Chapter 4

ZIVA Hastily, I averted my gaze to the door, hoping that the two male guards I met in my room earlier were not the people who barged in. To my utmost surprise, it was none other than Alpha Darwin and his Luna. As soon as they saw me, they crinkled their noses, and instantly, a female guard walked in. She dragged me to a chair amongst other chairs as I settled on it. Now, I can scan the room properly. A few chairs surrounded a long table, and surprisingly, the female guard assisted me to sit on one of them. Sitting amongst these chairs meant you were among important or high-ranked werewolves, but why was a poor person like me sitting here? Click-clack! Click-clack! Alpha Darwin and his Luna sat on the tall chairs, and they faced me with a serious gaze. “What is going on? I thought I was a prisoner,” I blurted out. The Luna gasped instantly, and I gasped too, as I was a bit surprised with my sharp, arrogant tone. How did I speak? I thought my lips were too dry to move. I knew I had disrespected their invitation by saying that, but to be honest, I loved the frightened, surprised expression I received from the Luna’s reaction. “Do not grow wings yet. We can kill you at any moment,” Alpha Darwin uttered boldly, and for the first time in three years, I somewhat mustered courage, pushing my chest out as I smirked. “Please do,” I blurted out, and this time, I was enjoying my new tone and character. I have tolerated enough of their punishments, and death is the only wish I have left. Then, Alpha Darwin threw a photograph at me, which swiftly landed on the table. I grabbed the photograph and turned it around to see whose photograph it was. As I turned it around, my gaze fell on a man’s face, causing my jaw to drop. Why did Alpha Darwin give me this man’s photograph? Then I gazed at the man. The man's face was sharp and angular, with a hard jawline and piercing blue eyes. His brows were heavy, giving him a brooding expression, and he set his mouth in a permanent scowl. His dark hair was slicked back, emphasizing the intensity of his dark gaze. “Alpha Xander, Alpha of Crescent Moon Pack,” Alpha Darwin stated, causing my jaw to drop. The same man Alpha Darwin mentioned is the same one everyone in this pack fear. I heard rumors about him. He is scary and ruthless. “He is our rival pack Alpha, and you are getting married to him tomorrow,” Alpha Darwin completed his statement, causing me to almost collapse. Alpha Xander is a ruthless Alpha who killed his mate with his bloody hands. “Why? I'm an Omega, a slave. Why will he marry a low-rank girl?” I asked quickly, ensuring that I sounded worried and sad instantly. I can not marry an Alpha who can kill me overnight. “Well, Tania is already mated to Nikolas, and you are my only child available-” “Child?” I cut in, huffing at his statement. Previously, he called me an illegitimate child, now he calls me his only child. “Do you really think that I would get married to that beast for your pack and daughter?!” I retorted angrily, shoving the photograph off the table. Bang! The Luna slammed her hand on the table, silencing me immediately. She yelled, “Respect the Alpha’s decision or watch your mother die!” “Get a hold of yourself, Luna,” Alpha Darwin whispered and my brows creased quickly. “You mentioned my mother. What do you mean by watching her die?” I asked quickly, with my tone tinged with curiosity as my heart raced. The Luna sat down quietly, and Alpha Darwin turned his gaze to me. “Your mother did not die during the war. I locked her up and hid her far away after I discovered the truth about your identity,” Alpha Darwin explained, as my hands trembled. I pushed my hands beneath the table, and squeezed it, to stop it from shaking. How could he do that to my mother? All these years I thought my mother was dead, but now he is using her as a threat against me. Even though she made a mistake by birthing me, she is still my mother, and I do not want to lose my only family. “What do you want me to do?” I questioned, staring at Alpha Darwin after mustering the courage to do so. “It’s good you chose your mother, but I will only release her after you get married to Alpha Xander, and after our packs are united,” Alpha Darwin spoke quickly, his words sinking into my head as I tried to digest it. Getting married to this man named Xander is a good option anyway. I will leave this pack, and not be termed as a rogue. Also, I will be able to move on from my past and meddle with my future problems by being his wife, even though I might be murdered. “How can I be assured that you are not lying about my mother's condition?” I questioned quickly, recalling that Alpha Darwin and his Luna were cunning and deceitful. Alpha Darwin snapped his fingers at that moment, and the door swung open immediately. A guard marched in with a larger size of a phone clasped in his hand. He placed the phone before me as a sound vibrated from it. “Help,” I heard from the phone, with my heart racing loudly. That was my mother’s voice. I recognized her voice accurately and without hesitation, I checked the phone, only to realize that it was playing a video, more like a CCTV footage. Glancing at the phone, I spotted my mother on the floor in a locked cell. She was hugging her knees as she shivered, with her messy bun shaking vigorously. Her legs and wrists were bound with cold silvery chains, and the temperature in the room was extremely cold from the view of how she exhaled frost. “Now, do you believe me?” Alpha Darwin questioned, and then I nodded quickly. Standing up to my feet to leave the room since our discussion was over, I fell on the floor with a loud thud. I was still weak, so walking or standing was difficult. I tried my best to get back on my feet, but I couldn't. The pain was too much to bear and only a hiss escaped from my lips throughout my efforts. A muscular hand touched my hand, and I looked up instantly, only to see the same guard who tried to touch my breast. “Assist her to her new room,” Alpha Darwin’s voice echoed authoritatively, and I gulped. I was certain I caught a smirk on that guard’s face. He will definitely try to do something horrible to me when I am alone.