"Where am I?" Aria’s voice sprang through from the other side of the bedroom. Adria threw her an empathetic look and focused on the book at hand.
The fact that she had past out since last night till this morning was something that she couldn’t understand.
Aria was always able to curb her alcohol intake so what exactly had happened to her last night?
"My room?" She looked around bewildered "How did I end up here?"
Adria scoffed in disbelief. She couldn’t believe that her sister didn’t remember putting her through hell last night or did she suddenly have selective amnesia?
"How are you feeling now?" She discarded the book and walked towards her bed. "Do you feel strange?"
"I feel a lot better but I don’t remember coming back home last night let alone lying down here on this bed."
"Just like how you don’t remember having sex with a random stranger at the bar but hey, who am I to complain?" She mocked sarcastically.
"What about you?" Aria pushed out the covers and straightened herself on the bed.
"Don’t tell me that you didn’t enjoy your first night out of this pack? Don’t tell me you just sat through the night without doing anything."
She paused briefly "I did do something. I babysat you so yes, you’re welcome."
Aria rolled her eyes "You really will die lonely and miserable. I’m so glad that I am nothing like you. We might have the same face but we really are different from each other. We are nothing alike."
Adria clapped her hands incredulously, "Congratulations for finally figuring it out. I just saved your ass. Do you have any idea what would’ve happened to us if father had figured out that we were gone?"
"I risked my life to save yours and this is all you have to say to me? Not even an apology? Nothing?"
Aria hissed nonchalantly and tucked her stray strands behind her ears "And whose idea was it to follow me all the way over there? I never asked you to do it or did I? You went there all on your own so don’t you dare try to pin the fact that your life was in danger because of me."
"You’re so—"
"I’m so what?" She challenged "Go ahead and say it Adria. Go ahead and tell me how childish I am and how embarrassed you are of me because I refused to be miss goody two shoes just like you."
"Go ahead to insult me because you think that you’re so much better than me. Go on Adria, tell me how much of a fool I am as your sister and how messed up my life is compared to yours."
"Don’t put words into my mouth Aria." She warned her sternly. "I never said that."
"But you thought about it didn’t you?" She countered "You know what Adria? I am happy, so happy that I didn’t end up like you. I am so happy that I’m not a shadow of myself and unlike you, I am extremely happy that at least, I have a life." She brushed past her and stormed into the bathroom.
Adria breathed out heavily. The last thing she wanted was to fight with her twin.
She knew that Aria had a lot of difficulty adjusting to life especially after they lost their mother but she only wished that she would open up about her emotions more and stay out of trouble.
It wasn’t her intention to get her upset but she was also a victim. She was attacked by strange men and to top it off, her wolf had gone restless, and all of this happened in one night.
Why couldn’t her sister understand that her actions also had a way of affecting her as well.
Frustrated, Adria made her way outside her bedroom towards the palace gardens. She needed space to think and sort out her emotions.
Soon enough, she heard the rustling of leaves and her wolf picked up a familiar scent which indicated that someone was behind her.
She turned around to see Declan watching her with affection in his eyes.
"Declan!" Adria voiced out awkwardly in a small voice. Declan was the son of her father’s Beta also and one of the youngest and eligible men of the pack.
They grew up together and sometimes, people mistook them for siblings. He was the closest thing that they had to a brother even though Adria had always harbored strong romantic feelings for him.
The worst part of everything is that he already knew because she had told him but for some reason, he wasn’t ready to reciprocate them. According to him, he saw her as nothing but a little sister he cares for.
"When did you get here? And how did you know where to find me?" She questioned shyly but he only smiled.
"I’ve known you ever since we were young Adria. This is where you come when you’re bothered or worried about something. You always mentioned how your mother’s garden gave you peace." He explained and she lets out an exasperated sigh.
She wasn’t surprised that he knew so much about her. He had basically grown up with them. Adria walked towards the stoned pavement and sat down on it. Declan did the same too.
"What’s wrong and why are you sulking?"
"It’s Aria, isn’t it?" He asked knowingly when she didn’t respond.
"I love her so much Declan but sometimes, I just wish that she listens more. She’s always so hot-headed and stubborn that she makes it so hard for me to reach out to her." Her voice cracked, reflecting the pain she felt inside.
"Aria is who is she Adria and sadly, you cannot change her even if you try to. She has always been different right from childhood and it will remain so."
"I understand Declan but I wished she opened more and communicates her feelings better with me."
"Most times, I feel as if I don’t even know her anymore. She feels so distant and whenever I try to talk to her about it, she gets upset and shuts me out." she pointed out her worries to him.
"We can only hope for the best Adria, that’s all I can say." He blurted out, his hands folded in front of him as she stared down at the flowers.
"Thank you for always listening to me Declan." She whispered in a soft voice. "You’re always here when I need you."
If only he could be here in her life forever as her husband too but she knew that it wasn’t possible, yet.
"By the way..." She trailed off, completely changing the subject "Why are you even here in the first place?"
He coughed "Actually, your father asked me to send for you. He wants to discuss something quite urgent with you."
She panicked. Fear and terror flashed through her eyes in a split second.
Is it about yesterday? Did he manage to figure out that they weren’t at home and snuck out?
"But why is he suddenly calling for me?"
"I’d suggest that you go there and find out yourself." He said to her and she nodded slowly.
"Where is he?"
"In the throne room, waiting for you." He answered sharply.
"Thank you again, Declan. I will definitely talk to you soon." She gave him a curt nod before walking out of his presence.
Adria passed through her bedroom in hopes of getting a quick glimpse at her sister but she didn’t. Was she still mad at her? She was the one who had lashed out on her so why was she still upset?
Anyways, she decided to talk to her later after the discussion she had with her father.
Taking the route that led to the main entrance of the courtroom, she walked down the stairs and took steady strides till she arrived at the place where her father was supposed to be. The guards at the entrance let her in.
"Father?" She called out to him nervously and he replied by beckoning her to come forward which she did so immediately.
"You sent for me?" She questioned with a bow when she got closer to the throne like chair where he sat.
"Yes I did." He admitted, releasing his hands from his chin "Did you sleep well, my child?"
She nodded "Yes I did."
"And your sister?" He eyed her curiously and Adria gulped in fear. Why the many questions? Did he probably figure out her secret? Did he want to butter her up before punishing her?
"Aria is fine father. She’s up in her bedroom as we speak."
He sighed deeply and that was when she noticed the worried look he had on his face. The wrinkled lines on his forehead were almost visible.
"Is everything okay father? You look stressed."
"Everything will be okay if it goes according to plan." He answered, leaving her more confused. Why was he suddenly speaking in parables? She wasn’t used to the side of him.
"I don’t understand anything father. What exactly do you mean?" She pressed on.
Straightening himself on his chair, he started "Yesterday, I received a letter concerning a marriage proposal for your sister and the Lycan King of the Huntbound Pack."
Adria’s eyes widened in shock. She had heard stories about him. Tales that sounded like myths. He was known as a ruthless tyrant and one of the most feared Lycan rulers across the seven kingdoms.
She hadn’t met him in person though, only in rumours and stories which has been mostly justified to be true.
Moreover, three years ago, her mother was brutally killed by his soldiers during a raid under his command and since then, she has only harboured nothing but pure hatred and loathing towards him.
"And?" She asked regardless, fear gripping her on both sides as she hoped for a better ending to this dreadful information.
"I have accepted the alliance. I want your sister to get married to him as soon as possible."