Chapter:-2

"Jones,", Brandon welcomed gleefully, and a bald man stood up and hugged him, while Jenny hugged a Latina lady around her age. Ashly figured they had to be Jones and Jia Branson. She dragged her eyes away from them to a beautiful girl who bore a spot-on resemblance to Jia Branson. She seemed really happy to see Ashly as she waved at her. Ashly smiled back, regarding and turning her attention to a little boy dressed in a suit, seated next to her, who looked really uninterested, and Ashly felt him. After all, what would a kid like about a dinner where nothing that he considered fun happened?

Her eyes then fell upon the one person whom she was so anxiously awaiting. Alex Branson, in all his glory, was seated right next to the kid, and he looked like he would be anywhere but here. He refused to look anywhere except the plate in front of him, but Ashly took note of his jet-black hair and his pale skin before she heard her name being called, and Ashly bowed down to Jones and Jia Branson. Jia, however, walked up to her and hugged her. She was shocked by her gesture, but she quickly recovered and hugged her back.

"You're so pretty,", Jia said, making her blush.

"Thank you, Mrs. Branson,", Jia said in gratitude, to which she received, "Oh, call me Jia. No need to be so formal."

And Ashly liked her already.

She introduced her to the girl from before: "That's Rose, my daughter."

Rose stood up from her seat and ran over to her, pulling her into a hug. Ashly concluded, in her confused state, that the Bransons were a family of huggers.

"I'm so excited to finally see you. No one told me you were such a fashionista!", Rose seemed really excited. "We are going shopping all the time after the marriage."

Ashly grinned happily; she liked her. "It's nice to meet you, Rose."

Rose pulled back and introduced Ashly to her little brother, Sam, who gave her a nod and greeted her with a hello.

"And that is Alex.", Rose smiled coyly as she pointed her finger towards the only other guy left in the room.

Alex, however, refused to look at her. He instead played with the cutlery near his bare plate.

"Alex,", Rose said harshly, making Alex look up at her. It was only for a split second before he looked down again, but Ashly was able to memorize every single detail on his face, including the sharp cheekbones, his plump pink lips, and his beautiful black eyes. Black eyes that held nothing but coldness and rage when they looked at her.

Ashly gulped, not knowing what she had done to anger her mate.

"Alex,", Jia scolded when Alex didn't give a second glance, but Jenny said it was fine and that they should head to dinner. Everyone nodded as they started to take their seats. Before Ashly could take the seat far away from Alex, Jones said, "Ashly, take the seat next to Alex, please."

Ashly reluctantly sat near Alex, and she thought she heard the alpha growl, which sent a shudder down her spine. Her mate was impossibly attractive and beautiful, but he was equally scary with his rude and angry demeanor.

The rest of the dinner passed by quickly. Ashly made conversation with Rose and Jia throughout as her mate refused to acknowledge her. Monika was by her side the whole time, comforting her whenever her mate made any snarky comment to his own parents. Ashly didn't understand how such a velvety, soft voice could be as rude as it was when he talked to his parents.

But then Alex answered any question that Brandon and Jenny had for him very politely, and Ashly wondered if her mate had bipolar disorder—polite one second, rude the next.

Ashly attention spiked when alphas and lunas of both packs discussed as servants took away the used plates and cutlery. They were all smiling when they announced that the wedding would take place in a week.

Ashly stared blankly. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go through this marriage now. She was really excited to meet the person she was engaged to just a few hours ago. But Alex's coldness was throwing her off and scaring her. Her mate could turn out to be some serial killer, for all she knew. Monika squeezed her hand underneath the table, and Ashly nodded hesitantly. It's not like she had a choice anyway, after the whole ceremony and the sacrifice.

Alex just grunted his approval.

Ashly couldn't go on with this, so she gathered the courage to say, "I want to speak with my alpha."

She felt Alex cringe next to her when she said, My alpha. Ashly hadn't meant to say that, but she wasn't sure if Alex appreciated an omega calling him by his name, and she did not want the alpha mad at her more than he already was.

The elders nodded their approval, and she looked at Monika for a dose of confidence. Monika just smiled back at her and mouthed, You got this.

She nodded and stood up, walking away. She was briefly aware of Alex following her behind. She stepped out into the garden, shivering when the cold air blew. She walked to a secluded spot where they weren't in the eyes of passersby.

She turned around and looked at her mate, who was standing at a distance from her, unsure.

"Hi...", Ashly said, while Alex just looked around, not answering.

"What would you like for me to refer to you as?"

She waited, getting annoyed by the passing second, but then Alex spoke, "Just my name."

Ok, that was progress. Ashly nodded while she thought about what she wanted to say, but Alex beat her to it.

"Listen, Know that the only reason I said okay to this mating was for the sake of my pack. Our relationship will be purely business, a way of ensuring peace between our packs. I don't like you. And I never will. So do not have any ideas."

Ashly stared, mouth open. "How is that fair to me?"

"Life is unfair, Omega.", Alex sneered, "No matter what you do, I will never like you. I hate you for saying yes to this marriage. I have my lover, my girlfriend, who is the love of my life. Even if we do get married, she is the one I'll always love. She's the one who will receive my care and affection; she's the one I'll make love to; and she's the one who will bear my pups. You are just an inconvenience,", Alex said coldly. "I know how to get rid of you, and I will, after making sure the treaty between our packs won't ever be affected."

Ashly shivered from the cold air as well as from what her mate was telling her. She gulped when Alex neared her, their faces inches away. "I hate you, Ashly James. That's a constant."