Adler and I were forced to get changed to more appropriate and formal clothes. Left with Amelia during that moment, I took that opportunityto get information from her. About what happened, how she was caught, why she easily ratted me and Adler out like that after she said she’d help us. I was agitated, and betrayed. But I wasn’t upset because I knew she’d have her reason. I guess the only thing that comforted me was that it was the only thing the Alpha found. According to Amelia, the moment the Alpha heard of it, he went straight to Adler to confirm— in delight. He was more than glad, and I didn’t know why because he used to be so wary of me before. Or perhaps I knew. She left after that. I guess it’d be harder to form any communication just after she got caught, but that became the least of my concern. Because what I got in my plate then was the marriage Adler’s father spoke proudly about. I had to get ready for it. “I might not be able to save you from this,” Adler told me as he
Two months was enough? My brows met in disagreement. I threw Adler a discontented look to make him know that I wasn’t okay with the time the Alpha proposed. Two months was rush. He should’ve asked for at least a year, or ten months! He said he’ll try, right? Why did he agree right away? “Isn’t two months a bit rush?” I couldn’t help but ask, fakedly smiling. All the eyes were on me. Most were weird look, some were confused. Finally, Adler looked at me. But I had too many eyes watching me to even communicate with him through expression. We would be read then. “Darling, it is a tradition for every heir to marry their fated mate, and claim the throne before they reach nineteen. If anything, two months is still long,” said Bettany with a sweet smile. Tradition? It was a steoretype! The pack was not needing for a new Alpha. Our current leader was doing a good job keeping us intact, safe, and strong. Moreover, Adler was still young! He was still inexperienced! “There’s still a lot of t
Adler’s POV Bond manipulation was a mentally and emotionally manipulation to make your partner submit to whatever you wanted them to do. It was like a compulsion, only it wasn’t by force but by persuation. But of course, it had to meet the requirements needed to work. First, the other party had to trust you. The deeper the trust, the better the manipulation. Second, an intimate interaction that would stimulate them. Third, the actual manipulation. Method may differ, depending on the wolf, and its intention. Mine happened to be on making Avalynn think that marriage wasn’t a dead-end but an escape. She probably didn’t realize that I was manipulating her, but that didn’t matter. At this rate, we’ll just end up breaking ourselves if we try any more staunt. The most wise thing to do was ride the marriage, and get what we could get out of it. Afterall, my father had decided, and we both knew he’ll stop at nothing to make it happen. The marriage was our dead-end, and it was our reality.
“You’re so hard to find these days.” Jade shook her head. “You’re everywhere but in this house.” Indeed. Just sitting in this couch made me want to recall the last time I was here. Recently, I couldn’t even last a day in this house. I was always out. Either for a new trouble, or for Conrad, whom I left hanging because of Alice disappearance. I was all over the place. Crazily enough, I was with Adler the past days and our relationship with each other just mysteriously got better. Who would’ve believe that? “I know,” I replied in a weary tone before I rested the back of my head to the headrest of the sofa. I turned my head to her, and she looked at me like she was still figuring me out. Heh. Goodluck with that. “You probably won’t believe me, but I learned something.” “What?” Jade emptied her glass, before she put it down to walk towards me. “Conrad’s in love with you?” “Yes,” I raised my brows. “But not that.” “I saw you with Adler, twice in a row. Are you in a relatioship?” She s
The marriage was hard to believe, I admit. Beside the fact that Adler and I were mortal enemies, Jade and I knew long before neither of us would rather die than have any sort of connection to him. We hated him. I hated him. He was a fucktard. An asshole whose pride was coming from his connection. He was the Alpha’s son, so we always believed he put himself in a pedestal because he was untouchable. It was disgusting, actually. More so after the Alpha released a statement about Adler inheriting his position. I cried the very same day thinking life was unfair and cruel. Adler was my bully, and after that announcement, I was certain Adler would become more bad and hateful. I loathed, and feared him more. Now, thinking back to all of that, it made me wonder how the fuck I get here. It felt like it was the day before my birthday where his fanatic friends threw me to the water to make fun of me. But now I only have two months before we start preparing for our marriage. How unpredictable co
I wasn’t dumb. Or maybe I was, but not enough to not know it wasn’t Conrad. Because who else could it be? I checked my messages, and saw that it wasn’t his first and last message. He’ve sent me a hundred, since the time I lost Alice. I was pre-occupied to even check it then. I didn’t know. I read it all, one by one. There were imissyous. Questions about what I was doing, when I was going to visit next, and why I wasn’t answering the calls. I’ve realized how long it took me to know that he was indeed waiting for me. It felt good… strangely. I comfortably sat in my bed and typed for a reply. To : Unknown Number Tomorrow, Conrad. I’m sorry, I wasn’t able to respond to your texts. I breathed hard, and sent it. If it was that easy to tell him everything, I would. I wouldn’t have to wait and settle things on my side, and just flood him with all that ahd happened to me the past days. But it wasn’t. It might be even easier to touch the sky with these hands than telling him I was gettin
The sorrys came out like water from the sink the moment I felt guiltiness that triggered it. Conrad lowered himself to meet my gaze because I was taking my time avoiding his eyes. I felt horrible. The way his hands were scared and careful to hold me after I consistently neglected him for days felt like a needle prickling my heart. How could I have thought of fooling him when all he’s done since the moment we met was be nice and genuine to me? How could I have thought of lying to him, two-timing him, thinking it was okay because I would eventually leave Adler to freely love him? I was hypocrite. Selfish. Liar. “I want to understand, Avalynn…” His voice was soft, almost as if he didn’t want to frighten me by asking. He used his other free hand to hold my left cheek. “What are you sorry for? What took you so long? Did your pack finally find out about us? Did they ask you to…” “No…” I bit my lower lip. One more word and I was sure that my voice would break from emotions I was trying so
“I have to make sure you wouldn’t leave me hanging like that again.” I opened my mouth to say something in return, but the second it sank in to me, my lips pursed. I was ready to argue with him because what he wanted to do was something I cannot allow. But I guess that just meant I really scared him. No. That should meant he was serious about me. Honestly, if we were to switch position, I would’ve done the same thing. I also would’ve felt scared to the point that I’d be desperate to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. It touched my heart, and squeezed it the same time. He was harsh to do this to me— but I was cruel, to have force him to resort to this kind of option. I sighed, the muscles of my face relaxing. How was avoiding another mistake would make my situation any better? It was already far beyond saving, anyway. There wasn’t anything else to lose, but him. “Get these,” I lifted the plastic bags I was holding. “Is there still something? Where’s the next stop?” He looked at m