Chapter 4 Deal

Damon.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Heck, I didn't even see this blowing up in my face at all. How could he? How could dad set such a condition for me?

Father loved jokes. In fact, he told them most of the time and it had everyone howling. So pardon me, when I felt he was joking when he first brought up the topic of finding a Luna. I remembered it as clear as day, and with what just happened, I doubted I could ever forget it.

I had gone to give him his usual cup of morning coffee when he'd casually dropped it. I snickered and he chortled and I thought it was all harmless fun. Until now.

Fuck. What was I going to do now? The coronation was only a couple of days away, where would I even begin?

I huffed as I ran a hand through my hair. I wanted nothing more than to pluck out the strands of my hair one by one, but I knew that wouldn't solve my problem. I needed to think of something, and fast too. But I couldn't just think of anything. I knew Father like the palm of my hand, there was no way he would sit back. If anything, I could bet on the old man's life he already had a backup plan in case I couldn't come up with something. A backup plan I was sure I would hate.

I didn't know which was worse; the fact that I was totally stumped on knowing that Dad might actually have something up his sleeve. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he showed up with some random girl on the day of the coronation and asked me to marry her.

Marry me. Marry me. Her words echoed painfully in my head. Earlier when I'd stomped out of the alpha's office, my idea sounded brilliant. But now, the more I thought about it, the more stupid it sounded.

How would she even react? What would she even say?

No. I could already imagine how she would turn me down. If she had wasted no time in turning me down the other night, then doing it again definitely wouldn't be a big deal for her.

I had to try. At this point, I was out of options and running out of time too. She was my best bet as things stood and if she still declined, I would beg like my life depended on it.

I inhaled and exhaled, silently strengthening my resolve. It was now or never, and that was the mantra I kept on muttering in my head as I walked out of my bedroom, and into the mansion's hallways in search of a certain Omega.

Aria and I couldn't exactly be called friends, but there was some tiny string that held us together. Growing up, we were always around each other, because her family worked for ours, but as time went by, a rift I couldn't quite understand suddenly started creating a wedge between us.

A wedge that may or may not have gotten deeper after the events of the other night.

A whiff of fresh air hit my nose as I stepped into the garden. The sun's warm glow kissed my skin and for a moment, I forgot all about my memories. It didn't last long though. The moment I sighted Aria's quarters in the distance, something curled in the pit of my stomach.

"Aria?" I called as I walked towards her house. It was quiet, too quiet and that didn't sit well with me. "Aria? Where are you?"

Silence. Pin drop silence was all I got and from the look of things, I wasn't sure she was home.

"I don't think...."

"Are you looking for me?" I whirled around towards the direction the voice came from. A wave of emotions rushed through me as Aria's face came into view. "Did you need something?"

"Uh, yes." I cleared my throat. I'd come up with a plan, but now that I was here, I wasn't sure I could pull it through. "Yeah. Actually, the thing is ...."

"Yes?" She pouted. For a moment, I found my eyes being drawn to the little O her pink lips formed, just like it had the other night when she was ..."Damon? Are you there?"

"Yes, y-e-ss." I stuttered, snapping myself out of it. "I zoned out. You see, I wanted to ask if you..."

"I really don't have a lot of time, Damon." She rolled her eyes. "I actually have other things to get back to."

"The thing is..."

"Marry me!" I blurted out the exact same moment she said. "Get on with it!"

"What?" She gasped. She clearly wasn't expecting it and as I watched a variety of emotions flicker on her face, it made me wonder if I'd done the right thing. " You're insane."

"No I'm not." I shook my head. " But you have to marry me."

"Are you crazy?" She fired back. " How can you ask me...."

"I'm crazy when I ask you to marry me?" I cut her off immediately, something sparking deep inside me. " But it's totally normal when you ask me the same question and ask if I can be your plus one because Callum ditched you."

"It's not the same." Hurt flashed in her eyes. " Don't you dare compare both of them ever again. "

"Why?" I knew I should be careful with the words that slipped past my lips, but for some strange reason, it was like my lips were moving on their own accord. " Does it hurt so bad that Callum rejected you?"

"Damon!" It was more of a warning than anything else as she stepped towards, her body just a couple of inches away from mine. The scent of her perfume snaked through my nostrils. She smelt like cinnamon and roses, with a spark of anger nipping at her skin. " Watch your tongue...."

"Or else what?" I wasn't backing down either. " What are you going to do?Are you seriously threatening the next Alpha?"

Her eyes widened, like she'd just realized her mistake. I knew I'd pulled a dick move, but I couldn't help myself sometimes.

"I'm sorry, Alpha." Aria exhaled with a bow. " I told you I was drunk the other night so I see no reason why you should bring it up again today."

"Because he needs to pay." I rushed the words out immediately. " There's no way you'd let Callum go Scot free, right?"

"No." I should have seen this coming. She wasn't backing down and honestly, it only made it all the more fun. " I have no business with that."

"Yes." I nodded suggestively. " Yes, you do. And if you'd just hear me out .."

"Goodbye Alpha." Her eyes morphed into slits as she side stepped me. " Go find someone else to pick on."

"Instead of taking me to the ball to make Callum jealous for a while." I wrapped my hand around her wrist, causing her to halt in her tracks. " Why don't we make it worthwhile?"

"What do you mean?" I knew that would catch her attention." What are you talking about?"

"Marry me." I repeated, totally ignoring how crazy it sounded. " What better way to exact revenge on Callum than becoming my Luna?"

"Why this all of a sudden?" I could see the cogs in her head whirling around. " Why and how did you come up with this?"

"I can't be crowned Alpha, unless I have a Luna." I rushed the words out immediately. " I've got just a couple of days to do so, unless I won't be crowned and I'd lose my inheritance."

"So you want me to marry you so..."

"I can get my right." I finished off for her. "And in return we'll make Callum pay for what he did to you."

"Deal?" I counted the seconds that passed as I waited for her response.

Was I convincing enough? Was she going to take it? Or ....

"Deal."