Claimed By My Adopted Uncle

6. Selfish Much?

RAVEN

Maybe this wasn't a bad idea.

Soren was nice to me. And he seemed like the perfect escape away from this pack. It was the only way to avoid ever witnessing my mate be with another woman that wasn't me.

“I know this is a lot to take in, Raven…” Soren was trying to make this less awkward, I could see that. Or maybe he thought that I had a say in this marriage and he was here to convince me into agreeing. But that was far from it.

From where I stood, he was more of a means to an end.

“...but I want you to know that I will do my best to make you happy. And it would be my honor to have you as my mate…” the honor is mine though.

One moment we were walking through the pack's garden and the next he was on his knees with a ring in hand. “I lost the chance to have a mate years ago. I don't want to lose another chance. Will you marry me, Raven.”

Oh, yeah, he had a mate once. She died. An attack happened that almost sent their pack on their knees had it not been for Beta Kael and his warriors.

Maybe this was why a marriage was proposed, to strengthen both packs.

I stared at the man in front of me, with an answer in mine but with a throat that was too lumped up to speak.

So I bobbed my head in a nod instead, forcing a smile while at it. A performance I was sure would please father. Soren had a smile plastered on his face as well. He slipped the ring on my finger and picked me up out of excess. I didn't know what this meant but I went along with it.

“Thank you, Raven. You will not regret this…” he cheered and my chest tightened as he set me on the ground.

Why do I feel like I will though? What will Kael think if he hears this? I asked myself. But what did it matter? He was set to marry someone else too. This was for the best.

“Thank you for the ring, Soren. It's beautiful…” I said to him, staring at my now not so naked fingers. The stone shone under the sun, it made me want to question just how much he had spent on this.

We headed back to the house then, only to be met with an unexpected activity we were supposed to be having with Kael and his fiancé.

Just kill me now. I prayed in the car. But when has the goddess ever answered or helped me?

Soren and I were seated out back, Kael was driving. He had a frown on his face, the same look he has had for years. I could sense him staring at me, even with his back directly to me, his eyes found me through the rear mirror, glaring and warning me. It was clear he disapproved of this arrangement. But I didn’t care. I have to be selfish for me too.

An eternity later the car came to a stop and we all exited. Not before Soren ran to the other side to get my door anyway. He took my hand in his as we walked into the mall.

I stared like a cave woman. I hadn't been out of the pack my entire life. This was all new to me.

Soren was kind enough to hold the door open for as we stopped at a*****e Kathryn wanted to check out.

I sat on the side, watching as my now fiancé tried to pick out a few outfits for me.

He handed me a dress, it wasn't my color and I was about to suggest something else when Kael spoke in my stead. “She doesn't wear those. Get her something more blue instead…”

How did he know?

I avoided his gaze feeling his eyes on me again. Soren smiled, placed the dress back in its rack and went searching for another.

Kael, seemingly uninterested in what Kathryn was doing walked over and stood by my side without necessarily facing me.

“You're not really going to marry him, are you?” What does he think?

I scooted away for a little bit, and stared at the ring that unbelievably fit my finger. “The ring says I will, Kael…” I deadpanned. I wasn't interested in why he was saying this.

“He's not good for you, Raven…” I turned to leave he said that, but he got a hold of my arm, keeping me rooted beside him. This time, he had his face turned to look at me.

“Pray tell, Uncle. Who is? You? Will you end your engagement and marry me? Will you give me a name that I deserve?” I threw question after question at him. He released his hold, his face already giving him away. Of course you won't. That's now selfish you are.

“He's mate…” my wolf whispered but I pretended not to hear. I absolutely refused to be a mistress, if that was what he thought would happen.

“Everything okay?” Kathryn called, eyes darting from Kael to me and then back to him. He backed away, and walked past them for him to deal with whatever that was.

Soren stood smiling sheepishly with more than enough dresses for one person to own, and he dumped them on me. “Here, try these. I think they'll look perfect on you…” More like they'll crush me first. I wanted to say. I could barely see where I was headed.

So he led me to a place a customer could change in.

I dumped the dresses on the bed, a few fell but I caught them in time. I caught sight of one of the tags and I looked at it.

“Six thousand dollars?” I exclaimed shocked that a single dress could cost that much. Soren wasn't really thinking of getting me all of these was he?

I moved to walk out, to convince him they were far too much and if we could try a much cheaper shop. I pulled the door open and bumped into a wall that shouldn't have been there. A wall with breasts.

I looked up and swallowed.

Blue eyes, black hair and a face so handsome I wanted to cup it.

“Mate smells so good…” came my wolf again, in a whisper that was true. He did smell good. Heavenly even.

But he wasn't mine.

I backed away hurriedly, which only meant that I was back inside the charging room.

Kael stepped in after me, following as if in a dance, with his chest still close to my face as he towered over me.

“What are you doing here?” I whispered, no one could know he was in here.

“You cannot marry him, Raven. I want you to give him back the ring…” he rasped, the look of seriousness coating his face.

I was backed up against the wall with no more room to move. “I don't want my mate to be with someone else…” he whispered again and I couldn't help but frown.

“And what about me, Kael? Do you think it doesn't hurt me to see you with her? To know what she will have my mate but not me?”

“It's something I have to do for the pack, for you!” He snapped like I was the one being unreasonable. I'm done with this.

I pushed against his chest, how could he say that he was marrying another woman for me? What did that even mean?

Kael didn't budge. Not even a twitch. If anything, he leaned in more until his face was barely an inch from mine.

My breath hitched, when he grabbed my waist and closed the distance between us. His lips pressed against mine firmly in a possessive kiss.

It took literally a second for me to respond and I wanted to knock myself on the head for being this weak.

My heart soared at the kiss, this was just right. My wolf purred too. I wanted this to last forever but it came short as soon as I made the wish.

“Raven, do you need help in there?”