Chapter 37 - The announcement.

“Are you two mates now?” Rebecca tilted her head to one side as she looked at Lena while fighting to keep her smile at bay. Lena burst out laughing, knowing full well that there was no way they were going to keep their secret from the intuitive little Rebecca.

“No, we aren’t mates. I don’t know what we are. I think we are just trying to figure it all out, so I would appreciate it if you kept it a secret for now.” Lena could only hope that Rebecca wouldn’t say anything. Rebecca promised to give Lena more hope that she would keep things quiet. Rebecca thankfully took promises pretty seriously. They finished their research and on their way back to Lena’s room, Rebecca frowned.

“Why are you still looking for reasons to reject my brother?” She looked worried and Lena had no idea how she was going to explain the intricacies of relationships to the young girl.

“Rebecca, I don’t know if we are ever going to be together like that. If we decide that things between us aren’t working, I need to have options for both of us. I need to make sure that we are both protected.” Rebecca nodded, but she didn’t look happy with the turn of events and Lena was again reminded that the little one was incredibly intelligent and she also wanted things to happen the way she wanted them. That could mean that she might break her promise.

“You will remember your promise, won’t you?” Lena sighed as they reached her door and Rebecca nodded, still not looking happy about it. They said good night and as soon as Rebecca disappeared, Lena made her way to Alaric’s room. The moment she walked in, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her as if she was his air. She pulled away, fighting her urges so she could talk to him first. Rebecca’s reaction concerned her and what it might mean for their secret.

It took a moment to get Alaric to listen, but he agreed once she finished that Rebecca wasn’t going to keep their secret for long. He paced back and forth rubbing his chin and then stopped to look at her.

“Why do we have to keep it a secret? Everybody knows that you are my mate. Why can’t we just tell everybody that you are officially my mate?” Alaric frowned and Lena’s heart sank. She wasn’t ready. She didn’t know if she would ever be ready. How could he love the girl whose father killed his parents? How could she ever truly love the man that killed her father?

The image of his wolf killing her father would always haunt her, no matter how hard she tried to forget about it. As Alaric pulled her into his arms, she could fake it for a little while, but she wouldn’t be able to fake an entire life of it. That much she knew.

“Alaric, please. I need to talk …” Lena pushed him away but he pulled her closer and kissed her neck in that one spot that made her forget who she was and where she was. His kisses grew hungrier and Lena melted in his embrace as his hands slipped down her back. He pulled her shirt over her head and his lips crashed down on hers as soon as her shirt was out of the way. Her skin craved for his touch as his hands slipped over the clasp of her bra and he untied it.

From that moment on, everything turned into one big blur of racing hearts and panting breaths as they melted into one person through their love. When Alaric fell asleep, Lena sneaked out from under his arm, carefully replacing her body with a pillow. She needed time on her own to think and she couldn’t think clearly when she was near him. She greeted the guards as she walked into her room and sighed.

Rebecca wasn’t the only one keeping her secret, that much was sure. Her guards knew where she had come from. They didn’t ask where she was going and they sure as hell didn’t follow her. Why did she even have guards in front of her room anymore? She paced up and down her room trying to figure out what it was that she wanted, but as soon as she figured it out, her mind would remind her of all the reasons why she shouldn’t have what she wanted.

The foremost of those being the fact that Alaric killed her father. The memory of the way he charged on the day the war started and ripped her father to pieces came to mind as a tear slowly dropped down her cheek. There had been too much between them for them to have a happily ever after. There was no way that she could accept him as her mate, no matter who destined it for them.

That meant she had to find a way out without Alaric following her. She wasn’t sure if he would ever let her go, so she had to find some way to make sure he wouldn’t come after her. Until she knew exactly what she was going to do, she would have to keep up the façade that she was madly in love with him. She was going to have to allow him to do all those things to her until she knew how she was going to get out of there. She was going to have to lie to Rebecca again.

It was the only way she could think of saving all of them the pain that was definitely going to come someday. She went to bed in the early hours of the morning and when Rebecca came around to wake her, she was even more tired than she was when she went to bed. She tried her best to look happy, but there was no hiding her heartache from Rebecca.

Lena was careful not to tell Rebecca anything about her plans and when the young girl suggested it was time for everybody to know that Alaric and Lena were together, her reaction was so shocking that she made the little girl cry. Lena apologized instantly, realizing that she wouldn’t be able to keep this up much longer. She was never the one who lied, so doing it now was just going to be impossible.

Lena had to speak to Alaric. She had to put an end to all of this. When Alaric showed up in the late afternoon, Lena could feel that he wanted to say something. Both he and Rebecca were overly excited as they left the library and the moment they stopped in front of the dining hall, Lena expected the worst.

“I know you haven’t agreed yet, but I want us to announce our union to the pack.” Lena opened her mouth to say no when she caught a glimpse of Rebecca’s eyes and she sighed, nodding. What harm could it do if the pack knew? Maybe she could even use this opportunity to say no? Her heart skipped a beat at the thought as they walked into the dining room and Lena could hear the whispers all around them.

Alaric and Rebecca each had one of Lena’s hands in theirs and she wondered how the pack truly felt about all of this. Nobody knew that Alaric was actually a half blood. Only she and Rebecca knew. Lena’s mind was all over the place as they took their places behind the alpha table and Alaric cleared his throat. He informed the pack that he and Lena were in a relationship and that he expected all of them to treat her with the necessary respect.

As expected, there was a small group of wolves that weren’t happy with the announcement, but mostly the pack seemed to accept the decision. Some even came over to congratulate the happy couple, and Lena felt really uncomfortable. She should have used this opportunity to tell him no! Why was she going along with it all? He wasn’t forcing her in any way. Her own damn treacherous body was forcing her! Her lying, cheating heart was forcing her!

Her mind was the only reasonable one left! It was the only one telling her she couldn’t allow this! Her body was weak. She just wanted him to touch her and her heart wanted Alaric to love her, but her mind kept remembering how they got to meet each other! No, she had to get away from him. Even if she had to run again. She had to leave.