My Vow to the Ruthless Alpha

2

Amara's POV

The very first man I saw as soon as I entered the ballroom lies on the centre, celebrating wine among his pack. I can’t see his face clearly, but looking at his tall and muscular body with threatening aura, I’m guessing he’s the Alpha Lucian. Every step I had to take toward him and his packs made my breath suffocating. To be a part of political marriage that small mistake could lead a disaster among great packs is never become a part of my dream or the life I longing for, but here I am.

“Don’t walk rush like a peasant, Amara. Walk with elegance and dignity.”

Oh my, to walk side by side with Alpha Gabriel, Celine’s father, is an unforeseen experience.

“I already heard all of this mess from my daughter. Behave properly as a Celine. Don’t do any stupid things that can erupting a war on this night with them.”

There’s lot of question on my head, but for now, all I can do is simply nod. Praying Lucian will not be feel manipulated and enraged as soon as I show myself as ‘Celine’. Just like Alpha Gabriel said; ‘Behave properly’.

But it quickly frozen as soon as Lucian turn his face to me. My eyes grow wide, distracted on Lucian looks. He’s not as scary as Celine feared of. Green emerald eyes, a perfect facial structure, and charisma that magically pull me into him only by his sight. Combined with his ideal physique, I’m quite sure he had much better, and stronger, than Damon had. I can’t even say any word to praise him since it already express with my awestruck face.

“Alpha Lucian, sorry for the waiting. This is my daughter, Celine, and she-“

“Wait…she looks different.”

Both me and Alpha Gabriel stunned by Lucian’s intervene. Is he know that I’m not the real Celine?

I stunned as Lucian stare deeply at me. His expression remain flat, not reveal any anger or hatred because of the manipulation.

“So this is your daughter Celine, Alpha Gabriel? Are you sure you’re not bring the wrong person?”

Lucian’s question made Gabriel struck in silent, like a deadly jab that crush Gabriel’s pride as the leader of Crimson Valleys’ pack.

“I-I’m sorry, Alpha Lucian. I have to say the truth she is no the actual Celine. Don’t worry, I still have a daughter that can replace Celine for this marriage. I was careless to let this mess happened. You’re entitled to be mad at me.”

Gabriel’s gaze fell to the ground, guilt filled his chest as shame consumed him. I’m afraid, Lucian will explode in anger, then this will be bloody feast among packs. If that really happened, I just hope it is done quickly and not painful as it can be.

“What’s your name?”, Lucian frowned in curiosity.

“Celine-“

“No, your real name, please.”

“My name….Amara. A-are you…the Alpha Lucian?”

“Amara…! What kind of dumb question you-“

“Am I?”, he ask back with his teasing grin while holding back Gabriel.

“S-sorry…. I just think there would be a scar, just like many people said…”

“Well, should I show my scar? I could, but it will be under my shirt. I can show it in private place, only with you.”

Whether it’s a joke or not, his smile made my body stutter, heat rushed to my cheeks, don’t know how to react on that.

“Alpha Lucian, she…just the maid of our pack. No need to take her seriously. Like I said before, I had my daughter for replacing Celine.”, Gabriel rushed, trying to explain his solution. But Lucian seems not buying it. His green eyes lingered on me, burning with something I couldn’t understand yet.

“No need for that, Gabriel. I’ll chose my own mate.”, Lucian suddenly took my arms possessively, gently tugged my body toward him.

“Amara will be my mate.”, he announces confidently, my voice falters before I can reply such decision. I hope it’s a joke that we can laugh at in the end, but Lucian stand firm and true on his words.

“Alpha Lucian, this is a serious matter!”, Gabriel pull me from Lucian and made him growls, his eyes turning purple, a real indication of killer hunter instinct.

“Amara, I want your answer.”, Lucian asked while holding his rage towards Gabriel.

