Chapter 4 Here we go again

Rebecca's POV

The moment the words left my mouth, Leon paled until he was as white as a ghost. "Rebecca..." His voice turned soft, and my skin crawled. "I have made my decision," I reiterated sternly. "I chose Lysander." "Lysander..." Diane stuttered for the first time, her eyes wide. "You cannot possibly take a woman like her. She has no dignity. She even had the audacity to---" "Who called you into the conversation?" Lysander asked. "And you are the last person who should be speaking about dignity." Diane reeled back as if she had been slapped. "You have no right speaking to her like that." Leon jumped to her defense. "I will speak to your whore however I see fit," Lysander countered. "You must be mistaking Diane for Rebecca?" Leon suddenly smirked. "I made no mistake because my mate is to be my wife." Lysander announced. My heart lurched in my chest as I spoke the words. Wife? I was left with my mind spiraling. Lysander took my hands, and my heart sputtered in response, my mouth going dry. "Rebecca, look at me," it was a plea and an order wrapped in one. I raised my face, and his onyx eyes met mine. For a moment, the world seemed to slow. Mila, my wolf, was pulled towards him, every nerve coming to life at his touch. Never in all my life had I felt this spark. The mark that he had left on me began to throb. "Marry me, Rebecca." He said. I swallowed anxiously, but I knew the answer. "Yes." Leon's roar snapped me out of the moment. "You can't do this!" "We can, and we will." Lysander said, a devilish smile on his lips. There was bad blood between the stepbrothers, but this was on another level. Leon's expression was one that was sharp enough to kill, but Lysander did not seem in the least intimidated. It dawned on me that this was fate, a second chance, and a solution had been handed to me. Who better to marry than the one person who did not fear Leon? The person who had enough power to put him in his place. I spared a glance at Diane, who looked like she was about to blow a fuse. Lysander pulled out his phone and made a call. "Eleanor, I need a wedding dress delivered here immediately. Elegant, Rebecca Morrison's size. No delays." After a brief pause, he added, "Good. Make it perfect." Hanging up, he sent a quick text before addressing the room. "The guests will be informed. The wedding is proceeding-but you, brother, will not be the groom." Leon still didn't know what to give up. "You can't just-" "I already have," Lysander cut in, his voice like steel. "You can fight me on this, but you already know who will win." Within the hour, I walked down the aisle with horrified stares following my path toward Lysander. The guests murmured as I walked down the aisle, all eyes on me. Some of them had seen me in that compromising situation barely an hour ago. Lysander stood at the altar, waiting for me. Leon glared at me from the corner, but he said nothing. Did he really think that he could dissuade me simply by glaring at me? Diane was by his side, seemingly trying to console him while staring daggers at me. When I reached Lysander, he took my hand. "Are you ready?" he whispered. I nodded, afraid that my voice would betray my nerves. What if I was running straight into yet another trap? I wondered, but I pushed the thought away. I needed to live, and I would do anything to ensure that. We both recited our vows, my hands in his, his skin radiating a heat that warmed me to my bones. The officiant quickly finished the ceremony. "Do you, Rebecca Morrison, take Lysander Castille as your mate and husband?" "I do," I replied, my voice steady. Lysander's response was equally as sure. "I do." As the officiant pronounced us husband and wife, Lysander turned to Leon, his gaze sharp. "It's done, brother." A part of me knew that Lysander Castille was doing this partly because he wanted to rile Leon up. The smirk that he flashed him suggested that he enjoyed his discomfort. Lysander walked straight to Leon and, to my surprise, pulled him in for a hug. It was a show for the guests. Leon's fists clenched, but he didn't move. Instead, his eyes fell on me. "Don't do this," he whispered. "Void the sham of a marriage, and I will take you back. I love you." Bile rose in my throat hearing those words, but I simply looked away, just as Lysander pulled away. Lysander pulled me close. "Let's go," he said, leading me out. His men, all dressed in suits, flanked us as we walked out of the wedding, leaving behind a cacophony of murmurs. --- We were ushered to Lysander's waiting private jet. As soon as we were seated in the plush cabin of the private jet, silence settled between us. The hum of the engine filled the air, but neither of us spoke. Lysander leaned back in his seat, a glass of water in hand, seemingly unbothered. His casual demeanor only served to unnerve me. When I was unable to stand it any longer, I turned to him, my voice plain. "Alpha Lysander, I'm sure you didn't just marry your brother's ex-fiancée because you wanted to spite him. Why don't you tell me what you're really after?" Lysander's head tilted thoughtfully, his dark eyes assessing me, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Rebecca, you surprise me," he said, his tone light and laced with intrigue. "Most women would still be fretting over what just happened, but here you are, getting straight to the point." I folded my arms, refusing to be swayed by his charm, even if my heart was beating a mile a second. "I'm not most women. Now answer the question." I surprised myself with my own tone. The old Rebecca would have never spoken like that, but that person had died. I had to be more assertive. He chuckled, a smoky, rich sound that somehow made my skin prickle. "You're right. Spiting Leon wasn't the only reason," he answered honestly. At least he was straightforward; it was a good sign. "Then what is it?" I pressed cautiously. His dark eyes met mine, "Leverage," he said simply. "You are more valuable than you realize, Rebecca. Marrying you means securing an advantage-against Leon, against others who think they can challenge me. What better way can I undermine my brother than stealing his unwilling bride? And," he added, his gaze softening slightly, "because I admire your spirit. It would've been a waste to let Leon keep someone like you." I stiffened, unsure how to respond, my cheeks flushed. "Unwilling bride?" I echoed when it dawned on me what he had said. How had he known? "I heard your little argument before I found you," he told me. "You wanted out." "You heard?" I blinked, stunned. "The entire pack house heard," he revealed. "Leon never learned to be discreet." He added easily. But I could see clearly the shadow that passed his features when he mentioned Leon. This was far more than a feud between brothers. "Thank you," I mumbled. "So, I'm a pawn in your game to bring Leon down?" My voice came out shakier than I would have liked. "A pawn? No." He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "You're far more than that. But every strong partnership has mutual benefits. Don't you agree?" I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. "And what do I get out of this partnership?" He smiled again, but this time it held a hint of something deeper-something dangerous. "Protection. Freedom. Power. You'll never have to look over your shoulder again, Rebecca. With me, no one will dare touch you." For a moment, I couldn't tell if his words were a promise or a threat. Either way, I realized I had just stepped into a game far bigger than I ever anticipated. "So what will this partnership entail?" I asked. "Excited, are we?" He grinned. "It's simple. You know Leon. I assisted him in managing and ruling Howl Hollow. You aided in building it up. You brought him up even if they don't give you credit for it." "So... you want me to do what?" "I want you to bring down Leon's rule. You know his weaknesses, blind spots, and so much more that will be valuable to me." "You don't only want to undermine him?" "That is only scratching the surface," His face hardened, and I could taste the loathing he had for Leon on my tongue. I let out a sigh of relief. "If that is what you want, Alpha Lysander, then you have a deal." I leaned forward. "But I have a condition." He arched a brow. "I don't want to be a chess piece in this game. I want to be a player. I will supply information, and we will carry out this reckoning together." There was a drawn silence in the cabin before Lysander's lips twitched upward. He opened a drawer and retrieved a file. "Who else could be my partner in crime, if not my mate?" He opened the file and placed it in front of me. It was a marriage contract. He offered me a pen. "Sign it, Mrs Castille."