3.

Alpha Darrell Wilbur observed her silently for a few moments and sat down. Then coolly remarked, " I didn't save your life to let you go, sweetheart. Like I said you will forever be indebted to me. "

Oh, heck___ was she supposed to owe him that long? Forever?

But she couldn't decline the bossy, cold and arrogant Alpha in front of her, knowing fully well that if he saved her life, then he could take her life as well.

" And your silence makes me believe you agree to the fact that you owe me. Decline and I shall have your head, " he said sharply.

She began to stammer, " all my life___ "

He interrupted her. " Yes, all your life. This is the life you would have lost, if not for me. Do you want to protest? "

" No, I've tried. . . I can't, if I wanted to. . . " she returned drily.

" Quick. Go and change, we have a party this night, " he said.

If she correctly knew the meaning of in debt, she was certain it had nothing to do with slavery or being bossed around. Say it and your dead! her instincts warned her. . .

" How shall I pay you? " Jenna asked. " If I can't be your Luna for the sake of your father? "

" With your life then, " he snapped annoyingly. " Or as my slave. "

For so many reasons, known and unknown, she was feeling in need of an excuse. She wanted to inquire from him, why he saved her, only for her to be indebted to him.

" Move, " he said, standing. " Or, I shall move you. "

Oh, no! He annoyed her. And the funniest thing was that he knew he annoyed her but he had no care in the world.

Jenna tried to drag her clumsy feet away from where she was standing but her feet were too clumsy to even make as little as a step.

He walked to her. " You'll do as I say puppet___ "

Puppet? Hell! Now she was a puppet.

He ran a finger lightly down her nose, and suddenly that touch of his skin on hers seemed to get to her.

She wanted to say something flippant, but nothing came, and, in any case, her throat seemed all at once so dry she doubted that she could have said another word had she attempted it.

" You have no choice, " Alpha Darrell blurted, and taking her unresisting by the shoulders, he gently laid his mouth against her own. Then he stepped back. She stared at him, desperately needing to say something, but there were no words there.

" If you are stupid enough to think that you have paid even a little of your debt by letting me kiss you, then you are a big joker. Whenever I kiss you, know that you are in much more debts than your little brain, can ever think. So don't be stupid. Now leave, " he commanded.

Her stupid legs finally began to walk away. I didn't let you kiss me, you did that on your own. You owe me as well! her stupid brain thought.

A guy of the same build as Darrell walked in. He was Darrell's cousin.

" Damian, please have a seat, I will be right back, " he said and began walking to her.

" Wait Jenna, " he said gripping her hand.

Jenna stopped.

" If you attempt to run, keep in mind that you can run but can't hide. Attempt any action that I don't like and I will treat you in a way you will not like, I promise you. Now I believe I have made myself clear, " he snarled and left her hand. She left and he went back to Damian.

" She looks a lot like Luna Selena, " a very dry voice drawled. " You can't trust her. "

Alpha Darrell stared at him for a long time. He should have expected it. He swung himself down into his black leather desk chair. " I don't trust her, not even a bit. And I won't trust her for a little bit, " he returned grimly.

" May I commiserate, then? " Damian wryly suggested.

" You may mind your own business if it has anything to do with my Luna and Jenna, " he snapped, then added tautly, " but if it has nothing to do with them, then you may commiserate. "

" You think I have time for your love life? "

" I don't have a love life, " Darrell hit back with bite.

" What about father? When will he return? " Darrell enquired as one thought led to another.

" Uncle is well, " Damian assured him. " He comes back soon. The reason for his coming back early is known. "

" What reason? " Darrell enquired gently.

" The vampires have kidnapped most of our omegas, " Damian said immensely.

Alpha Darrell stared at him in disbelief. He sat there contrarily wondering how in the world that could have happened. " What are you people doing? You should be protecting this pack. What are we to tell father? "

Damian stared at him. " We? No, not we Darrell. You will do the explanation alone, if you want to save yourself from the wrath of uncle Lucas____ "

Damian's words sent a bleak dark sense of aloneness that made him frustrated.

" Look Darrell, there's nothing we can do to help in this case. We are doing our best to protect this pack, perhaps the fault is in your leadership, " Damian said annoyingly.

