Chapter six

Diane

Their angered whispers were loud and clear, the look of disgust in their eyes were too prominent as they regarded me on their way out, but they couldn't make a single move on me because the truth remained that I was bound in marriage to their Alpha now.

So still standing in front of the wedding venue, I heaved a pent up sigh and eventually cast a dreadful stare down at the sparkling wedding dress I was currently in along with the silver band wrapped around my finger.

I still couldn't believe I was married to Axel Ivankov, that I Diane was now his wife,even after everything.

My mind jumbled up all that had occured since the ceremony and I couldn't help but be awed at how much bravery I'd exhibited and the risk I'd just taken….

I did it all for Saviour. I kept reminding myself.

Everything thing I did was for me to be with my son.

I felt someone place a calming hand on my shoulder….

Without even turning I knew it was Amelia, 

“Can I do this?” My heart pounded as I thought of how of what lay ahead now that I was bound to my arch enemy.

“You’ll be just fine. You defeated them today, I trust you can do the same always….” she offered soothingly.

Hearing her words, I wiped at the corner of my eyes as I turned to her and she had an encouraging expression as she went on, “You're strong, so you'll definitely pull through Diane…”

I was about to say a word or two when I found mama, uncle Agasha and a few others approaching me, flanked by a ton of our warriors.

“Mama….” I threw myself into her arms when she was within reach and she welcomed my embrace, 

I held her so close to me because I didn't know when I'll ever have the chance to hold her like this ever again.

“I did it, I won. I finally took my revenge against Axel….”

She nodded, patting my hair “Yes but I want you to remember that you have not yet fully won my dear, this is only the beginning of a battle. One you must face with your head held up high and make Orlandia proud.”

She pulled my head to look at her and with a head shake, she wiped my tears and continued, “and on the day you’ll return, you shall carry victory along.”

I sniffled with a nod, absorbing her words.

“Everything is done now. We've done our part I trust you would make us proud. The rest is up to you now…” Beta Agasha stated in a definitive manner.

I nodded to his words as resolve filled my heart. 

“I promise not to disappoint my family this time around…”

I had started it already, it's only fair I become the one to end it.

Finally, after a few more advices, they had to leave tonight.

They couldn't stay any longer, because Axel and his warriors were likely to regain strength soon, and when that happens, they may be in danger of attack.

So even when David volunteered to drop me off at my matrimonial home, I declined for his own safety. I didn't think it was a good idea for any of my pack members to remain in their environment any longer, after the heavy attack we pulled on them, even though David reassured me that they made sure no one was actually harmed.

David pressed my head to his chest, willing to offer some type of comfort, “Keep in touch with us. And if Axel tries to hurt you in any way, don't hesitate to pass a message across. I'll forget he’s your husband and go ahead and have him face the wrath of our warriors….”

It was his protective instinct I understood yet I assured him that I could handle things from now on. It was now my battle.

“Leader, we have to leave immediately. We can sense strange wolves nearing this area…” A warrior suggested.

So they left as soon as they could after our final goodbyes.

Most girls would be accompanied to their husband’s house, in a fancy car, decorated all round but all I could get was an Uber.

Even the Uber driver had this nasty curl on his lips as I told him my destination and settled into the car.

He wasn't discreet with his distaste for me because obviously the news had gone round and everyone here probably hated me for what I did to their Alpha.

Amelia was with me all along even when my palms started feeling clammy during the ride to the Ivankov mansion, my new home.

She suggested she would sign up as my personal maid just to be with me all along.

“Are you okay?” she asked after a while of silence.

I gave a tight nod, 

“Yeah, guess I'm just uh nervous…”

Ignoring the nasty look of the driver from the mirror, I reached out to hold Amelia’s hand.

“Do you think they’d let us in?”

“I don't know, guess we'll have to wait and see…”

Surprisingly, the security at the gate had let us in and the doors were wide ajar and dangerously inviting into the house when we arrived, yet I took the bait and stepped in.

A gold and luxurious mansion greeted me within yet it felt like I had stepped into some sort of Lion's den.

Hostility was all I met with from every single person.

The soldiers guarding around eyed me like their next prey, as they wore bruised cheeks and cuts, a result of what my people did to them, yet no one stood in my way.

Even the servants scrutinized my every movement with distasteful expressions etched on their faces.

The entire house was in a disarray and there seemed to be a hanging tension around.

Suddenly the sound of an enraged voice filled my hearing, 

“This is such a disaster, that girl and her people have ruined us all…” 

Another distant rant filled my hearing….

