CHAPTER 7: ONE SIDED LOVE

Ayla’s POV

Although I've only been residing in this mansion for three days, I believed this has been the longest 72 hours of my life.

I made an effort to appear normal when he's around, but I couldn't help but feel upset about Alpha Liam's surprise teasing.

"But Alpha, she was a rouge. A mere rouge! She doesn't deserve to be your Luna!"

I let out a long sigh as I recognized the voice. Such beauty is tough for me to forget and I am well aware that this woman had worked her ass off to be Alpha Liam's Luna.

Selena just called me a mere rogue, I guess even the most admirable and gorgeous woman in the pack has her own limitations when it comes to love and I can easily predict where this conversation is going.

"Your engagement must be cancelled, Alpha. No one will allow you to marry that woman. As far as everyone in this pack is concerned, you deserve someone better. You deserve a she-wolf who can support you through thick or thin."

I made an effort to hide my aura and pretended to be a shadow following them.

"You can't persuade me not to marry a woman because of her rank, Selena. The dispute ended when your father accepted my choice," the Alpha replied.

Selena inhaled a mouthful of air as her eyebrows met in disagreement.

"It was only Dad who gave his blessing to your engagement. What about the others? Have you seen the elders' reaction when you dragged her to the center stage?"

My mind was screaming at me to move my feet and stay away from them.

But I shook my head, I wanted to stay maybe because I find it entertaining to watch him pretend that he was truly sincere about choosing me as his Luna.

I tried to keep a fair distance, though just to avoid being barked at by this short-tempered man.

"I don't give a damn about what others think. Your father provided me with the single approval I need."

"He did so because you are the son of his dearest friend!"

Alpha Liam shook his head. "That's not the point, Selena. An approval is an approval."

"Why are you so stubborn, Liam?" she said as if she's dealing with a hard and thick concrete wall.

"I am your Alpha, Selena. Don’t you ever forget about that."

"You are still Liam, my childhood friend!"

Honestly? I want to tell him that he's being insensitive and selfish at this moment.

"Why her, Alpha? She was way out of the ordinary compared to me and the rest of the woman who tried to impress you during the ceremony," she sobbed while staring at him.

I guess listening to their conversation isn't a good idea at all.

A sigh escaped the Alpha's lips and answered, "Who told you that she's ordinary?"

"She's physically weak and lacks magical abilities. Don't you know that Ayla has always been an outcast?"

I tried to understand Selena's side despite of her criticisms and lies by telling myself that she's just doing this to convince the Alpha to break the wedding engagement.

"She's an outcast who can perfectly brew a hot cup of coffee for the Alpha."

A curse almost slipped my lips upon hearing his statement.

My goodness, Alpha! This is not the time for your silly jokes!

"Seriously? You admire her because of an espresso?" Selena unbelievably asked him. "What happened to the high standards you once held?"

He clicked his tongue and gave her a menacing look. "You are now insulting your Alpha, Selena!"

Alpha Liam's loud voice was too heavy for a gentle maiden to take.

"P-Please forgive me, Alpha. I simply need to know why," she explained. "I know we'd always treat each other well. We grew up together. Typically, we spend time together at the university. Our family trusts one another and we were childhood friends, right? Please tell me the truth."

I shook my head, he was too hard on her knowing that everything was just an act and Selena on the other hand, believed everything he said and began to throw all the insults on me.

I thought it's truly painful to have these expectations only to be dragged down to the mud.

Alpha Liam stared at her intently as he draw a sharp breath. "I felt the mate's pull towards her and from the very first time I laid my eyes on Ayla, I know she's the one."

For a moment, I was dumbfounded by his sweet and heartwarming words, but felt anxious about it after a second.

This was just a part of our arrangement and his cover-up plan of getting married to me.

Wake up, Ayla! Don’t fall for his trap!

"You won't benefit from getting married to a useless rogue, Alpha. Mark my word, you'll regret making this decision!"

I hate the lump that was forming on my throat while listening to them. I hate even more that I am hurt with the insults from Selena.

I knew I was used to the pack insults, but I could still feel the annoyance in my paws as they moved and her words sounded like a threat to me.

There was a moment of silence on Alpha Liam's end which made me wonder if he realized that he made a wrong decision on turning Selena down.

