Chapter 024

He looked surprised at my question, then turned away. “She's not good at all. And she’s malnourished.”

I frowned at that. “I specifically told the warden to give her food-”

“She's not eating it,” he interjected, the scowl back on his face. “She's deliberately starving herself, Alpha. Because she wishes to die.”

It seemed like a silver knife was lodged in my chest at those words. I stared at him in disbelief. “What do you mean by she wishes to die? It’s only been about a week and a half since she was detained-”

“It's been about a week and a half to you, Alpha, to her? To her, it's like an eternity!”

As soon as he said that, he turned on his heels and stomped off, leaving me stupefied.

The following day, when darkness had ruled for about four hours, I stepped out of my house to visit the prison. I would have gone the night before, but Tanya had called, and I was unable to leave the call as early as I wanted to.

Jacob surely wasn't serious, I thought as I marched down the path to the entrance. Why would she want to kill herself?

The prison guard was surprised to see me, but he bared his neck and gave me the keys to the cell.

As soon as I arrived, the first thing I noticed was the silence. But I dismissed that as her sleeping. That was even better - I'd be spared from whatever hatred she had in her eyes.

Jacob was right. She was malnourished. It had only been about two weeks, but she looked like someone with a lifelong condition that involved weight loss.

I sat down beside her still body and stared into space.

“I’m terribly sorry, Audrey,” I whispered. “The truth is, I don't know what to do. Having a mate was once my biggest dream, but now it's just like a burden. I want Tanya because of what I plan to gain from her, but I also want you. And I'm sorry; I'm a confused person.

“How about we do this: After the wedding, I'd banish you and reject you so you can live freely. What do you think? It's not what I want, but I didn't want this either. These past few weeks have been beyond crazy. I have not known which voice to follow, which role to pick. But I've chosen now, and like you said, it's better that we're not together.”

My gaze moved from the ceiling to her still face and focused on her lips. Then I turned.

I really was crazy.

“I'd have really loved to know what your lips tasted like, however.” I sighed and adjusted my sitting position to get more comfortable. When my hand accidentally touched hers, I made to apologize, then paused as I realized how cold her body was. Curious, I moved closer to inspect.

Only for my blood to run cold when I discovered that her heart was beating very weakly as well.

♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎

Nobody's POV:

Soft music played from the speakers as Diane expertly weaved through the crowd, greeting her family members and ‘relatives’. She beamed at the gifts they offered her, then directed them to the table where they were to place it. However, soon enough, after the guests were seated, she looked around.

Tanya was still in the dressing room. She hadn't heard from Roman.

No matter, she thought. She would take charge till the Alpha arrived and stood on the podium. The officiating priest was around for the marriage rites, and all she had to do was sit tight and watch the wedding go exactly as she planned. She'd warned that foolish Alpha of the consequences if the wedding didn't hold, and she trusted he would follow.

So when the Beta arrived alone dressed in a dark suit and his usual blank face, she was surprised and marched up to him while he picked a glass of punch from the food table.

“You don't deserve to take that,” she snapped, snatching the glass from his hand. He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow, but unlike many others who'd have fled at that, she stood strong.

“Why not?” Julian replied drily. “This is a wedding, and I am a guest.”

She didn't have time for his odd manner of speaking at times. “Where is the Alpha?”

“I don't know. Haven't seen him since yesterday.” He took a look around. “Where's the bride?”

She forced a snarl back down her throat. “In the changing room. She'd appear after the Alpha has appeared.”

“Well, that's interesting. Can I have the glass back, please? I'm quite thirsty.”

“Where the hell is the Alpha?”

Diane forcing herself into his mind was not something Julian had foreseen happening, and his mind was momentarily imbalanced. Then he steadied himself and glared at her before pushing her out.

“Don't you dare do that again,” he said with a low growl. “And as for where the Alpha is, well-, it's his wedding, so he should be here soon.”

With that, he picked and filled another glass on the table with punch, then turned away from his friend's to-be mother-in-law, leaving her red with rage.

She was going to kill the Alpha when she laid a hand on him. She'd planned the entire event to the last point and had made sure she left no stone unturned in making it a success. She'd sought only the best, and one boy out there was assuming that he could one-up her?

Angered, she downed the punch she'd snatched from Julian and locked eyes with Marcus Henderson when she looked up. He had a questioning expression on his face, and when she answered that everything was fine, he nodded, then stood and approached her.

“You look exquisite as always.”

Diane laughed, knowing Marcus’ feelings towards her. The man was ruthless and the kingpin of several illegal businesses in the world, but he was also almost always…how did the youngsters say it again? Ah, horny.

When she’d initially realized that, she used it to her advantage, and they'd been intimate a few times, but he was never satisfied.

The suggestive look he was giving her showed that he wanted her at that moment.