And more angered voices fell on my ears…

Bringing goosebumps to my skin.

From my spot downstairs, I could hear the unmistakable voice of Axel raging out at the servants and probably everyone else, up there with him.

Curiousity made me drag my feet towards the direction of the sound. I shakily ascended the stairs until I got to the open door where all the voices were sieving out from…

I first met sight with Alpha Jackson lying there on the room bed, wide eyed but unconscious and paralyzed, suffering the state I put him in.

As my eyes shifted from him, a harsh breath escaped me as I noticed other presences in the room. They were mostly women of Axel’s family.

The red marks around their hands were a reminder of the captivity they were held in.

I gripped my wedding dress tightly as I recognized one of the women probably Alpha Jackson's wife was in a bout of tears as she sat beside her motionless husband. 

At the corner …

Sofia sat sobbing her eyes out as her face was stained with mascara as she was being held down by an elderly woman probably her mum.

There were other male presences in the room, all wearing looks of rage and disappointment as they discussed all that had gone down.

And Axel ..

He was the most outraged even….

I watched him gulp down a shot of alcohol in a single moment before flinging the glass to the wall in a sheer rage, causing the action to startle me as he transformed into a monstrous man in my sight.

“Who and who were supposed to be on guard?” He demanded from the trembling soldiers before him.

They stuttered in speech, my palms felt clammy and I swallowed heavily until my eyes locked with Sofia’s own.

The last I remember of her was knocking her out in her dressing room, before taking her place.

All of a sudden she jerked up with clenched fists, suddenly alerting everyone of my presence with her hateful snarl.

“You bitch.” She seemed willing to lounge at me, but she was soon held back by her mum.

“How dare you step into this house after all you did?” she shrieked as she struggled against her mother’s hold and eventually headed towards me, and to my surprise, Axel stopped her with his hold on her arm, drawing her into his chest.

“She's the woman that crashed my daughter’s wedding?” A man with dark riddled eyes demanded making Axel’s furious eyes bore into me.

“Yes.” was his stoic response

“Let me handle her. She's my problem..” he hissed, softly pushing Sofia into her Father’s hold, before taking a step towards me, completely unnerving me as I nervously gripped my dress.

“Who let you in?” his tone sent a chill down my spine as his cold cruel eyes pierced mine. In that moment, he seemed unrecognizable, like the one year I spent with him never happened.  

It had been almost two years since I last saw him yet he did not look like the Axel I ever knew.

He seemed like a monstrous stranger, one I was now having regrets of as to why I went up against him.

Yet I chinned up, “This is where I belong after our marriage…”

He chuckled darkly, and with a voice dripping with burning rage, he carried on, 

“You have some nerve stepping into my property after bashing my wedding and endangering my family, now don't you?”

My focus remained on him, my bravery unwavering as I declared,

“What I did was right. And there’s no way to undo the done. I am married to you now Axel, you’d have to respect that.”

“Really?” he snickered as he covered the little distance between us with predatory steps. His enraged blue eyes had turned its darkest shade as he loomed over me.

I gulped, desperately keeping away how scared I had become of his anger as I glared into his fiery eyes.

In the next second, he had my neck in a chokehold, squeezing out my breath as he harshly pinned me to the wall.

“Go ahead and utter one more word about this sham marriage and I'll fucking end you right away…” he snarled, while almost snuffing out my breathing.

In defense, my hand flew to my neck desperately trying to pry off his hand,

“Ax..Axel.” I choked out but he wasn't bugging instead he squeezed harder as his veins popped and his jaws clenched in sheer rage.

“You think you're such a smartie now don't you?” He hissed.

Everyone’s hateful eyes were directed at me, most even stood up, yet no one tried to stop Axel, instead they seemed to approve it.

“Kill her Axel. Make her suffer for what she did to all of us…” Sofia spat.

Rather he cackled in spite, 

“Oh for sure, I'll kill her but not before I earn my fair share of torture for the crimes of her people….”

“You seem to be forgetting that you brought this on your people. Consider this a part of our retribution for your sins against us….” I gritted out through his chokehold.

Then he snapped, “Revenge? You really thought the fucking shit show you pulled was a smartass revenge?”

“It seems you're completely oblivious to the fact that by doing this, you've willingly thrust yourself into the enemy’s den. Don't you know?” he hissed maliciously.

“You messed with the wrong person Diane and now you'll pay for it…” were his cruel words, that didn't even prepare me for what was to come next…