Chapter 2 Sudden Marriage

"Has Mom come back yet?" Grace, who had fallen asleep, blinked awake at the faint sound of the door opening.

She slid out of bed and went to check. But she stopped at the doorway and quickly went back inside, closing her bedroom door as soon as she caught a glimpse of a man leaving her mother's room.

The man was not an intruder; he had left the room calmly. Grace's curiosity grew, but confronting her mother directly was something she couldn't bring herself to do. So she crawled back into bed, her curiosity and racing heartbeat keeping her awake as she tried to fall asleep again.

When morning came, she saw her mother, who normally never opened her eyes in the morning, seemed in a good mood. She was cheerful and even smiled. After ensuring her mother was in a calm mood, she approached Samantha, who was sitting in the living room.

"Mom," Grace called cautiously. "I saw a man come out of your room last night." She glanced at Samantha with anticipation.

Samantha paused for a moment, then smiled slightly with an expression Grace couldn't interpret. "Oh, him?" She seemed fairly calm. "I did want to tell you about this, Grace. That man... is your soon to be father."

Grace's eyes widened, staring at her mother in disbelief. "My... father?" she said, as if unable to believe what she had just heard.

Samantha nodded, smiling even more broadly. "Yes, we're getting married soon."

Grace was even more amazed by her mother's casual response. Thoughts swirled in her mind, trying to process each word. There had been no prior indication that her mother would remarry, let alone with a man she had never even seen before. Amid her confusion and shock, she finally spoke up and asked, "But... when did you meet him?"

Her mother looked at her with a warm gaze. "We met at a bar a few months ago. At the time, I really needed someone to talk to. Then he showed up at the right moment, and we immediately felt a connection. It turns out he's an alpha named Martin Xanders. I think... this might be fate." With sparkling eyes and a cheerful voice, she spoke enthusiastically.

Meanwhile, Grace felt like she was being pulled into a space where her mind felt blank.

Martin Xanders, the alpha? The name sounded familiar to Grace, but she couldn't quite place where she had heard it before.

What was going on?

"Are you sure you want to marry him?" Grace asked again, still not fully understanding the situation.

Samantha nodded firmly. "Yes, Grace. He's a good and caring person. I feel my life has changed since meeting him. Maybe by marrying him, I can leave my bad habits behind and build a better life for both of us."

Hearing those words, Grace's heart was immediately touched. All this time, she had only seen her mother drowning in emptiness, but this man-Martin Xanders-seemed to have brought a happiness she hadn't witnessed in a long time. Though surprised, there was a glimmer of hope that perhaps, just perhaps, this marriage would bring a new, better life for them.

Soon, wedding preparations began. Samantha seemed so busy and enthusiastic about preparing everything, from the decorations to the invitations that would be sent out. Day by day, the house that had once been filled with empty bottles and scattered furniture became a neater and more organised place.

When the wedding day arrived, Grace felt awkward standing among the crowd of guests. She kept swallowing hard and wiping the cold sweat from her palms against her thighs.

Most of them were members of Martin's pack, people with high status in their community. As an omega, Grace felt immense pressure just being near them. There was a fear and anxiety she couldn't explain. The guests arrived with an intimidating aura of power, and Grace felt as though she didn't belong among them.

The wedding went smoothly, and her mother seemed happier than she had ever seen her before. Even when her mother recited her wedding vows, tears of joy streamed down her cheeks, making Grace a little emotional. Though she found it difficult to adapt to this sudden change, she didn't want to ruin her mother's happiness.

After the ceremony, Martin approached Grace. With a friendly smile, he tried to lighten the mood. "Grace, I know this must be difficult for you. Having a new person in your life, especially someone like me... it might not be easy." He spoke with a charismatic tone, friendly yet personal, and Grace felt burdened by his words.

She could only nod, unable to hold the gaze of the man who held such alpha status for so long. "This is quite surprising. But, if it makes you happy... I'll try to accept it."

Martin smiled contentedly. "Thank you, Grace. I hope we can be a good family. Ah, have you met my son? He's the same age as you."

"Son?" Grace nearly choked on Martin's words. She didn't know this man had a child. More than that, Martin's son was the same age as her? This was more complicated than she had imagined.

"Yeah," Martin replied, turning his head and scanning the crowd with his eyes. "His name is Lucas. I heard you're at the same university."

Grace swallowed nervously once more. Lucas Xanders? Why hadn't she remembered that they shared the same last name? Cold sweat trickled down her back. The noise around her was completely drowned out as the image of Lucas flashed through her mind.

"Are you okay?" Martin lowered his gaze toward Grace, who was looking down.

He noticed Grace's sudden silence and pale appearance. He glanced at Samantha, who was acting like a mother, taking care of her. The woman was holding Grace's hand.

He was startled when he felt Grace's palm was so wet and cold. "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

Grace looked at her mother blankly. She felt like she had lost all hope now that her mother had officially remarried. Deep down, she regretted not asking more details about the man her mother was going to marry.

Grace gripped Samantha's hand tightly, her eyes filled with hope. "Can I go home first to rest?"

Samantha and Martin exchanged glances, though they seemed briefly confused. They nodded in agreement.

Grace released her hand once she received permission. She pushed through the crowd, walking out of the building with her thoughts in disarray and her gaze vacant, her anxiety creeping in more intensely than before.