CHAPTER TWO: REALIZATION

The world spun as I opened my eyes, my head throbbing with a dull ache. My surroundings were unfamiliar, and it took me a moment to realize that I was in a hotel room. As I sat up in bed, I noticed a note and a large sum of money on the nightstand. "I had a good night, whore," the note read. My anger boiled over at the insult, but I couldn't even remember who I had been with. The memory loss only added to the humiliation and guilt that I felt.

I quickly showered, trying to wash away the shame and regret that clung to my skin. As I got dressed and left the hotel, I was met with the cold rain and gray skies of the morning. It was as if the weather was reflecting my mood.

When I arrived home, Nicholas, the Alpha King, was waiting for me. My heart clenched at the sight of him. I didn't want to marry him, but my parents had arranged the union without my consent.

"I don't want to marry you, Alpha Nicholas," I said, glaring at him.

"I don't care what you want," he replied, his voice cold and unyielding. "Our families have arranged this union, and we will go through with it."

"You're heartless," I spat at him.

"Watch your tongue, Princess," he warned.

My mother stepped in between us, scolding me for not coming home last night. I tried to push her away, but she held me back.

"Zelda, you need to behave yourself," she scolded. "Alpha Nicholas is a good man, and he is a great Alpha King."

I scoffed at her words, feeling sick to my stomach. How could she not see how cruel and heartless he was? Ignoring her, I stormed off to my room, slamming the door behind me. As I checked my phone, I saw five missed calls from my boss at work. I was a reporter, and I knew that the missed calls meant that there was an urgent story that I had to cover. 

I stormed out of my room, nearly running into Nicholas in the living room with my dad. Without thinking, I stepped on his foot and ran out of the house, not looking back. I had a story to chase, and I couldn't let anything, or anyone hold me back. 

As I left the house, I heard my father's voice coming from the living room. "Your highness, please understand, Zelda is still young, and she needs her freedom," he said. 

"I understand your concerns, but I am not willing to wait any longer. The union between our families has been arranged for too long, and I am ready to accept Zelda into my family,” Alpha Nicholas replied, his voice stern and unwavering. I gritted my teeth at his words and hurried out of the house, not wanting to hear any more of their conversation. At work, I struggled to pay attention to my boss as he explained the celebrity case we had to handle. 

However, the events of last night started replaying in my head, and I saw the stranger’s face clearly. I suddenly realized that I had a one-night stand with none other than Alpha Apollo, Nicholas's son, who was rumored to be a vicious, killing monster. I was consumed with worry, wondering if he had left his sperm inside me.

"Lexa, everything is going to be okay, right?" I called out to my wolf for comfort, but the animal just howled at me, as if mocking me. My boss scolded me for not paying attention, and I apologized before heading back to my office.

As I sat there, rubbing my hair and taking a sip of my coffee, I couldn't shake off the memory of that night. Alpha Apollo was the last person I wanted to sleep with. The man was heartless, and I was supposed to marry his father! How could I have been so foolish? And I couldn't help but see him in a romantic light. I had fallen in love with the stranger, and it turned out I had fallen in love with Alpha Apollo.

I yelled in anger, venting my frustration to the empty room. But then the door opened, and my boss appeared, looking concerned. "Miss Zelda, are you okay?" he asked.

I forced a smile and replied, "Yes, I'm fine. Just a little frustrated with the case, that's all." But I knew he didn't believe me.

As he closed the door, I felt the weight of my secrets. I couldn't tell anyone about my night with Alpha Apollo, but I also knew I couldn't keep it to myself forever. I needed to find a way to deal with my emotions and move on, but I didn't know how.

One month later,

I was feeling sick again and tried to ignore it but couldn't. I ran to the bathroom and vomited in the toilet. At work, my colleagues asked if I was okay, but I couldn't explain what was happening to me. I thought it was just a stomach bug, but it kept recurring.

A month ago, I was angry and upset at the prospect of marrying Nicholas, the Alpha King. I felt like a daughter to him, and he wanted me to rule the pack with him as his Luna. Although he had lost his wife in a car accident a long time ago, I was unsure if I could go through with the wedding. I felt sick and scared. My father had even threatened my life if I didn't follow through with the marriage, and I didn't know what to do.

***

The day of the wedding had finally arrived. The Grim pack's garden was beautifully decorated with a white and gold theme. All the guests were seated, and I stood at the altar, waiting for Alpha Nicholas to arrive. I tried to calm myself down, but the nausea made it difficult.

As I saw a man in a white suit approaching, I couldn't see his face. My vision slowly became blurry, and before I knew it, I found myself on the floor.

“Zelda! Zelda!” I heard my name before I passed out.