood. She was pissed and I was confused.
We went into the room and he removed his jacket.
“I’m tired so I’m just gonna head to sleep. You know you dont have to be here, my brothers left, you don’t have to pretend anymore,” I said and put my hair up in a ponytail. He unbuttoned his shirt one by one. His brows were furrowed and really pressed together. A vein in his forehead bulged out and with his head turned away, I looked down his arm and his chest.
He unbottened his pants and I looked away.
“He told me something, your brother,” I froze, a chill went down my spine and I stood still in
“That you haven’t had
in my spot.
had it easy. Nothing of what people know about you. is true, is it?” He asked.
“People don’t know anything, they hear and then they assume, knowing implies asking.” I said without meeting his gaze.
What did he tell you exactly?”
“What
were monsters. To you especially,” d*mnit, Nick
“That your parents were
“Don’t worry a
about it,” I said and smiled.
“Gabby-”
“You met them, if that first interaction didn’t clue you in on their mental instability then I’m not sure that anything ever will. It’s fine, I’m here and they’re there.” I didn’t want to get into this with him, I still didn’t trust him. One talk with my brother and one good deed wouldn’t take away everything else he had done to
I went into the bathroom and changed my clothes, when I came out again Aiden was laying in bed.
“You don’t have to stay,” I said.
“I know, I want to. I’m exhausted,” he said and turned of the lamp.
“Goodnight,” I said.
red into my eyes.
“Goodnight and Gabby-” he turned his head and gazed
I really am sorry,”
“And I’m a spolied bitch, those are just words, Aiden. Time will tell if you really mean them,” I said and turned of my bedside lamp.
When m
morning came I smelt newly brewed coffee and something sweet.
I rubbed my eyes and saw a tray of food standing on the bed.
2/4
CHAPTER 26
“Eat up, we’re going out,” he said as he stood there, fully dressed.
“Where?”
“It’s a surprise,”
“I don’t like surprises,” I said.
“You’ll like this one,” L-eyed him cautiously but decided to just go with it. I ate the food and drank the coffee before getting dressed.
“Where are we going?” I asked after we had been driving for th
thirty minutes.
I had a pit in my stomach that grew for each minute that we drove I wanted to know where we were going so that I could prepare myself.
“You’ll see soon,” We drove for another thirty minutes before he went of on a smaller road and up a long hill.
When he stopped car I was eery to get out but Aiden left and opened the trunk.
“Come on,” he said and opened my door for r
me.
I stepped outside and looked around. A loud gasp sounded as I saw where we were.
We went over to the cliff where there was a bench, and the view, we were looking over
in the far end.
r the entire town and could almost see the pack
“What do you think?” He asked and put a basket down on the bench.
“It’s breathtaking.” I said in awe and walked closer to the edge. I stepped so close that my toes were of the edge of the cliff and I closed my eyes, reached out my arms and just breathed. It felt so freeing, knowing the town was beneath us, nobody could touch me here, I felt the freedom I had always dreamed of.
My breath got stuck in my throat and i gasped as I was pulled back from the edge.
“Please don’t do that, it makes me nervous,” Aiden said and g
I and gently removed his hand fr
from my stomach.
We walked over and sat down on the bench.
“How did
you
find this place?” I asked him. Aiden opened the basket and pulled out a bottle of wine.
“I was an angry kid, always getting into fights and rebelling against my destiny to take over the pack. I didn’t want the responsibility when I was that young but it was instilled in me that one day I would be taking over and there were certain things I had to do in order to earn it. When I grew older, in my teens, I began to want the title but I did nothing to change my behaviors. My father brought me up here, we sat down on this bench and he told me that the title wasn’t oved to someone. It had to be deserved. He said that if I ever wanted to become Alpha and take over the pack when he stepped down, I had to change how I acted and too start behaving like a leader, if not, he had no obligation to hand over the title to me.”
I thought it was automatically handed down to the oldest son of the Alpha?”
“It is, but I’m not the Alpha’s oldest son,” My eyes widened.
3/4
CHAPTER 27.
-Unknown POV-
Aiden and Gabby were away so I knew that I had the entire day to do what I had to, without any getting suspicious.
“Have you seen her?” I asked Cole and he sighed.
“Are you really gonna do this?
