ROWAN
Being the glue that holds this family together can be exhausting, frustrating, and soul-draining.
Ryker has a death wish, it is almost like every day he thinks of new ways to get himself killed and maybe take a few others to hell with him.
Alpha Corvin, I mean, my father has been a shadow of himself ever since she died, he makes the most stupid decision and usually that gets people killed. Just like he did with Mom.
Alpha Corvin killed our mother, Luna Zoya.
"What do you mean by seeing how this plays out Ryker?" I yelled after him as he strode out of the dining room but typical Ryker didn't spare me the courtesy of a response.
I let out a sigh. What the hell is he playing at now? I shifted my gaze back to the room, and my eyes met hers. She was gaping at me, almost like she was waiting for me to tell her what to do.
What the hell am I supposed to do?
"Amaris," I spoke gently.
"Uhmm" she responded, still fighting back the tears threatening to stream down her eyes. I wanted to reach out to her, to hold her hands while I pulled her to me, and assure her that it is going to be alright.
But I can't, I shouldn't. The situation is already complicated as it is. The woman my father is supposed to be mated to turns out to be our mate.
I glanced at her, almost like I was forbidden to.
This was my fated mate. She was beyond the word beautiful. She had amber eyes that looked like they were carved from precious stones, her innocent looks made her tender, fragile, something worth protecting. Her body was perfectly sculpted, every curve precise, every detail accurate, the moon goddess sure picked a favorite in creation and Amaris was on the receiving end of her eminent grace.
I shrug the thought away, I shouldn't be infatuated by her beauty. I glanced away trying not to meet her gaze again and get sulked into the abyss of her beauty.
"I don't know what Ryker meant by that but I am sure he doesn't mean it," I murmured with a half smile but if there was anything I knew about Ryker, he always meant every word he said and made sure he followed through till the grave.
"I don't want any problem with the Alpha," she silently muttered, she was always avoiding my gaze.
The mate bond. It was sure making it hard for us, the pull that defied gravity tethering me to her essence. I had shoved my wolf to an isolated corner in my head. He wasn't all that powerful during the day but I fear what would happen at night. Yesterday was a full moon, maybe that is why we were unable to control the instinct to have her.
But right now, looking at her, staring at struggling to stay strong, her hands placed on her laps. Her chest heaving in uneven breaths struggling to pull herself together. My eyes fell on her breast. They were rounded and full, Ryker had fondled them, I recall the way she had moaned, a sweet cry of pleasure.
Shit! I was doing it again, I needed to put a healthy distance away from her, I am not sure I can control myself when I am around her.
I stood up, "You will be fine, Amaris." I exhaled, "As I said earlier, this is not about you,"
"Then what is it about?" She asked and I darted at her. I let out an exasperated gasp and sank back to the chair.
"I can't tell you much,"
"Why not?"
Is she always this inquisitive? She didn't strike me as the curious type earlier.
"Well, I am not a storyteller," I lied, not really a lie but not the truth either.
"Try me, I will fill them in ,"
"Fill in," I raised my eyes brows, and she widened her eyes as realization struck her. Her cheek flustered pink.
"That was not what I meant," she murmured, her octave dropping.
I crossed my arms against my chest, leaned back to the chair and smirked at her, "Oh tell me what did you mean, and here I was thinking you were all innocent,"
Her lips curved as she struggled to hold it in then she smiled, actually smiled. It was one of the most beautiful smile I had seen in a long time. There was something so simple and pure about it that made her so sacred. It also had this hint of sadness to them like those smile were foreign to her and didn't happen ever so often.
"I am," she retorted with a playful tone.
"I find it hard to believe,"
"Are you trying to avoid my question by dwelling on this?"
She was also intelligent. Now, that wasn't what I expected. I had expected a stupid girl who was dumb enough to marry an Alpha with a reputation of killing his former Luna but she was far from it.
"Aren't you the smart one," I grinned and she let out a laugh, it was maybe a millisecond but enough to make the morning feel a little bit brighter.
What the hell is wrong with me.
"Would you tell me or not or are you going to leave me in the dark just like everyone else,"
"In the dark?" I asked.
She nodded and I could see her shoulders which had been previously raised due to the tension in the room slowly relax to the chair, she lowered her gaze to the now cold plate of food.
"No one have said anything about this place to me ever since I got here, not even a proper welcome,"
I heaved, the Gravemoon pack can be quiet unwelcoming to outsiders, the last time we had open our door to help a stranger led to doom and chaos and now Amaris is being treated that way.
I let out a sigh knowing I was about to regret what I had to say, "You know what, meet me at the entrance and hour before sunset and I will show you around,"
Her eyes lit up like she was about to explode into fireworks, "Really?"
I opened my mouth to respond but immediately I was interrupted with the sound of the door being flung open, I raised my head at the sound of heels clicking and veered to see the blonde hair, slender body figure walking towards me.
I closed my eyes already expecting the worst as she got closer, she leaned forward and dropped her lips to meet mine in a chaste kiss.
I didn't kiss her back.
She shrugged and stood straight, her eyes darting at Amaris.
"Who is she?" She asked, sneering at Amaris with a scowl on her face.
Amaris's eyes puzzled, I could see through the question in her mind.
Question she couldn't ask.
" Lila she is Amaris Storme, the woman my dad is to be mated to," I responded.
"Ohh, she is the young wench, you said your dad is getting married to just to get laid, the breeder,"
Amaris ' eyes widened, her smile faded and the perplexed look she once had seeped back to the surface.
Lila grinned knowing she had struck a cord then added.
"I am Lila Cross of the Ironcrest pack, future Luna of this pack. I am Rowan's Fiancee."