Chapter Thirteen
Chloe lowered her head down as she walked behind the guards. They were not using vehicles like she had thought, but instead they preferred to trek. She believed that it was simply for the reason to punish her. Alpha Fletch was a sadist, and nothing more, and she had never despised someone as much as she despised him.
The whole thing that had happened yesterday shouldn’t have occurred in the first place. They didn’t like her, and they wanted to cage her in. “You wanted to cage yourself in,” she whispered to herself. It wasn’t really her fault though, she had been scared. Though, Prince Aiden was her second chance mate, what was the guarantee he was better than The Alpha’s son, Liam. It was self-preservation, and she was going to do it again if it was strictly necessary.
She sighed and looked up a bit, seeing people in the stalls, look up at her as she walked past. It was evident that news of what happened last night had spread out in the Break-stone Pack. Things have become more messier than it had been earlier, and she had no idea what to do to make it better. She was really going to go through it this time.
“Walk faster,” the guard snapped at her.
Chloe gulped and focused on where she was going. The closer they got to the pack house, the more nervous she got. She had no idea what to expect. The Alpha would definitely not be pleased with the drama, and to add to it, she doubted that he would be happy with the rule that had been imposed on them about their choice.
‘I should stop thinking about this,’ she thought in her head.
Each one of her thoughts was really making things awkward for her. She would have to be patient and figure out things when she got there. They finally arrived the pack house in 45 minutes. That was how long the walk had been.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.
The guards walked in, and she followed suit. The house was silent unlike last night, with the servants silents going about their duties. Her eyes caught the eyes of the same woman who had done her makeup. It was like the woman was a seer because what she had said had definitely happened that way.
Of course, there was not time to talk, so Chloe looked away from her. She was guided in front of Alpha Fletch who sat on his throne with his hand on a cane. He looked every inch as regal and intimidating and can be. Chloe immediately looked down her toes, and bowed while at it, not sure she might ever be able to look up at him.
“Guards, stand back,” he ordered.
She heard their feet reshuffling, but didn’t look up still. She was filled with so much fear, and she hoped that things would get better moving forward. It was a long stretch though, because even she didn’t believe that thought.
“You may look up,” Alpha Fletch grunted.
Chloe pulled her head forward, and the Alpha was observing her closely. She had no idea what he might be thinking or how he might be reacting to everything that was going on. She was completely in the dark about things, and she hated it because it made her petrified. She placed her hands together, and for the first time looked away from his face, only for her eyes to fall on the Luna seated behind him, and looking as timid as ever.
“Chloe Watson, you came into the house years ago thanks to your family. Though, they are dead, we the Break-stone Pack have done all we could to make sure that you’re safe in the pack. We gave you a home, and allow you to work also. You have not been ostracised by the people. You know this too,” The Alpha said.
‘What a load of hogwash!’Chloe thought in her head. She was too scared to contradict this. All her life in the pack had been a nightmare to the extent that she had wished for death. She wondered why she didn’t die in the fire with her mother. Maybe, her situation would have been a bit different today. Well, Alpha Fletch had never really helped her, but she did not say any of these things. Instead, she looked on.
“It was a shock to us when Liam found out that an omega was his mate,” he continued his speech. “He couldn’t understand it, but he wanted to.”
“No, he did not,” she couldn’t help but whisper to herself.
The Alpha glared at her, and then relaxed like he realised what he was doing. “You said, what?”
Her hands shook slightly. “Nothing,” she managed.
Alpha Fletch nodded and tapped the staff on the tiles. “Better, don’t interrupt me till I’m done speaking. I didn’t give you the right to talk yet.” Chloe gulped, but kept mum. “As Alpha of the Break-stone Pack, I was filled with horror when the drama that went on last night took place. But, we have to move past that. In the next 3 days, you would prepare yourself, because you’re going to be mated and marked by the future Alpha of the Break-stone Pack, Liam,” he said with a flourish.
Chloe pulled her head to the side. She wasn’t sure that she heard correctly. It was as if she had been transported to another realm, one she had no idea on how it worked. She couldn’t possibly be hearing things correctly. Yes, that was probably it.
“So, you are dismissed.” Alpha Fletch said easily.
Dismissed? Just like that? Didn’t she have a say? Chloe shook hard, but her legs would not move from the spot. She gulped as she looked at the mean Alpha. She tried her best not to hyperventilate. This was not what the seer had said.
“You can’t force me,” she said firmly. She scratched at her hands trying to give herself some sort of strength. “I mean, I was told to decide who I want to be with between the crowned prince, Prince Aiden, and the future Alpha, Alpha Liam. I can’t just ignore the rules and get married. I’m sorry, but I don’t accept this,” she said in a small firm voice.
Despite the calmness on the Alpha’s face, she could see that the veins on his fingers were almost popping out of his skin as he looked right at her. She didn’t flinch. She couldn’t think of growing weak for a moment. This was about her future. Liam couldn’t get it easy. He had to earn it. Just because she loved him, didn’t mean she was stupid. He had shown her flames, and it was time to be stronger, so it wouldn’t keep happening.
“Your decision is annulled. As the Alpha of the Break-stone Pack, I give you only 24hours to decide. You may leave,” he said coldly.
She gulped. The guards took her by both hands and led her out of the pack. She saw the same maid who had been kind enough to her, and she mouthed the words, ‘be strong’ which she didn’t know how to be in this very moment.
Outside, they released Chloe harshly, and went to back into the pack house. She had no idea what to do now. She remembered Prince Aiden saying she could always call him if she were in a difficult situation, but she couldn’t call him.
Chloe wanted to so bad. But, she just couldn’t call him knowing that he had helped her so much, and she had barely helped him in turn. She should have made a decision when she had the chance last night, but she had not been able to do so out of fear. Now, she would have to bear this cross by myself.
She staggered forward, and saw a lone bench in front of a garden. She quickly walked over to it, and sank down. Nothing was working well at all. Yes, she had been craving for Liam to claim her as his mate to override the shame, but she knew that marrying him would be the worst mistake of her life. He didn’t love her, but Emily.
She knew that Liam and his family were only doing this to save face. But, she didn’t have the wherewithal to fight them. She was on her own now. The seer was a part of the royal family, and she too couldn’t much. There was also no way she could contact her. She was definitely stuck in this problem, and no matter how Chloe saw it, she knew that she was fighting a lost battle.
This was not what she had been expecting. She though Liam and Alpha Fletch might try to be kinder. But, no, they wanted to impose their rules on her. And, like always, she wouldn’t be able to say no. Her heart caught so hard in her chest at this truth. It was beyond unfair for all these to be happening to her. She lowered her head on her thighs and cried.