“Do you want her to stay?” I asked him and crossed my arms over my chest. He scoffed.
“She’s in town, at the old library.”
I knocked on the door and it swung open slowly with a loud shriek.
-Step in.” Her voice was raspy and deep.
“I need you to do something.” I said and walked up to her.
It was completely still around us but suddenly books started flying out of their shelves and the dust gathered around us.
“I do nothing for you with that attitude you bring. Get out.” She said.
“Just
listen, I need you to contact someone,” I gave her the name and she looked up at me with that wrinkled old face.
“Why?”
“The Luna, she needs to go.”
“Is that so,”
“Yes, she’s not good for the pack so just do as I say.”
“You’re jealous of her and the bond that is being created between her and her Alpha,
“He’s not hers,”
“I beg to differ,”
I groaned and tossed the money up on the table…
or not?*.
“This is all I have, can you get it done or
“What if I say no.“
Then I will find another way.” I seethed.
“You have a darkness within you, one that will swallow you whole if you continue on this path.” He one tooth that hung over her lip was nasty looking. She raised her head and looked into my eyes.
“Just get it done!” She met my gaze and I hoped she could see the anger in them so that it would motivate her to do her job.
-Gabby’s POV-
1/4
CHAPTER 27.
“What do you mean you’re not his oldest son?” I asked after the shock had settled.
“I have an older brother. Two years older. He was first in line to take over the title but he left,”
“Why?” Aiden shrugged a shoulder.
“He didn’t want to live the pack life. Ever since he was a kid he was different. He wanted to go to school, he loved school, get a job and live a normal life. He didn’t want to fight or become Alpha, he wanted to live as a human with humans. So one day, he just up and left which was why the title was passed down to me.”
“Have you talked to him?” I asked.
“Not for many years. We stayed in touch at first, he was eighteen and I was sixteen when he left and after about a year I stopped hearing from him.”
“How did that feel?” i asked, suddenly imagining never hearing from my brothers again, it would destroy me
“I was a messy teen, I needed him. He was the one I talked to and he would always come get me when she went down. He was the one who tried to instill these values in me, probably knowing that one day I would be taking over the pack. When he stopped calling or responding to my texts and calls, all that grief of losing him just transformed into anger and I began lashing out at everyone. Got into more fights and f*cked things up bad.”
He had packed a salad and sandwiches and some fruit, as well as chocolate-covered strawberries and he took everything out and placed it on the bench.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” I said as he poured wine into my glass.
“I’m sorry for yours,” he said and lifted his gaze, locking it with mine. My brows furrowed and I tilted my head to the side.
“What have I lost?” I asked him and took a sip from the wine.
-Your life
life,” the glass froze between my lips and I saw in his eyes the pain that he felt, only it wasn’t for himself, it was for me
Something within me switched, I couldn’t put my finger
put my finger on it but 1 was seeing so many different sides of him.
Back at the house, I had such a surreal feeling och serenity and calm. That picnic had been amazing and Aiden opened up to about his life and pains. This whole day had shed a different light on him.
“Hey!” Cassy came running toward me and I was glad to see her. Aiden bypassed her without acknowledging her so maybe thing weren’t so different after all.
He stopped turned his head and looked at her.
“Dinner’s at seven, you’re welcome to join us, Cassy,” we both stood there looking at him with shock-ridden faces as he walked off.
“What the hell just happened?” She asked me.
“I don’t know, this whole day has been weird as f*ck,”
“You can tell me all about it over coffee,” she said and hooked her arm in mine.
“So what happened after you got to the cliff?” She asked me.
d he told me about his past. Did you know he had a brother?” I asked.
“We just started
lking and I
214
CHAPTER 27.
“Yeah, Ashton,” She said.
“He told me about him and how close they were before he left,”
“It was a shock for the whole pack. Ashton was a bit of an oddball in many ways, no one really where they had him at times. I mean we all knew that he didn’t want to take over the title but the fact that he left the pack to live with the humans… it shook everyone to the core and then the title was passed down to Aiden who was just a mess. But he cleaned up good,” Cassy said.
“It’s weird, now that I know this and how he has been acting today and fixing the meet with my brothers, I see him differently,” Cassy’s eyes fell and she pinched her lips together.
‘I get that and I’m happy that you two had this moment but just… be careful, alright?”
