My eyes fluttered open and I frowned at the darkness around me not sure where I was, and then I remembered. I was in my new home. Eric's home. I sat up on the bed looking around the dark room as I realized the moon was out already. I hadn't realized that I had dozed off.......
I swung my legs off the bed to the floor in an attempt to stand up.
On ... the.... floor.
Wait a minute. I thought as I sat down again, I had slept off sitting on the floor, how did I get on the bed? Did I wake up amidst sleep? I wondered as my nose caught a faint scent that had almost faded.
Eric.
Eric was here? I thought as I immediately got off the bed, groping around in the darkness for a while looking for the light switch. I soon found it and switched it on, before looking around the room, marveling at its elegance and beauty.
A slight knock on the door got me turning to it in curiosity, I opened it to find a young girl about my age staring at me. She had short dark hair and a lot of freckles on her face making her look like a cute little baby. I smiled at her and she bowed a little.
"Lady Silveen, the Alpha asked that I escort you for dinner."
I smiled in excitement as I nodded about to follow her but froze suddenly as I remembered that his mother and Layla would probably be there. I took a step back. She looked at me with curious eyes obviously noticing my display of reluctance.
"Is there a problem?" she asked her voice as soft as velvet.
"What is your name?" I asked trying to change the topic. There was no way I was explaining how I felt to a girl I just met but I liked her and I hoped to be her friend. She smiled.
"Cecilia."
"It's a beautiful name."
"Thank you lady Silveen. Now we need to hurry, we can't afford to keep the Alpha waiting."
I frowned. "You see Cecil, I won't be able to make it to dinner, I have a stomach ache. I think I would just rest." I said finding solitude in my old trick.
"Oh, lady Silveen. Shall I call the pack doctor for you?" She asked with genuine concern arching her brow and I felt guilty.
"No. I just need to rest." I said as I walked back to my bed pretending to be walking with an effort. She looked at me worriedly and left shutting the door gently behind her.
I straightened the moment she left and walked to the window to look out at the pitch-black night sky, my stomach grumbled in protest. I patted it signing as if making a gentle apology for the starvation as I allowed my heart to drift to more pressing issues.
"Was she going to always be like this? How was I to live peacefully here if Eric's mother didn't like me? I don't want to be the reason for a strain in their relationship. Was it a good thing to come here?" I asked myself and sighed as I looked at the moon as if awaiting my answers from her. I knew I wouldn't be getting anything from her.
She hates me. She didn't even come to save me from embarrassment on my shifting night why would I expect help from her now?
Sharp footsteps made their way to my door and just as I was beginning to turn around it flew open and Eric walked in looking breathtakingly handsome in his short-sleeved flower prints red shirt and dark blue jeans. A worry was on his face as he walked in.
His eyes traveled across the room, from the bed to where I stood hugging myself as I took in his features. His gaze lingered on mine for a few more seconds before he walked towards me shutting the door behind him. I breathed in sharply as he walked to me.
"Are you okay?" he asked almost whispering as he took one of my hands and moved a stray hair behind my ears with the other. I nodded slowly as I found myself short of words as I was lost in that sea of blue eyes again. And I think I will always be
"Cecilia said you weren't feeling well."
"I'm just tired" I lied and he took my hand and led me to the bed.
Was he going to tuck me in? I wondered but was shocked when he sat down and pulled me onto his lap.
"You want to tell me what is worrying you?" he asked obviously not falling for my lies.
"Do you want to tell me about Layla?" I replied his question with one of my own and he averted my gaze, sighing in the process and I became scared.
What was going on?
"It's not what you think."
My brows furrowed, what did I think?
"I didn't try to get another woman to take your place." he said sadly.
Was he ashamed that I met her?
"Why is she here then?" I asked despite the fact that I wanted to tell him that I didn't think that. In fact, I had never thought that he was trying to replace me. I even found myself unworthy of him.
He shook his head. "We owe a debt to the Novo pack, the Alpha wants us to pay the debt by taking his daughter in marriage."
I frowned as I was confused at first, but then it dawn on me that his mother was right. If he didn't marry her, there would probably be war. I immediately started to stand up from his lap but his grasp on my waist tighten and he pulled me back to the seating position.
"Eric I can't...."
"It's not a debt we can't pay with our own hard work. You don't have to worry about any of that. It has nothing to do with you.... with us. "
"How can you say that? When she basically claims I stole you from her and is threatening me."
His eyes blazed with anger. "She threatened you? When was this?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Yes it does." he said almost too loudly and I flinched, "you are my mate. My Luna. No one is going to make you feel unsafe or uncomfortable in my own house.... Our house."
He begins to stand up and I equally did making way for him.
"Where are you going?"
"To send her back to her father."
"What! You can't do that!"
He turned around and looked at me torn between shock and confusion.
"It would start a war we are not equipped to fight." I said passing his mother's message onto him without thinking much about it. He frowned.
"Did my mother tell you this?"
I opened my mouth and closed it not knowing what to say.
"It doesn't matter whose words it is."
"So what? I should just leave her here and let her harass you? Or better still are you going to tell me to take her as my bride and mate with her instead?"
He asked accusingly and I felt a low growl come out from me, shocking me, he didn't miss it either. I couldn't bring myself to imagine him mating another it brought up feelings I never thought I could have. A desire to destroy everything.
I immediately shook my head, clearing away the thought.
"What do I do then?! I don't want you or anyone in the pack getting hurt because of me!"
His face went white in shock at my words but I continued anyway, "if your mother thinks making Layla your Luna would prevent us from a war then we should listen to her!"
"I am the alpha!" he said his eyes pitch black and I knew Adolphus had taken over.
"I decide how I take care of and protect my pack. Not my mother! My mother married her true mate and lived her happy years with him. She has no right to deprive me of the same happiness." he thundered and I could have sworn that his mother and Layla.... no every single person in the house could hear him.
"So are we just going to prepare for the war then? When we are the one indebted to them?" I asked in a small frustrated voice at the brink of tears. I wanted to stay with him. God knows I wanted to stay with him so badly by his side but I couldn't risk him getting hurt for a nobody like me. Or worse still dying. I loved him too much to let harm come to him.
His eyes still pitch black he walked to me and before I could decipher his intentions, he crushed his lips to mine, kissing me violently, as I felt silent tears roll down my cheek. Soon we break up for air and he rests his forehead on mine and whispers softly.
"I would sort this all out Silveen, I just need you to trust me. Don't listen to what anyone says just trust me." he opened his eyes and stared into my honey brown eyes and I nodded my head slowly, knowing that those words would provide the strength that I need to overcome whatever obstacle stood between us and our love.
He kissed my forehead and hugged me for a while before pulling away and I felt cold instantly, the warmth and safety he brought being stripped away.
"I'd have Cecilia bring up your dinner," he said then walked out of my room.
******
Ha! Finally chapter ten people!!!!! I am so excited about this book. So sorry updating seems longer, Editing is a beast people 😁😁😁
See you in the next chapter.