Chapter 4: You don't belong here

Chapter 4: You don't belong here 

(Ciara's POV)

"I asked you a question!" I shot at Daryl. 

My heart pounded as I stared at the two men before me. The way they had been whispering, the way Alaric looked at me like I was a problem—it just didn’t sit right.

"Go into the room and wait for me." Daryl said with a frown. 

Anger surged through me as I placed my arms on my waist. 

"No! I want to know what your friend was talking about. What are you so worried about me finding out? Huh?"

 “Ciara. Rule number one—you don’t ask questions.” Daryl said, clearly avoiding my question. “If you have a bad feeling about this deal, leave now,” He said.

I drew in a deep, harsh breath as I considered his words. 

This was it! 

This was my chance to walk away and return to my normal life, where I was broke and drowning in debt. But ten million dollars in three weeks? Just to pretend I was his fiance?That kind of money could change everything for me!!

Damon stepped closer, and my breath caught in my throat as his presence swallowed the space between us. 

"Decide now,” He reached out and stroked a finger across my cheeks, “Are you in or out, Ciara?" 

I’m in.” I nodded as I looked into his icy blue eyes.

Daryl studied me for a long moment, then smiled. With a snap of his fingers, he turned away. “Good. I’ll have someone bring you some dresses. We leave tomorrow."

With that, he walked away and left me standing in the same spot with a feeling in my chest that I couldn't name. 

The next morning, I was already dressed when Daryl knocked on my door. He strolled in, placed a stack of documents on the table, and tapped a finger against the top sheet.

“Sign it.”

I sat down, scanning the contract. I barely paid attention to the details—nothing mattered except the money. The fine print mentioned a five-million-dollar bonus if I pulled off the job perfectly. My hand didn’t even hesitate as I picked up the pen and scrawled my name across the line.

The trip to Daryl's hometown was nothing like I expected. It was a small rustic town in North California and the several hours of flight made me tired. There was a private car awaiting us at the airport, and soon, it was driving through miles of thick forest. 

It wasn't long before we arrived at a large courtyard with several mansions.

The place seemed like it belonged in another century. And then, there were the people who greeted Daryl in a strange way. Most of them dipped their heads, bowing as we passed them. 

My heart gave a twist in my chest as I soon realised that there everyone seemed to address Daryl with a weird name. 

Alpha. It sounded like a title or a name that actually meant something. 

I tried not to give too much thought to myself unfamiliar environment as I was led into a well furnished bedroom, and soon, I fell asleep. 

When I woke up much later, I was asked to join the family downstairs for dinner. I tensed. 

This was my only chance to make a good first impression on Daryl's family, and I quietly followed one of the maids downstairs. Then, I was taken into a large dining hall that seemed like something out of a historical movie. It had long table, and a wall that was lined up with dried skulls of animals; mostly wolves. But none of that unnerved me as much as the woman sitting at the head of the table.

She had the same piercing eyes as Daryl, and her silver-streaked dark hair had been pulled back into an elegant knot. She carried an air of command even while seated.

There was a middle aged man who sat besides her, and didn't take his eyes off me. 

Daryl stopped beside her chair, and gently rested his hands on her shoulder. “Ciara, this is my mother, Luna Eleanor. And my father, King Donovan"

I forced a polite smile as I looked up at his mother whose eyes were pinned on me. 

She frowned at me while Daryl's father rose from his seat and stretched his arms towards me. There was a large grin on his face as he pulled me into an embrace. It felt uncomfortable as his arms wrapped around me, far longer than I expected. 

“It feels good to meet you two.” I said, stepping backwards. 

Daryl quietly pulled out a chair and motioned for me to sit. When I glanced at his mother again, she was glaring at me. 

"Is this the woman you told us about, Son?" She asked Daryl, not taking her eyes off me. "I didn't expect you to settle for less."

The statement landed like a slap across my face. My jaw dropped open as I stared back at her. 

“Mother.” Daryl said, "She's my chosen mate. I am in love with her, and I want her." 

Mate? I repeated the word in my head. What did that mean? That was not the plan, I reasoned. I didn't sign up to be a mate, and I couldn't care less what that word meant. 

