Agreeing to attend the fest

"And why are you doing this to me? You guys are my parents. You are supposed to be my protectors. I am supposed to rely on you guys. I am supposed to trust you guys blindly but you are not giving me the chance to trust you," her eyes were teary.

Her parents were never perfect, to begin with. They had their own problems to deal with and she understood all of their reasons.

They are the only persons she could rely on according to what the world said. We are told that our parents are the closest to us, they are the ones we can blindly trust.

But her parents were busy proving the entire world wrong. They loved her, they surely did.

But still, there was something she couldn't put her fingers on. As the delta male and female, her parents had lots of other things to worry about.

She was their least important priority and she was ok with it. She wasn't the only one neglected by her parents after all.

Her other friends had the same fate and it was seen as a normal thing by now. Whatever it was, she was ok with it.

She was provided with food, shelter, education, medication, clothes, and whatever else she needed.

But all of these were only limited to things you could get with money. She wasn't allowed to have their care, open support, and unconditional love.

They loved her as long as she plays the role of the perfect daughter.

"We still love you and we are doing this for your betterment. You are going to have a better life there and if the Alpha chooses you then you are going to have a life others can only dream about. He has everything one can only dream about and all of them are going to be yours. All you have to do is gain his attention somehow," her mother said with loving eyes.

They were enough to make others think that she's unconditionally loved by them but only she knows how long it takes for them to change into a murderous glare when the said orders ain't obeyed.

"I don't want any of these. I am more than satisfied with whatever I have. If I want to get rich, which I do then I am perfectly capable of working and becoming rich on my own," she said, her words were firm but her tone was shaky.

She was like a fragile rose at that moment, ready to break anytime.

"Don't be a spoiled brat. If you manage to get his attention then we are going to get benefits from that as well. We gave you everything you needed and it's time you finally repay us. It's not like you have a mate waiting for you anyways," her father was careless with his words.

He didn't bother understanding how hurtful his words were.

At the age of only 19, losing the love of their life is as tragic as it can get.

The dying face of her mate was still as vivid as the daylight.

He was dying, someone mercilessly hurt him. He couldn't breathe yet he came to see her, for one last time.

The promises they made to each other of forever, died down with him. She watched everything with her lifeless eyes.

It seemed as if she has died along with him. She was lifeless for months but as they say, we learn to live with pain as time goes by.

Her scars didn't heal, she learned how to live with them. She learned to accept that a world could exist without him, the love of her life.

Love became a forbidden word after him.

How could she fall in love again when the person who introduced her to this beautiful word is no longer alive?

How could she fall in love again when each time she looks at someone, his eyes flash by her eyes?

"Azariah, I understand that you don't want to accept anyone anymore but my child, life goes on. Time is exactly like the tide. They wait for none. You lost him 2 years ago and you are already 21 now. Everyone around us has a mate of their own, except you. You can't live your life alone. You need to company of another," her mother said.

For a second, Azariah felt like her old mother was back, the woman she was before getting all of these pack duties.

"No matter how much you try to deny this, nobody can live alone forever. You are still young and have a long way to go. You are also going to crave having kids of your own eventually. You need a man in your life and what can be better than another alpha choosing you?" Her father added.

She knew that her parents weren't wrong yet her heart wasn't ready to accept all of it.

She didn't want to be an Alpha's chosen mate. All of these high-rank things weren't just for her.

She was more than satisfied with her previous mate, he was just like a normal guy.

She didn't feel the pressure to act high and mighty with him. She could just be herself.

He was more like her best friend than her soulmate. She could share everything with him. He was really nice and too young to be gone.

Her heart started to feel heavy. She didn't want to argue with her parents anymore.

Thinking that the chances of her getting chosen were extremely less, she decided to end this thing here.

"Ok, I am fine with attending that fest. But I have a condition. If I don't get chosen tomorrow then you guys would never pressurize me ever again to find another guy for me. This is the last and final one. If you agree to this condition then I am ready," she said in a firm tone.

"Ok. His name is Alpha Ace."

"Alpha Ace," she tested the name.

The name was powerful itself.