Mated To The Elusive Alpha

5

HILARY

As I stormed out of the room, my heart pounding wildly in my chest, I felt a mixture of anger, confusion, and something akin to fear brewing within me. How could this be happening? How could I have been so stupid.

The very first time I dared to rebel against the prison-like norm I'd been made to adhere by, the very first thing I do is fall into the hands of a manipulator who took advantage of my vulnerable state, and now we were bound together?

Angry tears streaked down my cheeks as my pace quickened till I was racing down the corridors. I would've never thought it possible to be so hurt by someone I barely knew. I could not stand another second in his presence with my thoughts running a mile a minute, none of them good ones.

I needed space to clear my head, to make sense of the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. Ignoring the prying eyes of the servants scattered along the extravagant halls, I made my way out of the grand house and into the expansive gardens surrounding it.

The cool evening breeze brushed against my skin, offering a momentary respite from the suffocating atmosphere inside. I walked aimlessly, allowing the rhythmic sound of my footsteps to drown out the chaos in my mind.

Memories of that fateful night continued to make rounds in my head despite my very conscious efforts at suppressing them. I cursed the taste of the alcohol on my tongue, the satisfying burn of it down my throat, the haze of desire clouding my judgment and the feeling of his touch igniting a fire within me.

All I wanted at the moment was to be left to wallow in my self loathe and be buried under the weight of my regret, but it was clear that there was no way out, between sealing the mating bond and the marriage certificate that held my name and my father's signature, there was no denying the fact that I was now bound to Lucas Huntergrove. Forever.

I twisted the ring that now sat on my finger, admiring the beauty of what would now serve as a lifetime shackle because of a stupid decision I'd made with my senses dulled by intoxication. I wondered why I had not remembered to give him back the ring.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice a figure approaching until they were right beside me. I jolted at the shuffling to my side and turned to find the guard that had been ordered to take me out and away from my home, now I wondered if there was a hope of going back, seeing as I never even got to say goodbye or give my former prison one final, disdainful glare. Instead, I glared at him, feeling a surge of hatred for him, even though I knew he was just obeying orders.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice laced with venom.

I felt irritation lick at my skin as the only thing I got in the way of a reaction was a quick glance my way. Other than that, he seemed to completely ignore my existence, standing stoically behind me like he was made of bricks.

"Oh, I see," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're here to make sure I don't run away, aren't you? He's sent you to keep watch and you wouldn't even bother to do it discreetly because I have no say eitherways, isn't that so?” I laughed mirthlessly. "It's no different from my home, only now I have a stupid title I have no use for!"

At the end of my words, I turned around and made to walk away and into a clearing that held thick bushes and trees on both side, only to be stopped by his body coming into view, “I'm afraid you can't go in there, Luna.” He supplied, tone firm and decisive.

"Really?" I scoffed bitterly. "So now you can talk? What? Are you going to face some kind of punishment if I do?” I asked, getting no reply again. I groaned in frustration and stormed back into the mansion. It wasn't like I could go anywhere else anyways.

I walked down the corridor, trying to find my way back into the room so I could retrieve my things. I was already feeling sluggish, weighed down by fatigue and the need to rest.

At the realization that I'd rounded the same corner twice already, I begrudgingly gave in and decided to ask for directions.

Turning to the brick wall behind me, I asked quietly, “Would you mind leading the way?”

"Excuse me, Luna?" he questions, and I could have sworn there was a hint of laughter in his voice.

"I asked if you would like to lead the way. I have no idea where I'm going to.” I snapped back, letting my irritation show and he cleared his throat stiffly before gesturing in front of me.

"This way, Luna," he said, now walking in front of me.

Pausing in front of the large oakwood door that I recognized as the bedroom's, I turned to look at him, “Could you help me get my things from inside?” I asked, pouting a little bit and even batting my lashes daintily at him with hopes of getting him to do my bidding using my feminine charms but I could as well be trying to get through to a stone statue.

“I am sorry, Luna, but the Alpha does not allow anyone enter his private chambers” he spoke, keeping his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Even his most trusted guard?" I asked, trying to hide my incredulity but he was back to being mute. It almost felt like I was talking to some kind of robot, programmed to give one word replies at every 10 minute interval.

I rolled my eyes at him, earning no reply as expected before sighing and pushing my way into the room. To my relief, it was empty. Lucas was nowhere in sight, even though his scent was thick in every corner of the room and my wolf purred in content as it came over us like a heavy downpour.

I knew I said I hated him, there was no other way to feel about him, especially with the circumstances surrounding our supposed mating , but I could never forget what was no doubt the best night of the entire twenty-five years of my life.

Suddenly, I felt a small tingling in ear and immediately knew he was near. I moved before I could think, not wanting to be anywhere near him right now and before I knew it, I was locking myself in a wardrobe after dashing into what I now figured to be his closet.

I heard faint mumbles in front of the door before it opened. His scent wafting across me announcing his presence in the room before everything fell silent again. When the footfalls resumed, it was right in front of the closet and his scent intensified as he walked right past the closet I was locked in.

Now that I think of it, it was quite foolish of me to hide in here because if I could smell him the way I was now, he could probably do the same, and speaking of smelling, he suddenly halts in front of the wardrobe and I held my breathe in panic, my anxiety doubling as I shut my eyes tightly, waiting to be exposed, but it never happened. Instead, I sensed him walking out and away from the closet.

