Chapter 6

ARABELLA

"It doesn't add up," I shook my head as I tried to tie everything together. "Then why is Alpha Ronan making a deal with the man who killed his daughter? Why does he treat him casually?"

The old woman held my face and tucked behind my ear the few strands of my hair that had fallen on the side.

'Don't listen to her. She's lying, Arabella. Our mate won't do that,' Aurora spoke but I ignored her and focused all my attention on the woman in front of me.

She smiled at me. “You have no idea what someone can trade for power, Arabella,”

She's right.

Besides I don't even know what kind of man he is—

'He's our mate,' Aurora defended which made my eyes roll.

Being our mate doesn't make him a good person. I shouldn't trust anyone. I won't let my desire win. I won't let my heart win because look where it brought me...abandoned...betrayed...and replaced like I meant nothing.

"Strip your clothes we don't have time,” the old lady spoke, cutting off my thoughts.

"I can bathe myself," I responded.

She raised her eyebrow like she was telling me that she wouldn't take a no for an answer. I have omegas who served me when I was still the Luna of Blood Fang Pack but it didn't come to a point where they would bathe me. I am capable of doing that—

"Hey!" I immediately covered my chest when they pulled the coat that Lucien gave me to cover my body.

I wanted to fight back. I can take these two women down. I went to countless wars when Adrian was gone just to protect the Blood Fang Pack but these women are just doing their work. It would be unreasonable to hurt them...so I just let them do whatever they need to do.

They scrubbed my body for an hour not leaving a dirt even in my toenails. They rubbed rose-scented oil on my skin and made me wear a green long-sleeve gown that I immediately hated.

"You don't have another color?" I can't help but ask.

My red hair and this green dress weren't a good combination. If Christmas were personified then that would be me. Aside from that I hate green dresses. It reminds me of that psychopathic woman.

"That's Sienna's favorite dress," the old woman countered.

I rolled my eyes. "She has poor taste,"

I saw how the two women glared at me but I won't take back what I said. Green is a horrible color.

"Alpha Ronan and Alpha Lucien are waiting, you have no time to be picky,"

Despite my defiance and complaints they still dragged me out of Sienna's room and brought me to a room where the two Alphas were waiting.

They shamelessly looked at me from head to toe like I was some kind of item they would decide if it was worthy to buy or not.

“Not bad,” Lucien commented.

“Do you think the Alpha King won’t suspect anything?” Alpha Ronan asked.

Lucien rose from his seat and circled me like he was trying to find if there is any flaws that must be concealed then he stopped in front of me, and met my gaze.

“He won’t,” he said and glanced at Alpha Ronan before looking at me. “If he did we can just kill this woman,”

I clenched my fist. I no longer doubt that he killed Sienna. The way he openly talks about killing me says a lot about him.

We wouldn’t trust this man Aurora, even if he is our mate.

“Sit my dear fiancé,” he motioned at the chair across from where he was sitting earlier. “Alpha Ronan will tell you everything about his daughter,”

Acting all obedient I took a seat at the table. I look like a prey surrounded by these huge Alphas’s but I still held my head high. I won’t act like a scared little bunny waiting to be devoured.

“King Tobias probably forgot about Sienna since she was still a kid when I last brought her to the palace but just in case he remembers something…” he pressed the remote control button and Sienna’s face flashed on the TV screen. “Sienna grew up without a mother. Her mother died while giving birth to her. She loves anything green. She’s allergic to nuts. She loves embroidery and reading. She was fragile and sickly so you shouldn’t act strong—“

“Did she die from a disease?” I butted in.

That short question made the atmosphere shift into something heavy.

Alpha Ronan’s gaze darkened and I saw how his fist clenched but he hid it under the table and gave me a small smile.

“She did,” he responded but I saw how he glanced at Lucien who didn’t seem to notice the change in the atmosphere. “My Sienna died because of a disease,”

He was wearing a smile but I know it was forced. I saw pain flicker in his eyes but he looked away to hide it and turned his head to Lucien’s direction.

“I will give her the family crest,” he said.

Lucien nodded and glanced at me. “I will wait for you outside,”

My eyes followed as he stepped out of the room and when he was gone Alpha Ronan stood up.

“Follow me,” he coldly spoke.

There is something wrong. I know they are hiding something but it’s not my responsibility to unveil it, isn’t it? Saving myself should be my top priority not anything else.

I quietly stood behind Alpha Ronan while he stood in front of a bookshelf. I thought their family crest would be a book but he just pulled it halfway and a secret door opened.

This kind of thing still exists?

“You won’t lock me inside right?” I asked, contemplating whether I should still follow him or not.

Alpha Ronan turned to me. “Just follow me,”

Despite my hesitation, I still choose to follow. They still need me, they won’t kill me right?

I followed Alpha Ronan into a narrow hallway. He stopped in front of a metal door that scanned his eyes then the door opened.

Family crests are important but does he really have to put such effort just to hide it?

When I stepped into the room, a necklace with a moon-shaped pendant made of green diamond shimmered under the light. It was protected by a square glass case and displayed at the center of the room, surrounded by four bare gray walls.

Alpha Ronan walked towards it and carefully took the necklace out of its box then he went to me.

He held it out and before I could take it he spoke. “Do you want to be free from Alpha Lucien?”

My forehead creases. What is it again? Another deal? How many times will I be offered a deal?

“What do you want, Alpha Ronan?”

I didn’t take a step back. I remain standing in front of him, waiting for whatever deal he would propose.

“Spy on him,”

“What?” I blurted out, not expecting those words.

I already knew something was going on between him and Lucien, and why do I feel mad that he is doing something behind Lucien’s back?

“Spy on him and I will help you escape. You can start a new life—“

“I intend to be the Queen, Alpha Ronan,”

His brows furrowed then his thunderous laughter echoed in the four empty walls.

He even wiped his tears from laughing too much.

“You are ambitious,” he shook his head, holding back his laughter.

I didn’t take back what I said though. I wouldn’t deny what I want.

“Then I will make you my Queen,” he offered, no longer laughing. He held out his hand and looked at me straight in the eyes. “Watch Lucien. Report his every move to me, and I’ll give you exactly what you want… or,” he paused, a dangerous smile curling on his lips, “I’ll throw you back where you came from, Arabella.”