~Aria
I anxiously tap the tips of my fingers together, leaning forward on the couch.
"Take it," Alexa insists, nudging the glass at my face. Rolling my eyes, I dismiss her, not wanting any of the Chardonnay she was nearly drunk with. My eyes are glued to the television, anticipating what is to come next.
My best friend flops down beside me, balancing the stem of the glass between her fingers.
Here we are, waiting for the live announcement of every name that has been pulled for from the ballot. The names of the people who will be competing in Alpha Malik's competition for love. I had a slight glimmer of hope that maybe, maybe I wouldn't be selected. That everything those rogues had told me was a lie.
It has been a month and a half since I saw them last. The main rogue, who I was requested to call Grey visited me once, reminding me of my ties to the organisation I didn't know a anything about. All I know is that they want me to retrieve a family heirloom that is currently in Malik's possession.
And that's the reason I'm going to be chosen to compete, despite the fair selection process.
"This is the most focused I've seen you about something that isn't reading," Alexa observes, kicking my shin gently with the edge of my slipper. It was mine because she takes it upon herself to wear anything that belongs to me.
I shrug, trying to loosen up a little. "I don't know...I just want to get this over with."
Alexa couldn't know what had happened-Grey made the clear. She was to remain innocent to the situation, and when my name is announced, she would be left to think it was purely the luck of the draw. She may still have the chance to be chosen to compete next to me, but I doubt such things could happen.
I will be going into this blind, and alone.
"So, no one knows what those who are chosen look like?" Alexa asked, more to herself than me. I hadn't sent in any picture, and I can't imagine anyone else doing so either. I wouldn't rule out Alexa using her impeccable good looks to sway some of the people behind the selection process.
Just her eyes could make a man change the rules for her.
"Obviously we aren't going to get picked," Alexa reminded me, making me take a deep breath, trying to lean back to calm myself a little. "Remember, literally a one in a million chance."
"Still a chance," I mumble under my breath.
The broadcast began exactly on time, with a man and a woman, dressed immaculately, tucked behind a desk scattered with paper. They made slight jokes toward the beginning, trying to lull people into a sense of security before they broke it to those who didn't make it in. Every now and again, the camera would cut to a shot of Malik's estate, where the girl chosen would be living.
"Imagine...Imagine being able to live a life that isn't so mediocre," Alexa murmurs dreamily, resting her head in her hands. Luckily she decided to put her wine down and pay attention to what's about to happen on the screen.
I couldn't imagine because I have never come close to it. And I have never wanted to.
"To all those chosen for this auspicious experience, competing to be the Love Pack's Luna, good luck," the male presenter says warmly. A sickly sweet smile painted across his face. I wonder what he thinks about this. Does he agree with it?
The female presenter nods in response. "We will be announcing the 24 contestants from all twelve Pack competing."
Suddenly, Alexa was on her feet.
"It's starting!" she exclaimed excitedly, clapping her hands together. I stay safely on the couch, arms crossed over my body as I tap my foot nervously. How is Alexa going to react when she hears? Will she be mad at me? Or jealous?
With dramatic music blaring in the background, the announcement began. All I could imagine, as random names from each Pack were announced, the excited and disappointed girls all around the land. Alexa had her fingers crossed, as she knelt in front of the television, waiting for them to reach the Love Pack.
"From the Desire Pack, Phoenix Diamond," the female presenter read out, glancing from the paper in her hand, to the camera.
Alexa looked over her shoulder at me. "Have you heard of her."
Shaking my head no, I wonder briefly why I would know someone from the Desire Pack. Alexa has always been a lot more popular than me; online, and off. She has her hands in friend groups I didn't know existed, and now, I've gotten used to being the one friend left out.
"Her family is super wealthy...I can't believe she got she got chosen..."
Rich? Who in the Desire Pack isn't? The fact that she got picked for this stupid thing is probably a coincidence. But for some reason, it made me fidget nervously, hoping that it wouldn't put her above us.
Why am I even thinking like that? All I need to do is get the necklace and get out of there. No need to seduce the Alpha.
"Now, for the Love Pack members chosen," the announce.
Squealing, Alexa does a few paces across the room before she stayed quiet, go back to kneeling in front of the television like it was a God send. All I can think to do is stay stock still and hope that maybe, maybe this was all some prank...Anything but being chosen for this thing.
"Our first nominee...Macie North!"
The sigh that came from Alexa was clearly irritable. I didn't know her, which made me assume that she is from another part of the Pack.
"Still one more chance," Alexa says arily, not bothering to look back at me. I'm grateful that she doesn't, so she won't noticed how stressed I probably look. Knowing my best friend, she would take it as my want to be chosen, just like her. She couldn't be further from the truth.
"And our second..."
