Dimitri walks towards us, the outlines of his face emotionless, I notice a scar by the side of his face, close to his left eye cutting down to his cheekbone, it looked deep and painful.
Driven by the newly developed concern of how he got the scar, I leave Jaden's arms walking towards him and he does the same to me.
“You look beautiful,” he states simply with a look, dropping my arm as he walks past me like I didn't mean a thing.
“Alpha,” he greets behind me, followed by his footsteps leaving.
“Let's go,” Jaden says by my side, I give a small smile, hiding my poleaxed state.
The drive to the Royal house is peaceful on the outside, but the inside, I was panicking like hell.
I am resting on Jaden's chest, his heart beating rhythmically underneath me, our hands intertwined, occasionally he kisses my forehead, easing my nerves, but the closer we got, every bump and turn made my heart race.
What if his dad doesn't accept me?
What if a slave can't be chosen to be a luna and worst of all, if the daughter of a traitor can't be accepted by the pack?
These questions keep running through my mind.
“You okay?”
I look up to the gorgeous man that's every girl's fantasy, and miraculously mine... soon.
“Yes,” I lie, my little stupid insecurities shouldn't spoil the mood.
“You're a terrible liar,” he says with a sly smile playing on his lips, placing a warm, gentle kiss on my head, he pulls me closer.
“Can't wait for you to be my luna,” he breathes on my neck, giving me butterflies, I'll never get used to the way he makes me feel.
The long drive finally comes to an end. The driver turns off the ignition, and the car doors are opened by a guy in dark blue clothes.
Jaden climbs out first, then carries me on his waist, making me giggle.
Finally, I drop to the ground. I gasp at the beautiful house in front of me.
My jaw drops at the glamorous mansion. I thought Dimitri's house was big - that is a joke compared to the building in front of me.
“I'm guessing you like the house,” Jaden whispers, breaking me from my trance.
I nod speechlessly, the big house is surrounded by well-trimmed pine trees, decorated uniquely by cars and lamp posts centered with a giant fountain carved in wolf form.
The house stood high at least ten feet off the ground.
Snaking my hands with his, we walk up the marble black stairs, my silvery heels click-clacking as we walk by.
Besides the open double doors were two guards stationed at the pillars with their sharp gaze and unblinking eyes, walking through the double doors was a red carpet on the floor leading through a hallway at the end of the T-junction, a giant portrait placed high.
The man drawn had blonde hair, just like Jaden's, with a jawline so sharp it could cut through rocks. The man's ice-cold gaze made me feel petite, he looked like royalty, and the atmosphere felt like it too, the portrait was beautiful, and also a statement-making me rubbing my elbow nervously.
I'm guessing he is Jaden's dad, my eyes widened in horror, this was the same man I'm supposed to be meeting today.
Jaden is oblivious to my nervousness but looked just as tense as I was, scaring me the more as we took a left turn to what I'm guessing is the main room. It was well-furnished, with a few guards stationed and people roaming silently.
“Stay here, I'll check on him,” he kisses my knuckles, and then leaves up the stairs leading to another floor.
I fumble with my gown anxiously.
“Deep breaths,” I kept reminding myself.
I hear hurried footsteps from behind, turning in that direction. I saw a familiar face; Rustave. Wherever he was heading seemed urgent, because he was in a haste, and didn't see me standing there watching him walk out the way we just came.
Jaden said I should wait for him, but this might be my only chance to confront him about what he knows about my mom.
Keep a large distance between us, I walk casually because I didn't want to alert the guards, suspecting I was following him. He hurries just in front of me, taking a left turn. I fasten my pace so I won't lose him, I see his garment just before he disappears into the wall.
This side was darker, with no windows or doors and no guards, fixing my gaze on Rustave, just in time to see him walk into a wall.
I blink, wondering if I had just gone mad. People don't disappear through walls, gliding my hand on the wall. My hand goes through it, a space, I wave my hand through, and I was certain, it was a hologram of some sort, without hesitating I walk through it, wherever I am, this place was built differently, unlike the rest of the house; it was built with granite stone. The walls and floors were two sides, and I have no idea which one to go through.
Taking a leap of faith, I go to the right, walking carefully, as my heels were making noise on the stone flooring, I hear muffled sounds coming from the only door made of wood.
There was no way I could just barge into the room like that. Whoever was inside would spot me in seconds.
Placing my hands and ear on the door, trying to make out what was being said inside.
I could hear different voices.
“Make sure it stays a secret,” I manage to hear, eclipsed by footsteps heading my way.
My blood turns cold as I realize the person was leaving. I run away, taking the same route I came, I don't want to find out what will happen if I'm caught.
I leave out the hologram wall just as Jaden walks into the hallway.
“Hailey?”
I reply with a fake smile.
“Jaden,”
I say, smiling sweetly, taking his arm and tugging him away from the wall.
He looks at me weirdly but doesn't say a thing about it.
“We're to head to the throne room, it's a private place where we could all sit and talk,” squeezing my hand a little, he leads me to the place he's speaking about.
I place a large smile, breathing in as we enter, which quickly diminishes as I see a sketchy face, Shyna's, with newly dyed hair, Riley standing in the middle of the room.
Riley's eyes trail down to where I and Jaden's hand are intertwined, with a sneer, she walks, swaying her hips.
“What are you doing here?”
She takes my entire getup with a look, walking up to us, wearing a short yellow gown.
“None of your business,” I reply politely with a smile.
If there's anything that could spoil today, it's Riley, and I was in no mood ready for that.
“Haha!” She laughs sarcastically.
“Well, Jaden is my business,” she says, ripping my hand away from Jaden's.
“Stay away from him,” she glares at me, standing boldly.
The audacity!
Without hesitating, I grab her arm, twisting it behind her.
“Ahhh! Get off me, you stupid bitch,” she screams in pain.
“I'm about to put you in your place, you nuisance bitch, if you ever touch me the way you just did, I'll yank your arm off,” I threaten silently, applying more pressure to the arm, while she squeaks, a triumphant smile settling on my face.
“What's going on here,” a voice blares through the room, his words bouncing off the walls, giving it a small echo.
I push Riley away immediately, cowering towards Jaden, and seeing the large man walk with two guards beside him.
The portrait must be of his younger self, now he had deep lines on his stone-hard face and aging hair pulled back into a ponytail, walking with a struggle but head held high.
Wearing black top, the edges and shoulder blade designed with leather, heavy designer pants, and spotless boots.
I gulp hard as his eyes scan the room, gaze settling on me, taking me in from head to toe, expressionless, his piercing gaze making me feel like he was looking into my soul.
Jaden wraps his hand around mine, a gesture that reminds me to breathe.
“Sire,” Jaden says with a bow, pinching my arm, and I also do the same, just like everyone else, as he takes his place on a huge chair decorated in the style of a throne.
“Son!,” The man says calmly but his rough tone gives an edge to it.
“Riley dear, why were you screaming? I hope you and Shyna aren't involved in anything that harms my grandchild?”
Grandchild?? I question inwardly, which Jaden voices out.