" Dad can't take away my position___ "

" Darrell, I will advice you to step down now. Think about this, your Luna has eloped with your brother and this pack is being evaded, it is enough bad news for father. Just step down, " Damian said manipulatively.

" You know I can't, " Darrell said briskly. " My brother is not here, who else would lead? "

Me, Damian thought tentatively.

" That is not something to worry about. Someone who can handle everything, who can lead this pack will surely be found. "

" That doesn't sound like a solution, " Darrell said bluntly.

Damian stared at him, his face a ferocious mask. " Yeah. Father is coming back soon, we need a solution Darrell, " he said and stood. " I will always stand by you but I'm more concerned with this pack just as you are. . . "

" I know, " Darrell said. " I will come up with a solution very soon. "

" I will take my leave now, " Damian said brusquely.

" Yeah, " Darrell said quietly. But stepping down was the easy option, a small voice in his head cautioned. And easy options had never come to him. It was either correct everything or wait for father to return, he determined. And if those two options were not the same as being caught between a rock and a hard place, then he didn't know what was.

So think of father, think of the pack, he told himself firmly.

As Damian left, Jenna walked in.

Overall she looked just too darn fragile to be taking on an arrogant giant like Darrell. He will step on you and not even know, she warned her reflection.

No, he won't because you just won't let him, she told herself forcefully, and kept her feet moving with a slender silence that made her insides curl.

Alpha Darrell raised up his head in dismay only to find what his eyes saw. No ghost, no spectre dragged up from the depths of his own bitter memory. Jenna was standing there looking so beautiful as his Luna.

Maybe Jenna knew what he was thinking, because she turned her head to face him suddenly and their eyes clashed, golden light touching bleak darkness, and the years were falling away.

He caught the delicate shape of her profile and felt something____ painful electrical tug at his chest. Damn it, he thought. Don't do that to me.

" You look good, " He arched a cold black eyebrow. " In the dress, " he confessed. " I have a congenital dislike of machinating women, you see, so I hope you won't be one of them. "

" I sense you are angry, " Jenna said quietly.

Her remake had got to him; it had touched a nerve inside.

" Tell me why, " he invited.

Her shoulders sagged a little, her chin dipping towards her chest to expose the long slender length of her nape. He drew his fingers into a fist, sat outwardly relaxed in his chair while inside every muscle he owned had knotted in an effort to cast out what had been daring to take a grip.

She began walking back across the room with her eyes carefully lowered so he could not see what was going on behind them.

He watched her come towards him in her smart pure green gown which skimmed her slender body like a smooth outer skin. His eyelashes grew heavy as his gaze skimmed downwards to the flatness of her stomach and her gently rounded hips.

" You don't seem to be so proud and annoying as you were earlier, " she said.

" Something bothers me but I will cheer up once the party starts, " he said as he stood. " Let's go, " he stretched a hand to her.

She stood without his help. " I can manage. "

" Unfortunately, I have to take your arms in mine. I am about to introduce you to the pack members as my runaway Luna. You have to feel remorseful and I have to behave like I have forgiven you and everything is back to normal. Remember you are my Luna. We have to walk hand in hand____ "

" You can't do this. I can't either, " Jenna chimed in.

" You can darling. To you, you are acting as my Luna. To me and the pack members you are my Luna, " he said and grabbed her arms, placing it in his. " You owe me this. . . I saved your life, remember? If you don't want to die then you have to do this. "

" Problem solved, " he added in murmur.

" This is wrong. You are deceiving them and I don't want to be part of this. " It was almost a desperate little plea.

" Oh come on, let me worry about that, " he said with a fleeting vicious smile.

Why did she feel she had just come face to face with a slippery snake?

" I don't understand why it had to be me, " Jenna murmured. " I don't understand why we are doing this____ "

" Then let me help you to understand, " Darrell smoothly cut in. " My Luna betrayed me and everyone. And I will require your help to convince the pack and my father that I did not do anything similar. "

" You will upset him, if he finds out, " she sighed.

" He won't. But even if he does, he will forgive me, " Darrell returned.

" Well that only makes it worse! " she cried.

He held the door open at the ready. " Then may I suggest to my lady to not worry herself with my problems? "