Alpha's Tempting Stand-In Mate

Chapter 4. Do We Have to Have Do ‘That’ Tonight?

Avery

Early the next morning, Cora, the kind-hearted Omega whom I had met the day before, came to wake me up. Still groggy from a restless night, I rubbed my sore eyes and tried to comprehend the situation. Beta Slater stood before me, holding a formal women's outfit.

"Luna, why were you sleeping here?" he inquired.

"Luna?" I repeated, blinking up at him in confusion. My head was still foggy from a night of disrupted sleep.

"Luna, please get up quickly and freshen up. Our pack's Elders and a lawyer will be arriving shortly," Slater informed me.

"Elders from the pack?" I exclaimed in surprise, my eyes widening. I knew that a pack's Elders only convened for specific reasons, one of those reasons was...

"Congratulations on passing the test, Luna," Slater confirmed with a warm smile. "Alpha Killian has decided to take you as his chosen mate. From today forward, you will be the Luna of our pack."

The news jolted me out of my groggy state. "Are you sure Alpha Killian wants to marry me?" I asked. After our encounter last night, where I had initially been frightened by him then promptly fled, I couldn't fathom how he could possibly want to marry me nevermind accept me as his mate.

"Please don't worry. The Alpha isn’t someone who makes decisions impulsively. He has carefully considered accepting you as his chosen mate," Slater reassured me.

His words left me momentarily speechless. I hadn't expected Alpha Killian to be so considerate. We had only met once the previous night and he had already made such a significant decision? It felt hasty, regardless it was good news that he was willing to marry me. The union between our packs would secure a treaty and financial support for Green Wood Pack, even if he looked scary, at least I would have a family and a pack to belong to again.

After taking a quick shower and donning the dress Slater had provided, I found myself facing three Elders, a woman that I assumed was a high-ranking warrior, and a lawyer. Their presence made me nervous but I saw their eyes full of hope and happiness. 

"Luna," the three Elders and the others all bowed before me.

"Please, raise your heads," I said hesitantly. I had never expected to receive so much respect.

"Welcome to our pack, Luna," one of the Elders stepped forward. "Please sign these papers."

I carefully read through the papers, realizing that one was a marriage consent document and the other declared me as the official Luna of the Crystal Bright Pack. I took a deep breath and signed both papers, sealing my fate with Alpha Killian.

Yet, a nagging question lingered in my mind. Where was Alpha Killian? How could these marriage documents be official without his signature?

"Beta Slater if you please, we need Alpha Killian's signatures too," one of the Elders requested. Slater immediately guided them upstairs. 

A short while later, the group returned downstairs. "Congratulations, you are now the Luna of the Crystal Bright Pack," one of the Elders announced, passing me a paper. My eyes got stuck on Alpha Killian’s signature. It was just beautiful. 

"Congratulations, Luna,” the female warrior bowed to me, but I could clearly see envy in her eyes. “We are glad that Alpha has chosen you as his Luna. You have a very handsome mate," she remarked.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of discomfort at her comment. A very handsome mate? Was this some kind of joke or a test?

"Luna, please get ready," Omega Cora requested with a smile. 

"For what?" I gave her a puzzled look.

"Tonight is the first night of married life with the Alpha. You must be prepared to welcome your mate. The little twin Alphas have already been sent to their grandfather's pack, we are going to leave as well. Only you and the Alpha will be left in the packhouse tonight. No one will disturb the couple during their mating and marking," she explained with a slight blush.

My heart, which had been slightly excited, dropped into my stomach. The memory of the Alpha's sticky touch still crawled on my skin.

My face turned pale as I asked her, "Does it have to be tonight?”  

This was too sudden, I wasn't ready yet. I hadn't gotten used to Alpha Killian's face yet...

She nodded seriously, "Yes, it must be tonight."

I looked at Beta Slater, who stood at some distance away acting as if he weren't listening to our conversation. ‘They’re already married. Why can’t we let the Luna know the truth about the handsome face of her mate tonight?’ He muttered something I couldn't hear.

After breakfast, I went inside my room and sent a message to my friend Wayneshia:

Me: Can you recommend some horror movies for me to watch? I need to practice building up my courage. Please!

Wayneshia: "I've never heard of such a strange request."

Soon, she messaged me with the names of various horror movies from all over the world. I lay down under the quilt and watched horror movies all day long. As the sky darkened to night, I felt my heart pounding in my chest as if it would burst out at any moment.

