Chapter 1 A Rose Proposal

Cara's POV My Fate Mate is proposing to someone else, in the rose garden I had arranged with my own hands. But all I can do is watch. Alpha King Alaric and her lips meet and it’s like time stops. I don’t want to watch, but somehow, I can’t look away. It’s like my lungs have forgotten how to breathe and my legs forgotten how to move. "NO!!!" My wolf, Lucy, howls mournfully in my mind. As a beta, I always do my best to fulfill every command of the Alpha King.This romantic rose garden, is the perfect setting for the Alpha King to finally put an end to being single and propose to the she-wolf who will become Pack DarkWood’s new Luna. But it won’t be me. All I can do is hold my breath and watch them kiss. It won’t be me, even though I showed enough promise as a Beta to be promoted to “Agent Luna” to cover the Luna’s responsibilities for the last three years. Even though we’ve had so much amazing sex in the last three years. Even though I want so badly to be his. Even though he and I are Fate Mates. But no one can know that part. The Alpha King has demanded that information stay secret. An Alpha King deserves a noble-born bride, not an orphan like me. No matter how hard I work, no matter how many promotions I earn, I’ll never be a noble. I’ll never be good enough for a King. I try to explain everything as usual, as a beta I need to do this calmly, but the fact is I almost unable to control myself from starting to cry, painfully realize the reality... ...Over the past three years, in Alaric's eyes, I might just be an office lover, ready to spread my legs for his calling! I look down at my feet, needing to get a grip on my emotions. I take a deep breath and look back up at the happy couple, a polite smile on my lips. “All of this is unusual!” My wolf, Lucy, says in my head. She’s having trouble coming to terms with the Alpha King’s proposal decision. “I asked you to please be quiet while I’m working,” I remind her internally. Thankfully, Lucy goes silent. I quietly step back, finally able to get my feet to move. I’m not sure how much longer I can take watching my Fate Mate kiss another. “Cara,” I suddenly hear the Alpha King’s voice call to me. “Bring me the ring.” I unsure that I’ve heard him correctly. But Alaric is staring at me expectantly, and I realize that, to him, this is just another part of my job. Even though it almost killing me. I find the ring in a locked briefcase at the edge of the garden, and tremble place the ring box into his hand. “Lilia,” Alaric drops to one knee. “Will you marry me and take your rightful place as Pack DarkWood’s true Luna?” Happy tears flow from her eyes as she excitedly agrees. Lucy’s low, miserable cry is so loud it blocks out the sound of the applause from the other members of the pack. My head starts to pound, and I feel dizzy. I move quickly to the stairs at the back of the hotel, feeling faint. Memories of the past flood my mind. In some ways, I’ve never felt like I truly belong in Pack DarkWood. Orphaned as a young pup at only three years old, I was adopted into the Pack DarkWood house and grew up under the hostile glares of the pack nobles who thought me unworthy.But I never let that stop me. My determination to prove them all wrong prevailed, and I showed the pack how hard I can work. No one questioned my worth anymore. No one except the Alpha King. Alaric showed me the harsh truth: my low-born status is not worthy of him, no matter how many times his lips caught mine in the dark, in secret. “You’re Alaric’s Beta, aren’t you?” A light female voice shakes me from my thoughts. “Thank you for preparing the perfect proposal!” I look up to see Lilia, the red headed she-wolf newly engaged to Alaric. Her eyes are filled with an uncomfortable intensity. “You’re…” I triy my best to give my most friendly smile. I clear my throat and start again, eager to make a good first impression with the new Luna, “You’re welcome. Yes, I’m Cara, I’ve been the Alpha King’s Agent Luna, keeping the duties covered until the pack has a true Luna.” I extend my hand to shake hers in a greeting. Her eyes narrow as she looks down at my hand with a hint of… is that disgust on her face? “Well, obviously your services won’t be needed any more. And I do mean all of your services, both professional and sexual.” Lilia was clearly aware that Alaric and I had an intimate relationship. So much for him never telling anyone. The sense of humiliation pricks at my skin, and my cheeks feel hot. Her delicate hand flicks something directly into my face. I flinch and catch it, realizing after a few blinks that it’s a bank card. “You know, I never expected that someone with as good a reputation as you could be bought for money. I told Alaric that $10,000 would be more than enough, but he insisted on $1 million. Take it and consider yourself lucky, Beta.” She sneers at me. Money?! Is that what they thought? That I’ve been doing this for the money?! “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say. “Oh, I think I know a low-born gold-digging whore when I see one.” Lilia’s voice is cold and cruel. After she uttered that vicious remark, she turned and walked away, leaving me rooted to the spot in shock. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Once I snapped out of it, I hurriedly chased after her into the hotel. Confusion and pain fill my chest. In the corner of the hallway, I’m so distracted I nearly run straight into Alaric’s firm chest. “You’ve been crying?” Alaric looks a little surprised. He hesitated to comfort me, “…Don’t worry, you’ll always be my very best Beta, if that’s what you’re worried about.” I know Alaric's cold nature very well, this is already the best comfort he can offer. I reach my hand up to wipe a falling tear. Somehow, the bank card Lilia threw at me is still in my hand. “No, it’s just that—" I start. Alaric notices the card and interrupting me, “Was that not enough money? Is that it?!” His words hit me like a bullet. His blue eyes are full of disappointment. Why?! What had I ever done to make him think I cared this much about money? I open my mouth want to say anytings, but he pulls another bank card to me. Alaric says, “Let’s just stick to business. Lilia has her heart set on a new necklace to match the engagement ring. Go to the jeweler’s and put in the order, and make sure it’s something elegant enough for the pack’s true Luna.” “And one more thing…” He adds. I look up at him. “You can keep the remaining balance of money, that's what you need.” he adds. I look down at the two bank cards in my hands, unable to mask my glare, for the first time feeling truly angry. Does he have to keep rubbing his love for Lilia in my face like this? Does my love just an easy deal to him?! For the work, I even endured the pain to give him the ring. Why does he have to treat me like this?! The bubbling rage inside me meets the exhaustion of a long day spent organizing the proposal, and I snap. He doesn’t care that it pains me, pains my wolf, to watch this unfold. He doesn’t care about me at all! “I will not! Do it yourself!” I roughly throw both bank cards at his face. “What?!” It’s the shocked sound of an Alpha King who, for the very first time, has been defied.