[Selene]
“Please tell me he isn’t…isn’t going to force himself on me.” I wheezed.
Luisa didn't respond right away, but she shook her head and assuring me. “Lucca is stubborn, like his father, but he would never...I don't think so.” The hint of doubt in her voice made my shoulders slump. She tilted her head and smiled at me adoringly as if reading my mind. “You’re not like the girls he’s dated in the past. They were stuck-up sluty women who couldn't tell the difference between their left and right hand. They were that dumb; you are better than them.”
It sounded as though she was implying something.
“I'm not looking for a relationship with him." I say quickly to eliminate any ideas she had that had anything to do with Lucca and me in the same sentence. Then just to make sure she understood, I ask her. "Is this whole thing a set up created for me to hook up with him?" I eyed her suspiciously.
She croaked a laugh. "Ah...No, of course not!" She was definitely up to something...
I crossed my arms and tilted my chin at her. "Then what do you think he plans with me being here then?” I wondered if dad went a head and gone home. I was so mad at him for leaving me right now.
She kept her face cool and collected, like the golden globe actress, she portrayed herself to be—you can't expect any less from a previous Alpha female. She had to keep her A game.
“I honestly don’t know, sweetie, but I trust my son’s decisions despite how stupid they are.” With her quick swift movements, she tiptoed in front of me like a giddy ballerina and handed me a towel. “You better get ready for bed. You don’t want him to come in while you're getting ready.” She gigged, most likely thinking about me in that embarrassing situation.
I blushed at the thought of Lucca walking in on me in the bathroom. That would be horrible! I ran straight to the bathroom without even a glance at her and slammed the door. After my shower, I dried myself and put on the clothes Luisa gave me. She sadly informed me she only had satin gowns in her drawers--I highly doubt that and stared nervously at the thin cloth.
You got to be kidding me!
Luisa was lying on the bed reading a book with the side lamp on when I walked out of the bathroom with the gown on. Her head turned towards my direction when the carpet creaked from my footsteps.
“You better dry your hair; it’s not good to sleep with wet hair.”
"This is ridiculous" I frowned, holding my hands over my chest. "I'd rather were the clothes I had on earlier to bed."
"First, ew…that's gross. Your clothes are dirty and I've already put them in the washer."
I sighed. "Can I at least have a robe?"
"Sure" She strolled over to her closet. "Here" She handed it to me and I wrapped myself around it. I noticed her queen sized poster bed.
"Why can't I sleep here with you? Or can't I sleep at an available room?"
"Sorry dear, but Lucca's the only person you'd rather be with in a house of unmated males."
"And you...why can’t you offer an extra bedroom. I can see this bed can hold four people!"
"Sorry, hun…no.” She didn’t even give me a good reason and before I could say anything more, she went cross the hall dragging me to another door. The halls were cold; I felt like I was inside a freezer. The only source of light came from the opening cracks at the bottom of the doors. Everyone must have gone back to their assigned rooms, because I could hear male laughter from behind the walls as we passed across the hall.
Luisa knocked on the door, “Lucca,” She said.
We waited for a few seconds before the door swung open by itself. I looked inside and awed. It was beautiful inside, nothing I would have expected from him. I thought it would be messy with walls covered with inappropriate pictures, but it looked like another house within a house.
The bed was huge, probably three times the size of the one I slept in at the cabin. I could probably hold five people! The room was simply decorated, but it was perfect for someone like Lucca. It had grey walls with a few pictures. On of them was of him, as a kid, with his parents. I saw the little bright-eyed boy smiling and couldn’t believe that was the Big Bad Alpha. There was a living area with a 70-inch TV and next to it was a mini bar to entertain three people.
“Come in.” Lucca sat on an office chair, writing on some small printed documents. He looked nothing like the arrogant prick I saw earlier. The serious fold between his brows as he studied the paper in his hand made him look mature for his age. He wore a tight grey cotton shirt and flannel pajamas.
“Are you going to stay up with that again?” Luisa asked him, voicing her concern.
“Just mind yourself mom and sleep well tonight alright?” He dropped his pen and to my surprise he walked around his desk and allowed his mother to hug him.
“Good night son.” She kissed his check quickly before giving me a thoughtful smile and closed the door.
When the door shut and I heard it audible lock, I gulped at the fact we were alone together. Lucca glanced at me and I averted his gaze as if it burned me. He sighed and returned to his deck, picked up his pen and continued his work.
I just stood there like an idiot, waiting for him to speak up. This situation was so awkward I just wanted the floor to open up and swallow me. I pretended to look interested with something else in his room.
“You can go to sleep if you want.” He muttered.
