NICOLETTE'S POV
As an Omega, being married to the alpha of a well revered pack would be considered a privilege to anyone else but to me, it would be termed more like a consolation prize. No one actually was willing to acknowledge me as Luna save my husband's best friend and Beta, Allen.
This marriage of convenience had erupted moons ago after I had been ultimately embarrassed by my supposed mate, an alpha who had been embarrassed by the fact that an Omega was his destined mate. I could remember that day as the back of my paws when I had felt the pull and traveled all the way to that ceremony where I had been rejected. The shame was still all over me when he said clearly that he could not claim an Omega. That was the stepping stone to my marriage of convenience to the heart shattered Alexander Auger of the Red moon pack. His mate too had abandoned him and he had promised me a place by his side in a marriage with no strings attached. Perhaps he wanted to send a message across but what do I care, I was at least accepted somewhere.
The least I could do since I could not perform my duties as a real Luna would was to play the housewife and make my dear husband's meal. Tonight Xander, for that was what he was being called by everyone, had returned from his trip to a clan nearby with his Beta unexpectedly. I knew nothing of his whereabouts as no one told me anything actually. He had returned suddenly and I decided to fix him a meal. There was something really strange in his behavior but I would rather think that his meeting with the neighboring pack did not go as planned. So while the duo waited in study, I put my best effort into getting their meal ready.
In a couple minutes and I was done and ready to deliver it to them. I set the food before them on the table and waited a little. Xander would not even look at me as I entered as he fixed his gaze on the paperwork before him. Allen, noticing the awkwardness of the situation, smiled at me as he grabbed his dish and had a taste.
"Trust me Nicolette, you have outdone yourself as always. This tastes amazing." Allen had said , full of smiles.
I thanked him for his compliments but waited still hoping perhaps my husband dearest would have words for me but he still would not look my way. Although Allen tried to hide it but I saw him kick Xander under the table and he looked up quickly, seeming now to have only noticed my presence in the room. He brought on his face a smile that seemed really hard to be there and I knew he was not angry but troubled. I have been with Xander long enough to discern from his troubled and angry countenance. I sincerely hoped that whatever it was that might have been bothering him would pass away. Xander was speaking to me now.
"Thank you for the meal wife but I think you should retire and get some rest now." he said to me
"Oh but the dishes..." I began
"Would be taken care of by the maids. You just go to bed. Allen and I have so much to talk about." he said to me.
There was no point arguing before it would begin to seem like I was crossing the boundaries of our agreement so I decided to give in. I bid him goodnight and to Allen as well who was rather too focused on his meal like it was the only thing that mattered. I made my way to my room immediately. Like I said, ours was a marriage of convenience so we did not share bedrooms. We had our way of respecting each other's personal space.
But tonight, I really could not sleep at all as there was so much on my mind. In my time of being married to Xander, regardless of how troubled he was he always found a way to make me feel comfortable but tonight,.it seemed he was trying hard to make eye contact with me. I needed someone to share this with and tell me that everything was alright so I decided to call on my best friend with whom I was supposed to go shopping with. She picked on the second ring.
"Come on Nicolette, it's late you know." she whined over the phone but I knew it was all a prank. She was one who would always listen to me
"Should I hang up?" I asked her sounding really stressed.
Actually I wanted her to notice my mood.
"Do not dare. What's up? Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about the spree tomorrow. Think of all the goodies we would get this time." she said
"Actually that's why I called Zibelle, I cannot make it." I said
"Why?" she asked
"Xander just returned and you know how it usually is." I said
"Yes. You play the devoted housewife but seriously, wasn't he supposed to be back much later like way after our shopping spree?" she asked
"Well you know how these things go. Anyways Zibs I got to go now." I said to her rather disappointed she could not pick up on the signs I was giving her that I was rather upset.
Well like I said she was my best friend and the moment I said I was about to hang up, she already took notice and asked what the problem was. I told her I was scared and worried over Xander. After explaining what had happened that night, Zibelle reassured me that I probably was overthinking it and just needed to sleep it off. I agreed with her and bid her goodnight.
It was all words because I found it pretty much hard to get any form of sleep that night. I was troubled and so was my wolf. I usually get certain hunches when something wrong is about to happen and I could tell that this was one of those times when things I feared happened. The only question now in my mind was about what was happening exactly as my fears were actually beginning to develop. This happened to go down as my most troubled night since my marriage to Xander and by the morning I hoped for my sake that everything would be alright.