“She is a maid. She don’t have any rights to answer such question. You have a better alternative for your mate.”, Gabriel insist, even his body shaking in fear as Lucian pressure him with his deadly aura. The Shadow Moon packs can sense their leader’s rage, preparing themselves for initiate war as needed, waiting for Lucian order.

“Gabriel, you still don’t quite grasp how disastrous your mistake. You started this ceremony with manipulation, then insist me for choosing your other daughter. How dumb that solution can be? Consider yourself lucky for bringing Amara to me because if not, this feast will become a battlefield.”

Lucian’s shadow grow higher and higher, stretching into silhouette of giant wolf that loomed over us, as if it ready to trample Gabriel and Crimson Valley Packs in this very place.

“Give me Amara, or we will have a war, Gabriel. Am I clear enough?”

“L-lets calm down first. If you want my answer, I think you should think more because no one want me. Just like Alpha Gabriel said, I’m just a servant with no status whatsoever to made me properly become your mate. Even I just got rejected by my mate.”, I try to put some sense to Lucian, even though it might be lead to the war that everyone know it will be unleashed with one simply order from Lucian.

“I don’t need your past or looks, Amara. You only have two choice; be mine or anyone in Crimson Valley pack will be obliterated by my armies. Let me be very clear to you, Amara. I don’t want wasting your time for ensuring yourself to accept my offer. I’m the Lycan King, Amara! I took what I want, not caring any virtue or some moral nonsense!”

Such a harsh words, but I get his point. I know in this political marriage, someone will be a pawn under greater scheme that I can’t fully comprehend. Perhaps Lycan understand such scheme that made him insist for making me as his mate.

Then again, I’m under debt from Crimson Valley Packs, especially about their Shamans who constantly heals my mother. If I should pay this debt by accepting Lucian’s offer, I don’t have any reason to deny it. Of course I’m afraid, but it’s for my mother sake.

Beside, after Celine reveal how Damon betray our dreams, I just want go far away from the place I attuned to the memories of my long love of my childhood friend and how wicked he is for betraying my trust. I need a new and refreshing place for healing and reorder my heart so I can carry on living. Despite Lucian’s offer feels like an order, at least I can took it as one remedies for surviving.

“Amara, your answer. I need to hear it. Now.”

Lucian insist his offering and I nodded slowly, bitting my lips while holding my body shaking of fear.

“Yes…”

Took a minutes to say it while holding the pain in my chest. Lucian’s shadow returned to normal, clarifying the situation for not emerge the war to his pack implicitly.

“Great. Then we can start the ceremony.”

Everything seems blurred, moving so fast that I can’t fully grasp what really happened on the feast. I don’t really took my attention to the ongoing feast since only Lucian who took all of my attention. He come like a raging storm, shaking every people and place he touch. But somehow, there’s a slight of me think he like an angel, coming to my world to erase the awful memories of Damon. No. He’s not saving me either with his political scheme that I still can’t understand any of it.

“Amara, come.”

Lucian took my hand gently, snapped out of my thoughts to the reality of me and him walk to the center of the ballroom. We face each other. Preparing ourself for the vow.

“I, Alpha Lucian, the Lycan King Shadow Moon pack, choose you, Amara of the Whispering Pine, to be my Luna.”

Oh, mother, last time we met, I remember telling you my dream of Damon declares such statement to me in the next week. But everything falling apart. The betrayal, the political marriage, you will be shocked when I tell you all of this and I don’t want you to be suffer because of it. Even you will scold me for being impulsive the time when I tell this story, at least I know you still trust me. I already suffer heartbreak of betrayal from Damon, and I really want Damon felt the same pain when I say my vow.

I close my eyes for a moment, swallow every pain from the man who was once my destiny, and readied myself to pledge my heart fully toward the man I barely know.

“I…Amara of the Whispering Pine, choose you, Alpha Lucian to be my mate and my alpha.” I managed to said it even it begins with a slight hesitation.

And now... I really can't imagine what happen next the moment Alpha Lucian smiled at me with satisfied smile.