Mint And Cigarette

Ava.

"I'm sorry, Alpha." Father had run over before I could think of how to reply to him and immediately stepped in between him and I, slightly pushing me aside.

Interested, I narrowed my eyes and moved back to leave even more space for him. Several times, I'd see dad panic over issues involving Celia but had never cared to raise a finger when it came to me so all those years, I sought to make bad things happen to Celia just for the fun of watching him panic. If Celia fell and bruised her kneecap, she had to go to the local hospital, get admitted to a VIP ward and would not leave until her scar was completely gone. But that wasn't the case when I had caught a serious cold or when Marilyn once thought I would die... or when I had to spend two weeks in the hospital. I was alone and never had his care for once. 

"Ava is impatient and tends to say silly things at times but she's really sweet. She'll make a good wife, I promise you, Alpha. She's efficient with the laundry and cooks very well." 

I wasn't. If I was impatient, I wouldn't still be living with them after all these years of torture. 

Zayn always helped me to pay for my laundry and I never attempted to boil water all my life. 

I shook my head and turned away, not wanting to listen to anymore of his lies or be tempted to step into their conversation. 

"Ava is alright. " I heard Alpha Darwin say as I made my way to the limousine where his Beta stood. 

He is right. I am alright being myself but not a good wife. 

"Madame!" His Beta came to me once he saw me approaching.

With bright golden eyes and blonde hair, he looked rather nice than his master. I had no idea if he was though. 

"Madam, I'll take you in." He said, ushering me to the limo and opening the backseat for me.

I smiled at him with gratitude before stepping in. I had no idea what his name was and didn't know if it was appropriate to try to be informal with him or not. But just as I sat down and intended to close my eyes and resume my sleeping session, I caught sight of Zayn watching me by the fence. Jared and the rest of the gang stood behind him and each one of them held alcohol in their hands.

Have they been drinking or planning to drink?

Alpha Darwin's Beta closed the door, snapping me out of my daze and I immediately retrieved my phone from the shorts I wore underneath the gown. I clicked on his contact and texted him, explaining everything that had happened in a few words. His response only came in about several minutes later and despite the simple words he had used, I ought to say they were the most touching words I've ever been told;

'I love you, Nakayla.'

I chuckled and closed my eyes to take a nap. At least, that didn't sound so bad as when Edward Sykes called me that. And barely anyone has ever told me they loved me. Not even my biological mom or dad.

"Nakayla, is it?" I heard that unmistakably strong voice just right beside me and I felt the formerly warm air around me become pressured.

The fucking text! I snapped my eyes open, giving up on my nap time before it even started. I sat up properly and immediately turned the screen off, taking my bottom lips in. 

Of course, I'm not sure what to tell him... that he shouldn't call me that or that Zayn is nothing but my best friend and not my lover, or to go ahead with my crazy lecture on how he should treat a bride that has been sold off to him?

That aside, how the hell did he get in without making a single noise? I did not even hear the car door open. 

"I promised your best friend I won't treat you badly. You're going to be my wife and of course, the future Luna of YellBloodOwl." His dark gray eyes held mine in a mesmerizing, yet strong manner.

Ever since I was a child, I've always believed the eyes of a werewolf revealed a lot about their personality. That is, I've always judged a werewolf based on the way their eyes made me feel when looking at them. Like dad, he's always looked at me with hateful eyes so I figured out we could never like each other. 

But this man... there was just something about his eyes that made it difficult to know what he thought. They were expressionless, of course, and...

Alpha Darwin leant back, looking away from me and relaxed into the seat. A lady walked over to us, holding a tray with two glasses filled with water. She dropped it on the table before us and  left after bowing slightly. 

"Would you really prefer to wear red at the ceremony?" Alpha Darwin asked, minutes after we'd driven out of Oakley Backwoods and I raised my brow. 

Red? That is my favorite color.

Truly, he must've talked to Zayn and that brat must've done a whole lot of ratting on me. I wonder if he also told him what's in it for Oakley if this marriage went on.

I nodded reluctantly, taking my lips in, "Yes. I..." I faltered, not sure of how much he knew.

Not sure if dad or Edward has told him even more about me, and what he believed. Or perhaps, if he had been watching my moves and lifestyle secretly for a while now. 

"Why are you marrying me?" 

There were a lot of things to be questioned about this marriage arranged by him and the alpha of Oakley. Surely, this man must have a lot of girls eyeing him back where he is from and picking anyone of them won't be an issue for him but he decided to come all the way to a small pack like Oakley to choose a rookie cursed by the moon goddess on the day she was born. That is very questionable, especially regarding the fact that Alexa has asked me to be nothing but a snitch.

"Oakley has no good intentions for you. I've only been asked to go ahead with this marriage so as to ruin you. Do you know that too?" 

Of course, he didn't. If he knew, then this_this whole arranged marriage drama _ would've ended long ago. 

His next words surprised me even more, leaving me stunned for a minute or so, "I know. They have an assistant back at home for you and I'll personally introduce you. I won't force you to be on my side. "

Definitely, no one told him how much I've always hated being a member of Oakley Backwoods. I mean they've always looked at me like I was a bag of dirt that didn't fit in the environment, so why the hell should I take their side?

