The Alpha's Forbidden Secret

Stella's pov

"Do you, Stella Brown, take this Alpha to be your mate?"

I stared up at the man before me, his face blurred by my white veil.

The word "No" sat at the tip of my tongue, along with the stubborn hatred I felt for everyone responsible for me being in this position.

Instead, what came out were the words my mother had carefully practiced with me while forcing me into this dress. "I do."

The priest nodded, face blank. "And do you, Alpha Mattias, accept this young omega to be your mate?"

Mattias smiled, revealing his yellow teeth laced with diamonds. "I'd be a fool not to."

"Then, here before these people as witnesses and the moon goddess herself, I proclaim you mates. You may now kiss."

My heart raced, almost like I was waiting for the dramatic event that would stop this.

But there was nothing. This was my reality now.

A single strand of grey hair fell into his face when he leaned down and pressed his lips against mine.

His tongue tried to force its way into my mouth, but my resistance held, and instead, his arm wrapped around my waist to pull me close.

My eyes were fixed open, trailing across the crowd until they finally met a pair almost as intense.

The man was staring at me, his gaze sharp while he clapped.

Alpha Mattias pulled away, but I still couldn't bring myself to tear my gaze away from those green eyes.

"What are you looking at, mate?" Alpha Mattias asked, his hand sliding down from my waist.

I pulled away immediately, shooting him a disgusted look.

My father, who stood near the altar after walking down the aisle, let out a pointed cough.

The sound alone made my whole body stiffen, and I finally let Mattias wrap himself around me.

The ceremony soon came to a close, and the tense quiet was replaced with music and people coming to congratulate us while we sat at the altar.

"I'm so proud of you, my dear," Mother said, rushing up the stairs while her eyes brimmed with tears. "I know you don't see it now, but what you've done was for the benefit of all of us. You're the mate of a powerful alpha now."

I slapped her hand away, forcing my gaze to fix on anything besides her.

She stood before me for a second, staring down at me before turning and strutting off with a huff.

"It wouldn't kill you to smile, you know," Alpha Mattias said, his voice husky and dry.

"It wouldn't kill you to mate with people your age either," I retorted, regretting it almost immediately.

His grip on my wrist tightened, hard enough to make me wince.

My eyes glistened, but his fingers didn't loosen.

"There are many girls who would give up their arms to be where you are, Stella. Now stop being such a brat. If you can't appreciate it, pretend like you do."

Right when I felt his hands begin to bruise my wrist, he released me.

I pulled my wrist into my lap, covering the now-bruised skin. "Of course."

Someone stepped forward, and I prepared the closest thing to a fake smile my face would allow.

The smile dissolved, however, the moment my eyes came in contact with the same green ones from before.

The man seemed even larger up close. Probably around my age too.

He had tanned bronze skin and a playful smirk plastered to his face.

He winked at me before bowing down to Mattias. "Father."

My eye twitched, and the sudden attraction was replaced with the disgust I had carried into my wedding dress.

"Eli! I thought you would want to attend." Mattias chuckled, the first real laugh that had come from him tonight.

"Now why would I miss the chance to meet my new stepmum?"

He reached for my hand, his grip tightening when I tried to pull back.

His lips pressed gently against the back of it, before he finally let me yank it away. I could feel his eyes lingering there though, and my face flushed when it dawned on me that my bruised wrist was exposed.

"A little older than your usual tastes, isn't she, Dad?" he teased, tearing his gaze from my wrist.

Somehow, his attention not being on me made me feel relieved and longing at the same time.

"If you're here to insult me and your new mother, I suggest you do so from the far end of this hall, boy."

Eli raised his hands up, shrugging indifferently. "If you don't want people to talk about it, then don't do it."

His gaze shifted back to me. "Was it worth it?"

"What?" My teeth sank into my lower lip.

"Whatever it is he offered you to do this. Was it worth it?" He leaned in. "Or do you really not know what you married into?"