The Alpha's Hidden Mate

*Ember* “You will marry Alpha Gavin, and that’s final!” My father’s voice booms through the room, leaving me shuddering, fighting back tears. I hate it when he makes me cry. I do everything I can to keep the salty liquid from streaming down my cheeks, but I’m not quite successful enough. One rogue tear falls from my eye. I don’t bother to wipe it away. Instead, I take a deep breath, and in the most controlled tone I can muster, I ask, “May I be excused?” Father continues to glare at me from his seat behind his desk for a long moment before waving a dismissive hand. I turn and walk out the door as quickly as possible, bumping into random servants as I blindly march to my room. I take the stairs two at a time, longing to fall into my bed and bury my head under the covers. But that won’t solve my problems. Goddess, at this point, nothing will. I can’t believe my own father is making me marry that wretched lunatic Alpha Gavin. He’s almost as murderous as my father himself. How many of the smaller packs has Black Night Pack overrun recently? Too many for me to count. Though, not as many as our own pack, Fire Pack. Nevertheless, I want to escape a life like I have now, constantly feeling abysmal for the atrocities my father commits, not create another situation where I can’t face the people of my own pack because I’m too ashamed of the Alpha’s choices. Despite it not helping one bit, I fling myself down onto the bed and sob for several minutes, allowing my emotions to pour out of me and into the silk comforter my mother picked out for me the birthday before she died. I can’t help but think that if she were still here, none of this would be happening. My father was a different man before she died. Now, he burns the world down, standing amid the ashes and laughing like the lunatic he is. After a few minutes, the soft creak of my bedroom door alerts me that I’m not alone. I sit up, swiping at my tears, but when I see that it’s Ruby, I breathe a sigh of relief. My younger cousin who is lucky in many ways because her mother, my father’s sister, could never be Alpha, sits down on the edge of the bed. Her mouth is drawn into a tightline. I know that sympathetic look. I’ve seen it on so many faces the past two years, since Mother died. “I just heard,” she says, reaching over and touching my hand. I cling to her fingers like maybe she can save me. “I’m so sorry, Em.” Taking a deep breath, I push my unruly red curls over my shoulder. “I don’t know what to do,” I admit. “I can’t marry him. I know they say the mate bond doesn’t exist anymore, or if it does, it’s very rare, but… I can’t stand settling for a man I can never love.” Tears well in her eyes as she opens her arms for me, and I lean against her shoulder. “I know, Em. I know.” She rubs slow circles on my back, the way my mother used to do for both of us when we were hurting. “There’s got to be something we can do.” A cross between a grunt and a hiccup falls from my lips as I pull away to look into her jade-colored eyes, the same shade as mine. “You think I haven’t already been wracking my brain for any possibility of an opportunity to get the hell out of here and never come back?” I shake my head, knowing she means well, but all I’ve been doing for the past six months, since my father first mentioned this betrothal, is trying to figure out a way to get out of it. Even if it meant running away and hiding somewhere, I’d do it, but I have no f*****g idea where to go. “It’s too damn bad you weren’t born a boy,” she mutters, shaking her head. “You’d have at least four years of Alpha Academy to get through before you’d have to get married.” “Yeah, no kidding.” I fold my arms and shake my head. “Your brother is so f*****g lucky he gets to go for our pack, even though he’s not the Alpha’s son.” She giggles so hard a snort comes out, and then we’re both laughing, despite how utterly outraged I still am. “Emory? Please! You know he doesn’t want to go. s**t, he’s doing everything he can to try to get out of it–almost as much as you’re trying to get out of marrying Gavin. He’s even saved up enough money to run away and buy a sheep farm somewhere.” “What I wouldn’t give to trade him places,” I mutter, all the laughter gone. Ruby loops her arm around my shoulder, and we sit there in silence for a moment. I’m still thinking about her older brother, Emory. He’s my age and does whatever the hell he wants because he’ll never be Alpha. Part of my father’s agreement with Gavin is that our second oldest son will be my father’s heir. The idea of making any children with that bastard has my stomach churning. “We look so much alike,” Ruby notes. Wondering where that came from, I lift my head and realize she’s looking at our reflection in the mirror. She’s right. We do look a lot alike. “All three of us do,” I note. “Well, Emory’s lips aren’t quite as full as ours.” “True. And my boobs are way bigger than yours.” She sticks her chest out, probably trying to make me laugh. “Hell, you’re almost as flat as Emory.” I turn and narrow my eyes at her, but I can’t argue. She’s not wrong. I’ve always been pretty flat chested. Father always says no one will want a little stick figure like me, so I better take whatever he brings me. “If your hair was a little shorter, you’d probably look more like my own brother than I do,” Ruby continues. “Do you remember that time–” “Wait!” An idea pops into my head so quickly, so full of possibilities, I can’t help but interrupt her. “Oh, Goddess, Rube! I know what I can do!” Her eyebrows nearly touch as she stares at me. “What is it, Em? Do about what?” “About Gavin!” I can’t help the cat-like grin that takes over my face. I’ve either just had the best idea of my entire life—or it’s the idea that will get me killed. Either way, I won’t have to marry Gavin.