She waved a hand. "The future of this pack lies in your hands. Seeing that your brother isn't making any attempt to find a mate for himself anytime soon, I expect more from you, Son"

My stomach churned and I felt tears well up in my eyes but I quickly blinked it back. Even a blind person could easily tell that Daryl's mother didn't want me here. A lump formed at the back of my throat as I looked down at the table. The maids were busy, piling out plates of food— roasted meats, golden-crusted bread, fresh fruit. 

Minutes later, when I stole another glance at Eleanor, her cold glare was still on me.

What was going on? I wondered, now sick with worry. 

"Arya from the Red Moon pack is yet to find her mate, Daryl." His mother said, breaking the silence again. "You could choose her. This way, it will—" 

“Mother,” Daryl snapped. "Ciara is the woman I want. I am in love with her." 

 My heart thudded as I watched the scene unfold before me. 

Eleanor cocked her head sideways. “You think you can bring an outsider into our world? Into this family?” She shook her head, looking back at me. 

Then, she pushed back her chair and rose gracefully. “She is not fit to be the Luna of the BlackThorn Pack. Send her away!" 

Without another word, she strode out of the dining hall.

Silence. 

The title—Luna—hung in the air. What was the meaning of Luna? My stomach twisted. I wasn’t here to be anyone’s Luna. I was supposed to be a fake fiancée.

Daryl let out a harsh breath and pushed his chair back. “Excuse me.”

And just like that, he walked out of the room, leaving me behind with his father. We were now alone in the large hall as all the maids were gone. I sat there uncomfortably, very aware of Donovan's gaze on me. The food in my mouth felt like brick, and I could hardly chew it. 

“Tell me, Ciara, where are you from?” Donovan said, jolting me out of my thoughts. 

I cleared my throat. “New York.”

"You're very beautiful, Ciara." He said as he stood up and strolled over to me. "I'm sure you got this beauty from your mother." 

Something about the way he looked at me made my stomach twist. He ran his tongue over his lower lip, studying me as if I were prey, ready to be devoured. Was he flirting with me, or was I just imagining it?

“I never knew my birth mother,” I said, "I was adopted." 

He hummed like that answer meant something. Like he was filing it away. Seconds later, he was by my side. He reached out and stroked my hair. Then, he gently tipped my chin upwards so I could look up at his face. 

I stiffened. I needed to get out of there!

I forced a polite smile, shook off his hand, and pushed my chair back. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m exhausted from the trip, and I need to get some rest." 

His eyes flashed with something I couldn't place, but he didn’t stop me. So, I walked out of the dining hall quickly, my heart pounding. As I made my way through the dimly lit hallway, I bumped into something hard and huge.

"Ciara?" A deep, husky voice growled before me. 

My eyes widened as I realized that I didn't run into a wall, but a man. I squinted up at him, making out the outline of his face. Relief washed over me to see him again. 

"Daryl? I need you to explain what your mother meant by Mate, Luna and the BlackThorn pack ? What is going on here?" I rambled as I grabbed his hands. 

It took me a few seconds to realize that Daryl was shaking me off. He stepped backwards with a frown. 

“What are you doing here? How did you find me?" He asked. 

“What?" My voice cracked. "Can you stop being silly and tell me why your mother hates me this much?" 

He shook his head, "Ciara. Listen, I don't know how you got here, but you need to leave." 

For a moment, I was confused. Why was Daryl talking to me as if he wasn't the one who had brought me here? He was suddenly sounding like we were strangers. 

"Daryl?" 

"You don't belong here. You need to leave" He growled. 

“Wh-what?" 

“Leave, NOW.” He repeated, louder this time.

Anger crashed through me as I brushed past him and headed for the staircase. If Daryl thought the best way to end our contract was to pretend not to know me and ask me to leave out of the blues, then I didn't have time to exchange words with him.

Nothing made sense to me anymore! 

His mother hated me for a reason I didn't know, his father was flirting with me, and now, Daryl was acting differently. I just had to get the hell out of this strange place as soon as I could!!