CHAPTER THREE

I follow my father.

I trudge down the stairs and into the living room.

They stand together, Alpha and Jeremiah.

They are both tall. Muscular.

I look at Jeremiah.

He is beautiful.

He has dark hair cut short and his eyes are green.

"Jeremiah," my father says, "This is my daughter, Bria."

"Hello," Jeremiah says.

His voice is deep.

It sends tingles up and down my spine.

I feel like a traitor.

I love Nathaniel.

But Jeremiah is gorgeous...

"Hello," I say.

I feel myself blushing.

Alpha looks at Father, a hopeful glint in his eye.

"Shall we leave the young ones to get acquainted?" he says.

"Yes," father agrees. "I'll make the tea."

They head off together into the kitchen leaving Jeremiah and I alone.

"Shall we sit?" Jeremiah asks.

I nod and sit on the couch.

He lowers himself beside me.

I can feel the heat from his body.

I feel drawn to him.

I cannot quite believe it.

Minutes ago I was desolate.

Now my heart is fluttering.

He leans forward and looks into my eyes.

"I take it from the redness of your eyes that you have been crying," he says.

I look down.

I feel ashamed.

"I... I'm sorry," I say. "It is not you."

"I understand," he says.

"You do?"

"It is a shock, to be told suddenly you going to be wed to a stranger. But I hope that as time goes on we can become friends."

I smile, shyly.

He understands.

I feel myself easing into his company.

I look at him.

He is handsome.

His eyebrows are thick.

He has high cheekbones and a strong jaw line.

His smile is gorgeous.

I see his piercing green eyes staring back at me.

I feel warm inside.

I cannot believe this is happening.

"So you're not offended that I cried when I heard I was to marry you?" I ask.

"Not at all. I do not want to marry you either."

His words hit me like a blow.

I am shocked. Stunned.

"What? You do not want to marry me?"

"No."

He is blunt.

Cold.

"I thought it had been arranged with your consent."

"Absolutely not," he says. "The arrangement was made between your Alpha and mine. I am in love with another."

"What?" I cry.

I know it is selfish of me, but I am suddenly furious.

I get up.

I can no longer bear to sit beside him.

I am breathing hard.

I have never felt so angry in my life.

Just then, my father returns to the room with the tea.

Alpha follows in behind him.

I want to shout at them.

They see me standing in the middle of the room and exchange a look.

They are confused at the suddenly tense atmosphere.

"Is there a problem?" father asks.

"He is in love with another!" I cry.

I can feel the tears coming on again.

I run from the room and up to my bedroom.

I slam the door and fling myself onto my bed.

I do not want to be here.

I can't believe this is happening.

I am consumed with the most terrible anger.

I hear footsteps thunder up the stairs.

I look at the door.

I know Alpha is on the other side.

I am too furious to listen to anything he has to say.

Alpha starts banging on the door.

"Bria, Bria, let me in," he is saying.

"Go away!" I shout through the door.

"No," he says. "Not until you open this door."

"I hate you!" I shout. "I hate you and Jeremiah both!"

"No you do not," he says. "You are just upset."

"Why did you do this to me?" I scream.

"I had to," he says. "I had no choice."

"What does that mean?"

His voice floats through the door.

"It is the only way to stop a war."

"What?"

"A war. Between our packs. The only way to stop it is to unite our packs. To bring them together."

"By marrying Jeremiah and I?"

"Yes."

My anger drains away.

I know he is telling the truth.

I finally understand.

I open the door.

Alpha looks at me in concern.

"I'm sorry," he says.

"I am sorry, too."

He takes my hands. "Do you understand now?"

I nod. "It's still not fair. But I understand."

"You're right. It's not fair. But it is the only way to bring peace. Even Jeremiah agrees with that."

"He loves another."

"That is true. But he won't make you unhappy."

"He said that?"

"Yes."

I believe him.

I am starting to understand why they had to do this.

Whether Jeremiah and I like it or not, we have to do this.

To unite the packs.

To stop a war.

To bring peace.

I look up at Alpha.

He is so tall and strong.

I look into his eyes.

They are clear and blue.

His eyes are full of wisdom.

I feel safe with him.

I am sorry I was angry.

I look away for a moment and think about how much my life will now change.

I am going to have to move away from home.

I will have to live with Jeremiah.

I will be expected to mate with him.

I feel myself blush.

I try to push those thoughts from my mind.

"We will make this work, Bria," Alpha says. He squeezes my hand. "Jeremiah is a good man. He will treat you well."

"He will never love me, Alpha."

"I know. But he will care for you. That is enough."

I swallow my tears.

I don't know if it is.

But it is what I have to do.

I hear movement again downstairs.

It is Jeremiah.

He is waiting for me to return.

"Come," Alpha says, kindly. "Let's go back downstairs."

I nod.

I have accepted my fate.

We will wed.

We will have a life together.

I don't know if it will be a good life.

But it will be a peaceful one.

I am no longer angry.

I am just sad.

We walk back down the stairs.

Jeremiah is expectantly waiting.

"She understands," Alpha tells him.

Jeremiah is handsome.

He has dark hair and green eyes.

He is muscular and strong.

I look at him.

He looks back at me.

He makes my heart flutter.

He is everything a girl could ever want.

I smile at him.

He smiles back.

I know that this is the right thing to do.

I know that I can learn to love Jeremiah.

I can learn to respect him.

I can learn to care for him.

I know that he can be a good mate.

I will make this work.