CHAPTER THREE

“I don’t know, but I must do something,” Hailey exclaimed, her frustration evident in the furrow of her brows.

 

 

 

“Hailey, whatever plan you have, you need to be careful. You know the kind of man your father is,” Jane cautioned, her tone filled with concern.

 

 

 

“How about I run away?” Hailey suggested a glimmer of desperation in her eyes.

 

 

 

“Hailey! Is that the best you can come up with?” Jane exclaimed, her disbelief evident in her tone.

 

 

 

“Come on, what else would you rather have me do?” Hailey countered, her voice tinged with frustration.

 

 

 

It is dangerous,” Jane argued, her voice reflecting the worry she felt. “If you’re caught, the penalty could be severe. And even if you do manage to escape, you’re gonna have to live as a fugitive for who knows how long.”

 

 

 

Hailey nibbled on her lip and looked worried, her forehead creased with worry. “You’re right,” she said with a sigh accepting his idea. “But at least it is still better than doing nothing at all”

 

 

 

Jane put her hand on Hailey’s shoulder trying to console her. “I understand you want out of this arrangement by any means possible but think of the consequences of whatever decision you decide to make”

 

 

 

“There is another way, hear me out. What if I piss Alpha Duncan off so badly that he calls off the engagement? He’s an Alpha, Jane. And a man. His disapproval would carry weight. If he rejects the arrangement, it could be enough to call it off,” Hailey proposed, her voice laced with determination.

 

 

 

“Come on, Hailey, you know you don’t have it in you to make someone dislike you,” Jane reasoned, her tone gentle yet firm.

 

 

 

“You are not helping at all,” Hailey retorted, her frustration mounting.

 

 

 

“I know. I know this is not what you want to hear, but I must tell you the truth as a friend,” Jane replied earnestly, her expression reflecting her concern for Hailey’s well-being.

 

 

 

“Help me out, Jane. I’m running out of options,” Hailey pleaded, desperation creeping into her voice.

 

 

 

“What if instead of making Duncan dislike you, you give him a chance? You might discover that he is not as terrible as he was painted to be, and possibly, you may end up developing an affection for him. Hailey could not believe her ears. She couldn’t believe what Jane just said. As she was about to rebut, a knock was heard on her room door. A servant came to let her know her mother wanted to see her.

 

 

 

“Do you know why?” Hailey inquired, her brow furrowing with concern.

 

 

 

“She didn’t say” The servant replied, her tone tinged with uncertainty.

 

 

 

“Okay I will join her shortly” Hailey shut the door and turned to Jane with a weird expression on her face

 

 

 

“Is everything okay?” Jane asked, her voice filled with concern.

 

 

 

“Yeah, I hope so,” Hailey replied, trying to reassure her friend. “My mother just sent for me. Let me go and see her, please wait for me. I won’t be long.”

 

 

 

“Okay, I will be right here” Jane replied, her brow furrowing with concern for Hailey as she watched her friend hurry off to see her mother.

 

When she got to her mother’s quarters she knocked on the door and waited to be allowed in by her mother. She simply said hello to her mother dryly when she entered the room but her mother signaled her to sit on the bed with her.

 

 

 

Her mother did not know where to begin; the Alpha her husband had asked her to talk to their daughter and put her behavior in check because he wanted things to turn out the way he planned them to but she just wanted to embrace her child and comfort her because she knew how it feels to get married to a total stranger whom she does not love.

 

 

 

Her mother looked her in the eye and took a deep breath as she tried to summon the courage to say what she wanted to say. ”So, how are you? ” she asked, her voice sounding worried.

 

 

 

“I’m fine,” Hailey said, shrugging but her eyes were a bit scared. She understood why her mother called her but, as always, it was difficult for her mother to say it.

 

 

 

Her mother hesitated, struggling to find the courage to broach the subject. “Yo-your father asked me to prepare you mentally for the task ahead,” she stammered, her hands fidgeting nervously. “Your betrothal would be here tomorrow, and you know your father hates disobedience. So, I beg you not to thwart his plans in any way.”

 

 

 

Hailey’s heart almost palpably plummeted to the pit of her stomach as her mother spoke the dreaded words. All her life, she had held out for a chance that her parents would change their mind about the arranged marriage but it was not going to happen.

 

 

 

Suppressing the wave of panic rising within her, she forced a tight smile. “Thank you, Mother,” Hailey replied, her voice strained with forced composure. “I understand.”

 

 

 

Tears glimmered in the Luna’s eyes as she tried to pull her daughter in for a tight hug. “I just want what is good for you my sweet child,” she said softly, her voice quivering.

 

 

 

At this point, Hailey wasn’t having it. She let out a loud laugh then got up from the bed and started to blow up. “You want what’s best for me and yet my happiness and welfare do not matter to you guys-my parents? Why did you not intervene and prevent this, Mother? ” she screamed, her voice elevated in both pitched anger and emotional pain.

 

 

My mother’s eyes filled up with tears and her voice became so soft that I could sense she was distressed. “Hailey, you do know that I only want the best for you, but I also know you cannot go against your father’s words,” she said with a humble tone.

 

 

 

“But what about what I want? What about my happiness?” Hailey demanded, her frustration reaching a breaking point.

 

 

 

Her mother tried to place her hand on Hailey’s arm and immediately Hailey moved away. “Sorry darling, I wish I could do something, but everything is out of my control,” she said hugging her daughter as her own tears welled up.

 

 

 

“I know you cannot do anything as the Luna of the pack and the wife of the Alpha but what about as my mother?” she cried out, sad and angry as she walked out of the door, leaving her mother to bear the shame of being a helpless parent.