Alpha Killian’s Cursed Mate

Thursday

9. Thursday

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Thursday, the day I had been eagerly anticipating, and yet there was no news, no calls, no messages—nothing. Alpha Killian might still be alive, but it was hard for me to believe it.

Throughout the past five days, I hadn't allowed myself to think about what would happen if Killian survived. How would he see me? Did he truly want this? What would his pack think of me? How would I survive as a Luna when I could barely survive as a regular shifter? But deep down, I knew I was far from being a regular shifter. Regular shifters didn't go through what I had been through.

I hadn't come across Ted since that evening by the gravesite. I knew he was lurking around, watching. Maybe that was why a part of me was grateful that I was leaving. But another part of me worried for my sisters. Would he go after them if he succeeded in killing me or was I the only one in the package, maybe I was, I had to tell someone. I had to tell my father. But for now, I had to hold on. I couldn't create a disturbance before the ceremony.

I had been trapped in my house since that day. My mother had been handling the entire process, and I was grateful for that. She had tried to involve me in the planning, but I had simply told her that I would go along with whatever she decided. This wouldn't be my first time planning a mating ceremony, regardless of whether it ended well or not. But it would definitely be my last. I wouldn't put myself through such trauma, especially since I might be dead before it even happened.

"We're leaving for the pack house soon," Talia informed me from the doorway of my bedroom. She had one hand on her hip and was resting on one leg.

"Okay," I responded. She sighed and stepped into my room, sitting on my bed beside me.

"I think everything will go smoothly. If something went wrong, they would have informed us by now," she assured me, but it didn't ease my concerns.

"Maybe... What if they forgot to tell us? I'm sure everyone in the pack is waiting for some news."

She sighed again before offering a soft smile. "Well... they'll be astonished this time," she chuckled.

I smiled back. "That would be a miracle."

"You should go and get dressed now. Mom says the lady helping you get ready is at the pack house."

I would have preferred to get ready at our house, but the ceremony would be held near the pack house, and it was customary for the female shifter to descend from the pack house to the ceremonial grounds. I had never reached this stage with my past three mates. With Justin, I had come close, but I never got to that point. I found out Justin was dead before I even left my house.

"Sure."

****

It was strange driving to the pack house, there were lots of stares as I drove back seat with my two sisters beside me while my father drove and my mother was by the passenger seat.

Everyone was curiously gawking, maybe they were also surprised that I had not heard of any negative news of Alpha Killian.

I was trying hard to not gaze out the window but I could not help myself, their face were painted with confused looks that made a pit grow in my belly.

We finally got to the pack house and we made my way to the room I will prepare from while why father went over to see the Alpha.

The room was big but quite simple.

“Please Sahel, I will need you to take another shower, the drive here was quite dusty” my mother commented softly, her was quite bubbly, one would think that she was the one that was mating.

I quietly compiled, the bathroom was also quite simple just like the room, My mother passed me a shower gel before exiting the bathroom leaving me to myself.

I let the shower water stream down my body, everything still felt like a dream that one minute from now, I would wake up back to my sad reality not that this one was any better.

A loud bang in the door was what snapped me out of my thoughts “Sahel! Mom thinks you are spending an awful lots of time in there” it was Leah’s voice.

“I am coming out now” I said and I turned off the shower, and got out wearing a light blue robe I found in the restroom, wrapping my hair with an equally blue towel.

I was quite surprised to see Laura present in the room, she was smiling brightly at me.

“Finally Sahel, come sit” my mother pulled me to the dress, forcing me to sit. “Laura is here” she added.

Laura walked up to me, and I stare at her through the mirror, she looked even more beautiful than ever, she was literally glowing, her mate mark was well exposed in the pink off shoulder dress she was wearing.

“ I am happy you came that day” she said “I know things are not perfect between us but I really want to be here, we made a promise to each other and you kept your end of the bargain”

“You don’t have to, I am sorry my presence almost ruined the ceremony”

“Oh!. Not at all Sahel…, Janet and Faith are still…, emotional but it was uncalled for, you did not ruin anything” she smiled, I blinked.

“Was that what you were feeling when you abandoned me” I blurted out and she shrieked, I know that I should not have mentioned it now but I might never get to, Laura was my best friend and my sister but she abandoned me the time I needed her the most.

“I—I” she stutters “ I don’t have any excuse for what I did, I let my family dictate for me”

“Yeah we do a lot of things for our families but you were once family to me but I guess I was not family to you” I had to put it out there, I knew it would hurt her but it would be nothing compared to what I have had to go through.

She did not respond this time we just stared at each other, there was sadness,and maybe guilt in her eyes but it was too late for that, maybe in the future we might be friends again but that would not be happening now, I have to make myself happy not fight for people that were neither willing nor ready to fight for me.

“You guys can make up for lost times later. Sahel!, Stella is ready for you” my mother stepped in having not heard a single bit of our conversation, we were not in any possibility making up for lost time, we were simply dealing with our weird relationship.

Stella, a petite young woman with bronze caramel skin and massive luscious curls hair came forth, I have never seen her in the pack before

“She is from the neighboring pack” my mother whispered in my ears “I do not trust anyone here to make you look beautiful” she added also in a whisper.

Laura just stood there as Stella helped me fix my hair backing it in a half down half up style before fixing petal clips on it. She was only done with my hair but I appeared much brighter than I usually am, I looked like I used to five years ago.

“All done!” Stella gushed dropping the make up brush. I stared at my reflection in awe while my mother rushed over to me

“Stella you definitely outdid yourself” my mother praised, Stella smiled sheepishly, she was quite a shy person.

“You look beautiful Sahel” Laura commented, and my sisters joined in

“Absolutely beautiful” Talia and Leah chorused

“Mom, Dad called to inform us that Elder Ambrose is already here” Talia said

My mother clapped enthusiastically “Wonderful!. What of Alpha Killian?”

“He said he was on his way and I should tell Sahel that he is very much alive” Talia added, I do not realize that I released a breath of relief until I see Laura look at me with shock on her face.

****

I was beginning to doubt everything. I was trying my best to be calm, but I couldn't help it. Killian had not yet arrived, yet everyone was already seated outside, including the Elder priest.

I do not know how many times I have stared through the window to check if there was any sign of him.

He should have been here by now, but he wasn't.

My mother had already left the room about an hour ago, leaving me with Talia, Leah, and Laura, who were constantly gawking at me as I paced around the room . I was trying my best not to freak out. I kept thinking that the moment my mother would return, she would bring the bad news that I expected would have come earlier.

"Maybe you should sit down for a while," Talia suggested, but I do not want to sit. I feel if I do, I will cry. What was the meaning of all this?

I do not respond.

"Sahel, Talia is right. You should sit down for a moment," Laura said with worry laced in her voice.

I do not even bother to look at her because I fear that I might end up lashing out at her. No one asked her to be here.

And then the door finally opens, revealing my mother.

"He is here!" She announced those three words that seemed to complete me at that exact moment. Killian is alive.