I close my eyes.
"Nominee to fight for Alpha Malik's heart..."
Alexa crosses her fingers.
"Is..."
My breathing completely stops.
"Aria Quade."
My heart plummets, as the presenter pronounces every part of my name slowly as if I didn't already get the picture. Alexa doesn't move for a second before a loud shrill erupts from her mouth so glass-shatteringly loud, I'll probably get a noise complaint.
"It's you! You...I...You...Got picked!"
The fact that I suspected it didn't alter my emotions. Just hearing my name made me freeze, my heart stopping to the point where I may have passed out. At least it would have been sweet relief from the quivering madness that was my nerves.
I don't want this. There is no way I am ready to meet an Alpha.
Alexa throws herself at me. "I can't believe my best friend just got chosen for this competition. This is the best day of my life!"
Am I dreaming, or is Alexa okay with me taking away this opportunity from her? I wanted to cry into her shoulder and tell her the truth, but I couldn't begin to form the words in my mouth. The face of Grey stained my mind, blocking almost every sense of sanity.
"I can't believe it," I say breathily, partially crushed my Alexa's body weight on top of me.
"Neither! I'm so glad I made you apply," she exclaimed, cupping my face in her hands. She was so flushed, genuinely excited, while I could feel all the colour drain from my face. To me, this news is the worst I could have ever received, but for Alexa, this was a step closer to the life of wealth and fame she so desperately wanted to drown in.
Even if it was a vicarious life through me...
"I'm scared," I tell her truthfully.
Alexa let's go of me, rolling off me and back onto the couch. She was still smiling like an idiot, clearly not knowing what I was insinuating. Or at the very least, the reason behind it. Her innocence to the situation gives me some solace, at least.
"Don't be," she says, not being able to smother the bubbles of hysteria in her voice. "This is Malik we are talking about. He is a hot substitute for your mate, at the very least."
I don't bother holding back my eye roll. Typical Alexa.
"So you're not mad?" I ask warily. Alexa shakes her almost instantly, and I relaxed as soon as I noticed the honesty in her eyes. What could be worse than entering a competition to steal from my own Alpha? Lose my best friend because of it.
As much as I hate to admit it, I need her.
"What happens now?" I question, glancing back at the television, as the read more unfamiliar names out. The names of the girls that will be thinking I'm trying to get them kicked out. If only I could explain right off the bat, to keep everything civil...
Alexa grins. "Aren't you lucky I read the information sheet?"
Not really.
"Tomorrow, cameras will be over to document your life before you head off, to see the way their future Luna may live. Then, they ship you off to meet the other competitor in this Pack, before you meet the other girls-"
Alexa takes a deep breath.
"Then you meet Malik...And that's where the fun begins," Alexa says, shoving the information at me in a flurry of frantic words I hardly understood.
"Right...The Alpha."
Alexa grabs my shoulders, shaking me slightly. I look her in the eye, and I see a girl completely serious about this entire thing. She would do a much better job seducing Malik than me, and she knows it too. All her plans resting on my shoulders are a waste of time.
"You have to try, Ari. Promise you will try," Alexa begs.
"I hate when you call me that," I mutter.
It was Alexa's time to roll her eyes. "You can't be shy, okay? Don't go all book nerd on him please."
I frown at her, tilting my head. A shy book nerd? She just summed me up in one whole sentence, she expects me to hide that from Malik? Maybe if I admit my tendencies to him, he won't look at me twice...
No, I can't be eliminated.
"Fine, fine," I brush her off. "I'll try to get into his damn pants, okay?
Alexa grinned. "That's my girl."
