ARRANGED MARRIAGE: LOVING THE MASKED ALPHA

ANDREA.

"Uggh!" I growled, straining myself before throwing the last punch in his way, but Marcus effortlessly dodged my blows with a sly grin on his face.

"Nice try, Princess." He chuckled, seemingly enjoying my frustration which was mounting with each passing moment.

There was no doubt about it. I didn't feel as sharp as usual today and every single movement I made lacked the precision and speed and deadly grace that it usually came with. I wondered if it was because of the anticipation bubbling inside me or perhaps an omen.

Tonight was the night I had been waiting for, the night I would finally get to seal the deal with my mate, and there was no doubt it was Jackson. Besides that, it was also my birthday, so it was a very special day.

This training session was going to be my last with Marcus, and I was filled with nostalgia and the eagerness to make the most of it, to let him know that I had learnt the art pretty well. Marcus was a no-nonsense man and he had honed my fighting skills since I was a kid and taught me to be a fighter.

"I don't think you're ready for our last dance." He beamed, motioning me to approach mockingly.

"You better make it good, Marcus. After tonight, I'll be too busy doting on Jackson to spar with you." He chuckled, but the taunting expression soon returned to his face.

"I'll be going all out on you now. Make sure you don't embarrass yourself in front of your mate tonight. You don't wanna greet him with a black eye, do ya?" Angrily, I lurched myself towards him, determined to beat the shit out of his old ass. But he kept laughing, clocking some of my kicks.

The fight soon got intense and it wasn't long before I got him. After he surrendered, we finished off with basic punches and blocks as always.

"You've grown into a fine warrior, perhaps the finest female warrior the Pack has ever produced, wear it like an armour Andrea. I am proud of you" He patted my back, a thin smile creasing his lips. He was muscular with lithe eyes.

I couldn't resist the urge to rush in for a hug.

"Thank you." A lump settled on my throat. "I couldn't have done it without you." We were interrupted when someone cleared their throat behind us, it was my father.

"That's enough, we should get going. Your sisters must be dying to talk to you, it's your day!" My father was beaming.

I was dying to have a girl moment with them, asking them about what it felt like finding your mate, especially Karen who was getting married soon before running off to see Jackson to tell him how glad I was we had waited for this moment.

I grabbed my weapons and headed back to the Packhouse, feeling sad that this part of my life was closing and a new one was about to begin. But I was ready to face whatever destiny had in store for me. I caught sight of the decorations that were being finalised in front of the Packhouse.

The anticipation inside me was like a roaring flame, and my gut kept churning with anticipation. The ballroom which was situated in the Packhouse had been decorated as well, with silver and sapphire linings.

Those were my favourite colours and I guess my father had thrown that in to make me feel extra special. The air was also heavy with the scent of freshly baked goodies and food that was being prepared for the occasion.

I couldn't wait to thank my father for everything he had also done for me. I was also going to take the opportunity to tell him about Jack, the one that made my heart race, the one person I wished to be mated to.

Other celebrations were on their way, as I was to be crowned the Gamma of the Pack the next week. But at this point, nothing else mattered except celebrating my coming of age and meeting the love of my life.

I quickly walked into the bathroom and had a very long bath before walking out tired. After changing into a fresh pair of clothes, I plopped down on the bed, and for some reason I surrendered myself to sleep.

When next I woke up, someone was banging on my door. I jolted from the bed, my hide filled with sweat.

"Andrea! Andrea!" A voice called, and the banging persisted. My head hurt and my thoughts were more than muddled as I headed to open the door. Pushing the door open, I met my father standing there, and he wasn't impressed.

"What have you been doing? Sleeping?!" He shook his head before nodding at someone at the other side of the hallway. I was still trying to force myself out of the remnants of sleep and sophistry that were still teetering at the edges of my consciousness.

"What's going on? What's the time?" I croaked, glancing at the window. That's when I realised what was going on. I had fallen asleep and somehow I had slept till the evening.

"Shit!" I cursed, turning towards my father with an apologetic look, my words ridden with stutters.

"I-Im sorry, I didn't mean to do any of it." I said, my eyes meeting his. "It's okay, darling. The stylists are here to get you ready, you can meet your sisters at the arena. And I'll be there if there is anything you'd want to tell me." He said, before kissing me on the cheeks.

