Chapter 5

Leah pov

 "What's going on here, Alpha Damian? Get your hands off my daughter!" a voice shouted, the hand around my throat suddenly removed. 

Gasping from the pain in my throat, I placed my hand over the bruised skin and watched as Alpha Elijah faced off with Alpha Damian, the two of them growling loudly, seconds away from ripping each other to shreds. 

"What game are you playing Elijah? Who is that woman behind you?" Alpha Damian questioned, his eyes flashing gold, as he pointed a finger at me. 

"Who else would she be? She's Princess Anne, my daughter. You met her before," 

Giving a glance at me where I stood huddled behind him, Alpha Elijah added.

"Oh. I get what you mean. She feels different, doesn't she?" 

Straightening his stance from his half-crouched position, Alpha Elijah confessed, his face expressionless and posture stoic, not giving anything away. 

"She got poisoned with wolfsbane and almost died," 

At his words, Alpha Damian straightened too, his anger draining, but the suspicion still remained in those light brown orbs. 

I had heard scary tales of the Alpha of Silverwater pack or Rogue Alpha, as some insultingly called him even in my pack. 

Some called him mad and cruel because of the high amount of wars he had fought and won, but I considered him strong. 

He was a rogue, cast out of his pack, and he was able to create and build his own pack to be the strongest of all. A pack filled with warriors. 

That had to take some incredible strength and willpower. 

The ambitious side of me respected him, while the weak side of me feared for my life. 

Alpha Damian was a hold no captives kind of male according to rumors. He rewarded betrayals and deceit with death. No second chances. 

If he found out the truth about me, he would kill me immediately. 

At that thought, I gulped loudly, my fear increasing and I could feel Alpha Damian's eyes on me. 

"She's supposed to be dead then. No one survives from wolfsbane poisoning. It's fatal, which is the reason the council banned its produce," Alpha Damian said, his eyes feeling like pinpricks on me. 

It was uncomfortable. 

"Luckily, we were able to heal her. I don't know how the person did it and I don't care, in as much as she's healed. I think all the strange things about her are the after-effects of the poisoning. Other than that, she is perfectly okay and healthy now," Alpha Elijah finished, glancing back to give me a small fatherly smile, which melted my heart a little. 

Those who had fathers to look out for them don't know the gift they had. 

I wished I had a father. Maybe my life wouldn't turn out this way, I thought soberly. 

"Have you caught who poisoned her?" 

At the sudden question, Alpha Elijah's expression went flat again. 

"You don't have to worry, I will take care of that," He answered shortly. 

He knew it was his daughter who poisoned herself but didn't want to make that known to the other Alpha. 

"Uhmm. That's settled then. As for the mating happening in two days, that won't work. I have important business to oversee at Silverback Pack and it can't wait. The mating ceremony happens this night, and I will leave with my bride early tomorrow morning," 

"But-" Alpha Elijah started. 

"No, but Alpha. We have a deal and I want to start up on it immediately," Alpha Damian countered. 

"I understand, but the extra day is to give her more time to heal. She's been through a lot," Alpha Elijah said plainly, his anger obvious in the set of his shoulders. 

From what I had observed, these two were strong Alphas who never bowed to anyone. They might come to blows again if something didn't happen now. 

"Let's do the mating today, father," I said. The 'father' word sounded strange coming out of my mouth. 

I have never called anyone that before. 

Alpha Elijah turned shocked eyes at me, where I still hid behind him. 

I could understand his shock. 

Princess Anne has fought strongly against this mating to the extent of almost killing herself and here I was in her image, accepting it. 

"The bride has accepted it, and that's that. We start when the moon is at its apex in the sky," Apparently done with the conversation, Alpha Damian left the meeting room, leaving me and Alpha Elijah alone in the room. 

"What changed your mind, Anne? Even after you were healed from the poisoning you refused to talk to me. And why the hell did you poison yourself? Because of that useless omega? He is not even your true mate, and not worth your attention. Why did you have to do something so cowardly, princess?" Alpha Elijah raged, his voice low to prevent intruding ears from hearing him. 

"I'm sorry father," I apologized. 

I didn't know if that was how Princess Anne would have acted. I didn't know how he raised her, but I believed in apologizing when you did something wrong. And trying to kill yourself for whatsoever reason was plain wrong. 

"Since you've agreed to the mating, I feel more at ease. I've known Alpha Damian for a while now, he can be cruel, cold, and unforgiving but he will treat you right, and I know you will make a beautiful Luna." 

"This deal is very important to this pack. Other packs are starting to eye our lands and natural resources, and soon, they will invade us. The deal with Damian is to make sure they think thrice about doing that. No one wants to anger the Rogue Alpha," He finished brusquely and left, leaving me all alone in the meeting room like I was a few minutes ago, but radically changed. 

Alpha Damian had seemed to accept what my supposed father had said, but he didn't look a bit convinced. 

There was still suspicion lurking in his eyes before he left. 

I needed to be more careful or all my plans would fail. 

I would mate Alpha Damian, get what I wanted; what Princess Anne had promised I would be able to achieve as his Luna, and disappear, never to be heard of again. 

Especially, with how I was feeling towards him. 

Even when Alpha Damian had held me threateningly by the neck, I had felt my heart which had grown cold the past few days begin to thaw from all the sensations that bombarded me from his touch. 

Feelings like these were not strange to me, as I had felt them before for Thomas, but it was the intensity of it that scared me. 

And I knew it would bring me nothing but trouble.