NICOLETTE POVI woke up that morning and seriously I was still pretty much heavy ladened. I could have sworn that I could perceive the odd sensation within me but regardless I still fixed breakfast. I had gone to his study bearing the tray when I realized my husband was in his study with Allen. I wondered what had been happening all through the night that had taken the discussion to the bedroom. I made my way to the bedroom and then before I could enter, I realized the door was slightly open but they were speaking behind those doors and just then I heard that name that sent shivers down my spine.... Laurel...That was my husband's mate and from what I had gathered, they never actually separated nor did Xander reject her. Apparently Laurel had suddenly left him and traveled away leaving him with no words and shattered. No one could figure out why she had suddenly left him but some said she had business overseas and others said it was her former lover but either ways, I was always kept
XANDER'S POVI had to wait for her and I knew it but there was something more pressing than waiting on a woman that God only knows how long she would be taking. I decided to do something to keep her at ease. Girls love shopping they say and so I transferred her a handsome sum and tagged it shopping. After making the transfer, I found my hand willing to know on her door when I realized she was still crying but then I heard footsteps. I swallowed hard and I walked away. I should have checked in with her but I opted for the easy way out.Part of the reason I reacted that way was because I did not want to start crossing lines with her knowing we both had our free will. Also I had this feeling that she would not be reasonable with me and my explanation when I could not tell her the previous day. I still had meetings and I as well would have to get ready to receive my estranged mate.My day was not as glamorous or alpha going like it used to be as the thoughts of both the women in my life k
NICOLETTE'S POVI could not believe my eyes that he actually thought this was all that meant anything to me, money. I saw the transfer he made into my account which he termed shopping and I angrily threw my phone on the bed standing there by my bed stark naked. Clearly he either did not know what was happening exactly or he was trying to play me for the stupid one but I would not have it that way. I dressed up and eventually went down to eat when my phone started ringing. It was Zibelle."Zibs..." I said sadly"Girl don't tell me you're still worked up over that, you are his wife and I really doubt he would let her back to his home. You are the real deal and you know that." she said over the phone.I realized now that tears were already beginning to drop from my eyes because I sincerely was beginning to wish that what she had said to me would be true and that all this was a phase that would eventually pass but I knew for sure that should Laurel come back and decide on it then my marri
NICOLETTE'S POVI knew I should have waited but the pain I was feeling within me was excessive already. I hurriedly tried to walk down the corridor when someone caught me by the arm. I turned to find Xander looking straight at me and he showed every sign of worry and sometime else which I could not tell. I had been stopped abruptly so the least I could do was turn around and look at him. He seemed to be fighting within himself for the right words to say to me and I myself could not help but feel intense. I could count the number of times when Xander and I shared physical contact but as I looked down at my hand, I could see his own covering my wrist. I looked up at him and he quickly let go."I'm really sorry, Nicolette." he said to me.I felt disappointed that he could not understand what I desired. He had suddenly let go of my arm like it was hot coal or perhaps even like there was some sort of contract between us that would weigh on us if he kept holding me. His touch had sent a lot
XANDER'S POV The most stressful two days of my life and it was all thanks to Laurel. The lady sure was something and she clearly still enjoys playing the same games she used to back then when we were kids and young. It seemed quite funny to her but to me, it certainly was not. It was this same game of chase that she had played when she left me three years ago. She had told me she had boarded her flight already and I actually believed her when she sent me pictures of her in the plane, making me panic for real. I still had a wife who if not anything at all, I owed her the clearness and transparency of marriage. I needed no soothsayer to tell me that she was hurting and even though she tried hard to stand out as brave, I knew Nicolette was hurting deep inside of her. When I had returned from that awkward meeting with Maxwell and suddenly met her on her way out, I nearly melted away and for real, my knees felt momentary like they were rubber. She looked really beautiful and
I could not get a wink of sleep that night as thoughts of that kiss I had shared with her stormed my mind. I just hoped she would understand the message I had been trying to pass on to her and not misunderstand. But right now, I needed to find a way to get a grip as it would seem that something had yet awakened in me the moment I had done that. So I thought it just might be time I had a run in the woods. It's been quite a long while since I last had any such activities and perhaps it was high time I fixed that. Quickly I took off my shirt and replaced it with a sleeveless over a pair of jeans. My running shoes and I were ready for it. I walked out of the house instructing the maids to keep a close eye on Nicolette and should anything strange start happening, they were to call me immediately. Seeing they concurred with my instructions, I took off from around the back of the house. It was going to be a long night but it should do me good as I felt less hot out here. The raci
NICOLETTE'S POV I must have been dreaming or perhaps fragments of my imagination were beginning to show themselves in my physical life. Else how would I attest or explain the fact that my husband had just kissed me a second time? This was something confusing yet so wanted. I recall standing there after he was gone for a while as my index finger touched my lips. A teardrop fell from my eyes to compliment the already drying tears. I eventually managed to get a hold of my emotions and enter my bedroom. I could have sworn that I spent longer in the shower that night than I had any other night because I could not think straight. It was when I got out that I started trying to analyze what had happened. I sat down to brush my hair for the night yet I could not think straight as the memory was flooding in. It was a mistake. At least that should be what I would stick to when I have no explanations to put up. Xander was a man of his word and clearly, he was not thinking straight. I reca
I had woken up that morning and was about to make my way to the kitchen so I would fix us some breakfast when I heard the whispers. I found myself listening as somehow it seemed like I had woken up with little extra heightened senses. I could hear the maids inside whispering. "Great, now Laurel is coming back then we could have ourselves a true Luna." the first maid was saying. "True but what do you think would become of her?" whoever her companion was asked. "Clearly she'll return to her sickening Omega life. She runt after all," she said and they all laughed. I felt so much pain weighing down on my heart as I never actually expected I would be going through such pain in my entire life. Now the maids had confirmed that Laurel was coming back, I was as good as a vanished soul. I stood up straight as I tried calming myself down to ease the pressure to let tears out. I did not want to cry for fear of confirming their words. To them, I would always be an Omega runt wh