JANE
She was about to argue but saw the determination in my eyes and caved. Luckily fo us, no one was in his office. Miranda was on look out duty while I went to his desk to a speaker.
The very same one Cole uses to pass very important information to all pack members.
Clearing my throat, i turned it on and leaned further towards the mic. Here goes nothing, "Hello everyone, this is your ex luna speaking. Roses are red, lilies are white, your Alpha is gay and has been screwing his beta for quite a while now."
That was the only solution I could think in my weak state. He wanted them dead to keep his secret, now the whole pack knew. They were safe.
"Oh, and Matteo, you could do better than that plaid abomination you got going on." I finished. My sister and I bolted like vandalisers in a subway station.
"You're crazy Jane. We could have been caught." She said out of breath.
I laughed. Don't I know it.
We reached the packs borders, the car came into view, just as we were about to open the car doors, a twig snapped behind us. My heart skipped a beat as I turned to see none other than Jacob. The wolf who knocked me unconscious at the ceremonial hall.
He looked right at me puzzled by my change in appearance and my scent. Recognition hit him, his eyes went wide and he knew.
I was not going back to that cell. My claws protruded from my fingers, flames erupted from Miranda's palm ready to take this gamma down, when he let out a nervous chuckle and took five steps back.
"I wonder where the Luna could be." He muttered and walked away. He knew I was right here but chose not to turn me in, either from fear or...gratitude.
We hopped in the car, a long sigh of relief escaped me as we left silverfang pack for good.
"We made it." I said more to myself than my sister.
"Yeah. I thought I might actually have to roast that gamma back there." We laughed.
A wave of silence washed over us before Mira spoke. "Mum filled me in about Cole. I'm glad you rejected that bastard but are you holding up fine?" She looked concerned.
"I heard rejections can cause a ton of negative mental impacts to wolves, from depression to suicide. Which do you have? we'll solve it together."
I shrugged, my eyes closed as I lay my head on the back seat. "None of that. Just a dull emptiness is all."
There were worse outcomes. If this was the impact of my rejection to cole, I was more than happy to deal with it.
We were safe now, it's all that matters. I didn't have a plan for what I would do when I got home but I couldn't bring myself to care.
My vision blurred at the edges, exhaustion pulling me under. For the first time that felt like a long while, I let it.
****
My parents living room looked like something out of an Luxe intèrieur magazine. Tufted velvet seettes sat at perfect right angles to carved mahogany tables that gleamed beneath the chandelier's soft golden light; a porcelain tea set jostled for space amongst crystal decanters, antique wolf crest figurines, and enough rare trinkets to make a museum curator weep.
The air smelled faintly of polished oak and peonies...my mother's doing no doubt, and not a single thing was out of place.
Some people had homes; my parents had a trophy case with a roof.
Elena leone, thirty eight, lean, tall, and radiating authority sat across from me like she was holding court.
"You've gotten skinny." My mother examined with a critical eye. "And your looks skin dull. Have you been eating well?."
Two years with a cheating mate does things to you. I wanted to say but i didn't.
She sat across from me, her own skin glowing with an ethereal shimmer.
"Yes mother." My cheeks ached from the forced politeness of my smile. I'd stepped foot in my childhood home nine hours ago and I had already been criticized for my hair (too frizzy), my nails (too long), my weight and now my complexion.
Just another day at the Leone Manor.
Miranda left early probably to escape my mother's comments about her hair or sense of fashion and my wrist had healed a fair share since the escape.
"Good. remember you can't let yourself look tattered," she said. "you still don't have a proper mate."
I held back a groan. Here we go again. The cole situation was one thing. Her immediate reminder of me not finding the 'suitable mate' was another thing entirely and it had barely been twenty four hours.
"I just escaped one," I said patiently. "You witnessed it. There's still plenty of time if I choose to have one."
I was only twenty five but but my parents acted like I would shrivel up into a cursed crone the second midnight struck.
My mother's lips thinned.
Beside her, my father's thick, blonde-tipped brows formed a stern V over the bridge of his nose.
Fourty years old, spry and fit, Alexander Leone looked every inch the self made CEO. He'd expanded Leone jewels from a small, family run shop to a multinational behemoth over two decades, and a silent stare from him was enough to make me shrink back against the couch cushions.
He was the only parent I ever truly respected, the only parent who stayed with and provided for me and Mira when we were younger while mother spent his money on glowing antiques and other "investments in beauty.".
"You're previous relationship with Alpha Cole was destroyed." His tone seeped with disapproval. "Your mother and I were delighted when your mate turned out to be an alpha and boasted about it to our buisness partners. What will they say when they find out?"
I bit my tongue so hard, the taste of copper filled my mouth. He made it sound as though I was at fault for Cole's lack of attraction towards me.
"He loves someone else. Always has. I know i shouldn't but I'd at least expected you to cuss at him just once not put the blame on me." I fumed.
My father sounded unimpressed by my spiel. "It's clear you don't feel the same urgency we do, which is why your mother took matters into her own hands."
My tea froze halfway to my lips. I glanced at my mother who looked rather proud of herself. "Meaning?"
My blood ran cold.
No. It can't be.
"Meaning I've secured a suitable match for you." My mother dropped the bombshell with little to no warning, that annoying smile playing on her lips. "It took quite a bit of work on my end but the arrangement has been finalized."
