Claimed By My Adopted Uncle

4. Engaged to a stranger

RAVEN

A roar snapped me awake from my slumber. It was so loud I was sure I heard it in my dreams too. But it wasn't anything new at this point.

I pulled myself out of bed and walked towards the door like I always did whenever I heard them arguing. It was always something with them. This time, I couldn't hear what the words were even with my ear pressed against the wooden door.

A few seconds of trying to figure out what the fight was about, then it all stopped as though they knew someone was eavesdropping. I heard the sound of footsteps fast approaching my room and I backed away, stumbling on my foot before the door swung open and Luna appeared.

“Oh good, you're awake. Come have dinner with us…” The expression on her face and the tone of her voice gave no room for protest.

As if that has even ever happened. The protest that is.

She left before I could even digest the words.

Normally, I would have been summoned to help prepare the food. And to think that I was allowed a moment of good rest while others prepared was scary to say the least.

It can't be his doing, can it?

“No one can find out…” His words rang loudly in my ears, breaking my heart into even tinier pieces.

I made my way down the flight of stairs and stopped at the door. I got a sense of deja vu staring at the set table and everyone else but me readily seated.

Kael, who had his back towards me, turned sensing my presence. His eyes ordered for me to take a seat and I did just that.

I pulled my chair, hating the grating sound it made on the floor and I sat quietly.

Can the ground just swallow me whole already? I grimaced at the looks I was getting.

Father was a few chairs away from me but I could feel the heat of his anger all the way to where I was seated.

I was served with way too much on my plate and I got eating right away. Father would kill me if I so much as left a single grain of rice on my plate today. I was sure of it.

“Slow down before you choke, Raven…” Beta Kael spoke. His voice made me jump in my seat. Not that it was the main thing that scared the wolf out of me. It was the concern in his voice and flash of worry in his eyes that made my stomach twist.

I nodded, swallowing and trying hard not to cough out the food in my mouth. I grabbed the glass of water in front of me and chugged the entire thing.

“Feeling better after your shift and….?” He paused and gave his brother a look. Beta Kael clenched his jaw before meeting my eyes.

He meant Father's slap from earlier. My hand went to my cheek, the swelling was gone and so was the pounding in my head.

“Yes, Uncle…” I managed to answer. I took another bite of my food to ease the tension at the table.

Since I sat down, not a word had been shared among them except Kael's questions at me.

After what seemed like an eternity of feeling choked, dinner finally ended. Per usual, I cleared the table, only this time with more speed so I could get away from everyone and their moods.

I started to head upstairs after cleaning up when Luna called. “Raven…” I stopped mid steps and turned to face my ‘mother’.

The woman had no child of her own and I remembered the times I spent thinking about how she and her husband deserved being childless from the way they treated me.

What does she want now? I wondered.

“Yes, Luna?” I kept my voice steady and tried to keep my composure.

“Come with me. I have something for you…” She pushed her chair with the back of her knees to stand and I gulped hearing those words. I didn't trust them. How could I when I had heard them before but a beating was what followed next?

My eyes travelled to Kael's to find him already watching me. I silently begged him to help me. But all he did was stare like he could see through me.

I followed the woman to her quarters but stopped at the door not shutting it.

She spun and looked past me, then smiled. She never smiles. Why is she smiling?

“Shut the door, Raven…” She walked over to her closet and pulled out a bag from it. I did as I was told but keeping in mind that anything could be pulled out of that bag and be used as a weapon.

I sucked in a breath and gripped the hem of my dress anxiously waiting. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead pretty fast. I was that afraid.

But she pulled out a dress instead. Then another, and then several others.

“I got these clothes for you…”

Did I die when Kael took me to my room? I asked myself, shocked. My wolf was just as on edge as I was.

Nothing good ever came out of any gesture from Luna or her mate.

“Ma'am?”

“Take it. Its time you changed out of those rags for something better…”

The dresses weren't brand new but new compared to what I had.

Why is she giving us this? My wolf asked at the back of my mind and I couldn't answer.

Why was Luna acting this way? She doesn't know about Kael being my mate, does she?

I took the dress from her but could not move. Maybe she knew. Maybe this was all Kael's doing.

“Tell me, Raven. You've had your shift, have you found your mate…?” Goddess! She knows!

I gulped, reminding myself to breathe. The words formed in my head. No! I wanted to deny it. But those two letters that formed a single word couldn't pass the knot in my throat.

She smiled again. “That's alright. Finding one's mate can take time…” she finished. I breathed. She didn't know.

I was allowed to take the clothes away to my room. Once the door shut behind me, I fell on my knees feeling a wave of relief wash over me.

That was intense. The entire evening was.

The next morning having had not a wink of sleep, I was downstairs earlier than most of the maids on duty.

I started my chores early. Maybe if I tired myself out, I could get some sleep after.

But once afternoon rolled in, my mood turned sour. Kael's fiancé came to visit. And she walked into the Alpha's house like she owned the place.

My stomach twisted at how breathtaking she was. Of course, Kael preferred her to plain ‘ol me.

Kael appeared seconds later with a small smile on his face.

Be invisible. My mind snapped at me as I recalled father's words. I hid behind the stairs and watched as Kathryn threw herself at my mate. And him in turn hugged her back.

Father as though he had found treasure was all smiles suddenly. “I didn't know you were coming today, Kathryn…” he spoke cheerfully. A man walked in behind Kathryn. “...and Soren..”

Soren. So that was his name.

“Where's Raven?”

“Right here, father…” I left my hiding spot and appeared before them. Thankfully I was better dressed today.

“Oh good. How do you feel about being mated to Soren here? He's Kathryn's brother.” I know that now. “You two can have your wedding on the same day as Kael's…”

What?

Although father was all smiles and he made it sound like he was asking me, the look in his eyes said a different thing. He was telling me he had arranged for my wedding with a stranger. He was telling me I had no choice but to accept.