The 5th Mate

One

{ Anna }

I didn't dare close my eyes, not after knowing who I was going to marry.

Alpha Lucien Grey!

The night moved faster. Hours climbed like seconds and the clouds stilled as if someone was controlling them, and the sky sat in place

The air around me felt chilly as if communicating with me, the thought of walking out that door and begging my mother to cancel the marriage hanging in my throat.

But my will to leave this pack pushed it, aide.

The thought of Xavier looking at me like I was his next meal didn't let me.

The clock on the wall kept running in the same circle, leaving a tiny tickling sound in the room, disrupting the silence in the room.

My body lay on the bed while my eyes stared up at the white ceiling with a heavy feeling lingering in my chest.

My eyes couldn't stand a blink, I was scared but something inside me told me otherwise.

The man I have agreed to marry has already devoured four mates and no one dared to ask questions.

Not their friends or even their families. Some of these females were alphas' daughters yet no one stood to question their course of death.

I wondered if anyone would care if something happened to me.

Someone would have cared, but that someone was no more.

My father.

Maybe it was better this way.

My eyes shut but the sound of a car pulling over at the compound forced my eyes open.

He said Beta Vincent would pick me up today.

Curious. I stepped down from the bed and walked to the window that was when I saw it, a black polished Mercedes parked in front of the house.

Just after the stairs. Not far from the door, just a few steps after the door.

I stared as a man in a black outfit stepped out of it.

He looked strong and kind of intimidating especially the scar on the side of his face.

My stepfather, Alpha Xavier walked out of the house with a polite smile.

He exchanged words with the man and then he suddenly looked up. I felt our eyes meet, but his eyes didn't linger at my window for long.

Xavier said something and the man nodded before pulling out his phone from the pocket of his black pants. He handed the phone to Xavier who spoke to whoever was on the line before handing it back to him.

A sudden knock came on my door and I turned my head.“ Beta Vincent is here to pick you up.” Someone said from outside and my heart stopped in my chest.

I looked back down at the man standing beside the car in a black suit.

As if he sensed me, he looked up and for a few seconds his gaze didn't leave my window.

Good thing it was private. He couldn't see me from outside.

“ I will be down in a minute,” I said in a low voice.

I convinced myself that this was better than staying here.

I doubt there was a place for me in this pack. There has never been a place for me in fact, I was nothing to her, my mother.

Or should I say Luna Georgina, the woman who stopped loving me after my father died.

I took a quick shower and changed into a simple red dress that ran down to the knee.

My suitcase was already packed. I did that last night.

Xavier was standing in the living room with a glass of coffee, no sight of my mother.” There is time, I can call the arrangement off “ he said as I was about to push the door open.

“ Consider this as payment for raising me.” I might hate him for a lot of things but one thing remains, he took care of me for thirteen years and I was grateful.

And this marriage was my way of repaying him.

I owe him nothing, we were even.

“ Won't you say goodbye to your mother?” He asked and I swallowed.” Take care of her.” She stopped being my mother thirteen years ago.

I pushed the door open and walked out with my suitcase.” Let me help you.” Beta Vincent said as he took my suitcase and placed it in the back of the car.

He opened the door for me and I sat in, my heart felt heavy and tears threatened to leave my eyes as the car engine roared to life, but I held them in.

“ I almost thought you had changed your mind.” He said suddenly and I understood what he meant.

“ Sorry for keeping you waiting,” I whispered and he nodded.

His phone suddenly rang and he answered it.” We are still in their territory but nothing will go wrong.” He said over the phone, I didn't let my mind linger on his conversation with whoever it was because I felt tired.

My eyelid grew heavy and I couldn't help but close my eyes.” I will wake you up when we get to the pack.” Beta Vincent said and I pulled my eyes open for a few seconds before closing them again.

My mind wandered off to when I was young. How good my life used to be and how happy my life was.

Why did it end and why did my mother suddenly change?

A loud growl forced my eyes open. I looked around the unfamiliar room. A room that looked different from every room I have seen.

A room that screamed anything but danger.

Beautiful layout, perfect interior, king-size space, and a double bed.

The left and right sides were made with mirror glass, a soundproof glass that typically displayed my reflection.

I didn't feel fear. I felt at ease and safe.

And it wasn't supposed to be like this, I wasn't supposed to feel this way. Not when I was in his pack, the Glimmer pack.

The pack that was ruled by the monster alpha.

I slide down from the bed, still wearing the red dress from yesterday.

I grabbed the doorknob and twisted it in seconds.

My feet took me down the hallway, my bare foot taping on the cold floor in a soundless motion.

I stepped down the stairs into a large living room.

I looked around like I was looking for something, my feet clenched to the cold floor as it lossen it a little would make me fall.

“ The dining hall is over there.” A cold deep heavy voice rang from behind me.