After that, the stylists began to hurry in. There were five of them. They helped me into the bath, and scrubbed me like a child with strange but thick-scented oils I had never seen. I had never felt so exposed in my entire existence. After that, they began to work on my appearance.

"You've got such beautiful hair, your Grace." One of them commended, from their discussion I had caught her name was Jenny. A smile was wrapped around her lips as she dried my hair.

"Thank you." I said, staring back at my stunning figure. I was beautiful no doubt, but I guessed the normal ritual of having to be beautified before every event couldn't be neglected.

The make-up artists soon got into it. And after sitting there for an hour or so, they finally got it all done. I could hear the voices of people filtering into the room from the arena. A red gown was brought in as soon as everything else was taken care of. Despite the fact that I wasn't so much in love with the colour, there was denying the deadly elegance that the slit gown carried. It was made to expose one part of my shoulder, and some cleavage to turn heads.

I was led to the ballroom after the preparations were over. A hush fell on the crowd the moment I walked into the room. Other teenagers of my age who hadn't found their mate were also here tonight. I spotted my father standing at the centre of the room, but when I looked at the table, my sister's weren't there. And Jackson wasn't in sight.

I tried to communicate with him through the mindlink but it had been blocked, which was very strange. For a moment, I didn't notice that my father had walked up to me, he was grinning ear to ear as he pulled me into a hug.

"Happy birthday, my dear," he began, his green eyes running down my body, and he looked so proud. "You've brought more light to my life, and to the Pack than ever." The rest of his words faded into the background as I looked back at the high table, yet my sisters weren't there, only two burly guards standing at either end of the golden table.

Then my father's words came back to me. "I wish you the best in life, and I will continue to love you as long as-''. His words were cut short when a loud bong sounded. There were shouts and screams outside. My heart jumped as I tried to piece what was happening.

"What's going on?" I asked my father, staring up at him, but he seemed to have the same questions. It wasn't long before three huge men walked into the ballroom, glaring at my father.

They didn't look like they were from this Pack. The dragon symbols on their necks told me they were from the Crimson Moon Pack, whose Alpha was to marry Karen.

"What's going on?" He asked, cowering. I had never seen my father cower before another man, so the mere sight of these men heralded a foreboding. One of them walked into the crowd that had gathered to celebrate my birthday, he seemed to be looking for someone.

He came back and shook his head, telling his comrades that whoever they were looking for wasn't here.

"Everybody, out!" One of the men yelled, and a few minutes later the scared crowd dispersed.

"Andrea, leave." My father said, but the tallest among them interrupted him immediately.

"No, she stays." I swallowed, knowing these people were very dangerous. The loud bongs were still being sounded outside, and I couldn't believe my birthday had been ruined. My father finally looked up at them in anger.

"What the hell is going on, and why are you throwing such a tantrum? Are you aware that this was my daughter's birthday party?!" He growled at them but the tallest among them, who also looked like the eldest and the leader of the giants, barked out.

"Alpha Richard, my Alpha's bride just escaped. Karen is gone!" He announced, glaring down at my father like an evil Ogre.

"W-what, how is that possible?" My father stuttered, and for the first time in my life, I saw true fear in his eyes. Karen was supposed to marry the ruthless Alpha Ronin, and somehow she had escaped the Pack! How was that even possible, how could she have disappeared into thin air.

"Listen to me, old man. My men are still looking for her. But I must warn you, Alpha. If I find out you had a hand in this, you will not like it." The way he said the words had me spooked instantly.

"Guards!" The man continued, his dark, cold, uncanny black eyes flitting towards me.

"Seize the princess! If we can't find Karen, she'll be the replacement."

ANDREA.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked, stepping back in confusion. I looked over to my father but his face was filled with apprehension and terror, and he couldn't say anything. All he did was stare as the two men walked towards me, looming dangerously.

"Adriana, wait." My father called, looking at me with eyes filled with pity. I shook my head and immediately started running towards the backdoor entrance of the ballroom.

Thankfully, the door was wide open. But the men were faster than I was. I was about to burst through the door when a hand grabbed my legs.

"Leave me alone!" I yelled, kicking and flailing my legs but the hands were as hard as steel.

