DRAVEN’S POV:
I picked Ella up and paced up to join them.
I couldn’t bear to see her hand in Logan’s.
It ached my heart to see that.
I forced myself in between them.
“So, how was your trip?” I asked Logan.
He smirked.
He could see through my actions, but I didn’t care at all.
Aria looked a bit confused.
“It was great.
How are you preparing for the wedding tomorrow?” he responded,”You know what?
I still have a lot to do.
How about you help me finish preparing?” I pushed him to a different corner and then handed Ella to Aria.
With a signal, I sent Ragner with them and waited until they were far enough not to hear us.
“What do you think you are doing?” I attacked Logan.
“Uh…Nothing,” he sounded so clueless.
“I see all your games and the moves you are making on Aria,” I came out clean.
I felt embarrassed to admit it, but at least with Logan, I could be straightforward.
“You said you had a one year contract with her, right?” he probed, “I know it only just started, but I would love to get to know her. Maybe she can come over to my pack when she’s done with your contract.” I was so close to brushing his face with my fist.
“You don’t mind if she does, do you?” he proceeded, “she’s on a contract.
It’s not like you love her or anything.
Or…do you love her?”
”What?
Of course not!” My reply was impulsive.
“Good.
So, we’re good then?”
”No.
We are not.” I pulled him back, “The pack are about to witness an elaborate ceremony.
Aria came out of nowhere and I can’t have anyone suspecting, or even having the slightest reason to think that tomorrow is not real.
If you want her, you can have her…when I am done with her.” I made sure the last part was emphatic.
I walked into the room and was relieved to see Aria sweetly asleep, with Ella wrapped in her arms.
It felt like I was watching my whole world and the peace it brought me made me mad. The source of this chapter is g.com.
I headed to the bathroom.
My reflection stared back from the mirror.
“Why would you do this to me?” my question was directed at the moon goddess.
“Did I not lose enough with Helen? What more do you want from me?” I went mute, waiting for a reply I knew wasn’t coming.
It was almost like I could hear her laughing at me.
When I first met Helen, I was obsessed.
I knew nothing but my royal duties and the sacredness of the mate bond, as I had been taught.
It wasn’t difficult to build my world around her.
I felt helpless every time she cut her hand.
It killed me to watch her die.
Now, my greatest fear wasn’t bonding with Aria, but that she was going to be taken away from me in a way that made me helpless.
I could not imagine myself going through that a second time.
Tears welled in my eyes.
I quickly wiped it off.
“Never again,” I wiped my eyes, placed the duvet over Aria and Ella and squeezed myself into the couch to catch my rest for the night.
“Rise and Shine!” I could have sworn my eyes were closed for half a minute before Ragner’s voice came through the door.
I tried to ignore, but his next call was accompanied by a strong knock on the door.
“Yes?” I responded with a muffled voice.
Ragner took that as a cue to push the door and let himself in.
“It’s my wedding day. You have to get up,” he pulled me out of bed.
“What are you talking about? The wedding isn’t until 5pm,” I turned my face, shielding it with the back of the couch.
“Yes, but you already have guests and the rituals before the ceremony starts,”
”Daddy,” Ella’s voice was the indication that they were up.
I forced myself up, before she ran to me and wrapped me with her tiny arms.
“Good morning, Aria,” Ragner excited greeted.
Aria stretched before she responded.
“Good morning, Ragner.”
She had a giant grey box of clothes, pulling it behind her.
“Good morning, Alpha,” Nicolle bowed.
“Good morning, Luna,” she walked to Aria and helped her out of bed.
‘Luna’ echoed in my ears.
I almost couldn’t believe this was actually happening.
“We’re going to leave them here and go get ready,” Ragner pulled me by the hand out of the room.
My eyes were still struggling to open.
“I know we don’t have any guests. Can you tell me what this is actually about?” I scratched my eyes.
“Wedding prep,” his excitement only made it more disturbing.
He kept pulling me towards an abandoned area of the house.
I forcefully pulled my hand out of his.
“If you don’t tell me what’s happening now, you know what I am capable of,” I threatened.
I had nothing in mind, but I hoped that Ragner was not feeling motivated enough to try me.
Ragner looked around, like he was trying to avoid something.
I joined him, although unsure what it was that this was about.
“What is it?” When he confirmed we were alone, his face went pale.
“Ragner?” I got pretty disturbed.
“She’s here,” he said.
His voice was only slightly above a whisper.
“What? Who is here?” I probed.
He did not respond.
He kept looking around like something forbidden was around the house and it was going to launch on us any moment.
“Who is here?” I was losing all my patience, so I yelled at the top of my voice.
“I’m here, Raven,” I heard a soft voice coming from behind Ragner.
I tried my best not to assume, but there was only one person in the world who would still call me that.
I didn’t want to believe it.
“I’m here,” I completely understood the pale look on Ragner’s face, because it was the same one I had.