“What do you mean?” She sighed stirred her coffee.
“It’s just that guys like Aiden rarely ever change,”
We sat there for two hours, talking and eating cake before we headed back.
She said that the store had cut back on her hours and she spent most of he money on her family, supporting them so I paid the check which I was glad to do. I wanted to give back to her. We headed back to the house and got ready for dinner.
I continued thinking about what Cassy had said about guys like Aiden not changing and I didn’t know why that bothered me so much.
There was just more to Aiden then I had first thought, and this little glimpse into who he was had opened a door.
“Hey, come on hurry up!”
“Coming!”
“The car will leave in five and it won’t wait for anyone!” The sun was beaming outside as the people were yelling from downstairs. I walked down, ready to grab som breakfast and saw Cole looking annoyed by the front door.
He saw me watching and he smirked.
“Wanna come with us?” He asked and dragged his tongue over his teeth.
“No.” I tried bypassing him, I was heading into the dinning hall where Cassy
y was waiting.
“Oh come on, don’t leave. It’s been a while since we played with our new pup,” I ground my teeth together and scowled at him, trying to reign in the anger that was rising.
is weird but I liked this It had been a week since my picknik with Aiden and he and I had been spending a lot of time together. It was new version of him. A lot of things were falling into place but there were still some pieces I wish I could just toss out. One of them being
Cole.
“Step out of my way, Cole.” I seethed.
he said.
“Nah, princess, come with us, we’ll have fun and your husband would appreciate it,” he s
Your husband.
It was still a foreign word in my
year.
3/4
CHAPTER 27.
“Alden!” Cole shouted and Tooked behind me. I felt his hand on my lower back.
“Come on, load up in the car,” I stepped aside, feeling awkward being
this close to Aide
close to Aiden as more people stepped inside.
“Hey,” Sam cooed and walked up to him. Aiden rolled back his shoulders and shrugged of Sam’s arm.
“I’m not going, you guys have fun,” he said and started walking toward me.
“Are you serious right now? This is like the tenth time you’re bailing on us, come on man what the f*ck?”
“Yeah, Aiden. What happened to you? You can play with your shiny new thing later tonight.” Sam said.
He didn’t respond but walked d into the dining hall.
“You better start watching yourself, your g
getting in the way of a lot of people right now and you don’t want to be messing w that aren’t yours.” Sam seethed as she stood close enough so that I could smell her breath:
“And what exactly am I messing with?”
“Aiden.”
with things.
“Last time I checked-” I said and stepped closer, I felt a grin growing on my face, and seeing her fuming from anger was behold.
a sight to
-He’s my husband, not yours.” I smiled before turning around and walking into the dining hall
CHAPTER 28.
Cassy wasn’t at breakfast and she wasn’t answering my texts or calls so I went over to her house to make sure she was fine. I drove up to her house and parked the car. I hadn’t seen it before but it was darling and much bigger than I had expected. It was a quaint two-story house with a front side porch and a back yard that was fenced in. I knocked on the door and her father, I assumed, opened up.
“Hi there, how can I help you?” He asked with a bright smile.
“Hi, sir, I’m Gabby, a friend of Cassy’s. I was wondering if she’s here
“Gabby? Oh dear, you’re the Luna, where are my manners-” he became a little stres fully and inviting me in.
“-it’s a pleasure to meet you. Please, come in,” he said and shook my hand.
“Oh no that’s okay, I’m just looking for Cassy,” I said.
and reaghed out his hand, opening the door
“She’s at work, she will be back in about an hour but please, come in, I’ll make us some coffee.” I couldnust turn around and leave, he looked so hopeful standing there.
“Thank you,” I said and walked inside.
It was a small hall with family pictures hanging on the walls.
The stairs were on the right and up on the wall beside it they had even more pictures and right ahead it led to the kitchen and a big open-floor living room.
We sat down around the dining room table and Cassy’s dad made coffee for us. I heard someone descending the stairs and a warm womanly tone laughing as she came down.
“Honey, the boys will be home soon so what do you want for dinner?” She asked and stopped in the doorframe when she saw me.
“Hi, there,” she said and smiled. She was shocked and didn’t hide it as she laughed a little for herself and came up to me.
