I hate Dahlia

~ZAYDEN

I sighed as I ran a hand through my hair.

“Hey, baby. It's going to be fine. I'm sure it's nothing serious,” Edda said softly, reaching up to kiss me on the cheek.

I leaned into her warmth, grateful for her presence. If there was one thing I was scared of, it was being suddenly summoned by my grandfather.

That man was scary. And unpredictable. And most of the time, we disagreed on a lot of things. But he was my grandfather. He might not be the Alpha anymore, but he still commanded considerable power.

I owed him my respect.

“When you walk in there, no matter what is going on, I want you to know that I am right there with you, in your heart. You have nothing to be terrified of,” Edda said again, and this time, a small smile tugged on my lips.

This was why she was my best friend. And my woman. She was always so supportive. I leaned down to kiss her gently on the mouth.

“Thank you, baby.” Then without another word, I walked into my grandfather's study.

The old man glared at me as soon as I closed the door behind me.

“Grandfather,” I said curtly, my words accompanied by a bow.

“What is this rumor I have been hearing, Zayden?” he snapped at me instead. My brows furrowed into a frown.

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

My grandfather's glare became hotter, and he tapped his walking stick on the floor angrily as he responded.

“Everyone in the Pack is talking about you and Edda. How you spend all of your time with her. She even follows you around! That is unacceptable, Zayden, and you know it.”

Anger sparked in my veins.

He had called me here to talk about me and Edda?

“I have every right to hang out with whoever I want, Grandfather. I believe that is none of your business,” I quipped back at him.

His glare hardened, and disapproval flickered across his face.

“You are not supposed to spend that much time with another woman! Not especially after I made that announcement that Dahlia is the woman you will be getting married to!”

A snort slipped past my lips at his words.

Dahlia?

“That orphaned Omega? I'm sorry, but that is totally ridiculous. You know that I cannot get married to her,” I snapped.

My grandfather raised his eyebrows. “And why is that, Zayden?”

“Because she is an Omega! She is beneath me, and I will not stoop as low as getting entangled with a girl like her. Dahlia is nothing but a charity case to this family, and you have to stop trying to make her into someone she's not!”

My voice rose at the end of my outburst, and my hands had curled into fists.

My Grandfather's expression however, was unmoving. His disapproval was glaring, and his hands had tightened over his walking stick.

“Dahlia might be an Omega, but she is the best woman her age that I know. She will make a good wife for you, and a good Luna for the rest of the Pack. Edda might be your best friend, but she is not a good fit,” he insisted.

The anger in my veins burned hotter. Brighter. In that moment, all the respect I owed my grandfather faded into the background.

“I don't give a shit about Dahlia. She might be a good person to you, but she is nothing to me. NOTHING. I don't give a damn about her. Edda is the one I love and there is nothing you can do about that!”

The old man stood up and stared down at me.

“Dahlia is the only woman I approve of for you. I will not be accepting Edda into this family. You either get married to Dahlia or you don't get married at all!” he declared.

I threw my hands in the air, throwing all caution to the wind.

“Then maybe you should get married to her by yourself. If she's so desperate to be a part of our family so bad, then maybe she wouldn't mind tying the knot with you!” I yelled.

As soon as those words left my lips though, I knew I had gone too far.

My Grandfather's face took on a weird, strange expression. “What did you just say?”

Slight regret hammered into me, but I wasn't going to apologise. If I did, if I took back my words now, he was going to force me into a loveless marriage with Dahlia.

So I held my ground. And stared straight into his eyes.

“I said what I said, Grandfather. I apologise of my voice was loud and my tone was rude, but you have to understand. Dahlia is nothing to me, and I will not sully my reputation as the Alpha by getting married to her. She is just an Omega for goodness sake!”

I paused, took a deep breath, and went on.

“This is my life, and you have no right to interfere in my personal matters. My love life is none of your business! The person I want to be with is Edda, and not that child you brought home!”

Then, without waiting for his response, I turned around and walked out of his study. Rage was still simmering in my veins as I walked away, and even though I saw someone standing few feet away from the door, I didn't turn to look.

I don't give a shit about Dahlia. My grandfather might love and see her as a daughter, but I would do no such thing.

Edda was the only woman for me.

~~

I was trying to calm my nerves with Edda, when the messenger arrived.

My grandfather has called for Edda.

The rage that was already dying away in my blood resurfaced, and my vision went red from the force of my anger.

Knowing my grandfather, he was definitely going to ask Edda something ridiculous, like asking her to leave me or something.

I tried to go with her, but she asked me not to. So I waited for her, my mind alight with worry.

When Edda eventually made her way back into my room, her eyes were bloodshot and teary.

“Hey, baby. What's wrong? What did he say to you?” I asked, instantly wrapping her in my arms.

Edda sighed and wiped her tears as she relaxed into my hold.

“He…he asked me to leave you. That we can't be together. Your grandfather told me that you can only be with Dahlia and no one else.”

Her voice was thick with tears as she explained, and a fresh ache blossomed in my chest.

The nerve of that man!

Even after I had told him in clear terms that I wanted nothing to do with Dahlia, he was still trying to sabotage the love I shared with Edda.

Outrage sparked in my chest.

“Hey. Listen to me. You don't have to listen to him. You know that you're the only woman for me. Dahlia is nothing but an Omega. And she is definitely not someone I want anything to do with. I'll convince my grandfather. You have nothing to worry about.”

Edda shook her head.

“No. He…he hates me so much. I don't think I can stay with you any longer. I have to leave.”

Panic slammed into me. “Edda. You don't have to leave. Dahlia has nothing on you. My grandfather cannot force me to marry her,” I said, trying to convince her to stay.

But Edda’s mind was made up.

She packed her stuff wordlessly, tears streaming down her face. No matter what I said, she didn't answer me.

The love of my life kissed me on the cheek for the last time, and turned to leave.

I had to stop her, but I didn't know what to do.

The moment she opened the door though, we came face to face with the one person who was the cause of all these.

Dahlia.

At the sight of the Omega my grandfather desperately wanted me to get married to, my rage exploded.