Brutal Alpha

Engagement ring

Rosie ~

I should've been thrilled on seeing my engagement ring. Five carat, emerald-cut diamond, surrounded by a halo of micro-pave diamonds, sparkled with a soft, ethereal glow. I brushed my fingers over the Intricate engravings and miligrain details that adorned the platinum band. The ring was stunning and, judging by the diamond’s color and clarity, worth at least a hundred thousand dollars. It was the type of ring most women would kill to have. But when I plucked it from the box Sloan brought and slid it onto my finger, I felt…nothing. Nothing except the cool brush of platinum and a heavy weight that felt more like a shackle than a ring.

Some might say I was ungrateful, I was getting the man of the season but I was still whining. I knew I wasn't going to get love with Kael from the very moment I heard his arrogant tone but maybe there was that part of me that wished we could warm up to each other and most definitely didn't kill each other for as long as we were together but I was at the peak of commiting matricide and it was only my first day in his pack.

Since our less-than-stellar interaction during my move-in, I’d moved past the shock and anger stages of our engagement into resignation. There was no going back when it comes to being with Kael so I might as well make the most out of it.

I stared around my new room, and the hefty boxes of books I was yet to organize. I needed a shelf, room decorations. More importantly, I needed to make this room mine and not just some boring beautiful room with extra large bed.

A soft knock interrupted the chaos of my thoughts. I sucked in another lungful of air and smoothed my expression into one of polite neutrality before I answered. “Come in.”

The door opened, revealing a distinguished set of blue eyes. Sloan. Kael's lady beta “Milady, the Alpha requested I take you on a full tour of the house,” she said, herself Russian accent more prominent that that of Kael. “Is now a good time, or would you like me to return at an hour of your choosing?”

I glanced at the room— my cold, beautiful room. Organizing could wait. Familiarizing? Absolutely. I summoned a smile that felt mildly forced. "Now is perfect."

***

That night, Kael and I ate our first meal together as a couple. It was crazy how I was counting something as mundane as our first meal, when we were the farthest from what a couple met. I wore his ring, he had Ares all hyper and we lived under the same roof, but the chasm between us was worst than a werewolf and vampire myth in human literature. Yes, yes, I know vampires don't exist.

I made a valiant attempt to close the uneasiness in the air. “Your pack house is beautiful,” I said. “And the food here's good too .” His house was beautiful, cold but beautiful. I couldn't even tour half of the place without rolling my eyes at all the clinical space, there was nothing personalized about this place. It was just a mansion rather than a home. I could place an order for a few flowers and decorations with the black amex. The house could even use a new upgrade.

“Do you have a favorite meal? It seems steaks are one of your favorite.”It wasn’t the most inspired topic, infact it was a dumb topic to divulge in but I was grasping at straws. So far, I’d pulled six words out of Kael, three of which had been to pass the salt. He was basically a well dressed statue sitting at the table with me.

“I don’t play favorites.” He cut into his steak. My teeth clenched, but I swallowed my irritation. I was stuck with Kael whether I liked it or not. I had to make the most of it. If we didn’t…

Images of cold days, lonely nights, and fake smiles filled my head. My stomach tightened with unease before I took a sip of water and tried again.

“When we are married is there anything we'd have to do apart from living together? What are your expectations in private.”His knife and fork paused over his plate. From food to this, it was a crazy switch but it had to be said.

“Excuse me?”A noticeable reaction. Progress.

“Earlier, you said we’ll play the part of a loving couple in public and warned me to, quote-unquote, get rid of any romantic notions I may have of us falling in love. But we never discussed what our private lives would look like beyond separate bedrooms,” I said. “Do we eat dinner together every night? Discuss our work problems? Go on vacations or argue on what food to eat at breakfast?”

“No, no, and no,” he said flatly. “I don’t go on vacations.”Of course you don’t.“We’ll live our lives separately. I’m not your friend, therapist, or confidante, Rosie. If you need one of those, my pack would make provision of it. Tonight’s dinner is simply because it’s your first night, and this happened to fall on the day I was at home.” His knife and fork moved again. "Besides, I'd prefer to stay far away from you. You could never know what schemes a Nadal could be planning."

"Then why are you marrying a scheming Nadal, why are you marrying me. You brushed it off the first time I asked, so tell me!!"

"It doesn't matter. You would marry me anyways. Typical daddy's good girl with no single bone of hers."

"Now I understand.” I fought for calm, but a tremble of anger bled through. “An arranged marriage is the only way you could get someone to marry you. You are so…so…” I struggled to find the right word. “Horrible.”Not my best work, but it’d do.

Dark amusement slid through his eyes. “If I’m so horrible, then tell your family the wedding’s off.” He nodded at my phone. “Call them right now. We’ll move you back into your apartment like this never happened.”

It was equal parts challenge and seduction. He didn’t think I would do it, but his voice was so rich and coaxing it almost compelled me to obey. My fingers curled around my fork. The metal dug into my skin, cold and unforgiving.I didn’t touch my phone.I wanted to even more than I wanted to toss my wine in Kael's smug face, but I couldn’t. My father’s anger. My mother’s criticism. The failure if I didn’t go through with the wedding…I couldn’t do it. Kael's amusement disappeared into the tense atmosphere. Something sparked in his eyes. Disappointment? It couldn't be

"Exactly,” he said softly. The finality of that word a lot deeper than the effects of wolfsbane . We finished dinner in silence, but my food had lost its flavor.I washed it down with more wine and let the warmth eat away at my shame. I was a disappointment but I didn't need him judging me like everyone else did. Not when he was a douche.