But he just smiled at her. "I will not…Your father said, love blossoms when you least expect it. I supposed that happened to me at the ceremony."

Upon hearing those words, my eyes immediately turned yellow.

"Why don't you follow the elder's recommendation and pick a stronger Luna to bolster the pack?" she added. "Someone who, in addition to being a powerful she-wolf, possesses the ability to cast spells."

Selena tried to insist her point again and again but it's useless, the Alpha was only listening to himself and his own selfishness.

"Do you seriously want to convince me that your magical skills make you the ideal candidate?"

"If that’s what you think, then yes, Alpha!" I heard her mutter the word 'yes' as if she's being swallowed by his dominating aura.

"You are as weak as a pup, Selena."

"I am aware that my magic was average…" she answered softly. "At the very least, I will not destroy your reputation, but rather strengthen it for the benefit of the pack."

"I don’t need your help to strengthen my pack."

Alpha Liam's dark eyes was enough to scare Selena. She almost step back from her track because of his words.

"You need me, and the elders know it."

He gave her a disappointed look. "Don’t be so full of yourself, Selena."

I draw a deep breath.

Will she accept defeat?

Now that she was able to experience the hard as rock personality of the Alpha.

"I’m just telling you the truth. I am the best prospect if you are merely searching for someone to serve you for the rest of your life, Alpha. And I wouldn't mind making sacrifices for you," Selena retorted.

When I heard Selena's desperate words, I pursed my lips.

Does she adore him that much to give up her position as a noblewoman?

You really have to sell yourself to the devil?

"She's my Luna, Selena. Tell the Delta that I wouldn't regret making this decision," he said. "Defy me and I will make all of your generations suffer."

My heart seemed to flutter as a result of his statement, but I know it was all in my head.

Even though having me as his Luna isn't entirely accepted by everyone in the pack, Alpha Liam chose to jeopardize his reputation by accepting me.

And I instantly felt bad for supporting his mate plan after hearing one of the omegas who serves him in the mansion say that he would also lose his relationship with other she-wolf families as a result of his choice.

For all I know, this was just the beginning of him standing against everyone for making that decision.

Yes, my mind was screaming that despite of his actions, he was urging the member of the pack to respect me even though it's obvious that he was just saying those things to make our act more believable.

But honestly, being defended by someone who's powerful and gorgeous like Alpha Liam actually hits different to me as an outcast.

"Because of what you did, Alpha, I am already suffering," Selena said without hesitation.

I could almost see tears forming in the corners of her eyes, but she did her best to hide them with her powerful statements.

But those lines were useless to the Alpha. "It’s not my fault. You’re just so absurd that you dedicated your life to someone who already has a fated mate."

Once again, Selena tried her best to control her tears by looking up and drawing a deep breath.

"Aside from the mate pull. What else did you feel, Alpha? Did she attempt to seduce you after the ceremony? You wouldn’t destroy your life just to be by her side easily, right? What happened?"

"Stop it, Selena."

"If you want, I can give you my chastity. I can give you everything, Alpha…"

I inhaled upon feeling Selena's desperation. She just wouldn't accept the fact that the man of her dreams got engaged with the likes of me.

"How desperate," he said with disgust and irritation in his eyes.

"Do you really want her so much that you keep on rejecting me?"

He nodded. "My answer will seriously destroy you, Selena."

I felt my little fangs sink into my lips while staring at them, I am truly aware of how hard it is to devote your life to someone who ultimately doesn't chose you and I couldn't help but feel bad for her.

I pursed my lips together. I wished I could tell Selena the whole truth.

He went too far to reject her now after she spent the better part of her life strengthening herself and keeping up her attractiveness for the Alpha's pick.

She unfortunately fell in love with a dreadful Alpha who has no concept of respect or romanticism.

"The pack will eventually despise you for making this choice, Alpha."

Alpha Liam gave her a blank look. "There’s no need to remind me about that."

"Your Luna’s family killed thousands of wolves by starting a war. Do you understand what that means?"

"An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," he answered quickly.

She stared at him for a while, as if she's reminiscing her sweetest memory with the Alpha.

"I hope you don't end up sacrificing innocent people because of a rogue."

Selena immediately retreated with a broken heart as I firmly grasped on the ground feeling so frustrated with what happened.

"Do you want me to accuse you of listening to other's conversation, my Luna?"