I've secured a suitable match for you.
The fragments from her declaration blasted through my chest and nearly cleaved my outward composure in half.
My teacup clattered unto its plate, little of its contents spilled on the table, earning me a frown from my father.
For once, I was too lost in thought to care about his disapproval. Arranged marriages were a common practice in our world when two mates didn't work out. I had expected to be matched with someone. I just hadn't expected my engagement to come so... soon.
A bitter vodka of shock, dread, and uncertainty sliced down my throat.
I was expected to enter a lifetime contract after "quite a bit of work" on my mother's end.
"La Vie Parisienne dubbed him one of the most eligible bachelor's under thirty. Rich, handsome, powerful, An Alpha. Honestly, I really outdid myself. He had a mate but she left him, at least you two have something to relate with" My mother linked arms with my father, her face glowing.
At least my match still had all his teeth and no grey hair.
"And most importantly, "my mother continued. "He has formed a strong friendship with the Lycan queen. He's the perfect candidate to protect you in case Alpha Cole comes to take you back."
My body shuddered involuntarily at the mere thought of Cole coming to get me. They had a point. Security was most important and with this Alpha's relationship with the queen, cole would think twice before coming to get me.
"We know it's soon," he began.
Well no shit, sherlock.
"But you seem to be holding your own just fine." My father continued. "I'm sure you'll agree once you meet him during breakfast."
The vodka turned into acid and ate away at my insides.
"Breakfast? As in, today's breakfast?" My voice sounded distant and strange, as if I was hearing it in a bad dream. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Being ambushed with news of an arranged marriage was bad enough. Meeting my future fiancé with zero preparation was a hundred times worse especially in my barney and friends pajamas.
My stomach lurched and the possibility of expelling its contents all over my father's Japanese vase inched closer to reality.
Everything was happening too fast. The early summon, my engagement...the impending meeting...my mind whirled from trying to keep up.
"He didn't confirm until this very second due to...scheduling complications."
My mother and I exchanged panic looks. The situation could be solved. I just had to rush to my room, put on something decent while my parents stalled him. Perfect.
"So," I swallowed my bile and forced a light tone as I stood up to leave for my room. "Does Mr Powerful have a name or is he only known by his networth?"
I didn't remember everyone on the La Vie Parisienne list, mainly because they didn't spark my interest. Except one person...
"Never thought I'd see the day Jane Leone called me powerful."
My spine stiffened at the deep unexpected voice behind me. It was so close I could feel the rumble behind my back. This voice sounded so familiar., they slid over me like a sun warmed honey...rich and sensual with a faint Italian accent that made every nerve ending tingle with pleasure.
Heat slipped beneath my skin.
"So glad you could make it." My mother rose, a strangely truimphant gleam in her eyes. "Thank you for coming in such short notice."
"How could I pass up the opportunity to meet your lovely daughter. "
A hint of mockery tainted the word, lovely and instantly washed away any attraction I had to his voice of all things.
Ice doused the heat in my veins.
So much for Mr Powerful.
My gut told me the owner of this voice was as thrilled as I was about breakfast.
"Jane, say hello to our guest." She said
I hesitated.
Turned.
And all the air whooshed out of my lungs.
Thick black hair. Olive skin. Blue eyes. A slightly crooked nose that enhanced rather than detracted from his ruggedly masculine charm.
My future husband was devastion poured into a suit. Handsome, his aura so powerful and so compelling his presence swallowed every molecule of oxygen in the room like a black hole consuming everything that came across it.
My heart sank beneath the weight of my shock. Impossible. There was no way he was my arranged fiancé. This had to be a joke.
Antonio Rossi.
CEO of Rossi developments, a major real estate development company.
Alpha to my pack, the white lotus moon pack.
My future fiancé.
Clearly, the universe hated me.
He was my nemesis ever since I was a kid. Called me a bad influence to his sister more times than I could count.
The hate ran deep and led to daggers being thrown at each other, and an almost successful murder attempt on my end had if only his pet parrot didn't eat his food and kick the bucket. In my defense, he pushed me off a rollercoaster, I was lucky it wasn't that high and i had healing abilities.
Now, my own mother, who knew of our animosity, personally sought out this engagement.
My blood boiled.
I glared at her. "Really mum?" I demanded. "Him? You couldn't think of any other person?." She made to explain but I cut her off. "There are better options like Alpha Xavier."
"He's practically a robot. It's no wonder he hasn't found his mate." She said."
Antonio had already sat down and poured himself tea, an amused smirk played on his lips, his eyes never leaving mine.
He loved it when I got riled up. It was the only thing that could make this grinch smile and I hated it.
"That's enough." My father's voice interrupted our banter. "The two of you, sit and talk this out like adults."
he said to my mother and me.
The storm had calmed a bit and I stiffened beneath Antonio's leering scrutiny, suddenly hyperaware of my barney and friends pajamas and pink flip-flops.
This was my standard uniform during breakfast that couldn't change despite my parents protests, and judging by the way Antonio's lips thinned, he was less than impressed.
I already knew two things with my gut certainty.
One. I was going to be engaged to Antonio. Two. We might kill each other before we ever made it to the altar. Literally.