The day of the bonding ceremony had finally arrived. I had spent the better part of the last two days curled up in a ball in my room. I didn't want to face anyone nor did I want to run into Alpha Marcus or worse, my father. Peter did his duty and checked to make sure I was still alive and would often stay in the room just to make sure I was eating properly. I didn't speak to him when he came to check on me, the shame of what my father had put me through still to raw.
I heard a quiet knock at the door before I heard it open as a maid slipped in with a garment bag and deposited it in the closet.
Another maid had come in behind her with breakfast and placed the tray on the low table by the couch before quickly retreating from the room.
The first maid eyed me as I was still tucked into the bed with the duvet tucked up to my chin. "I was sent by Alpha Michael to make sure you are ready for the ceremony this afternoon Prince."
I flinched at the sound of my father's name. Of course he would send someone to make sure I looked appropriate for his big day. I also knew that the maid could not force to to get ready so I just glared at her from the relative safety of the bed.
She sighed and shook her head as if she knew I would not cooperate with her. "Beta Alex, it's your turn." I heard her say as she turned and exited the room.
I went rigid on the bed as I heard the heavy footsteps of not just the large beta but his backup as well, not that he actually needed it against a twig like me.
I watched as Beta Alex crossed the room, his expression blank as he pulled the blankets from the bed and unceremoniously hauled me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
I let out a yelp in surprise as I failed to free myself from his grasp.
"My apologies Prince but you decided to do things the hard way this morning. We let you mope around like a child but now you need to put your big boy pants on and deal with what is bothering you so much." Alex rumbled as he tossed me in the shower with my crumpled dirty clothes still on and turned on the water. It was freezing as it hit my skin and I promptly scrambled to get out of the icey stream but the beta took up the entire doorway of the shower. He only backed off and left me alone in the bathroom when I promised to wash and get ready for the day. He also said that if I took longer than fifteen minutes he would be back to wash me like a misbehaving pup.
My face burned with humiliation as I showered, the complex emotions swirled in my body until I clamped them down to nothing more than an angry hum.
When I left the bathroom with a towel tied around me I noticed that Alex was gone and the maid that brought the suit was there waiting to get me ready. My eyes slid over to the door, my only means of escape unless I wanted to hurl myself off the fourth floor balcony which I had considered for a brief moment but Peter was there guarding it from the inside.
"Traitor." I grumbled as the maid unzipped the garment bag and handed me the gray blue pants from the suit I had tried on earlier that week. Peter just shrugged and smiled at me as he leaned against the door.
After an hour of fussing I was dressed, brushed, moisturized, and styled to look presentable for the event. Though I'm sure the extra effort was put in to impress Alpha Marcus more than anything else.
I left the room with Peter as an escort. My breakfast had been left forgotten on the table as I was too upset to eat.
The main hall was decorated for the event with rows of white and red roses creating a path to the large dining hall and garden beyond. It was still closer to winter than spring but it was warm enough with the sun shining to have the ceremony itself outside.
There were ice sculptures in the garden with fairy lights and delicate white fabric draped over bare trees and arches that transformed the garden into a magical forest. I was impressed that they put something like this together in such a short period of time.
I stayed tucked in a corner of the hall as guests started to file through the doors. Tonight of all nights I wanted to stay invisible for as long as I could, plus I was attempting to avoid Marcus at all cost.
I picked up the scent of leather and spice before I felt the dominant power of Alpha Marcus wrap around me. I stiffened as I turned to see that devastatingly handsome face as he walked up to me.
"I finally found you." He rumbled, his mouth turned up in an impish grin. I tried to back away but he had me trapped against the wall as both arms shot out to block my path and cage me in.
"What do you want Marcus?" I managed to ask, my voice steadier than I felt. His dark eyes took in my features as he leaned close to my neck and I heard him take in a deep breath. He then quickly pulled back and his face was no longer cunning, it was serious.
"You are taking suppressants." He stated. I just shrugged in acknowledgement. It's not like I was hiding the fact that I took them. "You will stop taking them when you are part of my pack." The look he gave me tore any argument I had from my lips so I just continued to glare at him in defiance until our silent spat was disrupted by the announcement that the ceremony was about to begin.
I kept my guard up and did not let Marcus touch me as we took our place as witness to the bonding. The pack elder was standing on a small stage that had been setup for the event. My father and Cynthia stood before her, hands clasped together as the ceremony took place.
The moment it was over I attempted to bolt from the garden but Marcus was too fast and had grabbed the cuff of my jacket before I could run off.
The reason was because my father had remained on the stage to announce my engagement to Marcus before the entire pack and I was supposed to make a show of being grateful for being chosen by an alpha. Instead the world swam as a dizzying wave of fear and nausea hit me all at once. My knees buckled and Marcus grabbed me around the waist before I could fall to the ground.
My father of course made the excuse that I was so excited by the days events that I just needed some time to rest. If I had not been so overwhelmed I would have rolled my eyes at the performance.
Marcus took me over to sit on one of stone benches in the garden. He sat beside me, his arm still steady around me. However the moment the world stopped spinning I pulled away from his grasp and glared at him. "I don't know what kind of deal you made with my father but I am not going anywhere with you." I said angrily as my hands curled into fists in my lap. "I have a life outside the pack. I go to school, I have friends and I am going back tomorrow."
Marcus looked at me like what I was saying was amusing. "You don't have a choice Riley. The contract was signed the day you were born."
I went pale at Marcus' words. No that was not possible. My mother would never have agreed to an arranged marriage. "No, you're lying." I gasped as I stood up and took a step back from the Alpha.
"I would never lie to you." Marcus said gently as he reached out a hand to me.
"No, don't touch me. I need some time alone to process this." I turned and fled down the path that lead to the side of the pack house. I glanced back for only a moment to see if Marcus had followed me but I was alone in the shadow of the house as I gulped down air in an attempt to slow my racing heart.
I needed a way out, to escape where Marcus and my father could not reach me. I knew that if I tried to get to the train station there would be guards waiting for me, so I did the only thing I could think of. I slipped into the tree line and ran through the wooded area that surrounded the pack house and into the forest beyond.