"I have nothing to be afraid of!" I loudly said to myself.

I went downstairs to drink some water and turned on the TV to watch today's news in order to change my mood. After watching horror movies all day, my heart felt uneasy.

"Headline news, just now, Ritwik Cooper and Brittanni Lewis were photographed together entering and exiting the hotel. The reporter quickly contacted both parties' agencies to confirm that they are indeed in love and will announce their engagement date soon."

My heart felt a little uncomfortable when I saw those two particular people on the TV screen. I quickly changed the channel.

"Ritwik Cooper and Brittanni Lewis are both popular figures for this year's Golden Bell Award for Best Actor and Best Actress. Now that they have suddenly made their relationship public, they are likely to have successful careers and love..."

I changed the channel repeatedly, but those two were everywhere. Finally, I turned off the TV, tossed the remote control away, and tiredly lay down on the sofa with my eyes closed.

Werewolves had taken over the entertainment industry and the business world, operating right under the noses of humans. We were almost everywhere while humans remained blissfully unaware of our existence among them. 

Alpha Ritwik Cooper was my ex-boyfriend, someone that I had loved deeply for six years. Brittanni Lewis was my best friend, a person that I had known and trusted for eight years.

Five days ago, I had decided to surprise Ritwik. I used the spare key to enter his lounge, fully expecting to delight him with an unexpected visit. However, what I discovered was the most heart-wrenching surprise of my life: my boyfriend and my best friend were having s*x. 

"Rit, when will you break up with Avery? You have to tell her that I’m your soulmate.”

"It's just a matter of time, Brittanni. Don't rush me."

"Avery is so beautiful, I'm worried you might change your mind."

"Baby, how could I ever change my mind? She gave birth to someone else's child five years ago. I can't choose a she-wolf with that kind of history. She's tainted."

Every word Ritwik and Brittanni uttered felt like a dagger through my heart. Five years ago, when Ritwik faced a career downfall and was ensnared by his adversaries, I tirelessly searched for evidence to clear his name. I also worked hard to raise funds for him to fight that difficult battle, serving as his shield.

During that time, Lilian had returned to the Green Wood Pack, and it was when I first began to witness the true nature of Alpha Martin and Luna Clara. They completely ignored my pleas for financial help, leaving me with no choice but to borrow money from Brittanni Lewis.

Brittanni had suggested egg donation as a viable option. However, something went horribly wrong during the process. The individuals who had initially agreed to the arrangement backed out, leaving me in a dire situation. I had already taken ovulation pills and found myself confined in a dark room, subjected to unspeakable torture by a mysterious man for an entire day and night.

I had gone through great lengths to raise the money, clear Ritwik's name, and pave his way to a prominent position in the film industry. It took five long years, but I succeeded in making him a top player in the entertainment world. Little did I know that in the end Ritwik would betray me by getting involved with my best friend, Brittanni Lewis. What I was completely unaware of was the fact that they were soulmates.

His hurtful words still stung in my memory. He had called me "tainted" and disliked me for having given birth to children fathered by someone else. All the while he had been the one that I endured all those hardships and sacrifices for.

Lying on the sofa, tears streamed down my face like an unending downpour. I had loved Ritwik for six years, now it all seemed like a futile waste.

As the hours passed it was soon nine in the evening. Alpha Killian still hadn't arrived, I couldn't help but wonder if he had changed his mind about our marriage. The thought left me feeling anxious and uncertain.

I wiped away my tears and glanced around the living room, my eyes landing on the wine cabinet. It was stocked with all kinds of wines, most of which I didn't recognize. 

While werewolves were known for their high alcohol tolerance, I had never been much of a drinker, especially since I didn't have a wolf. Yet at that moment, the idea of having a drink was strangely appealing. Perhaps a single glass could help me forget my worries, even if it was only for a little while. 

As I held the bottle of wine, I took a long swig directly from it. The spicy liquid burned as it went down my throat, I couldn't help but cry as I drank.

"Alpha Ritwik Cooper, you bastard!" I shouted angrily, my words slurring as the alcohol took effect. "I hope you don't win the Best Actor Award! I hope you get attacked by rogues! I hope your pack gets destroyed! Your good looks mean nothing! Your heart is evil. You can't even compare to the old ugly Alpha Killian!!"

Unbeknownst to me, outside the door, the man that held the key to open it paused.