Mated To Alpha Gregory

Chapter 7: A mistake

Adam's POV;

I paced around in my office, pondering over my conversation with her and how strangely she had acted in my presence. I wondered if I was too hasty in telling her to marry me.

You ruined it!

I sighed and expelled a breath. I told her that I was going to see her after the meeting with a few council members, but now that I think about it, I might have ruined the chance to get her to like me.

When she heard that I was the Alpha King, she acted strangely—not like she was scared of me, more like indifferent—and she had agreed to marry me that quickly.

I was waiting for Ronan. He was supposed to be supervising the ongoing work at the newly built college, but I needed to talk to someone, and there was no one I trusted more than him.

Just then, the office door opened, and he stepped in, his eyes laced with worry, and my brows pulled together into a frown, my mouth parting slowly.

"How's she?" he questioned before I couldn't say anything as he plopped onto the sofa.

"What's wrong? I have been waiti—"

"I saw Ben just outside the mansion." He grabbed the half-empty bottle of whiskey that was on the table and took a long swig.

I sighed and went around the desk, taking a seat in one of the plush leather chairs, directly opposite Ronan. Out of all my older brothers, Ben was the one who seemed to hold the most grudges and whom I had always been wary of.

"How's she?" He asked, breaking my reverie, and a deep sigh escaped from my lips.

"She's awake now, but she seems to still be in pain."

My beta had been surprised the day before when, at the wedding in Greenforest, I had disappeared for a while and appeared later with an unconscious woman over my shoulder and told him that it was time to leave.

"Doctor Wilde has confirmed that she's going to be fine, right?"

I grunted and reached to the table to take the bottle of whiskey that Ronan had dropped on the table, downing the remaining whiskey in a single gulp as I remembered what the doctor had told me immediately after he had examined her.

She had been brutally abused, and it was a miracle that she had been in good shape for this long. She was malnourished and needed lots of rest. I couldn't help but wonder how they could do that to another person. My wolf, Ted, growled in anger. My jaw clenched, and I gritted my teeth as I curled my fist into a ball.

From my peripheral vision, I could see Ronan looking at me with concern, and I drew in a deep breath to calm my anger, and my eyes stared into his.

"She'll heal. Doctor Wilde said her physical scars are not really the problem, but emotional scars. That man was her mate! It's just so terrible, and I think she's scared of me." My voice broke at the last part, and my jaw clenched harder as I averted my gaze.

"How can you treat someone who's supposed to be your mate like that? How dare he! And she's just so innocent and—" I punched the hardwood desk as I gritted my teeth even tighter.

"And the bastard had the guts to tell me that he was not aware that she was being abused!"

I remembered how he had looked confused as he saw her unconscious on my shoulder, and then he ran towards me, unable to hide his anxiety and guilt.

He had asked what was wrong, and it took all the strength in me to not punch him right there and then. I had already been informed by a guard about who she was, and that was how I knew that he knew about the abuses, and I was sure that he even took part in them.

Apparently, the wedding ceremony couldn't be held anymore due to the fact that I wasn't there, and I had told the guards at the mansion gates that I didn't want to see him, at least until I thought of a better way to punish him, as I couldn't punish him directly since he was the Alpha's son.

"What will you do about him?" Ronan questioned me, breaking my chain of thoughts.

"I have no idea for now, but he will definitely pay. No one dares touch what is mine and go scot-free." I glanced at the now empty bottle and swallowed hard as I remembered how she had treated me earlier. She was wary of me.

"I saw her this morning, and she wouldn't even let me get close. You needed to have seen how panicked she was. And when she knew who I was, she didn't want me to go close—and I should've taken things easy and tried to get her to know me first, but then I ruined it!"

I glanced at Ronan, and his brows were pulled together into a frown, and I heaved a sigh.

"What did you do?" His tone was calm, like he was dreading what I was going to say.

"I asked her to marry m—"

"Your Highness!"

"And she said yes. But it was all so very quick; she seemed so far away; it was just as if she didn't want to annoy me."

"Actually, Your Highness, I didn't say this earlier because I wasn't too sure, but—"

I sprang up immediately as his tone hinted that something was wrong.

"What is it?"

"While coming here, I heard some of the maids whispering about the arrival of the daughter of the Alpha of Silvercrest pa—"

"Why didn't you mention this earlier?"

Ronan's hard gaze glared into mine, and I knew what he was thinking. He didn't have to say the words because I thought the same way too.

"Let's go."

Together, we left my office and walked straight to her room. I ignored the greetings from the maids and guards.

Doctor Wilde had said that seeing those people from her past who abused her might be triggering for her, and I couldn't bear to see her in any more pain.

I pushed open the door to see that same blonde who had an ugly sneer on her face as she hit Lilith. Now there was a smile on her face, a smile that didn't reach her eyes as she suddenly turned to me after I had opened the door.

I clenched my fist tightly as I glanced at Lilith; her expression was neutral, but I understood her now; she was trying to not let anything get to her. She was more or less a zombie, which is why she said yes to me when I asked to marry her.

My lips were pursed in a thin line. "What are you doing here, Miss Haines?"

She chuckled softly and bowed. "Your Highness," she said, raising her head slightly.

"I realized how wrong I had been. No matter who she is or what she has done, I shouldn't have hit her. It was so wrong of me."

It was all fake. The way she smiled, the way she spoke—everything. I do not hit women, but the urge to punch that fake smile away from her face was just too much.

She had acted surprised when I called Lilith my mate that day, and she asked me if I was sure, as this was an Omega, a traitor, and a slave. I had never had such a strong urge to punch something or someone.

"Miss Haines, I appreciate the thought, but there is no need for that. I ordered the guards to not let anyone in here, I don't know how you're her—"

"Common, Your Highness. She was my slave; it is only proper for me to come to wish her well and offer some words of—"

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist tightly at her words. She had emphasized the word'slave''

"Miss Haines, I suggest you leave now, as your presence was never in any way needed. The king will communicate to Alpha Haines and Alpha Smith whatever punishment he seeks for you," Ronan cut in, noticing my rage.

I heaved a sigh as I unclenched my fist. I was going to make them pay, and that was a promise.

Suddenly, she fell to her knees, making Lilith, who had gone to sit on the sofa without looking at her, turn around. I could see the panic in her eyes before it was quickly replaced with a look of indifference.

"Your Highness, please. I am sorry. I had no idea that she was your mate. I was only trying to discipline her. Your Highness pleas—"

I stared down at her and her fake tears. She wasn't remorseful; it was evident from her tone and her eyes. She was only begging because I had promised to punish her.

"Tell the guards to drag her out." With that, I walked towards Lilith, ignoring the other woman's plea as she was being dragged away by the guards.