CHAPTER 2：WHERE HAD HE GONE?

CHAPTER 2

CARLOS POV

Anastasia quietly laid on the bed, her eyes closed and her breathing shallow. I released her and moved away, giving her some space to breathe. I knew I was scaring her, and the last thing I wanted was to harm her in any way.

"Do you know who I am?" I asked eagerly awaiting to hear her reply. Anastasia's eyes searched for mine, in no time, hour gazes were locked.

"You are Alpha Drago." Her reply was curt. I felt odd at her reply. I knew deep down that I wasn't Alpha Drago, I am Alpha Carol, the Alpha of the silver claw pack. I only took on the role of Alpha Drago just because of my enemies who had tried to kill me, the previous attempt was too deep and my wolf got injured in the process, I had no other choice as to lay low for the meantime. I knew somehow that this lady wasn't Anastasia brooks, as far as I'm concerned, Anastasia is one of the high ranking she wolves who wouldn't stop so low to marry a ruffian like me. She was gwendolyn, the illegitimate daughter of the brooks, I could tell, she didn't have the blonde color of hair all of the brook family had.

I lay down on the bed beside her, my eyes wandering around the room as I tried to piece together the events of the day. Gwendolyn was a substitute, just like me.

We had both had an emotionally draining day and now it seemed that we were about to embark on an even more tumultuous journey. Being a substitute was one thing, but pretending to be someone else was another matter entirely.

Gwendolyn’s eyes were still closed, but I could sense she was still awake. Perhaps she was nervous about what I would say next. I didn't blame her. I knew that a part of me was scared too.

“Do you know who you really are?” I finally asked, holding my breath.

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at me with a solemn expression, “I'm Anastasia,” she said in a low voice.

My heart sank. It was a lot for her to handle, but it was necessary that we were honest with each other. I knew that the truth was my responsibility to reveal.

Gwendolyn's eyes widened in surprise, and she looked at me with a mixture of shock and confusion.

I sighed, running my hand through my hair. I wished there was a way to tell her, but as I saw the confusion and fear in her eyes, I knew that it was the only way.

Gwendolyn didn't say anything further, instead looking at me with a guarded expression, trying to read my thoughts. She probably didn’t trust me, and that was to be expected. I knew I had a long way to go in order to gain her trust.

The silence between us was deafening. I could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall, and the sound seemed to amplify the tension in the air. I gave her some space, hoping that this moment of respite would bring her some comfort.

The two of us lay side by side, trying to find solace in each other's presence. I wanted to comfort her but I didn't know how. The air around us was heavy, and I sensed that Gwendolyn was grappling with her own feelings.

I couldn't believe how much my life had changed in such a short time. The entire ordeal was surreal. I wondered what the future held for me and Gwendolyn. How were we going to navigate this web of lies and deceit?

GWENDOLYN'S POV

I inhaled with a rush of anxiety washing through me. I wondered deeply why Alpha Drago had just let me go without even touching me. As I stayed laid on the bed some meters away from him, I felt my wolf been drawn to his. The connection hooked, but before I knew it, it broke suddenly. I faced the door slowly falling into my pool of thoughts.

Memories flooded back to me like a tidal wave. Memories of my mother, who had been sick for as long as I could remember. She had a disease that affected her lungs, and she struggled to breathe every day. I had done everything in my power to help her, but nothing seemed to work. The medical bills had piled up, and we had no money left to pay for them.

That was when my stepmother had come into the picture. She had married my father soon after my mother's illness had been diagnosed, and she had brought her two daughters along with her. From the very beginning, Anastasia and her sister had made it clear that they didn't like me. They resented the fact that my father loved me more than them, and they didn't hesitate to make my life miserable.

Anastasia had been contracted to Alpha Drago, a wealthy man from a prominent family. But when Drago's family fell on hard times, he had turned to a life of crime. Anastasia was disgusted by his behavior and refused to marry him, but her family insisted. That was when they came up with the idea of making me act as a proxy bride. If I agreed to marry him, they would pay for my mother's medical treatment.

It was a horrible idea, but I had no choice. I loved my mother too much to let her suffer anymore. So I had agreed, and soon after that, I had been sent off to meet Drago. But before I could even meet him, Carlos had arrived, and everything had changed. Slowly, I felt my lids closing, I fought to stay awake but then everything blacked out.

The next morning, I woke up with a start, my heart pounding in my chest as I looked around the room frantically. Where was Carlos? Had he left me here all alone? The room was empty, the only sound coming from outside, the sound of birds chirping in the distance.

Where had he gone?