Bound to the False Bride

Chapter 6

I'm standing in the silver of light from the hallway. Hair a tangled mess around my shoulders, eyes stinging with the remains of deep sleep. I yawned. Looking up to the handsome man standing before me. Finally registering the intruder, sleep wiped from my eyes instantly.

“Silas, what are you doing here?”

“You locked the door,” he says. Then pointing inside, “this is my room.”

I frown, looking back at the room then at him. Slowly, the reality of my situation hits like a bucket of ice water. “Here I was thinking this was a guest room,” I thought.

With my prolonged silence, he subtly pushes me aside, walking in. His presence immediately shrinking the massive room. His gaze lingered on the way I've already scattered my things across the vanity and the disheveled bed. A look of disgust flashes through his eyes before it's replaced by exhaustion. Making him look more human than earlier.

“The servants talk, Marlow. If word gets out that the new Luna sleeps in the east wing while I'm in the west, the elders are going to revolt. And that, I do not want. I understand this is a business deal but to them we're husband and wife. Couples share a room, or don't they, dear wife?” He says sarcastically.

“I didn't mean to be difficult, just asking,” I fired back. He sighs, ignoring me completely as he moves to the closet to find something—which I'm guessing is a blanket. I stand there watching, feeling awkward and out of place in my own skin.

“I'm going to wash up,” he muttered. I don't respond, only nodding against the wall. My entire body taut with tension. I wait till I hear the plush doors of the ensuite bathroom click shut before I scramble back into bed. The sounds of running water start a moment later. I try to close my eyes but that makes things worse as I begin to imagine things I shouldn't. Senses heightened, all I can think about is the man a few feet away. The water stops. I squeezed my eyes shut, going completely still. I don't have my wits about me to speak to him in the dark. I fear our little plan is going to be exposed.

I can sense him standing there, just inches away from the edge of the mattress. The heat from his body engulfed me, radiating round the room. I fear to breathe too hard. My lungs on fire.

I feel the weight of the mattress dip slightly. My body so tense I feel like if I take one more breath, I might actually snap under the full weight of his pressure. “What is he doing, why isn't he taking the sofa?” I wait. I wait for the wolf to finally show its teeth but got nothing. Only the sound of the billowing wind against the ancestral glass and the terrifying steady presence of an Alpha who knows exactly what he's doing. I don't think I can survive a full night with him on the same bed.

I woke up to the sound of soft rapping on the heavy oak doors of the room. Before my eyes are fully opened, he's already opened the door. Moving like a gust of wind. One of the palace maids standing there breathless and terrified. “S… Sir, the elders are already waiting in the grand hall.” She stammered out, head bent. So scared to look up as it was a taboo for someone in a lower class to be on the same standing with the alpha. He gave a hum of acknowledgement. Allowing her to flee the scene like her butt was on fire.

My stomach did a nervous flip. This is it. The moment my future will be decided by a bunch of old men who think they're wiser than the sage. I'm hoping against hope that I'll be accepted into the Bloodstone Pack. This is my one ticket to freedom. I can't bear to go back to the basement. No, not after sacrificing my innocence. Suddenly energized, I sit up. Pushing my hair away from my face, I scan the room for Silas. I find him standing in front of the vanity brushing his hair. Wrapped in a dark gray robe that accentuated his orbs, looking completely unbothered. He looks like a man ready for war. The aura of dominance wrapped around him like a second skin.

“Take a shower, Marlow. I'll wait for you so we go down together,” he ordered with a grave voice that brooked no room for arguments. “Don't keep me waiting,” he added. Almost immediately, his alpha aura flared, his presence becoming too overwhelming for me.

“I'm going to go get ready,” I breathed out. I turn and flee towards the bathroom to gather my wits. I move through the ablutions in feverish speed. When I came out, Silas is already waiting by the door. Impatient. He walked ahead in long strides, making me struggle to catch up.

As we got to the grand spiral staircase, he stopped. Reaching out, he encloses his large callused hands in mine. His hold strong and possessive. He forced a small smile not meant for me but clearly for the audience waiting below. They all stand in greeting as we entered the hall, bowing as Silas took his seat at the head of the table.

“Our powerful Alpha, we greet you.” One elder began whilst ignoring me. “Cheers to the newly wedded couple,” another chimed. “Alpha Silas, we're here to witness with our own eyes the proof of her innocence, the ultimate seal to the deal with the Marlow pack,” the first elder continued, making the rest nod in agreement. Barely acknowledged, I sat by the left of Silas as different emotions cursed through me. The sudden increase in the hall’s pressure made everyone look at Silas. Alert. His aura caused the elder speaking to snap shut. I felt his jaw muscles tick, making a gnashing sound, but he remained silent.

A second later, he beckons a waiting servant. Whispering instructions. As he left, the hall plunged into silence. Dominant wolf auras made it more suffocating. My lungs burned. Heart pounding hard against my ribcage.

Minutes later, the servant returned with a wrapped parcel. With a nod from Silas, he handed it over to one of the elders. He opened it to unveil the sheets from the night before.

Wishing to be anywhere but here. Face tinged with color. Embarrassed.

When the elders finished their inspection of sniffing the sheets, they returned it to the waiting servant. Their faces beaming with relief. Especially the first elder.

“Alpha, following the rules of our agreement, you can continue using the pack funds to keep Genevieve in the medical facility. But once the three years are up without any progress, don't blame us; rather blame the Moon Goddess,” he stated smugly.

“So this is it, the reason I'm roped inside this mess,” I thought.