Chapter Five: ISN'T SHE LOVELY?

ALLISON KEELER

I sat absently in an armchair by the window munching on the toasts Maeve served me for breakfast. 

My mind wandered far off, the night before invading my thoughts.

I woke up that morning to empty sheets with Alpha Colton gone from the room but his scent lingered on the sheets. His patchouli lingered sweetly on me 

We'd made love the previous night. I had made love to a man for the first time and it wasn't just any man but my mate.

It was going to remain one of the best nights of my life. 

Alpha Colton had marked me as his mate.  That was the best sign I could ever search for. Finally, I belonged to him forever. 

A wide grin plastered on my face. 

"I've selected a dress, hurry and come get ready," Maeve announced, popping her head from the closet door. 

"Do you think he's going to take me out to lunch?" I cluelessly asked, unsure as I walked into the closet discarding the gray bathrobe I wore. 

Maeve smiled at me, moving ahead to clear the small table from which I had breakfast. Maeve returned to the closet just in time to help me with the last outfit I tried on. 

We heard the bedroom door go open, and my heartbeat accelerated at the thoughts of Alpha Colton returning to be in the same space. 

We heard footsteps approaching the closet. It wasn't until the sound of the stilettos against the floor resonated that we realized it wasn't whom my heart wished for. 

Shirley Hilton. 

I wondered what the fashionista was doing in the room Alpha Colton had offered me to stay. 

I watched silently how elegantly Shirley was dressed and how perfect she seemed walking further to us inside the closet. 

I braced myself for whatever was coming. 

Shirley had never been nice to me and being here was certainly a confirmation Colton had told the blonde girl about me. About our night together. My stomach built.

"I thought I could come get you ready but, looks like the stuffed-up lady has a good taste after all." Shirley smiled nicely before her attention dropped on her phone. 

I searched for reasons why Shirley came. None other than Colton telling her about our night together. Shuddering at the thought, I hoped not. 

I got a glimpse of her blonde silky strands, how nicely painted her face was, and most of all, how amazingly the dress she wore clung to accentuate her shape. 

I was greatly aware I was no match for the beauty before me, yet, we shared a common interest in the handsome ruler. 

I had intercepted their love when I turned eighteen six weeks ago meeting Shirley's fury. 

She never missed an opportunity to drop by anytime she could to add salt to my injury. 

"I'm here to take you, hurry the fuck up we don't have all day!" Shirley hissed, looking away from her phone.

Maeve doubled her pace with everything, gently pulling my auburn hair back and revealing my neck as she gently brushed it into a nice bun,  Shirley's eyes widened at the sight of my neck. 

Furrowing her brows, she moved closer to get a closer and better look at the mark on my neck. 

Shirley froze in front of me, her hands absently dropping to her sides, and all the lights were out of her vision as her blue eyes stared at the mark on my neck. 

"Colton marked  you?" She asked in disbelief. 

I didn't know how to reply to that. What was I to say? 

When it came to Shirley, biting my tongue was usually the right thing to do to save myself some fury, but this time, her fury seemed to be heightened by my silence. 

"You goddamn slut!" 

She struck me hard on the face, the sound echoing in the nearly empty closet.

Her gaze dropped on Maeve's wavering ones. 

"I need her hair down! I want this slut out of this Pack as soon as possible! She can go be a slut to her new rulers."

 Maeve obliged, brushing down my auburn hair, helped me with a pair of sandals, and with that I was ready. 

She shot Maeve a glare, "I think your bloated ass would be much appreciated in the kitchen." 

Maeve silently nodded, slipping from the closet. 

She sauntered closer to me, taking my cheeks in her perfectly manicured fingers, digging her nails deep into the flesh on my face.

"I am willing to let your shameful actions slide. I can forgive that you chose to spread your ugly legs for my man. You goddamn cheap slut!"

She let the anger out as she struck me hard across my face again.

I bit back a whimper, making sure not to give Shirley the satisfaction she sought. 

A devilish smirk curled on her face as she tugged at my hair until a whimper escaped my lips, and then a helpless cry.

"Don't you ever return to this Pack!" Pulling harder she added steely, "I won't hesitate putting a silver bullet through your skull if you ever come back to Darkmoon, cheap slut!" 

She banged my head against the wall smiling at how loudly it echoed. "Now come with me." 

Wiping my tears with the back of my palm, I sniffled, silently following Shirley back out of the room completely oblivious to what was happening. Wondering what her words meant and where she was taking me as we got into the parked car. 

"Wait here." 

Shirley barked at me when we were at the front office in Colton's business complex building. She headed straight to the lift, leaving me with my thoughts. 

The last time I was here at his business complex it didn't end well. Colton had treated me so badly and that happened when I was scheduled to clean the offices without pay. 

I had worked here a couple of weeks before one mistake had cost me a lot of tears and punishment. Then Colton reshuffled me to work in the prison, again without pay. 

I sat in the front office with my gaze upon my fingers, ignoring the odd stares from the staff at my nice appearance. My guts were telling me Colton was up to no good. 

Tears started to well up in my eyes. I feared last night must have not mattered to him as much as it did to me. He had said he wanted me and I had willingly and eagerly given my innocence to him. 

All I wanted was to please the handsome ruler. My fated mate.

Ron, Alpha Colton's executive assistant, appeared in the front office in a black suit, walking straight to me. 

"Please come with me, Allison!" He said curtly, turning towards the elevator, and smiling back at the brunette at the desk. 

I followed him silently to the elevator. When we got out of the elevator, he led me straight ahead into the office space I knew as the conference room. Where all Colton's businesses were negotiated. 

I was panicking. My teeth were chattering, and my fingers were running cold. 

Alpha Colton was at the head of the table when Ron ushered me in. His gaze squinted at me and his jaw clenched. Those were not enough expressions to give away the reasons why he had summoned me to his business meeting. 

The long table was flanked by faces I couldn't recognize other than our Pack Commanders and Shirley. The other four men were strange to me and were weirdly considering me with interest. 

"There she is, isn't she lovely?" Beta Karl spoke, leaving his seat to my side, grinning warmly at me.  

Beta Karl had never been warm to me, none of them had. Seeing them smile at me darted my gaze to Colton. He was silent in his seat, his face knotted and his red eyes predominantly on mine. 

"Lovely I'd say," One of the strange faces beamed, sizing me with his eyes. 

"Great!" Beta Karl audibly cleared his throat, and moved away from me, "We have a deal then?" 

"We need to know we're not being tricked." The other man said, sending Colton a raised brow before returning his gaze to me. 

"He's marked her. Check if you doubt!" Shirley smirked, her tone super bitchy. 

"You know the terms of this deal. You stick to it then we'll stick to ours. You touch her I'll fucking break you!" Gamma Vinny snarled. 

"Well then? Why don't Colton go ahead and do the introductions? I'd love to know more about this beauty!" The stranger grinned at me. Moving from his seat, he approached me. 

All I could focus on were his menacing dark eyes, triangular face, and his jet-black hair.

They were up to no good. I was not sure if I was ready for whatever was coming.