A relieved breathe is ripped out of my throat as I pulled the latch and stumbled out of the wardrobe, hurriedly grabbing my suitcase and making to leave the room when I picked up on something.

My nose wrinkled in distaste as I found the wardrobe I'd just stumbled out of to be filled with women's wears.

That jerk!

He had the nerve to bring me into a room he'd bedded others in and have probably done disgusting things to other women in the bed he'd suggested we share.

“I wouldn't mind him doing more disgusting things to me, to be honest.”

‘Actually, Snow, I didn't need that input.’ I quickly chastised my wolf.

Then I started to feel as if I deserved all this. It was by luck that I hadn't been sold off to an old pervert and shouldn't I be thankful for the fact that he wasn't forcing himself on me already?

I picked up my suitcase with a resigned sigh and made my way back into the hallway, quickly finding a female servant.

“Excuse me!” I called, getting her attention, “I'd like to sleep in the guest bedroom tonight. Could you point me in the direction, please ?"

The maid looked taken aback for a second but quickly got over it, nodding.

“Of course, Luna. Follow me." As we walked, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. I didn't want to be left alone in a room with him and sharing a bed was out of the question, not after what he had done to me.

The maid pushed open a door after our long walk to reveal a well-furnished bedroom, and I thanked her before she left. I settled in and unpacked quickly, deciding to take a shower before giving in to my body's need to sleep the rest of the day away.

Walking out of the still steaming shower, I found a blue silky nightdress laid out on the bed. I wondered who could have put it there, but I couldn't resist the softness of it on my skin as I pulled it on. It was gentle and brushed against my skin with such care that I muttered an appreciation to whoever picked it out.

As I climbed unto the bed, I let out a sigh of contentment, none of these were like anything I'd owned or experienced in the last few years and it was easy to slip into a dreamless slumber the second my head touched the unimaginably soft pillow.

It wasn't until the next morning that I was woken up by a maid who knocked tentatively before stepping in, bowing deeply.

"Luna, the Alpha wants you to join him for breakfast."

I quickly got out of bed, replying with an excuse. “I'm not hungry, thank you. I'll just go for a walk in the garden instead.”

The maid looked hesitant but nodded nonetheless. "Very well, Luna."

I hurried through a shower and made my way to the garden. I felt a sense of freedom that I hadn't felt in a while as I strolled aimlessly amongst the beautiful flowers and trimmed trees. I had managed to escape the Alpha's clutches for now, but I knew it would only be so long before he snapped.

As I walked through the garden, I noticed a figure watching me from the shadows. I stopped to squint at the figure, and on being caught, the mysterious person finally stepped into the light.

I felt my jaw drop at the sight of a heavily pregnant woman, her belly swollen and round. She was accompanied by a maid who appeared to have been running after her, breathlessly trying to keep up.

"Mistress, please slow down!" the maid cried, her features pulled into a concerned frown. "The Beta will have my head if he finds out you're walking so fast in your condition!"

The woman brushed off the maid's concerns with a wave of her hand.

"I'll be fine, Elara. I'm not made of glass, you know." She turned to me and introduced herself with a warm smile. "I'm Layla, the Beta's wife, and you are Hilary, Lucas's new mate, I've been told."

I stared at her, unable to pick my jaw off the floor. She was beautiful, with long cascading blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that sparkled with warmth. Despite the advanced stage of her pregnancy, she still looked graceful and radiant, her glow illuminating the entire garden.

"Yes, I'm Hilary," I replied, still in awe of her beauty, "And you're... Layla, the Beta's wife?" I repeated dumbly and she giggled, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"The one and only. And I must say, I'm quite surprised to see you here. I admit I was utterly shocked to find out Lucas had gotten hitched and you know I just had to come see for myself who the new addition to our pack was.” She supplied casually and I raised a curious brow at her words.

“You came all the way here just to see me?"

Layla's smile grew wider.

"Of course, dear. I am the Beta's wife, and it's my duty to welcome new members to our pack. Besides, I had to make sure Lucas has been treating you well." Her eyes narrowed slightly, and I sensed a hint of warning in her tone. As if she was cautioning me about something, or someone.

But before I could ask any questions, Elara, the maid, interrupted us.

"Mistress, please, you need to rest. You've been walking for too long, and the Beta will be worried sick if he finds out.”

Layla sighed dramatically but nodded, her expression softening. "Very well, Elara. Let's go back to the manor. And Hilary, it was lovely meeting you. We'll catch up more soon, I promise."

With that, she turned and walked away, her maid following closely behind.

Before I could wrap my head around the first actual interaction I had in Lucas’ pack or even try to piece her words together, Layla was back again. Her swollen tummy causing her to walk with a slight waddle as she charged towards me with determination.

"Finally, I have gotten her off my back.” She says cheerily “Noah insists I have to take a maid with me, but I keep telling him I am not some child that needs to be looked after, I can handle myself.” she said sunnily, brushing bits of twigs off her dress.

"Now, come on, dear. We have a lot to catch up on. You have no idea how elated I am to finally have someone to talk to besides those three.” She grabbed my arm and began to pull me along with her whilst I tried to reconcile her words.

“Those three?” I repeated, unable to hide my curiosity and she hummed.

"My mate and his two friends, the Alpha and the Gamma. Now we can ward off all that testosterone with some feminine energy” She cheered gleefully and I couldn't help a smile as I let myself get dragged into the house, a warm feeling spreading through my chest at the realization that I just might have made my first friend yet.