~Aria"They're here!"My growl of disdain is caught rough and short, as the pressure against my chest grows. Alexa's insistent hands rest against my ribs, as she sits on my stomach. Kicking my knee up, I groan again in protest. What a way to wake up."Get off me," I snap, but she doesn't move, keeping me pinned against the bed.My curtains have been thrust open, a rich, orange morning sun streams in, lighting up the make up smeared face of my best friend. Her hair has been gathered up into a wild ponytail, that had clearly been slept on. But the elated grin on her face suggested she had been up for hours."Get up lazy, they're here!" she exclaims, shaking my shoulders, the exuberant look about her not fading for a single second.I attempt another way of getting Alexa off my lungs-by rolling my body-but she remains adamant. "Who?""Who do you think? Malik's little en
~AriaI plucked at the lining of the car seat, irritating Elaine, the woman who has been paired with me. Apparently, it was her job to make me win this entire thing; which basically meant she would get a hefty paycheck if I did so.Little did she know, I wasn't going to be here for long. At least I don't plan to be."This car is expensive," he whispers harshly, still keeping a smile on her face as she said it. The cameras were off - the man behind it wiping the lens with the corner of his shirt - so we weren't expected to keep up with any facade.So, I took it upon myself to relax, propping my leg up under me, despite wearing a dress. The blue fabric bunched under my breast, to flow nearly down to my knees. This is the first time I've had the chance to wear something that pretty, despite the snow falling gently outside. Elaine had my faux fur coat on her lap, ready to
~AriaMacie clung to me the entire drive there, and after awhile, it got extremely uncomfortable.However, I wasn't about to call her annoying or tell her to get off me. Perhaps this strange meeting just for the cameras had secured me a friendship while I am apart of this competition. Someone on my side, to help me deal with the other girls that will be there, who I am not looking forward to meeting, let alone living with.Macie didn't seem stressed about our lack of information, about what was going to happen next. She just nonchalantly sat back in her seat, brushing back the fur on my coat, while I threw rapid fire questions at Eliane.There is no way I am about to walk into this like a blind man."So we will be staying with Malik then?" I question. I knew that his estate would be where our home would be for however long we were chosen to stay, but I couldn't fathom how living next to Malik would
~AriaSeeing all those people staring at me flushed me with a wave of utter embarrassment, in the form of pink tinted cheeks.Girls of all different Pack ethnicities were sitting on chairs in the main foyer, and they all turned to stare at Macie and I, as we were ushered in. For a few moments, no one said a word, the people at the front, who I recognised-purely from their television appearances-as the Alpha family.Malik's parents were the first I saw. The regal former Luna of the Love Pack, Cecily, stood upon a slightly raised platform, along with her mate, the former Alpha of Love, Alexander. Extremely important people were staring at me, and I suddenly don't know what to do with my hands and arms.But where is their son? The Alpha cannot be seen anywhere.Alexander, the former Alpha looked grim at our sudden appearance, whereas Cecily looked delighted by the fact that we had f
~AriaHe leant casually back against one of the reading tables, watching me.Clearly, he is amused; his expression tells me that much. His lips, which admittedly, my eyes lingered on, before exploring the rest of him, were slanted in a soft smile, as he observed me like I'm his prey, cornered against the bookshelf. The book in my hand is the main piece of incriminating evidence, that suggests that I had been sneaking around here.In the Alpha's library. Could I have dug a bigger hole for myself?"I'm so sorry," I insisted like I was trying to get him to understand the sincerity in my voice. Being punished for this can't happen...What if I get kicked out? What would Grey do to my family? "This wasn't meant to happen."Alpha Malik continued to stare at me, not saying a single word. His eyes are as hard as steel, the colour so intense
~AriaI woke up cursing myself. No, cursing the Goddess I don't really believe in.Grey never told me Malik had that close of a relationship with that necklace. I had happily assumed it would be kept in a safe, which in my opinion, would be easy to crack, then Alpha Malik himself. After last night, and my meander to the library, I'm in an even more vulnerable position.As I'm more than positive he's going to be more careful of my antics.Just as I was leaving the shower, Elaine decided to rush in undetected. Walking out of the bathroom, towel trying my hair, the sight of my assistant browsing through my wardrobe made me yelp."Elaine," I snap. "You can't just walk into my room like this! What if I was naked?"She sighs, turning around, holding a gentle fuchsia dress in her hand. I wore it to Alexa's birthday earlier this year, so it brings back memories of he
Aria"That's them!" Zariah squeals in my ear.We stare out the window in Zariah's room, which faced the front of the house, showing the courtyard where the rest of the contestants were arriving. This is probably going against the rules, but it's not like I haven't done so already, and Zariah is too curious to care.My fingers are ice cold, as the press into the window sill, while I fight for the best look at the girls. Most of them step out of the same sleek black cars we had yesterday, however, none of them looked as if they had dressed as lavishly as we had been instructed. Many wore loose pants and sweatshirts, with their hair messy from the travel. Most of them travelled days to cross the land."Sizing up your competition, Zariah?" Brynn said slyly from where she lay on Zariah's bed. We aren't even allowed to be in each others room and were even instructed to stay where Malik would be able to fin
~AriaWithout moving a single inch, I watch as Malik pulls a chair out from under the reading table, before he slumps down on it, although, he manages to make it look graceful, regardless. With closer observation, I can see the beginnings of dark circles under his eyes.He's tired? Maybe it's from all the traversing after me in the depths of night he enjoys."Punishment," I echo his last statement, trying to make the word sound a little more real in my ears. I should have suspected a repercussion for all this sneaking around; especially after Brynn's incident with him earlier today. She got away with a strict warning, while I managed to obtain a new nickname and the title - still unknown to everyone-of the first competitor to meet the Alpha.The soft curves of Malik's mouth tilts up. "This could entail whatever you would like it to."We stare at each other, blue on a slightly les