Chapter 5

ARABELLA

A few months.

Taking his offer means giving myself a life sentence...but what choice do I have?

‘Take his offer, Arabella,’ Aurora whispered, reeking with desperation.

I can’t help but chuckle. I don’t want to burst my wolf’s bubble but does she really think this man would spare us just because he’s our mate?

‘He won’t kill us,’ Aurora assured. ‘He can’t kill us. Trust the mate bond, Arabella,’

I stared at Alpha Lucien…intently. I shamelessly stared at his face as I weighed the possible outcome of my choices.

If I accept his offer I will be given a few months to live…Then I will get killed after. He will discard me once he gets what he wants, just like what Adrian did. I will repeat my fate like a fool but what if…what if Aurora was right?

What if our mate bond was strong? What if he won’t kill me? What if he can’t kill me?

“Tie her up!” he commanded when I failed to respond but before his men could get close, I spoke.

“I will accept your offer. I will be your wife,”

This decision will lead to two possible outcomes. I will be killed and discarded or I may rise to power and become his real Queen.

I already reached the lowest of the low of my life. I lost my husband. I lost my pack. I lost everyone that I value and the only thing I have now is my life, might as well gamble it.

This decision might be the most foolish decision I have made in my entire life or maybe it will be the best decision I have ever made.

He stared at me and I stared back, refusing to be intimidated by his presence when in fact my insides were in chaos.

“Your name…” he spoke. “Do you want to keep it?”

I shook my head.

“Give me a new identity,” I firmly replied. “I want a new name. A pack. A whole different identity, Alpha Lucien,”

I want to forget everything from my past. I want to live a new life and if I ever succeed in this impossible plan of mine, I will have my revenge. I will make sure everyone who did me wrong pays.

Alpha Lucien agreed. He didn’t insist on knowing my name. He agreed on what I want or maybe he was just not interested in me…and why am I being hurt by that?

“Alpha Ronan,” he greeted the man whose probably decades older than him.

The man he called Alpha Ronan glanced at me before turning to Lucien.

“A rogue?” he asked.

I know they are talking about me. The way that old man looked at me was filled with disgust…or maybe hatred.

I am technically a rogue since I ran away from my pack but I wasn’t feral. I may be an orphan but Luna Amara raised me to be a modest woman who will be worthy to be her son's Luna. She was my mother figure and if she were still alive she would probably take my side. She would probably not believe Stephanie's lie.

"And you want me to give her my dead daughter's identity?" Alpha Ronan asked, pulling me out of my train of thought.

Lucien nodded and glanced at me.

"You don't have a daughter to secure an alliance with the Kingdom, Alpha Ronan. If you take this rogue as your daughter then we can be allies. You will be part of the Council. Your pack will receive protection from the palace,"

Alpha Ronan stared at me like he was weighing his decision.

"My father won't consider this rogue as my wife unless you claim her as your daughter. We will both benefit from this. My father will hail me as the new Alpha King and you will be the Alpha King's father-in-law. The closest to the throne. The head of the Royal Council,"

I hate how they sounded. It feels like I was nothing but a pawn they will easily discard once I am no longer needed but I couldn't even complain. This is the only choice I have because I know if I disagree Lucien will tie me up and bring me to Europe. There is no one to defend me. I will be executed as a rogue.

Lucien held out his hand. Alpha Ronan stared at it for a few seconds before he took it.

"Give her all the details she should know," Lucien spoke before turning his back and leaving me with Alpha Ronan.

Alpha Ronan looked at me from head to toe. He didn't even bother to hide his disgust while looking at me.

"Make her look decent," he commanded, and then two women came to me. One has white hair and looks strict while the other looks a few years younger than me.

"This way," the older woman said.

I quietly followed them while my eyes roamed around. Alpha Ronan's mansion looks...ancient. The ceilings were covered with paintings of clouds and werewolves along with silhouettes of Goddesses. The pillars were covered with gold vines.

Adrian’s mansion was huge but Alpha Ronan’s mansion was far bigger.

I can already feel my feet growing numb just by navigating this never-ending hallway.

After what feels like eternity of walking the two women finally stopped in front of a huge white door framed in gold.

The younger woman pushed the door open and revealed a room that was twice as big as my old room.

“This is Lady Sienna’s room,” the old lady said, and stepped inside so I followed.

Upon entering my attention was drawn to the portrait of a beautiful young woman that hangs on the wall.

“Is that her?” I couldn’t help but ask.

The old lady gave me a small nod.

I bit my tongue to suppress another question but it still came out. “How did she die?”

The old lady stared at me. I should have kept my mouth shut. My death might come early because of my curiosity.

I thought she wouldn’t answer my question but after a few seconds of silence, she finally spoke. “She was killed,”

My brows furrowed. “Killed? Who killed her?”

The old lady stepped forward, she leaned in and whispered the name that took my breath away. “Alpha Lucien Drake,”