Chapter 20
“THEY’RE DEAD,” Serena abruptly halted in her steps as Priscilla responded. She turned to face her, feeling a wave of shock and guilt for posing such a personal question.
“I’m sorry…” She quickly apologized, but Priscilla simply shook her head and offered a supportive smile.
“It’s fine, there’s no need for apologies, you’re going to be my sister–in–law soon, so it’s important for you to know our pack’s history. Priscilla responded before taking Serena’s hand and guiding her to the bench by the pond. They settled onto the seat, relishing in the gentle breeze that blew through the grassy area and the praceful sounds of birds chirping.
“My father passed away 8 years ago during the war. It happened when the neighboring country invaded and took over one of the nation’s lands, which you were able to reclaim last month The loss of my father was devastating for my mother, and her health began to decline until she too passed away in her sleep five months later”
Serena could sense the overwhelming grief emanating from Priscilla’s words. It was heartbreaking to hear such a tragic tale. It was clear that their mother had an intense love for their father, one that extended beyond the typical bond of mated partners. Her love was so strong that it ultimately led to her death from sorrow over his passing. It was a beautiful yet heart- wrenching love story,
“With both of our parents gone, my brother took on the role of pha at the young age of twenty. He then wasted no time in investigating our father’s death and uncovered evidence of foul play.” Priscilla paused momentarily before continuing. “My father did die in the war, but not because of the battle, rather, one of the Alpha King’s warriors set up a trap for him to be killed.”
“In other words, the King killed our father.” Serena couldn’t help but shiver as she heard those words. No wonder why there seemed to be an unspoken animosity between Alpha Perez and the King. “However, we kept this information within our pack, and not even the King was aware that we were privy to it. So, please keep it confidential as well.”
“Of course, but is it really okay for me to have this information: After all, my relationship with your brother was merely contractual Even though we may be getting married soon, it doesn’t necessarily mean I will remain in this pack permanently.” Serena reasoned, feeling a little overwhelmed.
She knew how welcome she was, and it warmed her heart knowing that everyone was so accepting of her and treating her as someone worthy. But disclosing such an important and controversial secret to her when she hasn’t even been a member of the pack for that long was something she didn’t expect
“It’s fine, my
brother trusted you enough to enter a contract marriage when he wasn’t even interested in finding his mate and getting married. Besides, I could tell you’ll be very loyal to us as much as we are going to be loyal to you.” Priscilla smiled, confident that Serena would remain a part of their pack and that she and her brother would eventually end up together in the future.
Although Alpha Perez had disclosed the true purpose of this contract marriage, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more behind her brother’s decision to take in Serenal
“Anyway, do you want to keep going on the tour or do you have any other questions?” Priscilla suggested as she turned to look at her, hoping she would ask more questions about her brother, and when she did, her smile only got wider.
“Has Alpha Perez never really dated anyone before?”
“Yes, he never showed any interest in dating actually, not even finding his mate. I don’t know the reason, but for 28 years he has stayed single. Which is why we were surprised when he told us he would marry”
Serena’s eyes widened for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. Even though Alpha Perez had already mentioned his disinterest in women, it still shocked her to learn that he had never been in a relationship before.
“I see, that was a bit difficult to believe,” Serena chuckled, remembering that she was the first for Alpha Perez She couldn’t help but feel a little flattered that she caught his attention out of all the other women who surely wasted it. It boosted her self–esteem and made her think that she was still desirable to mel
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Thu, Nov 28
Chapter 20
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When Calix began to be less attentive to her, her self–esteem dropped drastically. She initially believed that he was avoiding mating with her due to their argument where she accused him of cheating, but it became clear to her that his interest had shifted toward Marga
Thinking back, Serena realized how easily Calix and Marga had grown close. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed anything before. In their eyes, she must have looked naive and foolish.
“How about you? Have you dated anyone before meeting your mate?” Priscilla’s question broke Serena out of her reverie. She shook her head and gazed up at the sky, remembering the dificult years of her adolescence before she met Calix.
“No, I haven’t… My parents were always strict, and they never allowed me to be close with any boys my age before. They wanted to make sure I wouldn’t get into a relationship with someone who wasn’t my destined partner.” She explained and recounted how Luna Emilia would punish hier every time she was caught talking to boys, and the memories of those moments flooded her mind.
When Serena was 14, she injured herself while learning horseback riding. A boy from the neighboring pack then came to her aid and helped her with treatment However, when her mother saw him applying ointment on her wounds, she sent him away and claimed she would take care of it herself. Serena was initially happy, thinking that her mother was finally showing concern for her, but it turned out to be a false hope because as soon as the boy left, Luna Emilia dragged her harshly.
Despite her pleading about her injured knee, her mother continued to pull at her arm, not caring about her limping leg and disregarding her pain. When they arrived home, Luna Emilia locked her in the basement and refused to give her any food for the entire day.
Her attempts to explain herself fell on deaf ears as her mother spolded her, saying that a future leader like her should only be with her designated mate.
“That was the strict rule of our pack, yet they made an exception for Marga and allowed her to choose whoever she wanted They even overlooked the fact that she became pregnant by my mate” Serena scoffed, and Priscilla could feel the pain in her voice.
“I’m sorry you had to go through such a terrible experience. But now that you’re here with us, we’ll make sure you’re treated with kindness and respect. You have my word on that.” Priscilla rassured as she placed her hand on top of Serena’s, “Even my brother, I’m confident that he won’t hurt your feelings, regardless of whether our marriage is genuine or fake.”
Serena smiled and nodded, deliberately pushing the unpleasant memories to the back of her mind. She knew there was no use in dwelling on painful events from the past, and she didn’t want them to dampen her mood now.
-Thank you
for the reassurance. I could tell everyone from this pack was genuine in their kindness,” she said before taking a deep breath, “Should we continue our tour-
Her sentence was cut off mid–sentence as Alpha Perez’s voice echoed in her mind, signaling that he was using their mind- link to communicate. She was surprised by this unexpected contact, especially since it was difficult for her to use this ability due to her lack of control over some of her werewolf abilities
“Serena, come here to my office. We need to discuss something important,” His words caught her attention, causing her to face the main house. Her gaze then was drawn to the balcony of his office where he stood, taking a drag from his cigarette,
Priscilla couldn’t help but wonder what had caught Serena’s attention and where she was looking so, she followed her gaze and saw that she was staring at her brother. Realizing they were communicating through their mind link, Priscilla stayed silent and directed all of her focus toward Serena instead.
“What’s wrong? Is it an emergency?” she asked.
“Yes, I just had a conversation with the beta of the Alpha King. Apparently, they contacted your residence regarding the celebratory banquet.” Alpha Perez blew out a cloud of smoke and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the railing. “It seemed that your parents have asked the Alpha King for a favor
“They want to send your sister in your stead so she could take credit and bring honor to your family. They reasoned that you won’t be able to attend the banquet because you have been accused of attempted murder and were exiled from your pack.”
