Chapter 9

C9:The Only Chance

Raine trekked home, she watched the sun set slowly.

Before nightfall she got home, she stepped in and saw her parents seated, their faces were unreadable but not for long as they cast their sight on her.

Alice held onto her mother's hand as she sobbed softly.

Raine moved forward greeting them.

“Why are you back by this time?” Alpha Elmore asked, his gaze more intense.

Raine, “I..was delayed a bit and didn't know when Alice left” she said softly.

“Really?Alice had never left you at the training ground so what is going on between you and Raphael?” he asked, going straight to the point.

Raine swallowed as she felt the air shift, she knew it was inevitable.

“We are in love with each other” she replied in a whisper, her eyes lowered to avoid her father's piercing ones.

“In love?, with your sister's man?” Luna Indira finally spoke, anger laced in her voice.

Raine whipped her head to her in shock, she didn't understand the latter.

“You were fully aware that Alice is in love with Raphael yet you decided to seduce him.

What sort of a sister are you?” Alpha Elmore snapped in anger.

Raine shook her head, “I don't know what you speak of, we have been friends after meeting him again, he never mentioned Alice nor the other way round”.

Alpha Elmore frowned, “That is your cup of tea, I don't want to see you near him again”.

“I can't, I can't leave him,” Raine said, looking at her father in the face for the first time.

Alpha Elmore furrowed his brows as her defiant attitude bruised his ego, with a swift move he slapped her.

Raine staggered backwards barely holding her herself as she tasted the metallic liquid in her mouth.

“How dare you disobey my orders.

He is not yours, don't even dream of it” Alpha Elmore spat angrily and left.

Raine looked down and held her cheek as tears pooled up dropping to the floor, she blinked trying to stop it.

She didn't want to appear weak, not anymore, she left for her room as well.

The next day she dressed up ready to join Alice only to be restricted from going out.

“Sister, don't think you can take what I desire from me, don't even dream of it,” Alice sneered before entering the carriage.

Raine clenched her fist, if only she could fight off the guards, they were well trained gammas and she was wolfless.

She bit her lips and went back inside, she knew they would eventually let her go even though it would take a while.

She tended to the gardens, her mind slowly drifting back to Raphael, her face instantly turned red.

For days it was her source of joy in the cage they called her home.

Days later she saw her father walk in with annoyance, his face clearly displeased and stressed while Alice followed suit, she wondered what had happened.

She heard voices from the Alpha's study room, curiosity drove her to go closer.

“Father, he has to accept me, are my not good enough for him?.

To even think that marrying me would make him the next Alpha yet he is unwilling, is Raine that good” Alice asked sulkingly.

Raine furrowed her brows in confusion for a while.

“He is stubborn, he has made his mind up already what can I do, my hands are tied in this matter” Alpha Elmore said helplessly.

Even though he cared for Alice, he wasn't the type to force things like love on others as it was their personal choices.

“You don't mind if he ends up with Raine?, you don't care if I'm sad watching them together” she asked, raising her voice a bit.

Judging from her voice one could tell that she was crying.

“If only you were his mate, you would be nineteen in two months' time . Why not be patient and see what the moon goddess has in store.

If he is your mate then you are lucky and I will certainly stand by you but if not you don't have to kill yourself over a warrior” Alpha Elmore adviced her.

“So if he is my mate everything would be settled” she spoke after a while of silence, her voice filled with determination.

Raine frowned and the words didn't sit well with her, she heard the door open. It was Alice who stepped out, glaring at her as she walked away.

Two days later, Raine sat in her room reading a book when a maid informed her that her father wanted to see her.

She went to his study room, her heart beating loudly against her ribcage as she reluctantly pushed the door open.

Her eyes scanned the room. It was only her father who sat there watching her, she closed the door.

“Sit” Alpha Elmore ordered, his voice plain with no anger attached, Raine blinked twice but didn't say a word as she sat before him.

“Have you changed your mind about Raphael?” He asked calmly, dropping the parchment on the desk.

Raine stared at him for a while, “No I have not and I won't” she said firmly, knowing that Raphael wouldn't leave her assured her the most.

Alpha Elmore nodded slowly as his eyes studied her, “Fine, if that is your choice but bear it in mind, you won't become the next Luna. I won't accept you” he said coldly.

“Why do you dislike me so much?” She spoke softly, her voice barely a whisper.

“You're the bad luck given to my by the moon goddess, your existence took a lot from my Luna and I. And to think that after all that you are weak and wolfless is more than enough for me to detest you” Alpha Elmore said in a low tone, his eyes filled with hatred yet he didn't snap.. just that low scornful words were enough.

Raine stared at him in confusion and pain, her heart twisted, she subconsciously dug her nails into her hand.

“What did I take that makes you both hate me so much?” she managed to ask, fighting the tears that were starting to build in her eyes.

Alpha Elmore frowned as he stared at her face filled with pain and confusion, he clenched his fist.

“Get out, we are done talking” he barked angrily, Raine shivered in her seat before standing up.

She turned to leave her shoulders slumped as she approached the door, “You free to go out from now on”

she heard Alpha Elmore’s voice ring from behind.

She nodded slowly and left, wondering what she had done apart from being wolfless.