Lotus’ POV

After breakfast, I went to search for Alex. I knew that treaty marriages were always different from regular ones, but I couldn’t imagine that the situation would be this bad. I walked outside the packhouse. I took the back door and went to the garden. Finally, I found Alex. He was monitoring the training of the pack warriors behind the packhouse, near the jungles. I saw some females were also training.

Alex sensed my presence. He turned around towards me. I could see the frowns on his forehead as soon as he saw me standing at the end of the ground. He strode towards me. I started to walk towards the forest. He followed me there. After a few minutes’ walk, I stopped. Then I turned back. I looked into his eyes directly and asked rudely, “care to explain?”

He looked down. I can tell he didn’t have that courage to look into my eyes. He didn’t utter a single word. “Alex, please tell me what’s going on here. Don’t you think I deserve to know?” I asked in a softer voice this time. My wolf is getting impatient with all these things going around. This was too much to take.

He sighed, “I am so sorry, Lotus, for dragging you in this situation. Yesterday after our return, Damien requested me to introduce you to everyone, not as Luna, but as my cousin.” He paused a little and then continued in a shallow voice, “He does not want to accept you publicly.”

I have always heard about the bad things about treaty marriages, but somehow, I felt mine would be different. The way Damien was watching my every move in the barbeque party, there was adore in his eyes. I know he is the alpha demon; I know he is a ruthless murderer. Still, I thought, things will be different. What on earth was I thinking? My wolf was very disappointed with this situation. I have alpha blood running in my veins. I cannot tolerate insults.

“Why on earth did he marry me? He could have rejected my father’s offer. Is this a joke to him?” I shouted at Alex.

He looked more guilty. He took a deep breath and then started, “Lotus, I will say things are still better for you. You don’t know him. He didn’t get that demon title just like that. I know you have heard a lot of stories about this pack before coming here. Let me tell you that all those stories are true. It is better for you if you stay away from him. He is a ruthless murderer. He only cares for himself. Trust me, Lotus, you would not like to know the monster behind his face.”

I became speechless. Adeline gave me a tour of his character, and now it's Alex’s turn, probably. And they all are talking about my husband. I cannot believe fate put me in such a situation.

“What about Cersei?” I asked him.

“She is a pack slut. Damien grows some test towards her, that’s all. But I have to admit that she lasted more than others. Don’t think about her. She will be replaced by someone else before you blink.” Alex chuckled nervously.

I don’t know what to say. Should I be happy that my husband will ditch that bitch before I blink? Should I be sad that she will be replaced soon with someone else? That someone will never be me.

‘This is getting ridiculous. I don’t want to stay here anymore.’, my wolf yelled at me. I can sense she is running out of patience. I have never seen her this furious. She is on the verge of taking control.

‘I know. Let me talk to Alex first.’, I said. She stopped fighting.

“Alex, let me go from here. I don’t want to stay here anymore. He does not need me. He will not acknowledge me. Why should I stay?” Alex looked into my eyes. My voice was feeble. I felt so weak, so defeated.

Alex looked speechless. It looked like he was talking with his wolf. After a long silence, he finally opened his mouth, “I will talk to Damien about that.”

“I also want to be there, Alex.”, I said in a shallow voice. He nodded his head, and I followed him to the alpha’s office.

We crossed the long corridor on the second floor and stood in front of a massive wooden door. As soon as we reached there, I felt this was not a very bright idea. Alex knocked on the door. I became very nervous. He was nothing to me; still, this thought of my going away from him hurting me so much.

“Come in.” We heard his voice.

Alex opened the door and went inside. I followed him and then closed the door. He was sitting behind a massive wooden desk. He looked at Alex and completely ignored my presence.

“Yes, Alex, do you need anything?” he asked casually.

“Umm, Damien, actually... the fact is... umm.. the thing is”, Alex couldn’t make a proper sentence. I can sense how nervous he is.

“Say it clearly, Alex,” he commanded.

Alex became silent. He couldn’t find the right words. Seeing things going nowhere, I gathered the courage to say,” Alpha Damien, I would like to go back to my old pack.”

The room was pin-drop silence. Damien looked at me directly into my eyes. He looked angry. I couldn’t bear his gaze anymore. I moved my eyes towards Alex. He looked so scared. Suddenly the door opened, and Cersei came inside,” Babe, I was looking for you. I need to go shopping”, she said while walking towards Damien ignoring our presence.

“OUT” Damien stood up and shouted. Cersei stopped walking and turned towards us.

My gaze fell on Alex one more time. He nodded his head, and we stepped towards the door.

“Not you.” He yelled at me. I turned back. Cersei looked puzzled. Damien shouted again, looking at Cersei, “I SAID OUT”. I looked at his eyes. They are changing colours. Now they are pitch black. His wolf is taking over. Cersei left the room, immediately closing the door behind her.

“YOU WANT WHAT?” he shouted at me, hitting the table in front of him using his strength. That enormous table fell. Alex quickly pushed me behind him. I won’t say I was scared. I was terrified.

“Damien, please calm down! Just listen to me once” Alex tried to calm him down, but using his speed Damien reached in front of him in a second and pinned him against the wall holding his throat, “So you are the one putting this thought in her mind.” He yelled at him.

Alex was choking. He was running out of oxygen. Oh my god! Is he going to kill Alex? This is all my fault, and Alex was only trying to help. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I ran towards Damien and placed my hand on his shoulder, “Alpha Damien, please listen to me once. Please let him go else he will die”

He turned towards me and looked into my eyes. He dropped Alex on the floor. I got lost in his pitch-black eyes. His hand curled against my waist, and he pulled me closer to his chest before I knew it. I can feel tinkles and sparks on my body. My wolf purred in my head. He bent down a little and rubbed his nose on my neck. My entire body shivered at his reaction. I can hear my wolf moaning. He took deep breaths, such as he was inhaling my scent. I can sense his muscles are getting relaxed. I put my hand on his chest to pull myself away and looked into his eyes again. They were blue this time, just like when I saw him in my packhouse.

“Never ask me again about leaving this pack, kitten.”, he whispered into my ears. There was so much warmth in his voice. Did he call me Kitten? He took another deep breath and pulled away from me.

What happened? Was he holding me? Did he ask me to stay? Of course, he wasn’t polite enough. Well, that’s the best I can expect. Do I really mean something to him? I looked at Alex, who was standing now. He was also clueless.

“Do you have anything else to say?” Damien asked. His voice went back to the cold one.

“No alpha, we will leave now,” Alex concluded quickly, and we left his room. As soon as we left the room, Alex turned towards me and said, “Thank you for saving my life. But I guess you cannot leave Lotus.” He paused and started again, “Don’t do anything stupid, Lotus. Never think of running away. What you saw today inside that room was nothing. Please don’t test his patience. Accept it or not, this is your fate.”

I looked at Alex and smiled, “I won’t, Alex.”

I went towards my room. I need some space right now.

‘What just happened inside?’ I asked my wolf.

‘I don’t know exactly, but he wants us to stay, Lotus. It is making me happy’, she answered. I can sense how relaxed she is. She was beyond happy. I still can feel his nose on my neck. I touched my neck unconsciously.

‘But he will never acknowledge us,’ I sighed.

‘As long as he wants us to stay, we will stay,’ my wolf replied.

‘What about his girlfriends?’ I asked my wolf again. Cersei is so annoying. I can hardly tolerate her. According to Adeline and Alex, there are many more like Cersei.

‘This is our fate, Lo. Trust me, we were destined for this. We will stay here until we find our mate,’ she assured me.

‘Until we find our mate,’ I repeated.