CHAPTER THREE

"Dante" His voice glided through the air and to my ears, startling me. We had sat in silence, half through the ride which made me extra anxious yet I knew that deep down, I was glad the scarily beautiful man hadn't spoken to me.

"My name, Dante" He added as if to reassure my thumping and trembling heart from thrashing around in my chest, if that was the aim, then it did the exact opposite; His voice had a compelling and autocratic feeling carried in his velvety baritone which only made my heart thrash harder and harder that I feared he would see it throbbing back and forth from across the fabric of the godforsaken wedding gown because of how he looked at me. His Presence scared me! I was married to a Monster— it was hard to live with that, no matter how resigned to fate I was

I shaped my lips to produce a reply hoping it didn't go numb from fear like the rest of my body"O—" I cleared my voice as it came out shaky and cracking.

I reenacted "Oh" But on a second thought it seemed too bland and uninterested than I intended it to seem " Mine is Hazel"

"I know" I saw amusement dance across his eyes as he pointed at my every move.

And yes he knew the name of the person he was getting married to, what an unfair situation, he certainly always had the upper hand.

Under his gaze, I felt like a prey, his eyes were too fiery, too intense, too powerful and too much for me to handle in just this short period not to talk of the entire years of my marital life to come. He must've seen my hand tremble, no matter how calmly I had placed them on my thigh in a graceful poise because his eyes seemed to soften and he leaned farther away, resting his back. I wasn't sure If he had not been aware but his every move was so poised, dangerous yet so carefree and lazy, I could imagine him purr. No I couldn't.

His fine lips parted "We are almost at the Pack, and I want you to understand that You are my Luna now, the moon goddess has directed that."

What Luna? What is that, even? Mother didn't tell me about this one. Is it a type of slave? Probably a sign that I was sent here as a sacrificial lamb; seriously, I only meant that metaphorically in the past, but now...Besides they believed in the moon goddess? Was she like Cupid or something?

"A Luna is like a Queen in your part of the world"

He saw through me. I knew. He saw my thoughts, he saw my movements, and not to boast of anything but I am not easy to read—at least I think so.

I laughed nervously. Seriously, I cringed as to how horrible I sounded just there.

"I understand that we come from different places" he slowly leaned into me, I instinctively pulled away, only to hit my back on the wooden chair of the carriage. A sharp sweet pain assaulted my back briefly. He didn't give me space this time, he leaned even closer that I felt his hot breath fan my ear, I was now aware of his amplified and beautiful face, I was more aware of his fiery eyes.

He continued, "I understand that humans have no good impressions about us Werewolves, but this is now your home " he paused and he leaned away a bit and glided his fingers under my chin, guiding my eyes to meet with his. I stubbornly looked him in the eyes this time. Despite the electric shock that ran through my spine, the trembling of my heart and the sheer pain that struck my brain. Something in me was fighting, repulsion? I don't know, but his touch elicited something in me, like the first time, at the wedding ceremony.

"You are now one if us, wether you like it or not and Arazona has ceased to be your home, you seem smart, and you know why " He looked away and released his hand from my chin. "Make use of it wisely; If you respect me, trust me, I'll do the same, to make this work but if you act otherwise, we all will have a hard time "

"And for your own very good, If you still like your breath and your heart intact, do not even nurse the idea of thinking of betraying the Pack. I will make you pay no matter the ties we may share."

The finality of his words. The assurance. I knew it. He warned me clearly, I got the entire message: The Pack always comes first, If I want to stay alive, I must just be an obedient and submissive queen by his side, wallflower, preferably; My father will never take me back and the people of Arazona will not either because I am now a property of the enemies, I could never betray him If I wanted my head on my neck, I was practically married to the Pack and the the Alpha of the pack but not Dante himself, and no matter what ties we may share in future die to cohabitation, he would not hesitate to cut me down if I ever nursed the idea of betraying the Pack. Everything boiled down to Loyalty to the Pack. I understood that.

I wasn't the naive princess that believed in love or fantasy of happily ever after, and I wasn't the courageous and inquisitive one who saved her people and conquered the enemy. I was me. Plain, fearful and careful Hazel. I'm not plain in the face,though, just in the heart.

Many other people in my shoes might hate Dante for his warnings but I couldn't help but admire him more, and not in the romantic way, that was so not possible, he is a monster, remember? I admired him because he was straight forward. Not so scheming, knew what he wanted, drew the line, made me understand. He ensured I knew whatever I was getting myself into and the consequences and trust me I wasn't going to ask otherwise. All I had to do as a queen was wake up and sleep, show face when required and if I was worthy enough, which I doubted, bear an heir for him.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Right? No! It was going to be hard and draining at some point. I was going to be lonely and I was going to lose it sometimes but that was my job. Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

"Thank you" I said inaudibly, but I knew he heard me because his lips twitched. He just saved me from the delusions of a young woman. Dante would never be my husband, the Alpha WAS my husband.

Another bout of silence sat on our heads till the carriage came to a halt.

"We are home" Dante's eyes twinkled. I saw how it lit up. This place meant a lot to him, I realized. He did not try to hide it otherwise.

There were loud animalistic howls and hoots that permeated the air. It sent shivers down my spine, my heart thumping and my fingers cold. This feeling, I had to get used to, these creatures, I had to get used to; this man, I had to get used to.

Dante held his hand out to me and helped me out of the carriage, I was to behold a long and large crowd of scary wolves.

Home.