Chapter 3 The Stranger I Call My Husband

I could feel the intensity of his anger but it didn't scare me, though I could tell that everyone else was scared, including Sarah.

Sarah's eyes bowed down to him as she started to speak "Alpha Malik, please calm down, I can explain."

"Don't you dare tell me what to do? Why is my bride switched!" He yelled again "This isn't the woman I was promised to marry." He said, his anger was intense making me wonder what kind of a man he is.

"I'm sorry for that, Alpha Malik. Please forgive me." She begged, dropping to her knees, her hands shaking with fear.

My eyes felt like they were being deceived. I had never seen Sarah like this before. The way she spoke and the fear in her eyes was unsettling; I had always known her to be a wicked woman, not one to be easily frightened.

Alpha Malik scoffed at her submission. "You have one minute. Explain what the hell is going on here, and it better be a good explanation."

She nodded instantly, her hands still trembling as she began to stammer, "Alpha Malik, there was a change with your bride. Hannah, daughter, who was supposed to be your bride, is now gone, which is why she was replaced with my stepdaughter, Eli who is much better than her."

Alpha Malik's gaze shifted to me, scanning me from head to toe. "She's an omega, isn't she?" he asked.

"Yes, Alpha, she is, but I assure you..." Before Sarah could finish, he cut her off.

"I don't want her, she's not fit for me, an omega cannot be my Luna." He declared

"But she's great, Eli is perfect."

He glanced at me again and scoffed, "I doubt that." He stepped closer, looking at every inch of me. "Her body, her face, her scent, are nothing but low to me. She's not fit to be my Luna or even to stand here with me."

I was taken aback by his words. The audacity he had to speak poorly of me in my presence shattered my composure, and I couldn't hold back. "Who do you think you are?"

The crowd gasped at my outburst, and though I didn't understand why, it gave me a sudden surge of confidence.

"You talk like you're the greatest, but you aren't. You're just an Alpha, nothing more. And yes, I am an Omega, but that doesn't mean I'm not fit to be the Luna."

Alpha Malik's face twisted in disbelief. "Did you just talk back to me?" His voice radiated anger.

I met his gaze, then turned to Sarah, who was desperately trying to silence me, but I wasn't going to be silenced. "Yes, and I'll do it again if I have to. You don't have the right to talk so poorly about me Alpha Malik, just because I'm an omega, does not mean I shouldn't be treated with respect."

Alpha Malik seemed taken aback by my words as if no one had stood up to him like that.

Sarah's eyes widened as she held my hand tightly, a look of fear on her face. "Eli, what are you saying?" she asked in a hushed tone. "Apologize to him right now!"

"Why should I apologize when he was the one who talked poorly about me?" I responded defiantly.

Sarah's grip on my arm tightened, her gaze unwavering. "You have to stop being stubborn, Eli. He isn't someone to mess around with, so just apologize and get this over with!"

I felt torn between wanting to let it go and apologizing but at the same time, I needed to stand on my ground. I have a feel not everyone stands on their ground to talk to Alpha Malik and that's why he is so proud of himself.

"No," I stated firmly, meeting his eyes.

"Did you just say no to me?" He questioned, his eyes boring into mine

I shook my head "I said no to apologizing for something that isn't my mistake."

Sarah swiftly rose to her feet, addressing Alpha Malik. "I'm sorry about her. I'm so sorry for everything she's been blabbing. I assure you she isn't always like this. I don't know what's wrong with her today, but..."

"What are you saying?" I cut her off

"Eli, shut up!" Sarah interjected sharply, trying to defuse the situation. "You should apologize to him right now otherwise... you know what I will do to you." I can tell that she's referring to not paying Dad's hospital bills.

Sarah nudged me whispering "Apologize now, Eli."

I looked at her and then at Alpha Malik, who was facing me with a proud look. Even though I didn't want to apologize, I felt like I had to.

Just as I was about to say something, he cut me off, saying, "I think I've seen enough!"

Sarah's face went blank. "What?" she questioned, fear evident in her voice. "No, please, Alpha Malik, she's sorry for everything, tell him Eli, tell him you're sorry."

"Keep quiet," Alpha Malik said, turning his gaze back to me. A smirk suddenly graced his face, he took a step closer to me as he lifted my chin to make me face him. His piercing gaze fixed on mine, "What's your name?" He asked, his voice stiff as a rock but still ringing in my ear like a swift bliss.

"Eli," I responded

"I like girls like you Eli." He said as he used his finger to tug away the strand of hair that fell on my face. "Girls that act bold and confident just like you. But you know what I love more about them... their behavior when I crush their confidence."

He shifted his gaze away from me and declared "Eli is mine. I, Alpha Malik claim her as mine and she will obey my rules or else there will be consequences."

Shifting his gaze to meet mine his eyes sparkled with dominance as a smile tugged around the corner of his lips, he declared "Welcome to my world Eli."