Page 14 of Alpha's Arranged Mate

"Please, don't touch me," she whimpered under her breath. "I am not ready for that."

She felt his hesitation as he released his grip upon her hand, and the squelch of leaf mold under foot signaled his moving back.

It was only then that Lottie dared to turn around and face him. Lifting her gaze, she met his and bit the inside of her lip to stop from saying something she might regret. Looking into those beautiful chocolate brown eyes, she could almost forget everything else. She could imagine that, standing there as they were, they were two members of the same pack, always born to be together. His merely standing free on Silverdale land made her believe it was so, and yet she fought it, knowing it was dangerous to get too wrapped up in the possibility that they were actually fated to be mates.

She knew it was foolish to believe that anything was set in stone until the ceremony had been performed. If Dash was anything at all like his father, he might well change his mind before then, and then where would she be? Heartbroken over a match she was traitorous to desire.

"Lottie? What is the matter?" Braxton asked, straightening up until he loomed over her. "Is this not better than we ever could have hoped for?"

As if he had forgotten her last request, Braxton lunged toward her and gripped hold of both her hands, pulling them up to his face to kiss her knuckles before he laid them upon his chest and met her gaze with ardent affection.

"All those days we talked in the dungeons," he said breathing a sigh that sent his sweet breath washing over her face. "I never could have imagined that it would end this way."

"Stop it!" she hissed at him, snatching her hands free. Unable to look him in the eye any longer, she glanced around the clearing and listened, fearful that any member of her pack might be close enough to hear what he had just said.

"Why do I get the sense that this isn't what you wanted?" Braxton asked. His voice was a hiss now, and he stepped back. His movement made Lottie look at him.

As she did so, she blurted, "Braxton, I didn't put my name in the box."

"I don't understand," Braxton's voice was almost a whimper then and the hurt that crossed his face bit into Lottie's heart like a tooth. "If you didn't want this, then—"

Lottie bit the inside of her cheek and repeated, "I didn't put my name in the box."

It was all she could think to say. How could she possibly admit to him that she did want this when she couldn't even really admit it to herself?

Braxton raised his head high and took another step back. "Lottie, if this is not what you want, say the word and I shall go to Dash this very instant."

Lottie opened her mouth to speak, but unsure of what to say, she closed it again.

Before she could think of a response, Braxton demanded, "Do you wish for me to call this entire thing off?"

The hurt in Braxton's gaze made her more than a little uncomfortable. Lifting her own head, she cleared her throat and said, "After all I have done in the past, I must be loyal to my pack. If that means marrying you to form an alliance, then so be it."

The hurt turned to what looked like agony on Braxton's face. The color drained from his cheeks, and Lottie saw his Adam's apple quiver.

Just as quickly as his expression had changed, it became hard as stone. He growled through gritted teeth, "If that is how you feel, then so be it."

It hurt Lottie's heart more than she dared to admit to watch him change before her eyes. His sudden coldness toward her was almost unbearable, but all she had to hold on to was her loyalty to her pack, and so she closed her eyes and thought only of them.

She imagined the way they would look at her if they learned the truth. She pictured what Dash might do if he discovered she had fallen for a demon wolf before there had been any mention of a potential alliance. And those images made her fearful.

It was only when she heard the sound of squelching once more that she opened her eyes to find that Braxton had turned his back on her. She fought with every inch of her being to keep her wolf silent as she watched him walk away.

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she would not allow them to fall. Not when so much hung in the balance. All she could do now was what was right for her pack.

Chapter 9 - Braxton

The darkness of his cell was an odd comfort to Braxton after Lottie's coldness beneath the light of the full moon. When her name had been pulled from the box, his heart had swelled beyond measure. The mere thought of the fact that Lottie had put her name into it with the hopes of being the one to marry him had made his entire world light up, and his wolf had jumped for joy just beneath the surface of his human skin, begging to be released to be with his mate.

And yet, the moment they had been left alone together, she had been colder than ever. Even when she had first passed his cell to do her nightly check upon the dungeons during her guard duty, she had been far less cold than she had been tonight.

What was worse was the knowledge that she hadn't even put her own name in as a loyal act for her pack, but that her name had found its way in there by accident. He wasn't even sure how it was possible, but after having spoken to Lottie, he wasn't about to question it. They could at least be united on one thing. They were both doing what was best for their packs. If marrying her would see him and the rest of his packmates released, then that was what he would do. He just wished she had felt the same elation that he had felt when he had heard her name called.

We cannot go back now, he thought as he laid on the stone floor, his back bare to the cold. The moment he had returned to the cell he had stripped off his t-shirt, all hot and bothered by what had happened. If only he could have released his demon wolf, he would have.

Instead, all he could do was welcome the chilling cold of the bowels of the earth upon his back. He tried his hardest to focus only on that, even when he heard the sound of the bolt being pulled back on the main dungeon door.

It had been only a short time since he had been returned to his cell. He couldn’t imagine that anyone would have any need for him right now. And yet the sound of footsteps drew nearer and nearer until he could smell the scent of male wolf as though one stood right outside his cell. The sound of breathing told him they did.

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