Alpha Zane's POV

The next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed and relaxed after handling everything that needed to be done.

When I saw the time, I quickly rushed to the bathroom, took a quick shower, and prepared myself to face my grieving mother and the pack elders.

I stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my waist, heading to the bedroom to get dressed.

“Good morning, Alpha,” Annie greeted.

I was caught off guard by her presence.

“Morning, Annie,” I replied coolly, taking the mug from her and drinking it in one gulp.

I always have coffee before starting my day—it keeps me sharp. I guess I've grown addicted to it.

“Gosh”, I exclaimed.

Annie wrapped all over me clinging to me seductively.

I tossed her away angrily; I wasn't in the mood to fuck anyone this morning. I understood why she acted clumsily.

I expected her to read in between the lines but no, she chooses to ignore those signs.

Left with no other option, I called on Bellamy to throw her out of my room and look out for a new replacement for me.

Heaving a sigh of relief, I dressed up, leaving the throne room to meet with the elders.

While taking a stroll around the palace, the way my men manhandled the newly brought-in maids got my attention.

I went to address them and salvage the situation.

It was a rule in the Crimson Pack to empower those slaves and recruit them as maids or soldiers and that is what I'm going to do now before going to meet the elders.

“As you all know, this is the Crimson Pack, and I welcome you all to my pack”.

“You'll be given a duty to do in the palace and it will be inspected by the Chief Maid,” I rattled on scanning their faces till my gaze fell on Amelia, who was hiding in the corners playing with her hair as she hung her head low avoiding my gaze.

I left the servants after giving out some orders and headed for the meeting room.

Walking into the throne room, I took my seat beside my mother.

Of course, I wasn't crowned as an Alpha yet even though I acted as the alpha and was proclaimed one.

Mom was allowed into the throne room today, which made me guess what the topic of the discussion would be.

I sat there silently, listening to the plight of what my people had to say. The elders represented each clan in the pack.

Hours later, when I thought, the meeting would come to an end, one of the elders raised an intriguing topic that couldn't be avoided.

I looked at him with a piercing gaze as he lamented about me getting a wife and Luna for the pack, which I was reluctant to do.

“Son, you have three days to show us your wife or you have no other choice but to marry your betrothed, Princess Isabella from the Red-Moon Pack,” Mother bellowed.

Clenching my fist into a ball, I sat there with a plain face that showed no emotions on my face. Deep within me, I felt my heart beating wildly as I imagined getting married to someone I didn't love.

Princess Isabella and I have never been on good terms even though we were betrothed to each other.

Our marriage is more like a peace treaty between the two packs. I also understood that breaking off the bond would bring doom to my pack.

I frowned, lost in thought, trying to find a solution when my wolf spoke to me.

“Why are you being bothered about these threats?” Conan said.

I shunned him and I knew my wolf hated to be ignored.

“I was thinking, why not just propose a contract marriage to someone you like?” he added.

A smile crept into my face as a thought flashed through my mind.

“I have a fiancée!” I uttered.

With a smirk on my face, I watched the elders freeze with shock and confusion on their faces.

I knew they didn't expect to hear that, but I didn't expect to say that too, I scoffed.

My mother wasn't left out as she looked at me with bewilderment, as she searched my eyes for a hint of deceit. I kept my emotions hidden as I put on an innocent look.

“Meeting dismissed,” I walked out of the throne room tiredly with droopy red eyes and went to Amelia's room.

The meeting ended quite late in the evening, I slipped into her room to find her looking all elegant and beautiful in a gown.

I narrowed my gaze as I walked deeper into the room, closing the gap between us. Sniffing her scents, I felt my wolf aroused for some reason.

Clearing my throat, I slouched into a seat and watched her fiddle with her hands anxiously.

My eyes darkened at the thought of her fearing me.

Anyone should fear me, not her!

Oh……...no, what was I even thinking? Why must I care about her feelings?

Snapping back into reality, I decided to find out who Amelia was and why she had such effects on me.

We had a passionate and intense evening together.

It was a moment-filled night that almost made me lose control of myself.

I couldn't imagine that I almost marked her.

Jumping out of the bed, I left the room hastily to my room.

I ran my hands all over my hair, pacing back and forth as thoughts of what happened earlier flashed in my mind.

When I met Amelia back then at the field, I felt a connection between us, though I could never have imagined that we were fated mates by the moon's goodness.

Now I had to set the ball rolling upon discovering the truth and the bond between Amelia and me.

Amelia’s POV

After the events of the previous night, it felt so weird anytime I was around Alpha Zane.

I typically avoided him.

My stomach flips whenever he gives me that intense gaze.

It made me so uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, I started assisting Eliora in the kitchen even though Annie and her cohorts never made it easy for me.

I was washing the dishes, when I felt an intense gaze on me, unconsciously, I looked around to find a maid staring at me annoyingly.

She had been to the kitchen more than thrice within five minutes, but I seemed uninterested in whatever she was doing as I returned to my dishes.