"Shut up, you stupid cunt!" He yelled, giving my leg a hard tug. Without another word, I immediately kicked him in the face, causing him to yell in pain before releasing his grip on my leg. Taking my chance, I immediately started through the door and began to run towards the woods, anywhere I could find some shelter.

I turned back to see the second man standing beside the man I had just kicked, glaring at me, but he wasn't chasing me. I turned back and continued running. I did not stop until I had reached the outskirts of the Pack.

My lungs were burning and my breath came in fast gasps. The world outside was shrouded in darkness, just like my future. I sat on a tree trunk, still trying to wrap my head around what the fuck actually happened back there at the ball.

I couldn't believe everything had been thwarted in the blink of an eye and here I was, running and fighting for my life. That was also the moment that the words of the giant guard gradually began to register in my head.

"A replacement?" I wondered, shivering as a bolt of shock careened down my spine. That wasn't going to happen! I said to myself, and kept repeating it until it sounded like a mantra. I would rather die, escape the Pack than allow myself to get carted off like some horse.

I bent my face and began to cry profusely, wishing that this looming doom could be taken away from me.

"Adriana, if you can hear me, please come back." The voice rasped through the mindlink, startling me. It was my father, and the words were laced with the kind of urgency that I didn't like. I knew I needed to go very far away from this place if I was ever going to survive.

I quickly blocked off the mindlink, before jumping off the tree trunk. My red gown was already messy from the frantic run of escape and both heels were already missing as I had flung them off to run faster.

That's when I remembered Jackson, I needed to go see him, to go talk to him about everything and stay there until it was safe to return to the Packhousе. I sucked in air and began to make my way towards his place immediately, occasionally looking back to make sure I wasn't being followed but I was worried the men would find me easily because of the perfume I was wearing asides from my distinctive aura that could be picked instantly.

I managed to wipe my tears and trudge on. The Pack was already quiet like a graveyard and everybody was inside their house, locked up, scared, listening.

The Pack was like a scared animal that had smelt death in the air, but had no idea which way it would turn and run. Everybody was expectant to know what was going on.

When things like this happened, the whole thing would normally be attested to a coup, but I remembered I hadn't been this scared when the last coup happened. It was a year ago, and my father's guards had nipped the plan in the bud as soon as it began.

I could see guards ping from house to house, carrying torches in their hands as they searched for my sister, Karen. I waited until they had passed before hurrying towards Jackson's place.

He lived in an estate, but when I arrived there, the door was locked and there was no sign of life. I knocked on the door still, and got no response whatsoever. Then I remembered the cabin. The cabin was situated in a hidden clearing which was surrounded by trees deep in the woods.

Only the both of us knew about the cabin and we secretly snuck in there to make out anytime our feelings got the better of us. But what if he wasn't there? I thought the prospect of him being in danger was imminent. I turned and headed for the cabin immediately.

There wasn't a sound when I arrived, and my heart jumped at the possibility that I had come all this way for nothing. But as I got closer, I began to hear sounds. The laughter was followed by a whimper.

His intoxicating aura soon filled my nostrils as I approached, but he wasn't alone. There was someone in there with him. I wondered how he could have told someone else about our secret place.

A jolt of shock ran through me when I heard a feminine voice moaning. I stopped dead in my tracks, my head seemingly swelling as I walked closer and closer to the cabin. There was a little torchlight shining through so I was able to catch the sight of Jackson instantly.

The sight had my legs giving way under me. It felt as if time stopped. I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, all I could do was stare at the one person I'd sacrificed everything for in the arms of another woman, lost in a moment of pure lust as he fucked her.

I took a step back, the tear slipping down my cheek in a frantic dribble.

"No..." I whispered, my voice hoarse.

"No... you wouldn't do this to me. J-Jackson wouldn't hurt me, Jackson wouldn't do this to me." I muttered, taking in the sight of him lewdly humping and pounding a random girl.

My knees suddenly felt so weak and without another word, I crashed on my behind, my teeth chattering. A sudden gust of cold, crispy breeze had blown and I was already shivering from the chills and goosebumps.

"What was that?" I heard Jackson say, sounding alarmed. "It was nothing..." the girl moaned. I saw her reach for his neck, trying to pull him close to her but he stopped her, pulling out of his legs before grabbing the torch, stark naked.