“Hi, I’m Gabriella, a friend of Cassy’s,” I said as I stood up and reached out my hand. Her mouth took on an O’shape and her eyes
widened a fraction.
“Luna, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said and cupped my hand with both of her own.
“Please, call me Gabby,” She tilted her head to the side and smiled softly.
“Well, Gabby, Cassy will be home soon but we’re so glad to finally meet you! She has told us so n
so much about you,”
We sat and talked and they told me about their family, showed me pictures of Cassy as a kid and we had drunk two cups of coffee each before Cassy came home. I had been having such a great time that the hours flew by and then when I heard the door opening her mom flew up from the chair.
“Hey, honey! Look who’s here,” she said and Cassy walked into the ditchen.
“Hi!” She said and hugged me.
“So sorry I didn’t tell you about my shift to
today, it was a last-minute thing and I jumped on it,” she s
she said.
the
“No problem, I’m glad it happened, I got to meet your parents,” Cassy smiled lovingly when she looked at her parents sitting around
but the happy smile soon turned into a scowl when the door opened and two boys started yelling as they ran inside.
1/3
CHAPTER 28.
“He broke it!”
“No,
you broke it!” They started wrestling each other and falling to the ground.
“Cut it out you little punks!” Cassy said and pulled them apart.
“Who’s this?” One of them asked and flipped back his blonde hair. They couldn’t have been older than twelve but they were certainly twins, they looked identical except for their shirts. It was the same shirt but one was blue and one was red.
“I’m Gabby,” I said and smiled at them.
“She’s our packs Luna, remember?” Their mother said sternly.
“Oh yeah, you’re Aiden’s other girlfriend!” One of the boys said.
“Dalton!” His mother scolded
ed and Cassy slapped him on the back of his head.
“Ouch, what?!” He said and held the spot where she had slapped.
I admit that Dalton’s comment earlier bothered me and sent a large rock down into the pit of my stomach.
Regardless of that I spent the rest of the day at Cassy’s house. We ate dinner and then sat all together watching a movie. Me and Cassy went up to her room afterward and spent the rest of the night there.
“I’m sorry about what Dalton said by the way,”
“Don’t be, I’m betting it’s what everyone is thinking anyways,”
Regardless, it wasn’t cool of him to say that. Someone yelled downstairs and we heard loud footsteps before a crashing sound.
“Denny!” Cassy’s mom shouted downstairs.
“They get on my nerves constantly,” Cassy said and rolled her eyes.
“I get that, I have three of them,” I said and smirked..
“Right,” She said and shook her head.
I texted Aiden to let him know that I was spending the night wit
with Cassy.
‘No, get back”
“Why?”
‘becuase you’re sleeping here’
I’ll see you tomorrow, we’ve had a few good weeks, don’t ruin it’
‘Fine, but tomorrow you’re mine”
A giddy feeling spread through me at the last text. You’re mine.
I and Cassy talked for the rest of the night and it was the best, and first, girls’ night I had ever had in my life. How could I have been so lucky to have found a friend like her?
2/3
CHAPTER 28.
The next week I spent everf more time with Aiden.
We went fishing, he showed me through the woods, and I watched his wolf run around and hunt.
He taught me to fight and we went swimming.
It had been surreal and so amazing. He and Cassy were getting along better as well, which was a dealbreaker for me, and she had begun hanging out with us. Aiden had been on his best behavior around her, letting her in again without that torn look in his eyes.
The only problem as I could see it was Aiden’s friends whom he’d reglected lately but i didn’t care. I ignored the glares and mocking which only occurred when Aiden wasn’t around anyways.
I was in the game room with Cassy and we were playing pool. It was like Dejt
Vi, my phone rang and Edmund’s name lit up on the
“Hey!” I squealed with a smile plastered on my face.
“Hey, you sound happy.” he said and I giggled.
“I am, How are you?” I asked and walked over to the couch.
“Well, you’re about to be even happier” He said and then paused for a second.
The plan is ready, everything has been put in place for your new life.” I gulped, the smile disappeared
od and I sat down on the couch.
“You’re finally gonna
nna get to taste freedom, sis,” I looked up and locked eyes with Cassy. The pool cue slipped from her fingers and her eyes fell, with sadness dripping in their depths.
CHAPTER 29.
“Hello? Gabby, you still there?”
