2. An Arranged Marriage.

  I turned around, and behold, the man I feared the most in this world – my father. He stood tall, glaring at me with bloodshot red eyes. No one needed to tell me that I was in hot soup. My fingers knotted behind my back, and I swallowed hard, digesting my heart throbbing in my throat.

“I… I didn't want to disturb the peace of the house, so I…”

“You tried to sneak in? Where were you last night?” He cut me off before I even stuttered out the lies. I felt a thud in my chest, and shook my head immediately as I cleared my throat.

“I had to get something important, father. Unluckily, I didn't find what I was looking for, so I had to lodge at night, and come home today, because it was late,” I replied, straightening up. I didn't know how bad of a liar I was and I could read the suspicion in his eyes, proof that he didn't believe me.

“And what was that? What did you want to get that made you stay away?” 

“Eh… uh… it was…”

“I will talk about this matter later, and if I find out you are lying to me, you would wish you weren't my child, Aurora,” he said, giving me a death stare. I was finally able to breathe, content that I had escaped from him for the moment.

“I don't have time for this. Go inside and get dressed quickly. Alessandro and his family are here, and they want to see you,” he said with a grimace, and I stared at him, wide-eyed.

“W…what? Alessandro?” I croaked out, resounding the name in my head. 

“Yes, girl. There is something really important we've decided to tell you both. Come quickly,” he said and stormed outside the house before I could even say another word.

 Alessandro was the son of Alpha Diego of the Crescent Moon Pack, who used to have some issues with us, but suddenly became my father's best friend, for a reason I didn't know. Alessandro was the soon-to-be Alpha of the pack. I didn't have a fated mate, so my father wanted to pair me up with him. A sigh escaped my lips. I couldn't imagine my life with him, all that I ever thought was that the goddess would bless me with Adrian, but now…

 Thinking about it brought tears to my eyes, but I was shaken off as I felt a tap on my shoulder. I jolted back to reality, turning around. 

“Hey, Aurora. What happened? Did you see Father?” Riley asked, raising her brows. 

“Yes. I saw him,” I replied dryly, trying to choke back the tears in my eyes, preventing her from noticing. 

“What's wrong? What did he say?” She questioned, her eager eyes ready for a gisy.

“Nothing much, Riley. He said he'd deal with it later. I have to hurry and get dressed, Riley. Alpha Diego Vasquez, his wife, and his son, Alessandro are here, and Dad says I should come quickly. I will talk to you later.”

“But where were…”

 I walked off to my room before she asked the question. She was as curious as a cat, and it made me wonder if she really had the blood of a wolf, or maybe some other animal species running inside of her. I didn't have time to explain myself, and just as if it was some seconds ago, I reminisced on the hurtful words Adrian threw at me. Shaking my head, I blew it off my memory.

 I quickly went to get prepared and hurried over to the pack house. Dad had told me through a mind link that they were at the guest lounge, and I headed there. Walking inside, I greeted the Alpha, and his Luna, and simply nodded at Alessandro. Even if I wasn't interested in him, I couldn't deny how handsome he was. His icy blue eyes scanned the length of me as I walked over to sit down beside my mother, and I rolled my eyes away immediately.

 Dad gave me the eyes, and I put a little smile on my face. Fuck! Why did I look at him?

“You must be wondering why we called you here, Aurora. It's no news that you and Alessandro are deeply in love,” he began, placing a somewhat awkward smile on his face. Rarely did he grace his stern expression with a smile. 

 In love? Hell no.

“And that's why we have concluded. The goddess isn't all about fated mates, and that's why the two of you haven't found yours. You're definitely soul mates,” Alpha Diego said, in addition. 

 I felt my heart racing faster. I didn't know what they were heading to and the suspense was burning me already.

“So, we decided that the two of you will get engaged soon, and get married,” my father dropped the bombshell.

 My jaw dropped as I heard what he said. I rolled my eyes at my father.

Engaged? So quickly? Why did it have to happen so soon? Alessandro and I weren't all that interested in each other and I knew that we were just doing it for the sake of our families!

“Alpha Diego is a very close friend of mine, and I can't wait for our powerful forces to collide. More than that, the two of you are so in love right now, and we have to seal the deal quickly,” my father said.

 My cheeks were beginning to burn. I didn't know how to react to this. Even though I wanted to object, I couldn't go against my father, or it would be a sorrowful story thereafter. 

“What do you say, Alessandro?” Alpha Diego asked.

 He nodded his head. “Okay,” he said, dryly. “I am ready to get married to Aurora.” His gaze shot at me immediately, and he smiled.

 Really? He was okay with it?!

“Good. So, it's settled. The engagement will happen,” my father said and laughed with the other party. They were all happy with it. No one needed my opinion. 

“When is the engagement going to be?” I asked softly, trying to sound as if I was okay with their decision.

“Oh. In five days,” my father said.

 What? Five days?!

“But Father, isn't that a little…”

“Early?” Luna Marilyn asked, completing my question. “Well, we thought about it, and we decided to hasten things up. We can't wait to get you both married and have you in our home, Aurora,” she said, with a smile.

 I looked at my father. His eyes told me to remain silent, and I could hear his voice reaching out to me through the mind link.

“Stay quiet, Aurora. Don't object to this. Your engagement with Alessandro is in five days, and your marriage will be after that. Come to terms with it, because if you say or do anything to ruin this engagement, you would regret it.”