"What?" Adria repeated for the second time when she thought that her ears had failed her.
What her father had just asked of her was preposterous. Why would he even suggest that in the first place?
"Please get married to him Adria. The Lycan King is not aware that you and Aria are twins. He has never met the both of you together so he will not suspect a thing." He deadpanned.
"Do you have any idea about what you’re asking me to do father? You’re asking me to impersonate my sister. You’re asking me to lie." She said with wide eyes.
She didn’t care if she was his mate but she most certainly won’t agree to this.
Her father might’ve ended up forcing Aria into agreeing to marry that excuse of a man but she won’t accept this fate for herself.
She hates that man and she cannot stand him. He has caused her a lot of pain and grief to last her an entire lifetime. He has ruined her family beyond repair so why should she marry him?
"Aria has run away!" He yelled loudly, "If word gets out to the other elders present at the ceremony, there will be chaos. What part of that statement don’t you understand? They will kill us!"
"I don’t care but I’m not getting married to him. I refuse to get married to him!" She spat furiously, "Cullen doesn’t have our best interest at heart. He is only here based on selfish reasons."
"I’m pretty sure that Aria must’ve found out about this and that’s why she decided to run away. I wouldn’t blame her though cause she made the right decision to run away from that ruthless man who does nothing but ruin other people’s lives."
"Lower your voice!" He shushed her but she adamantly refused.
"Why are you so scared of him father? What are you afraid of? You’re also an Alpha so he can’t impose his wishes on you." She said in a bid to change his mind.
"He will attack our land Adria. He will render us useless. Our people will suffer another war if this alliance is called off. We will be done for!"
"So he threatened you? He forced you to agree to it right? That’s why you’re so hell bent on selling your children over to that beast of a man."
"Adria please!" He shunned her, "Keep your voice down. Today is an auspicious day and even the wall have ears."
"Listen Adria" He started, noting the rapid rise and fall of her chest, "I have never intended to get you or your sister married under such circumstances but the pack has been going through severe issues lately."
"I recently received complaints concerning the pack’s dwindling food supply and aggressive famine. Our people are suffering, Adria and it will only get worse if we don’t do anything. I didn’t tell you or your sister because I didn’t want you to worry."
"The Lycan King offered to help with the issues in exchange that Aria gets married to him and I couldn’t bring myself to refuse." He added.
Her breath hitched when he was done explaining. "Do not think that I am happy sending you away to a man that killed your mother but this is the only way to secure the pack’s future as well as yours."
"Cullen has been known to be feared across the seven lands and I am scared of what would happen in case this marriage doesn’t push through today as intended because I can’t risk a war happening again."
He took her hands in his and squeezed tightly, "I am sorry for putting this burden on you but I don’t have any other options at this point. Please help save our people from getting killed. Please save your poor father’s life."
"Cullen is capable of wiping us out with one click of his finger and all lives will be lost. I will even get down on my knees if you want me to." He made to kneel down but she stopped him halfway. Her eyes, already getting misty.
"You don’t have to go down on your knees to beg me in order to do my duties father." She spoke in a calm voice.
"I am your daughter and it’s my duty to take care of my people if the need presents itself."
She paused briefly, "If marriage is all it takes to save our people then I will get married to the Lycan King in Aria’s place and I will make sure that he never finds out about this."
"Thank you my child." He pulled her in for a hug and she smiled through her sadness.
Adria thought long and hard about what her father had just told her and she couldn’t agree more.
Cullen was a monster and he was ready to do more than what her father had said. He had even threatened Aria and promised to make her suffer which only showed the extent of his inhumanity and wickedness.
She had already accepted her fate which meant that she had no other choice but to get married to him.
She will try her very best to tolerate him because he already had a bad impression of her. This was one of the toughest decisions she had taken and no matter what happens, she’d have to live with it.
She pulled away from the hug with a forced smile.
"I will inform them that you’re on your way over so that we can quickly kickstart this marriage and get it over with."
She nodded once, agreeing to his words and just then, her door burst open to reveal a worn out and panting Declan.
The look of defeat on his face told Adria what she needed to know. He couldn’t find Aria.
She wasn’t surprised though, her sister was as tough and sneaky as a spy sent undercover. Her only surprise in all this was that Aria had taken this long to execute her plans.
Her father leaves almost immediately and she is left alone with Declan with the door tightly shut behind them.
"It’s okay Declan." She whispered as if reading his troubled mind.
"But Aria is no where to be found. How do we explain this to the Lycan King and his council of elders waiting for this ceremony to happen?" He voiced out worriedly, his tone had taken a little push to the edge.
"We don’t." She said in a firm voice before facing him squarely.
"I have agreed to get married to the Lycan King in Aria’s place." She deadpanned, her face devoid of all emotions.
Declan’s weapon fell to the ground at her outburst, his eyes searching through hers frantically in a bid to understand if she was joking with him but she wasn’t. He had known Adria all his life to know that she wasn’t joking.
"You’re not serious...you...do you know what you’re about to do?" He asked sternly. "You’re trying to impersonate your sister. The Lycan King has been known not to show mercy. He is ruthless."
"If he or his people finds out about this in the future then you might be killed or subjected to crueler or even harsher punishments. This is worse than a lie. A betrayal and that barbaric King won’t forgive you."
"So what do you suggest I do Declan?" She threw him a fierce look. "Ignore and pretend that nothing is happening? Run away like Aria and have my poor father to suffer the consequences?"
"I suggest that we come clean to everyone and—"
"Have my father killed? And what about my people?" She interrupted.
"In case you’re forgetting Declan, my father is too old to go into battle and I cannot risk the safety of my people or the pack for selfish reasons. If this is the only way to help them and keep them alive then I will infact get married to him." She said with an air of finality.
"I do not want this any more than you do Declan but I don’t have a choice in this matter. I am the Alpha’s daughter before anything else so I would rather have you support me in this than trying to change my mind because I won’t change my mind so easily and you know it."
"Are you really planning on going through with this?" He asked and she nodded her head in response.
Defeated, he pulled her in for a bone crushing hug.
"Do not try to act tough with me Adria because I can see right through you to know that you are scared." He whispered in her ears causing her eyes to water.
"No matter what happens, promise me that you will take absolutely good care of yourself. Do not let them find out about this secret. Keep a low profile as much as possible and don’t forget that we will always be here when you need us."
She tightened her grip on his back, "I promise. I will be fine and I will make sure that nothing happens to me."
They pulled away and he collected the tears that fell from her eyes with his thumb and kissed her cheeks.
"Like it or not, today is your wedding day and you must try your best not to show how sad you are. You need to be strong and not weak."
She wiped her tears off quickly with a nod. "I will and I think you should leave now too Declan. Join father at the ceremony, I will be with you shortly."
He kissed her hair and headed out to her chambers. Adria broke down the minute he left. Her bleeding heart only got worse and she felt like she would pass out anytime soon.
When she managed to get her emotions on check, she dressed herself up in Aria’s clothes and quickly styled her hair and did a retouch of her face before stepping out of her chambers.
She was surprised to find the maids outside her chamber, waiting for her. When they looked at her with empathy, she knew then, that they were also aware of what was going on.
"This way, My Lady." They walked ahead of her while she trailed slowly behind them, her head bowed to the ground.
As she approached the ceremony, she didn’t know what to expect. The tension suddenly became worse and the air around her changed drastically. Whatever happens, she wasn’t going to back out now.