“oh,
Uhm, w
yeah i’m here. Listen, thank you for everything you’ve done to prepare for this but, uh…” I was stuck for the right words. Everything felt so right, right now, and the idea of leaving just made me feel sick to my stomach.
What if this was where I was supposed to be? Maybe this was my faith, to be with Aiden, everything had been going so well that I
believed I was developing actual feelings for him.
Were we mates? Probably not, I didn’t have my wolf yet so I had no idea who my mate was andel might never find out but if what I had with Aiden was real, emotionally, then maybe it didn’t matter whether or not I had a mate. As long as I stayed with him, I could still live in a happy relationship.
“I’m gonna pass on the move,” I said and it was met with silence but the smile returned to Casandra’s lips and her eyes started glimmering.
“Are you happy?” He asked me.
“I actually am,” I said and scoffed and shook my head. Never thought I would say those words.
Then we’re glad for you and we love you and support you,”
We hung up and I looked up at Cassy.
“You’re staying?” She asked in a breath.
“I am,” I said. Cassy ran over and pushed me down on the couch as we hugged.
I had been with this pack for so long now and much had happened. So many emotions and events that had changed over the months.
The cold wind blew outside the windows and I heard the swooshing sounds as they picked up speed.
Me and Cassy decided to play one last game of pool before I was going to meet up with Aiden.
“Okey, have fun and I’ll see you later,” Cassy said as she left out the house and Aiden came walking out of his office.
“How has work been?” I asked him as we left the house.
“I like this m
more,” He said and circled his arm around my
I my waist. Not a lot of people were out and the wind was blowing aga
We took a thirty-minute walk in the cold weather which was really nice.
“When I was a kid and Ashton still lived here we would leave the house and go on adventures. We explored ever single inch of th place and were out for hours on end. Our parents would freak out when we didn’t return and mom would shift into her wolf and sniff out. She always scared the shit out of us but then we wound up playing together,” I smiled and listened intently to what he was saying
“It sounds like you had a nice childhood,” I said.
“I did,”
Back at the house, Aiden told me to change into something nice. I put on a long sleeve dress and heels and went downstairs. A swarm of butterflies were fluttering away in my body and i placed my hand on my stomach to calm them.
It was completely empty in the house but as I entered the dining hall I gasped when the living candles that were filling room showed
1/4
CHAPTER 29.
in my view. Aiden was standing by the table dressed in a pair black suit pants and a white button-down with the sleeves rolled up.
“Come,” he said softly and pulled out a chair for me.
“Aiden…wow,” I said and looked around the room. There were candelabras everywhere and candles in all different sizes lit up. The food was prepared and placed on trays in front of us and this whole moment was just magical.
-Gabby, these past few months, they didn’t start out great but I’m-h-…” He said and ran a hand through his hair.
“…thank you for being patient with me, I hope you’ll think it was worth it,” h he said and I saw the insecurity on his face, it was
adorable.
“I already do,” I said and smiled. The insecurity washed off of him and he relaxed. His shoulders slumped and he lifted his head.
We went up to room after the candle-lit dinner. We were both content, and I smiled as I looked down at our fingers circled eachother. As we walked in my dress got caught in the handle. I didn’t notice and continued walking, pulling of a piece of the back and
the sound of the rip made me freeze.
“Oh no,” I said and backed away. The dress fell slightly and Aiden came to help me. But I backed away from him.
“Uhm, I’ll just go change,” I said and tried pinching it together in the back. It wasn’t a lot that had come of but it was enough to show what I didn’t want him to see.
His brows furrowed and he took a step back.
“Why do you always g
go change in the bathroom?” He asked me and straightened his back.
“Waht do you mean?”
“Ever since you came here you always change in the bathroom, wether it’s at night or during the day. Even when I’m not here I’ve noticed you coming out of the there in different clothes whenever I get back. Why do you do it?” He lifted his head and searched my eyes
“I- I’m just more comfortable like that.” I said and tried to keep steady under his gaze and keep my voice from trembling,
“Why did you step away from me?” He asked and stepped closer.
I backed away and walked into the door. The thought about leaving the room ran through my head and I contemplated wether or not
he’d see my scars if I turned to run.
“I don’t want you to see me naked,”
“That small piece hanging of the door is what came of, you’re far from naked. What’s the truth?”