“Bitch” she pushed me away from the sink.

I stepped aside as I watched her in amusement mumbling to herself and preparing another coffee.

“What's up with her,” I asked Eloise.

“I don't think she can make a coffee to the standard of the Alpha as Annie used to, and she's blaming you for it”, Eloise said with a smirk playing on her lips.

“Why would she blame me for her loss,” I inquired.

“Everyone is blaming you here for making the Alpha remove Annie from her position and she's blaming you because she wouldn't have to be a replacement and suffer the torture”, Eloise added looking around the kitchen.

I now understood why strange gazes were on me since I stepped into the kitchen. Feeling guilty, I went to the girl and helped her out with the coffee.

"Hey, let me give you a hand," I offered.

Surprisingly, she accepted my offer.

I juggled around the kitchen brewing the coffee.

With a grin widening, I handed the coffee to her.

“Here you go,” I said beaming.

“I hope this tastes good,” she replied rudely, taking the coffee and walking out of the kitchen.

I shook my head in despair at her rude comment, Anyway, what more did I expect from her?

“Amelia, the Alpha has summoned you,” the girl from earlier called out to me.

Nervously, I wiped my hands on my gown as I followed behind the kitchen girl. We entered the Alpha's chamber.

I kept my head hanging low as I fiddled with my fingers nervously.

“Is she the one who prepared the coffee?” The Alpha's voice thundered in my ears.

“Yes!” She replied, her voice quivered.

“Nice one,” he said as he paced around the room ignoring us.

He gulped the remaining coffee in quickly and handed the mug over to me.

“Teach her how to prepare my coffee,” he said, referring to the maid beside me.

I nodded vigorously and took my leave.

“I'm waiting for my coffee,” he called out after us.

After a series of trials and attempts to teach the kitchen steward how to brew coffee the way the Alpha likes it, it seemed futile and frustrating.

I was summoned again by the Alpha to his chambers, this time around to brew a cup of the coffee for him.

“Perfect, just the way I like it,” he commented.

I heaved a sigh of relief as I held my breath unconsciously.

“Alpha, your Luna, and Princess Isabella are waiting to see you in the waiting room, Bellamy reported”.

“I'll be there in a jiffy,” he responded.

Picking up his coat, he dismissed me without giving me some orders.

“You’ll be in charge of my coffee from now on. Get your schedule from the Head Chef. Meet me in the waiting room in twenty minutes with some snacks,” he said.

“Yes, Alpha,” I responded and left the room in haste.

“How did he go,” Eliora asked worriedly.

I smiled and replied to Eliora to ease her tense body. I told Eliora about everything that happened in the Alpha's chamber.

The corners of Eliora's mouth twisted with giggles that made me wonder why she seemed happy.

Eliora's giggles attracted the attention of the kitchen stewards who all seemed to dislike me for some reason.

The deadly stares I got from them were enough to rip me apart.

“Gosh,” I exclaimed as I rummaged through the kitchen cabinets to find things to prepare some snacks and to the waiting room on the Alpha's order.

I rushed towards the waiting room, as I was already late.

Unfortunately, I was stopped by the guards when I got to the entrance. I had to wait till the Alpha ordered me to come in.

I overheard Luna arguing with the Alpha about marrying Princess Isabella.

From the Alpha's tone, it was evident that he wasn't moved by his mother’s pleas.

Curiously, I peeped through the doorhole to see the Alpha sitting coldly and aloof.

I was stunned at his indifferent attitude towards his mother, but I understood that his mother was wrong to force him to marry someone he didn't love.

“Who is the fiancée you mentioned?” Luna Cynthia asked.

I felt a pang in my chest when I heard that question.

“Bring her in,” Alpha Zane roared.

I walked into the waiting room served the royals with the snacks and stood aside waiting to clean up the place.

Meanwhile, my ears were twitching to hear the discussion of the royals since they lowered their voices which I didn't notice when the Alpha walked over to me.

I almost jumped out of my skin when the Alpha touched me. He took me by the hand and walked towards his mother.

“Mother, this is my fiancée”.

My eyes widened with shock as I opened my mouth to oppose but my mouth was shut by Alpha Zane.

In front of his mother and betrothed, he kissed me while warning me dangerously to be quiet.

Panting for breath after the long kiss, I raised my face to see the angry faces of the duo that walked out of the waiting room hissing.

“Why did you have to do that?” I asked angrily, wiping my mouth vehemently.

I felt disgusted to be kissed by Alpha Zane after what had taken place the previous night.

My anger increased as he ignored me and called in Bellamy who presented a document to him and went out.

“I discovered that you're my mate and I would do you a favor by offering you a contract marriage,” he said as he handed me the pen.

My eyes narrowed as I read the terms and conditions of the contract, I knew I had no choice but to sign it.

But then, a thought flashed through my mind.

Smirking, I took the pen, signed the contract, and pushed it to him as he scanned the contract.

You're now the Luna of the Crimson Pack and my wife.