CHAPTER 2

-Sarah’s Pov-

**[Flashback]**

Three years ago, everything changed in ways I never imagined. Why could I say that? Here you go.

Xavier was the only child and heir of the Alpha of the Blood Moon pack, one of the biggest, richest, and strongest packs in our region, and had to marry me if he wanted to be crowned Alpha, the successor of his pack.

I was ordinary at first, but then the unimaginable happened to me.

Fate said that Xavier and I were mates who were meant to be together. That was the reason why he had to marry his mate if he wanted to be crowned Alpha.

Meanwhile, I knew he andMariya loved each other. They had a special relationship that could be said to be like dating even though they were not destined to be together by the Moon Goddess.

But the problem was, at that timeMariya didn't even want to marry Xavier, whose position was not yet solid.

"Marry him, Sarah," she said when she found out that I was his mate.

"Don't be stupid, I don't want to marry him. He's your love and his love is also only for you," I replied at the time.

"Only so he can be Alpha to his pack. Please."

I was still shaking my head because I felt I had a voice where I could assert that I would reject the idea. Even if he was my mate, that didn't mean I would be happy to marry him. Because he didn't love me anyway.

Then, while I was still arguing a bit withMariya, my father called and wanted to talk to me alone.

"Sarah," my father said at that time. He sounded serious, and I suddenly had palpitations just hearing his voice. "You and Xavier were meant to be a mate. You know what he went through and—"

"Are you going to insist I marry him?" I asked, cutting him off.

"You know my next sentence."

I sighed and shook my head firmly, just as I had done withMariya earlier.

"I can't, Dad. I can't marry someone who doesn't love me," I refused. 

"You must marry Xavier," my father insisted, his voice firm. "It is an order and no order from any werewolf can be disobeyed. Moreover, it is your destiny as well as his. For love, it will come when it's time. You just have to get used to being without love first, Sarah."

I fell into silence, speechless when my father had even begun to speak out loud, accepting no refusal.

I thought that my mother must have married him for the same reason. But I didn't know if they loved each other back then or not.

Even though I loved Xavier secretly, I didn't want to hurt Xavier by forcibly marrying me, but my parents forced me to get married. I was sure, his parents told him the same thing.

"Is there any other way without him marrying me, Dad?" I asked, still trying to find a way out.

My father shook his head, the stern lines on his face showing that I couldn't refuse.

"But, doesn't he have to be asked first, Dad?"

"Soon you and he will meet. His family and our family."

My eyes widened in shock at the news. I gulped when I was told this suddenly by him, making me confused because I hadn't even prepared myself.

"Be as prepared as possible for this talk later. You may come out."

I shuffled my steps until I closed the door to my father's room with a completely confused expression. But, I realized that I had to prepare myself.

I changed my clothes into something that looked attractive and put on my makeup as naturally as possible. After all, the man I loved was going to meet me even if it seemed too forced by fate.

It wasn't long before I heard the noise of a visitor. I looked through the window and I was shocked to find Xavier staring at my window.

I swallowed my saliva, nervous that he was looking this way when he had no idea where my room was. Our eyes really met for a minute with no expression on him at all.

They had then gathered in the meeting room and I didn't seeMariya at all. I knew she must have felt hurt and that was why she didn't show up.

My heart was pounding so loudly that I had to swallow hard and sit up straight because of my nervousness.

Xavier' expression didn't look friendly when he looked at me. That meant he really didn't want this. He only wantedMariya, not me. He only wanted my twin and that was what hurt me.

Moreover, he must have felt that with me as his mate he didn't know from the beginning and then knew in the end, he must have blamed me.

The decision was even made. Both packs wanted to marry me off to Xavier and Xavier' pack openly told me the reason without covering it up. 

Neither Xavier nor I protested at that time, but just kept quiet and complied. Yeah ... in the end we agreed to get married to unify the rules that apply according to werewolf rules, that if a couple has met each other, then they must immediately unite and the man must mark his mate.

After the meeting, I also heard the news thatMariya was going to have to leave the country because of a sudden accident that happened to her and required her to be abroad. At that time I didn't even know that it was a mere excuse, a hoax. 

**[Back To Present]**

In fact, now I saw what was happening before me. Her going abroad was just a cover to save their reputation. And I came to know that they were really still together all this time although before I only felt suspicious because I thought Xavier should forgetMariya even though he remained cold to me. But that was just to let me marry him and probably also so thatMariya wouldn't get too sick from seeing us together.

"Why,Mariya?!" I asked again with a shudder and a slight jerk.

Xavier walked towards me then he slapped me and made me wake up from my half-awareness of what I had just thought. It hurts because someone you love suddenly slaps you.