I looked at the door and then the hall outside.
“Don’t even
think about it.” He said.
He walked toward me slowly and pushed the door shut. I gulped, swallowing the lump in my throat.
“Aiden,” I said and looked down.
He pressed two fingers under my chin, forcing my head up.
“Turn around,” he said.
2/4
CHAPTER 29.
I shook my head, feeling the tears staring to bubble up.
“Please,” I said and heard the d*mn tremble.
“Gabby-” His hand landed on my waist, touching against the naked patch on my back and I squeezed my eyes closed. I felt my hand starting to shake.
“Gabby, open your eyes,” he said softly, I opened my eyes and felt his finger on my back. I looked into his eyes and saw how his brows slowly pressed together, his lips were parted and he looked quizzically at me.
His finger dragged over the scar and I held my breath.
“What is that?” He asked me. His voice took on an edgier tone.
“Aiden, I’m begging you to step away,” I said quietly in a hoarse tone.
*Turn around.” He said sternly.
“No,”
“Gabriela. Turn around.”
“Aiden,” He put pressure on my back and pulled me toward his chest. My face was pressed against him and he placed his face in the cock of my neck.
“Please,” he said.
I pulled back and looked into his eyes.
My body was shaking. I stepped back and slowly turned around, dropping my hands to my sides. Aiden slowly grabbed the zipper and pulled down. I wrapped my arms around my body and drew in a sharp double breath when he had pulled it all the way down. He carefully grabbed my hands and pulled them down to my sides, slipping the dress of my shoulders.
I lifted my arms again, my eyes were squeased shut as hard as possible and the tears were fighting to get out.
My breath were shaky and I hugged myself as we stood there in silence. I felt the rumble comin from his chest as he grolwed.
“Who did that you.” He growled and my eyes shot open from the anger in his voice.
“Who. Did that. To you?”
To you?” He asked again.
“You already know, don’t you?” I asked in a whisper.
n you.”
“I want to hear it from
“My father,” I said quietly.
Tfelt his hand land softly on my shoulder and then his lips pressed against my shoulder blade.
He turned me around
and wiped my tears with his thumb.
“You’re heuatiful,” he said and leaned his forehead against mine.
For the first time ever, I changed in
n front of another per
person. The only other person who had ever seen my scars was Cassy.
3/4
CHAPTER 29.
They covered my whole back, went an inch over my shoulder and an inch around my waist. Always there to remind me of the memories even when I did everything in my power not to show or look at my back, I sill saw them.
We slept like logs that night and when I woke up Aiden was gone. I was about to head into the bathroom to got dressed but instead did it in the room before I went down downstairs to get breakfast.
When I went into the dining hall Cassy was there at the table and the smiled as I came up to her. No one else was present which
made me confused.
“Where is everyone?” I asked her.
“It’s the last run of the year at school so most people are there,”
We heard loud chatters and laughing and the next people to enter the dining hall were the only ones I hoped wouldn’t show up. Sam, Cole, Alexa and many more staggered in and when they saw us their smiles doubled. I rolled my eyes and started eating but unlucky for me, they came and sat down around the table.
Sam pulled out the chair next to me and slumped down. She placed her hand over mine and I jerked it away.
“I just want to say thank you,” she said and sighed in a reliefed manner. What the hell did she mean by that? Cole was grinning from
ear to ear as he watched between me Sam.
“You just got me a trip to Hawaii,” She said and laughed, everyone else joined in and Cassy looked just as confuse and baffled as me. Had Sam finally snapped, was this her first decend into madness?
“What are you talking about?” I asked her,
“Well, before you came-”
“No, let me tell her!” Cole chimed in.
“No no, we agreed I would be the one to say it,” Cole groaned and shook his head.
“Before you came here, Aiden and Cole made a little bet about you, she stopped, letting the words sink and I moved my hands fro table as I waited for her to continue. It started as pebble in my gut but it grew with every word she spoke.
“He was so angry and disappointed about having to marry you that Cole came up with this
game to make it more…endurable. They made a bet to see if he could get you to submit before the year ended. he could get the spoiled little princess to fall to her knees and kiss his feet. Too make you fall in love; head over heels for him and give your heart to him. The bet was cash, a whole lot of it, and he’s taking me to Hawaii with the money he won and I owe it all to you!” She said and slammed her hand down my shoulder.
