A Twist Of Fate

Chapter 6 : A Twist Of Fate

Cara’s POV

I stood at the back of the mating ceremony. My heart, pounding. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

I glanced sideways at the influential family of Alphas; Alpha Marcus stood with another Alpha and his daughter, adding to the burden of this moment. It was choking: the eyes of all outside, their expectations so thick in the air. Liam stood tall upon the stage, his voice strong as he addressed the crowd.

“Shadow wood pack and Barry pack have taken care of each other's backs for a while, and now it is time to make it official.

We will sign the mutual protection contract" he said in a firm, clear voice.

The Alpha of the Barry Pack, with his entourage, had also looked quite shocked by this announcement

Liam continued, ignoring the growing awkwardness. "And now, it is an honor to have you all here, witnessing the bond that will strengthen our packs," he said, eyes scanning the room with that usual unshakeable calm. “And I want to announce my mate tonight”

I could not even stand to listen any longer, for my heart already sank.

So I steeled myself to the blow-to the sting of rejection, at least-prepare for that cruelty, for he would look towards the other girl,, saying her name; This is the right choice, Caleb did same

“It’s okay” I consoled myself.

I bit my lip, ready for the agony. But then-

"Cara."

My name boomed. “Cara”

I froze.

A moment,I couldn't understand what had just occurred. No, it couldn't be. This was a mistake. I must have heard him wrong. Everywhere fell silent, heavy with surprise.

I looked up, eyes wide, and met 's gaze. He stood there, his hand extended toward me, waiting. Waiting for me to move.

The other girl was pale, the disappointment written on her features, but I couldn't even process that. The shock that buzzed through me was too loud. Everyone was staring now, the attention of the people in the mating ceremony turned in an instant. I could hear the murmurs, the gasps, the soft sound of confusion rippling through the crowd.

The Alpha of the Barry Pack stood frozen, his face betraying a mix of shock and unease. He hadn’t expected this—none of them had. But he wasn’t foolish enough to openly challenge Liam, not after the powerful declaration he had just made about the alliance.

Shadow wood pack is too powerful and this agreement was too important for the Barry Pack’s survival. Forcing a smile, the Alpha nodded stiffly, pretending as if this had all been part of the plan. But the way his fingers twitched at his sides gave away his unease.

Then, I looked at Alpha Marcus. For a brief second, pure shock flashed across his face. But he recovered fast. He straightened his back, schooling his expression into something unreadable. And then, as if nothing was out of place, he brought his hands together and clapped.

Slow. Controlling as if this had been the plan all along.

I watched as applause grew, first tentative, then louder, surer, as those around the room joined in. The clapping, filling the hall with a resounding echo that seemed to shake me to my core.

With the eyes in the room decidedly fixed firmly on me, I just stood frozen a beat longer than I needed to. It was as if the whole world had shifted under my feet and I'd landed on some kind of unstable ground that didn't have an up anymore.

Slowly, I moved another step forward. And then another.

.

As I came up to the stage, I was in full view. His eyes were riveted, intent, but I had no idea what he was thinking. Was this really what he wanted? An act or something more? The questions swirled around my mind like a tornado, but I couldn't find the answers. All I knew was that I had to walk forward, with every pair of eyes in the room upon me.