The Alpha's Contract Bride

Chapter 18

Aria

I adjusted the tablecloths on the dining table one last time, but no matter how hard I tried, it just didn't look perfect enough for me.

An idea popped up in my mind immediately, and before I could talk myself out of it, I got to work. Picking one random chair stacked around the huge table, I slumped onto it, just so I could get a good look at the tablecloth.

If I was being honest, the setting and every other thing looked okay to me. But that was the very problem. It wasn't supposed to look okay. Everything was supposed to be perfect.

I suppressed a loud groan as I got on my feet again. I already had a lot on my mind, the last thing I needed was this. Last night, Damon had officially been crowned the Alpha and me, I was the new Luna.

I shuddered at the thought of it. I always thought I would get over it. You know, naturally slip into the Luna personality that was expected of me. Instead, I did the very opposite. I didn't sleep a wink last night either.

How could I? I had no idea what I was expected to do. Was there a Luna manual that was handed down from the previous Luna's? If there was, this would be the perfect time to grab a copy.

I thought of asking Damon, but what could he do? And if I was being honest, a tiny part of me couldn't help but feel like he wouldn't have given me the time of day had I asked him. We'd spent our second night together as a couple last night, and it still felt weird. But if there was anything my sleepless night had taught me, it was the fact that I needed to work smart, not hard, and in response to this, I'd made up my mind to make breakfast for the entire family.

“What is going on here?” I jumped at the sound of someone behind me. “What are you doing?’

“Um.” I whirred just to see who it was that had decided to give me a mini heart attack in the early hours of the morning, and the moment I did, I regretted it. “Good morning ma'am.”

“You didn't answer my question.” She shot back immediately. “What the hell do you think you're doing?”

“Making breakfast ma'am.” I gulped. If the look in her eyes could kill, then I would have definitely had one of the butter knives coming out from both sides of my body. “ I tried to make everyone's favorite, and for yours, I was extra careful.”

“Is that so?” She raised an eyebrow. “I didn't know you could cook.”

“Mother-in-law.” A small smile made its way to my lips. “I've been cooking for years and…”

“What did you just call me?” Damon's mum cut through my words immediately. “What did you just say?”

“Mother in law?” I mouthed, not sure if I've made some sort of mistake. Your husband's mother was your mother-in-law, right? “I only said …”

“Don't you dare repeat it.” She seethed, a perfectly manicured finger pointing in my direction. “Never in your dreams, should you address me by that. To you, I'm Mrs Diallo and nothing else. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” I croaked, before swallowing the huge lump that had formed in my throat. “I'm so sorry Mrs Diallo.”

“Oh, trust me you will.” She snarled. “Contrary to everyone's opinion, I know there's something fishy, something Damon isn't telling me, and so long as it has something to do with you, I can bet my guts are never wrong.”

“But ma'am.” I let out in one breath, or tried to. Even the mere thought of the woman was enough to make my heart stop. “I don't understand…”

“Don't you try to play dumb with me.” I winced as she dug a finger into my cheek. “ I know what you are.”

“Ma'am, no.” It was an open secret that Mrs Diallo loathed whoever wasn't in her class, especially the breeders. Even as a little child, there was no way I could erase all I'd seen, and till today, it haunted the hell out of me. “You don't understand. There must be some kind of mistake.”

“Exactly.” She agreed and I deadpanned. “I refuse to believe that my son, my Damon, willingly got married to you. It must be some kind of a sick joke, and I swear I'm going to get to the bottom of it. And once I do, you can kiss your new position goodbye. You're going to regret stepping in here and….”

“Mmmmm.” Someone chimed, pulling both our attention to the dining entrance. A mix of emotions flurried through me when I caught a glimpse at who it was. “Something smells delicious.”

“Damon, dear.” Mrs Diallo cooed, completely forgetting about me. “You're just in time for breakfast. Come on, have a seat.”

As Mrs Diallo led her son to one of the empty chairs on the other side of the dining room, I couldn't help but glance at the new alpha.

For someone who looked like he could lead an entire army into the battlefield singlehandedly last night, he looked different. With an unhealthy amount of bed hair caressing his head and his six pack abs on display, I found my eyes wandering towards the way his gray sweatpants seemed to hang loosely around his waist.

Focus, Aria. Focus.

“Good morning.” I stood straight as Alpha Kieran strolled in, if I could still call him that. “I hope I'm not too late.”

“No, no.” I shook my head, a bright smile making its way to my lips. “You're just in time. Please have a seat.”

The moment they had all settled down, I began serving each and every one of them. From the aroma that filled the room immediately, I just knew I had outdone myself. Hopefully, and for my sake only, I really hoped that was true.

Only when I had dished them out, did I take my seat beside Damon.

“This is delicious.” Damon let out with a mouth full of food. “Brilliant.”

“I agree.” His father chipped in. “You see Damon, having you get married before your coronation was a great idea. The best idea I've had in years if you ask me.”

“And why is that?” It was Mrs Diallo's turn to speak now. As she fiddled with her spoon, I watched a scowl make its way to her face. “You wanted him to get married, just because of breakfast? I hardly think that makes any sense. Any maid of his choice could easily whip him up a meal, so tell me what's so special about this one?”

“I'm not just talking about the meal.” Kieran chimed. “I'm talking about companionship. If I hadn't talked Damon into getting married, he never would have.”

“What?” I felt the air around me drop immediately. Mrs Diallo had just exclaimed, and believe me when I said it wasn't a pleasant one. “What did you just say?”

“You heard me.” Kieran mumbled. “You were away on your vacation, how else was I supposed to get your nuthead of a son to get married?”

I and Damon locked eyes immediately. Something flashed in his eyes, and if I could read it correctly, we were about to be toast.

“So they didn't get married for love?” Damon's mum let out through gritted teeth. “Is that what you're saying?”

“Love?” Kieran scoffed in amusement. “Up until today, I had no idea he was in a relationship with anybody, talk less of being serious about marriage. But I guess it all worked out in the end. Now both lovebirds are together and just in time too; the annual mate ceremony is coming up soon.”

“Of course,” Mrs Diallo tone had a certain hint to it, one that didn't sit right with me. A loud clank filled the room as she got up on her feet immediately. With a glare that was half trained at me and Damon, she added. “We'll just have to wait and see what'll happen at the ceremony right?”

Shit. I gulped. I was in deep s**t.