“So thank you,” I looked around at everyones faces, they were so amused by this, smiling from ear to ear. The pebble was now a
bolder, sinking deeper and deeper into my stomach.
bet. He got you to
“Based on what we heard about last nights events, he clearly owns that little heart of yours and so he won
the b submit and to love him. He won the bet, Alden won,” She repeated, pressing on each word harder as she leaned in,
Chapter Comments
POST COMMENT
Stephanie
Faith is another word for religion. Fate is another way to talk about destiny. Seriously a dictionary and proof reading will go a long way.
Stephanie
I wouldn’t say she was head over heels and at his feet. Sounds more like she was just beginning to trust him.
CHAPTER 30.
I was up in the room and with a shaky hand I picked up my phone and dialed.
“Hey!”
“The plan, walk me through it, what do I have to do?”
“Gabby, is everything alright?”
“Just get me out of here!”
I threw clothes into my bags, closing them up and cramming down whatever I could as fast as I could.
The door opened and my head jerked up, terrified to see Aidenw aacking in but it was Cassy who ran inside.
“Cassy, I’m sorry but I can’t-” She started pu grabbed all of my products.
pulling my clothes out and pushing th
them down in my bags. She went into the bathroom and
me.
“You’re leaving this f*cking place.” She spat and closed all the bags. We put them by the door and she huffed a breath and looked at
“You don’t deserve this, all the pain you’ve been through, you deserve none of it.” She said.
“When will they be here?” She asked.
“In twenty minutes.” I said and looked at the clock.
“I’ll take two of the bags downstairs, do you need anything else?” I looked around the room.
“There is just one more thing I have to do,” I said and walked over to the bedside table, taking out a notepad and wrote a letter for Aiden. I put it on the bed with his name on the front and the wedding ring on top.
“Let’s go,” I said.
Nick drove up in front of the house. They had gotten the okey to enter after their last visit so the guards didn’t pick up on them. The pressed the breaks hard, leaving marks in the ground as the car spun up in front the door.
Edmund and Noah got out and helped load my bags into the car. They were both wearing deep seeded scowls on their faces.
“Get in T
in.” They said and Emund opened the door for me.
I hugged Cassy one last time.
“Take care of yourself and thank you for showing me what a true friend looks like,” I said and smiled. Cassy wiped a stray tear that fell from her eye and nodded her head.
“Same to you,” she said.
d only when we had gotten a safe distance did everyone relax.
We drove away from the pack in a racing speed and only
“You wanna tell us what happened that changed your mind?” Edmund asked me. I didn’t care if they knew, I had been quiet for so long trying to protect him and everyone else, as well as myself. The trees were dissapearing and the roads were empty of any other cars. It was just us, driving softly away from everything and toward my new life. One I would get too choose for myself. But in the midst of all of it, my heart was breaking and I felt physically ill.
1/4
CHAPTER 30.
“Aiden won a bett,” i said and looked out the car window.
“What bett?” He asked and furrowed his brows.
“A bett to see if he could make the spoiled princess fall for him before the end of the year. He’s taking his girlfriend to Hawaii with the money he won,” I said honestly.
“His girlfriend?” Noah growled from the front seat.
Edmund slammed into the door three times hard without breaking it open.
“I’m gonna
kill him.”
on with my life and I’m never looking back.”
“No, we’re gonna leave and I’m gonna move on
We blew past the trees and the towns, driving for hours on the open roads until eventually they stopped in a quaint little place many. hours away from both packs.
g up the road and on the other side
It was a small town with not much going on which I loved. There were small town houses going up were small apartment complexes which was where I was going to live.
When we opened the door to my apparent, I imidetly felt at home, it was a small living room with a two seat couch and an armchair.
The kitchen was opened into the living room, it was small but perfect for one person.
The bedroom had closets alongside the wall and big windows with thin, see through curtains.
It was fully furnished and so perfect.
“It’s not much but–
“It’s perfect,” I said.
“We have to head back but everything you need is already in this apartment so you won’t have to buy anything else. There are stores and restaurants around town and nobody will know who you are. If you want, we’ve talked to Bertram who owns the local cafe and he said he’d be glad to give you a job there,”
“Thank you,” I said and looked at my brothers. We hugged for a long time before they left.