"But if you want, I can ask Alexa to be your maid." 

Funny, indeed. And what did they owe him? A gold mine...or the whole pack's riches?

I shook my head and laughed. Imagine Alexa having to dress in cheap rags and bowing to me while serving me tea... Well, I can only imagine. 

"I'm serious." I stopped laughing at that, not finding it any more funny. I turned to face him immediately, eager to be met with a joke but fuck... those eyes are cold to the bones, too cold to even make a joke. 

"Wh-what do you mean?" I stuttered, utterly confused.

Surprisingly and more confusingly, Alpha Darwin reached out and took my right hand in his and caressed it slightly, seemingly drawing a somewhat pattern on it.

"Just be a good wife and I'll give you everything."

That sounded like a promise to me. Very promising and enticing. But I doubt that I have what it takes to be a good wife or what it takes to be good enough for him... and if I really want to be. As the most popular girl rebel in the whole of Oakley Backwoods, my everyday activity must've entailed everything but pure good. And if I could be a real wife?

Maybe I could deal with the sex and the title, and there would be no love between us. 

Arranged marriage, after all. 

"We have to come to an agreement." I suggested, turning to him, before it became too late or brought up by him instead of me. 

"If this marriage is going to work out, we have to reach an agreement between the both of us." I continued, trying my best not to think about how stupid it sounded. Well, I've done a lot worse stupid things but this surely feels worse, for reasons I can't exactly figure out. 

"What?" He opened his eyes and looked at me with that same expressionless look.

Hmm, I would really like to know how he's able to hold that look. It's as if nothing could shake him, not even a goddamn earthquake happening right before him. Strong, cold, intimidating, intense... and gorgeous. Those fucking eyes. 

I blinked my lids, looking elsewhere, away from being betrapped by his... charm? Yes, charm. Funny how they could be cold and gorgeous at the same time. 

"Since this is an arranged marriage, I think we should make an arrangement on how it would go on and eventually end. " 

For all I know, the last thing I'll want from his 'everything' would be an eternity in a loveless marriage. 

"Hopefully. But divorce is an abomination in YellBloodOwl, it's like you're challenging fate, cupid and moon goddess." Alpha Darwin told me, narrowing his brows at me and even if that wasn't a real expression, it appeared that he actually wasn't wearing that same cold one.

And wait, was he actually reading my mind?

What the hell is he?!

"I did not. Your thoughts were too loud to be ignored."

How prideful and arrogant! 

I tapped my fingers on my thighs, maddened by his words and raging from his attitude. There was no way I could sign up for an eternal bond with a man like this. I just ought to think of a way to turn our marriage ceremony into a break up. 

He tightened his grip on my hand, doing more of a torture session than a caressing one and I bit my lip hard enough to numb the pain out, but not without a teardrop. He's so damn good, isn't he?

"Let me convince you, Nakayla." He said, emphasizing my name in a way that left me too vulnerable to reject him.

He drew nearer, his fingertips brushing past my wrist upwards, my elbow and my shoulder. 

"After this, we can agree to whatever you want and you can choose if you want a partner like me or not." 

There was just something about him at the moment that seemed too incredible... something. His low, husky voice. His romantic accent. His gorgeous gray eyes and that look on his face. In fact, everything about him was too incredible to be resisted. 

Alpha Darwin wrapped my hair in his hand and gently thumbed my nape, seductively. I felt the weight of his other hand on my shin and he folded the skirt of the gown up, sliding his hand underneath it. 

What...the hell is he going to do?

Alpha Darwin bit his bottom lip, his eyes finding mine and capturing them. His hand slowly moved up, further in between my legs and I inhaled shakily, my thoughts messed up all around the place. I had no idea what he was doing to me or what he wanted from me exactly but he must've known that if I let him go ahead, I wouldn't be able to reject him again. 

I opened my mouth to speak, not very sure if I was willing to reject him but I continued nevertheless, "What...are you doing?" I questioned, despite myself.

This was torturing and pleasuring at the same, maybe sinful but I knew I would pay any price it takes to have him continue. That thing he was doing with his eyes... with his hands and with his tongue licking his bottom lip for the third time in goddamned night. I just wanted to...

I gasped sharply when he slid under my shorts and cupped my slit through my panties. My thoughts seemed to have fled away and my mind, well, was probably floating on an island I couldn't locate. It felt... real. Raw and hot, and I just wanted more from him.

I closed my eyes as he pressed on me lightly, rubbing every skin that could be rubbed and my heart thumped harder.

Alpha Darwin kissed me passionately, as though he had been keeping affection to himself for several years. Slowly but desperately, and he tasted just like mint and cigarette. He played with the waistline of my panties, snapping it against my skin a few times and I groaned. 

"I want to touch you, Nakayla." He mumbled amidst our kiss before finally slipping his hand in, meeting with my bare vagina.

I inhaled, stiffening my moan as he slipped his warm middle finger into me. Slender and skilled, perfectly meant for dirty things like this.