Page 22 of The Alpha Wolf's Bullied Bride

I don’t need a mate. It’s only for the sake of formalities of stepping into my role as the Alpha of Blood Moon, thanks to ancient rules that have been observed for centuries.

“Thank you, inner wolf,” I mutter under my breath before turning a smile to my mother. “Mother, if you will, I’d like you to go forward with preparing an intimate ceremony for Lila and me.”

“I would be delighted!” Mother claps her hands together with excitement. “My son is getting married. It must be perfect.”

I smile through Mother’s excitement, though I’m not certain that this is ideally perfect. After all, Lila despises me. The only consolation is that she won’t be troubled by the likes of Cynthia anymore. She’ll become a respected member of the Blood Moon Pack, who cannot forgive her Alpha for the crimes he committed against her.

Great!

Chapter 7 - Lila

“I’m glad you could come by today, Lila,” Flynn’s mother, Luna Eloise, greets me with a warm hug.

“My brother told me that you’ve called for me,” I say sheepishly as I step back. “Dorothy wasn’t pleased.”

Eloise clicks her tongue. “The old hag won’t bother you once you become Luna,” she chuckles, nodding to the drawing room. “Let us sit down. We have a lot to discuss.”

I nod tentatively as I follow the Luna to the room, still reeling from how unbelievable all of this is.

Two years ago, I would have basked in the glory of hearing Flynn announce that I was his mate, instead of his blatant rejection out in the open for my abusers to hear. Right now, I want to pinch myself and wake up from this dream, which feels more like a nightmare that I don’t want to live.

I can never open my heart to Flynn Lycoan again. The one time I did, it proved to be my biggest mistake, and I’ve despised him ever since. I don’t know what else to do but pretend that I’m fine with everything that’s happening all around me, though I haven’t quite recovered from the shock.

Was this Miles’s idea of finding me a suitable mate? Is this some grand scheme plotted between the two best friends? My brother seems overjoyed to know that his best friend is now his sister’s mate. From the moment Flynn made the announcement in the hall the other night and Miles rushed to my side to hug me rejoicefully, I’ve been in a state of frozen shock.

Miles is certain that the Alpha of Blood Moon is doing what’s best for the pack. I, on the other hand, can’t see beyondthe terrors I’d faced in the past. I can’t see past that one moment that changed my life forever, and the only question that remains is why?

Why me?

Why did he pick me as his mate when he had other options? The ex-Delta’s daughter was a suitable candidate, and she’d been Flynn’s girlfriend for a long time. I’m nothing but the pack’s wolf-less Omega, and my catapult toward stardom is undeserving, that’s for sure.

“If I may, Luna Eloise…?” I begin when we’ve taken our seats on the sofas covered in burgundy velvet material. Soft and lush, it almost seems fit for royalty—which, considering that the Lycoan family is the head of the Blood Moon Pack, makes sense.

I just don’t feel as if this is my rightful place.

“Yes, Lila?”

“I’d like to continue working at the center, if that’s okay.”

Eloise raises a wary brow. “You mean when you’re Luna?”

I nod, taking a deep breath as I contemplate how to put forth my suggestion without making it seem as if I’m reluctant to be the pack's Luna.

Truthfully, I want to act as if nothing has changed. After all, Flynn hasn’t apologized for how he’s treated me in the past, and I don’t see how we can move forward from it. Now that he’s the Alpha, he’s probably more ruthless than ever, unable to accept accountability for his actions.

Eloise sighs, staring at me through contemplatively narrowed eyes. “I cannot object to your desires, since you’ll have that kind of authority over what you do and don’t do, Lila. In fact, I think it’s a wise move, since the purpose of your mate bond with my son will help unify the pack.”

“Is that why…?” I frown, gulping nervously. “Is that why Flynn picked me as his mate?”

Eloise nods. “That’s partially the reason. He hasn’t said anything else, but as his mother, I know there’s more to it.”

So much for hoping that he’d one day apologize. Picking me as his mate now isn’t a fitting apology. It’s just a strategic move. That’s all this is. I’m a pawn in his game of power.

As I watch Eloise pour tea into two mugs on the side table, I can’t help but feel even more disappointed in her son. I didn’t think it was possible, but he’s completely crushed my dreams of white picket fences and a family life that would ensure my happiness.

Now, I’m meant to be the Alpha’s mate, in a pack that hates me simply for existing. I can’t even rely on connecting with my inner wolf.

It’s not like Flynn will ever see me as more than just a means to an end. He’d picked me as a power move, and we’ll never be real mates. Not the way a mate bond should be, the way Miles hoped I’d find my inner wolf.

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