And
then it was just me. Me and my
y new home.
-Aiden’s POV-
I walked up to the house and something felt off the second I stepped foot inside.
I stopped and looked around,
“Something is wrong
I know but what?
‘I’m not really
sure
I walked into the dining hall where everyone was sitting down for lunch. Everyone was there except for Gabby and Casandra.
“Have you guys seen Gabby?” I asked and looked around at everyone.
2/4
CHAPTER 30.
My parents shrugged their shoulders and my mom had a sorrow filled gaze.
“Sorry, sweetheart, she’s not here. Maybe she’s out with Cassy,” Mom said,
“Cole, have you seen her?” I asked and he chowed down on his food and looked up at me.
“Seen who
I stepped closer and locked in on his gaze.
1. heard someone chuckle behind me and turned my head. Sam and her friends imidetly shut up and they adverted their gazes nut Sam stood up and strutted over to me. She swung her hips and caressed my arm, grabbing on as she pressed her tits up against me.
I looked back at Cole.
“Where is she?” I growled and felt Sa
Sam’s jump next to me. She didnt budge though, no, she pressed herse harder onto me.
“Come on, baby, who cares. You won,” she said and smirked.
1 shurged her off and walked up to the room.
What had 1 won?
It was completely empty and when I opened the closets all of her clothes were gone. I ran into the bathroom and saw that none of
her stuff were there.
I fisted my hair and looked around the f*ckng room trying to reign in my wolf who both he and I wanted nothing more than to kill
right now
Then I saw it, on the bed. A note with something shiny on top. Sam’s words replayed in my head as I stepped toward the bed.
You won
Aiden,
You played very well, I admit that I fell for you and so congratulations on your win. It must feel good.
I only ask one thing from you hereon forth, keep Cole away from Cassidy. The truth you believe about what happened that night i honest as the lies I’ve been told since I got here. He raped her and then she lost everyone. You were horrified when you saw the scars on my back and you might not see hers but they’re there, inside of her. We wont see each other again but I wish you nothing but happiness
I twirled a ring between my fingers and looked up. My eyes locked on the wall, a thick cloud of darkness swirled inside of me. I hadnt tell this lat a ktig time, Gatby had somehow dimmed the anger in me
What is this?” I found my mother say as I walked into the dining hall with five guards walking behind
me.
“Cole Anders, 1, Aiden King, Aljitu of the Red Moon Pack, banky stopp of your
sa title as Beta and you will willingh, or forceful, be escorted to the dungeon and kept thate until a sentence has been decided for the rage on Cassidy ”
Everyone gasped around us. Cobra vyes rounded to saucers and he looked around for any smidge of help.
“Are you f*cking crazy?” He spet and stood up. The chair was pushed back and landed on the floor.
3/4
CHAPTER 30.
“you know I didn’t rape that bitch!” I stared into his eyes and I saw the fear but also the lie. He had raped her, I had just been too blind and to fooled by his so called loyalty that I neglected to see the truth.
“Take him.” I said.
As they walked around me I grabbed his shoulder and stared him dead in the eye. I saw the fear that hid in there, the one he desperately tried to hide.
“I know what you did to Gabby, you’ll be paying for that too.” I said and watched the fear creep higher up to the surface.
“Aiden, what are you doing?” Sam asked and everyone else gathered around me
“Did you to tell Gabriella anything before she so happened to leave the pack?” I asked,
“WHAT?” My mom rose slowly from her seat. Her eyes burnt in a yellow hue when her wolf stepped forward.
The two were equally pissed.
Sam laughed nervously.
“No, of course not, what was I gonna say?” She said and continued laughed, looking between me and my mother.
“There’s room in the dungeons with Cole, so I will ask you again but this time I advise you to tell me the truth.” I cupped her cheek and looked pressed firmly as I looked into her eyes,
“Did you tell her anything about the bet?”
“Aiden-” I pressed harder and she winced.
“Yes.” She said and closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, there was no fragile little victim there, she was angry, she was happy with what she had done,
“You’re mine, Aiden, mine!”
Chapter Comments
Stephanie
apartment not apparent and it’s spelled immediately.
VIEW 1 COMMENT
2
<SHARE
POST COMMENT
4/4