“What?” I stuttered. My hands clasped together in nervousness. This nightgown and robe made me feel like I was standing in front of him naked, scrutinized by his intimidating gaze.
“Go to sleep.” He pointed at the bed.
“Where are you going to sleep?” There was no were else to go except the coach and I was hoping he was opting for that choice.
“The bed, duh…where else would I sleep in my room?” He signed something and dropped his pen again. This time, he leaned back on his chair observing my expression while gathering the documents and placing them inside locked drawer.
He smirked when my mouth dropped at his response. “Don’t worry, there’s enough room for you there to roll around without touching me. Believe me, I’ve had girls on there before and when I pushed them off it took a long time before they hit the floor like lift weight.”
“I’m sleeping on the coach.” I was not going to sleep on a bed were he slept with other women, that’s just gross.
“You don’t have a choice.” He stood up and I stepped back.
“You’re not my alpha.”
“You never had an alpha, but as of last week when you and your father took shelter in my land, I am your Alpha.” He took more steps towards me. I gripped my robe tighter and held my breath waiting for his action. I thought he was going to do something, but instead he walked past me and towards his bed.
The look of surprise on my face made him smirk and my checks flushed. I was now irritated at him and myself.
“Stop laughing! Why am I here, I thought you couldn’t stand the sight of me!”
His smile disappeared and was replaced with a frown. He pulled down the sheets on his bed and turned on the bedside lamp. “Come here…” He patted he space next to him.
As if I was going to follow him.
I walked towards the coach and sat on it. “I’ll sleep here.”
“No you’re not.”
He got up and before I knew it, he had me over his shoulder and thrown into bed. I quickly threw the covers over my head and hid from him. My heart was pounding on my chest and I was scared.
What the heck is this bipolar maniac going to do to me?
“Selene, you’re acting like a child.”
“You don’t even know me, stop talking buddy, buddy, sicko!”
The sheet was ripped off and I squealed when the bed bounced under me. Lucca hovered over me with his arms trapping me between him.
“Ever heard of Mates?”
What did that have to do with me?
“Yes.” I nodded.
My wolf suddenly wanted to rip through my mind, but I held her in.
“Mates are supposed to recognize each other once they first meet…” He stared at me curiously as if there was a complex puzzle written on my face. I turned my head to avoid his stare, but his hand took my chin and forced our eyes to meet.
“Unhand me!” I screamed at him. I thrashed my legs, but he was too strong.
“I felt the connection as soon as you walked into my territory, but when our eyes meet I didn’t see the reaction I hopped for.” He muttered. His hand on my chin ran across my face and I shivered. He traced my check bones and rested his thumb on my bottom lip.
“What are you talking about?”
His expression was angry again. “I’m your mate damn it and you didn’t recognize me! Your wolf should have immediately told you who I am!”
My mouth dropped and for the first time my wolf howled in my mind as if in pain calling out to him, but he couldn’t hear her.
“We’re mates?”
“YES” He got off me and crawled to the other side of the bed, rubbing his forehead frustratingly. “Why did it have to be you?!”
Hurt struck my heart like a knife. “Then you should have left me alone if you hated me so much!” I didn’t even realize the tears in my eyes. “You treated me like shit since I got here. I thought mates are supposed to love each other!”
Actually my mother proved that fact wrong, however, she was human so maybe that didn’t apply to here.
“Love is something that needs to develop over time. I don’t have that time. Can you imagine the stress I dealt with when my father died? When he was buried, all heads were turned my way. How can the lazy, self-centered, playboy heir run a distinguished pack? I had to fill my dad’s shoes when everyone doubted me?
“My own mother had to arrange for this set up to happen. I was to take all the unmated males and train them to the best of their abilities to be tested by the head Alpha in order to keep my position. My dad’s right hand commanders called for the other Alphas together to approve it, because they thought I wasn’t eligible for the role of their Alpha. Now I find out I have a mate and there’s something wrong with her.” He groaned.
“Hey, that’s mean!” I kind of pitied him, but he didn’t have to be so mean with all this.
He shook his head still clearly disappointed with me. “You act so normal when your father’s not around. I had to get him away from you and see if maybe you were keeping a façade around me, but sadly you don’t even recognize your own mate. Should we blame this on your father’s doing: raising you without a pack.”
I said nothing. I wasn’t going to tell him it was probably because I was half human. “My men think I’m keeping you here for my own personal enjoyment.”
My checks flushed and wanted to wring his neck. “What the f—
“You need to keep your little mouth shut and we need to pretend to like each other for the remainder of your stay.” It’s like he expect we will never get along.
“I’ll never do what you say.” I glared at him.