He immediately walked out of the cabin with the torch in his hand, his swollen cock dangling as if trying to mock me. He stopped in shock the moment he saw me. I didn't say a word, I only stared at him.

"A-Andrea..." He whispered, cowering in shame.

After some time, I found the voice to say something to him. But I was trembling like a leaf in the wind.

"You... lied to me." He was quick to retort, which hurt me even further.

"Andrea... I didn't know how to tell you that we weren't mates. I didn't want to hurt you, I wanted to be with you, Andrea. But the mate bond...I'm sorry." His jaw tightened, his face stony. "You let me give myself to you, you knew we weren't mates... You deceived me!" He cowered again, putting a hand across his face before walking back to the room.

"I trusted you with my heart Jackson," I said, but because of this I will never trust anybody again." The love I had dearly held on to these years had crumbled in the dust, just like that. I got up from the forest floor and staggered towards the small opening where I had entered from.

Once I was out of the clearing, I began to shed tears again. It was just unbearable for me. Every ounce of energy in my body seemed to have been sapped with the streak of events that had happened, just in a single evening.

After walking a few steps, I collapsed on the floor, drained of the will to move any further. I lay there until I heard something rustle in the woods. It was the Crescent Moon Guards.

"Is that her?" One of the men asked, sounding angry. There was a pause before another confirmed it. One of them came to where I was lying on the floor and picked me. The man peered down at me with angry, kind eyes as if he was ready to punch me in the face if I dared to retaliate.

I had lost every single energy to retaliate, and I had listlessly resigned myself to what else life wanted to throw at me, even if it was being 'a replacement'.

ANDREA

I woke up with a groan, my eyes fluttering open as my feeble eyelids opened.

"Ugh!" I groaned, feeling a bit sore as I weakly got up from the bed. The harsh artificial light of the room had me squinting as my hurt eyes got filled with tears. My head was throbbing and the feverish feeling was still there, only only it had reduced significantly. The last thing I remembered was the guard asking.

"Who did this to you?" I was surprised he had asked me that despite the fact that I had proven to be a bane back then. Then I remembered their words, and it made me wonder if my step sister had been found. I groaned softly, leaning back on the pillow. I wasn't supposed to be here, I had to make sure that my father was OK. The three guards seemed to have a very bad intent and I knew they might have carried out their evil intentions if their plan to find Karen proved futile. I clearly didn't want that.

"Princess Andrea, you're awake!" A feminine voice squealed beside me. I turned to see a petite blonde grinning beside me. She was in an immaculate white garb and looked as cheerful as she sounded.

I nodded, forcing my legs out of the sheets and pushing them down so that I was in a sitting position.

"You've been unconscious for a while." She added, gently making her way towards me. I said nothing as her words sank in, I was still trying to piece every puzzle together, puzzles of how horrible yesterday was. My hand instinctively moved to the side when I felt a dull ache on my chest.

That's when I saw the needle attached to my hands. I ripped it off before getting up, ignoring the bead of blood that was starting to bloat.

"Can't Can't hear." I muttered, forcing myself up. Her brows came together in worry.

"I'm sorry, but you need to rest and recover. That was the Pack doctor's instruction. You might not be in the right condition to leave. Your Grace-'' She stopped speaking the moment I turned back to look at her. The fearsome look on my face was enough to tell her I didn't want to hear her babbling.

I walked hastily towards the door and swung it open before hurrying out of the hospital. As I walked out of the room, I immediately ventured down the main hallway in the Packhousе, an arched path with a few sculptures scattered here and there.

I could feel my chest tighten as I approached the Main Hall of the Packhouse, the place where Pack members consulted my father.

Something about the atmosphere felt quite strange, much as I expected, but now I had no idea what to expect after what had happened yesterday. Walking into the Pack's Main Hall, I froze in my tracks, staring at my father who was seated in his throne.

He was speaking to a group of people who stood at the foot of the stairs that led to the throne. He paused the moment I walked in, and said a few words to the people before asking them to leave. He was flanked by his guards but the sight was heartbreaking.

He had a fresh injury that ran down his face, like a knife had been used on it. His eyes lit up when he saw me but I knew deep down that he was broken.

