Alpha Edison

His True Nature

My ears were filled with the noise of the horse hooves strutting their way back to Rutherford Manor.

Still, in shock and confusion, I couldn’t do anything but stare down at my feet. I couldn't lift my head to look at the faces of the two handsome men in front of me. Sitting side by side, were Beta Ralph and Alpha Edison. Both of them stared at the surroundings outside the carriage. Alpha Edison was wearing a woolen cloak over his broad shoulders. And underneath it, his body was still exposed, half-naked. D*man it! It was hard not to take a small peek at his chiseled abs and well-defined chest.

Master Ralph’s eyes have never left my face since he retrieved me from the vampire. He has been thinking deeply, and it scared me. Will it be my last night as Beta Ralph’s servant when we get back to the manor? I must prepare myself for all the humiliation I would face in front of all the guests.

A mere servant as Luna for the Alpha? Of course, I would definitely be the jester of the night for everybody. I wanted to ask so badly what would happen to me after this, but I was too scared to hear from the King himself, so I decided just to shut my mouth and wait.

“Here,” Master Ralph said. He passed me another piece of a cloak, the same as Alpha Edison’s.

“I can’t accept such a thing, Master.” My lips quivered as I averted my eyes from him, feeling ashamed. I couldn’t accept such fine clothing, the same as the one the Alpha was wearing. Master Ralph should be sensitive enough to know about that. I felt I was being tested. But I was not dumb to assume the Alpha would really choose me as his Luna.

“It’s to cover your skirt, Claire.”

My eyes automatically went down my thighs, and with a red face, I quickly pulled my skirt to hide my exposed legs. I didn’t notice that it was ripped badly. Maybe it was ripped when I fell from the trees.

I saw a glimpse of Alpha Edison’s eyes throwing a short glance at my skirt, and I have never felt so mortified and disconcerted as I looked down with a flushed face. I pretended I didn’t see him and just took the cloak from Master Ralph with trembling hands.

My heart stopped the moment the carriage arrived at the gates of the Rutherford Mansion. Beta Ralph opened the door for me, which made me a little uncomfortable being served by my own master.

“You will be alright, Claire,” he whispered, which only made my mind more chaotic.

As we three entered the hall, all eyes turned in our direction. I had no idea what to do. So, Alpha Edison walked in front of me first, leading me toward the high platform. His throne was in the middle of it. On the left of the throne was the chair for the Beta, and on the right side was for his Luna.

His Luna.

The thought reverberated in every corner of my mind, but it hadn’t sunk in yet since he called me his mate. Maybe he had to present me first to everyone to let them see how he was going to reject a servant like me. It’s all just a mistake. An alpha can reject his mate. Everyone knew that.

But I couldn’t understand this kind of strange misery and the twinge in my chest when I thought about the rejection. I heard people say before that if your mate rejects you, it leaves a hole in your life. Like something was missing within you—stolen from you. But just like what they say, there was nothing that time couldn't heal. I always believe the feeling of emptiness and pain will eventually fade with time. I just wish I wouldn’t have to suffer that long.

Among the crowd, I saw the jewel of the kingdom: Lady Kendra, who, just like the others, had a crumpled expression on her face when she saw me and the Alpha. Her face was cold and terrifying. Lady Kendra failed to hide the expression on her face after seeing a servant with the Beta and the Alpha. It wasn't surprising though, because it was ridiculous to watch a servant hiding behind the broad back of the Alpha.

I quickly withdrew my eyes from everyone. It was hard to look at the faces of the aristocrats surrounding us. Confusion, bewilderment, and disgust. The silence of every person around us only worsened the sickening feeling in my gut.

Alpha Edison took the steps first, and then Master Ralph. He gently waited for me, his face patient and soft as he looked me in the eyes. I couldn’t tell what kind of emotion was in there, but he was being so nice to me, and it gave me a little courage to believe that after this humiliation from the Alpha and everyone else, he would still accept me in his mansion as if nothing horrible happened tonight.

When I came up to the platform together with Master Ralph and Alph Edison, my heart felt like it was going to explode into a tiny million pieces, seeing the shocked faces of everyone, the murmurings, and the gossiping.

Run, Claire! Run and hide your face from everyone!

“The Moon Goddess has spoken and has chosen the woman that will lead this kingdom together with me,” Alpha Edison announced to everyone with a glass of drink in his hand.

The crowd in front of us started laughing. Thinking that it was just one of the bad senses of humor of the Alpha to entertain the crowd. Down on the platform, in front of me, were the girls giggling at the galvanic sight of his well-carved body after he took off the cloak from his shoulders and raised his glass of wine to everyone. His eyes were grim and frigid, while his lips were in a straight line. Nobody knew what was on his mind, and I felt terrible being in front of everyone just to be humiliated by the Alpha. By my mate.

Feeling ashamed of myself for being the object of ridicule, I looked down at my ripped dress, and tears started to fall on my face. I even lost one of my shoes, and my right foot was caked with mud from the forest.

“I, the Alpha of the Tyrell Pack...”

My heart was going to drop at any moment.

Just make it faster, please...

The horrifying and spiteful laughter of the people made me feel nauseous and anxious at the same time. My surroundings slowly revolved around me. All I saw were the mocking and jeering faces of the wealthy people in the hall. Among them were the pale faces of Marie, Jeff, and old Marina, who looked so concerned about what was happening. I found it somehow comforting that they cared enough to look so terrified for me.

“...accept the gift of the moon goddess and continue to lead this land with prosperity and equal justice for its people.”

A loud tumult of gasps and surprised expressions from the crowd filled the hall. My eyes widened while my mind was numb, staring at the cold marbled floor down my feet. This couldn’t be real!

He’s not serious about it!

“Edison. Are you sure about that? ”Master Ralph hissed at the Alpha, who had a mischievous smile on his face. I gazed at Alpha's spiteful face and I saw that it was all just a game for him. He immediately slumped himself on his throne and emptied his glass of red wine into two swigs, throwing the glass violently against the floor and the shattered pieces flew all over the stage.

“You have no idea how I love the surprise on their faces, Ralph.” Alpha Edison snickered with a bitter smirk on his face. I turned to look at him, wanting to know why he did it. Why did he drag me into this?!

Why didn't he reject me?!

“Stop it, Edison! You’re creating chaos and questions in the minds of these people! You are supposed to choose Lady Kendra! That was the plan, right?! ”

“Shut up. Ralph. How could you not enjoy those ridiculous looks on their faces?! ”Alpha Edison replied as he swung another bottle of wine to his mouth and took three swigs of it. The wine spilled from his mouth down to his neck, his chest, and down to his six-pack abs.

The look was hypnotizing, but I was still aghast by the fact that the Alpha of the Pack was a contemptibly obnoxious and apathetic person.

“Are you sure about this? ”

"Nothing can change my mind now, Beta! ”He growled to Master Ralph with a smirk like an evil villain and glared at me from my foot up to my face. His stare was penetrating. I felt like he could look underneath my clothes, so I embraced myself in fear as all the eyes of the crowd were on me, glaring with utter contempt. The one that stood out among the crowd was Lady Kendra’s deadly glare.

She was ready to rip me apart, bit by bit. Her mouth twitched into a grimace as she irately made her way through the crowd and out of the hall with her servants trailing behind her.

I looked back at Alpha Edison, and our eyes locked once again.

I swallowed a huge lump in my throat and prayed for my life.