The Rules

Had I lucked out by falling out of the window? Would I die when I hit the ground?

I grunted as I landed on a flower bed. Nope. No death, just a lot of pain. 

Above me, I saw Beta Grant looking out of the window. “Luna Bowen, are you okay?!” He called. 

“No, I’m alive!” I yelled back. 

“Just stay there!”

Well I had nowhere else to go. 

I saw some pack members staring at me strangely. I gave them a weak wave as Beta Grant came running towards me. He lifted me up, carryinging me bridal style. Fitting considering what I was wearing. 

“Why are you such a klutz?” He demanded as he quickly made his way back into the house. “You could have died! Which I’m sure is what you wanted.”

“At least it wasn’t on purpose this time.” I laughed. 

“It’s not funny!”

“What happened?” Alpha Ronan ran over to us. 

“The window,” I informed him. 

“You actually jumped out of it?!”

“She tripped,” Beta Grant stated. “Over the dress.”

He handed me over to Alpha Ronan who ran me to our room as though I was dying. I was gently set on the bed. 

“Where does it hurt?” He asked. 

“My wrist, but it’s healing.” I assured him. 

He brought my swollen wrist to his lips and kissed it. “Did that help?”

“Tell him yes,” Basia ordered. 

“Yes…yes it did.” I smiled. “Thank you.”

“You look beautiful…however I don’t think that’s the right dress.”

“It wasn’t my favorite either.”

Alpha Ronan smiled. “Then let’s find you the right one.” 

--

The right dress was finally found. It was beautiful, but still not enough to make me excited. At least I would look pretty on one of the worst days of my entire life. 

I stared at the ceiling that night, praying for the chandelier above the bed to fall and crush Alpha Ronan and me in our sleep. He stirred in his sleep, tightening his grip on me. I tried to scoot over, but his hold was ironclad. 

I sighed, thinking about Ewan once again. I missed him more than anything. He should be the man I was in bed with. We should be making love to each other right now and whispering how much we loved one another. And then he would wrap his arms around me as I fell asleep while promising I was more beautiful than the moon. 

I wondered if he could see me from the other side. If he was proud of me for trying to push through without him or if he hated seeing me in bed with another man.

--

My future mother in law had sad eyes. 

I was meeting Ronan’s parents and I couldn’t help but notice how dead his mother, Trisha’s eyes looked. She also looked sorry for me. When the men started talking, she pulled me to the side. 

“How are you dear?” She asked. 

“Lovely,” I smiled. 

“How are you really?”

For some odd reason I felt I could be honest with her at that moment. “Miserable. Terrified. Your son is…he’s used to always getting his way, isn’t he?”

She nodded. “He’s the Alpha, of course he is. Has he hurt you?”

“He’s been a little rough.”

“He gets that from his father.” She whispered. “Bowen, the best advice I can give you is to make him as happy as you possibly can. Only cry when you’re alone, always smile in his presence, take the word ‘no’ out of your vocabulary.”

“That doesn’t sound like a way to live,” I breathed. 

“No, but it is a way to survive.” Trisha smiled sadly. “Unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Everyone will be so busy and occupied for the wedding tonight. And you won’t have to sleep with Ronan considering he can’t see the bride before the wedding. I suppose if you were to disappear…”

“Well I wouldn’t be able to just walk out the front door.” I pointed out. 

“No, but you could walk out of the side door in the kitchen. It’s the only door that’s never guarded and if someone could keep anyone from going anywhere near there…well it’s a direct path to the forest.”

I studied her. Was this a test? Did Alpha Ronan put his mother up to this to see if I would run? I decided no. She looked so terrified for me and her eyes were burning into mine with worry. She wanted me to get away. 

I at least had to try.

I nodded. “That is…a good thing to know. I may have to test the theory of if that would work.”

She squeezed my hands. “May the Moon Goddess be with you.”

I kind of hoped she wasn’t. She’d done nothing but screw me over this week. 

Alpha Ronan walked over to me and kissed my cheek. “Do you realize you are the envy of every woman here?”

I looked around and saw that he was kind of right. I was getting many glares from the women in the room. If only they knew I would switch places with them in a heartbeat.

“Are you the envy of every man?” I asked. 

“I should be. I’m set to marry the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

I thought about what Trisha said and smiled. “Then we are both extremely lucky aren’t we?”

I hesitated for a moment before kissing him. He seemed caught off guard but kissed me back eagerly. 

“Bowen, you seem…different.”

“I had a talk with your mother and she made me realize that I have to be a better woman for you. I’m supposed to make you happy. That’s my job as Luna.”

It was almost adorable the way his eyes lit up. “You’re willing to try? That-um that means a lot to me, Bowen. I really do think you and I can be very happy together. We can put the past behind us and move forward.”

“If that’s what you want, that’s what we’ll do, darling.” 

He put his mouth next to my ear. “I like hearing you call me that. Say that when I’m inside of you tomorrow night.”

I wanted to gag, but I swallowed it down and drank champagne. “Whatever you want…darling.”

Alpha Ronan kissed me again, powerfully, causing everyone around us to cheer. 

It reminded me of my wedding night when everyone was so happy for Ewan and me. But this was different. I didn’t think anyone was genuinely happy for us, I think they felt they had to be.

Alpha Ronan went to briefly talk business with some pack members and I was left alone. 

“You’re up to something,” A voice from behind me accused. 

It was Beta Grant.

“Don’t know what you mean. I’m doing what you said and keeping your brother happy.”

“But why?”

“Your mother gave me some excellent advice.” I smiled. “She’s a very wise woman.”

Beta Grant squinted at me. “You better not have something up your sleeves.”

“Impossible. I doubt anything Alpha Ronan will pick out for me to wear will have sleeves anyways.”

--

I waited until the clock read three in the morning before I started quietly packing. I was in the room all the way down the hall from Alpha Ronan’s, near the staircase. 

I swung my bag over my shoulder, holding onto my shoes tightly. I would wait to put them on until I was outside to minimize noise. 

Slowly, I opened the door and poked my head out. No one there. I took the stairs one at a time at snail speed, determined not to wake a single soul.

Finally I reached the bottom and hunched over as I swiftly made my way to the kitchen. Trisha had been right. I didn’t hear or see a single soul. 

I got a little lost on the way to the kitchen, but finally found my way. I crept across the dark kitchen without a sound. I stopped at the door. On the other side was freedom. I didn’t know where I’d go or what I’d do, but what I did know is that I would be free.

As my hand touched the doorknob, the light flicked on and I heard a voice from behind me. 

“And where do you think you’re going?”

Well, I was caught now.