"Everybody, leave!" He commanded, as soon as he was done talking to the people that had gathered in front of him. A few seconds later, they all started to walk out through the door. When the Hall was silent again, it was only the two of us.

He stood up from his throne and walked down. I rushed into his arms before I began to shed big, fat tears again.

"I'm glad you're OK. I was sick and worried." He said as we pulled out of the hug.

"What happened? Who.. did this to you?" I croaked, noting how the scar was still healing. It must have been a very deep scar considering how fast we werewolves could heal.

"My dear, I'm so glad you're back to your feet. And about this... it's nothing. It's just a minor altercation with the Crescent Moon Warriors." He called it a minor altercation, but I knew it was more than that. A very vile fight must have broken out between them, and it had led to this. I just knew it, but I was so sad and sorry that this had happened to him.

"I'm so sorry, I never meant for any of this to happen." I apologized, holding back the tears that were threatening to fall. A weak smile crossed his face.

"It's not your fault. You are my priority, and I would do anything to keep you safe." I nodded as he walked back to the throne, motioning me to come along. I followed suit, and sat on the large seat that was placed there on the raised platform. He started.

"I guess you know your sister was supposed to marry Adrian, and the wedding is in two days. But she has escaped, and till this moment she hasn't been found. Our sources tell us she was long gone before dawn, so you can tell how far she had gone when we found out in the evening. And you know, Aria, we can't afford to break the alliance with the Crescent Moon Pack."

I felt a lump in my throat as I knew where he was heading with this conversation. My dream of being with my one, true mate, as given to me by the Moon Goddess was on the brink of being wiped out.

"I'm sorry father, b-but I can't marry someone who isn't my mate. This is a giant leap, and choosing to spend the rest of my life with someone I don't love, someone I haven't even seen is something I can't do." I hope you understand. He nodded, but his lips were set in a thin line as if telling me how doomed we were with the situation that was looming.

"I'm sorry, Andrea but... it's been decided already. You have no choice, and... if you try to fight them, you'll only worsen things for us. I feel so terrible telling you this, but there is nothing we can't do, Andrea. I would let you escape just like your sister did, but if that happens, the Pack will be in danger."

"I can't... do it. I'm sorry." I said, standing and heading towards the door while tightening my cheeks to stop me from wailing. The tears were already streaming down my face and my heart was completely torn apart.

"Andrea, please listen to me." He said, standing and walking after me immediately. But I had already gotten to the door before he caught up. I pushed the door open and began to run towards my chambers.

"Andrea... Please!" He called out, pleadingly, but I was already beginning to shed tears like a child. I ran into my room, slamming the door close before crashing down on the bed, burying my face in the pillow while crying heavily. Some minutes later, the door opened noiselessly. I didn't look up to see who it was as I was caught up in a horrible situation to have time for that. My father walked towards me and sat on the bedside, then he began to stroke my head. He leaned in, and whispered.

"I'm sorry. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you but..." The words caught in his throat, he couldn't say any more words. He got up from the bed and walked out immediately. I cried myself to sleep and felt much better when I woke up at noon.

I sat up on my bed and began to think about the life I had desired, the life I had wanted and how it was gradually being taken away from me, slowly and painfully.

My heart twisted painfully when I remembered Jackson, funny how everything could come crashing in a matter of seconds. It was clear it was all a lie, the plans we made, the beautiful moments we shared. None of that mattered to him and I was stupid enough to believe he really loved me when his intentions were to use me and have me dumped like an old rag.

Well, there was no way I could change the hands of time now. At least I had nothing else to lose now, my life was a mess, and I didn't mind going with the flow to wherever life might lead me.

That evening, I walked into my father's chambers without knocking. He was seated on his desk, drinking. He was ashamed the moment I saw him and bowed his head when I took a seat in front of him. Indulging in a habit he'd quit long ago told me how much of a toll this was taking on him.

And what broke my heart even further was how red his eyes were. It was clear he had been crying.

"You said you'd stop drinking." I asked. His head was still bowed as he nodded.

"It's Okay, father." I said, reaching for his hand across the table. "I came to tell you not to worry. I came to let you know that I will do my duty, father, if that will be enough to tell you that I appreciate all you've done for me. I will marry Alpha Ronin."