Page 20 of Betrayed Alpha Mate

Ha!

What luck!

As I turn to face her, the coldness in her eyes reminds me that luck isn’t fully on my side. Her antipathy toward me is palpable, thick enough to be cut through, but resilient enough for that to seem impossible.

No.

Nothing is impossible.

Here I am, standing in front of her, about to take her as my mate.

“I, Alpha Sean Lowell, leader of the Silverfang Pack, take you, Emily Hudson, as my mate and luna of this pack.”

Emily lets out the breath she’d been holding in as she blinks at my hands, which I hold out. Hesitantly, she places her hands on my palms, fingers frigid, her eyes like icicles spearing me.

“I, Emily Hudson…” she grates out as if she’s gritting her teeth. “...accept you as my mate and alpha.”

The hall breaks out into applause, while all I can do is watch Emily’s face as it contorts with an array of emotions. Anger, dread, fear.

I know why the last one is there, and that’s when I pull her into my arms, spinning her to face away from the crowd.

My face is a mere inch from hers, her eyes stunned as she stares at me.

“Shh…” I whisper, watching the way her eyes flicker to my lips, then back to my eyes. “Just stay still, so it looks like we’re kissing.”

“I hate you,” Emily growls fiercely under her breath.

I take the liberty of tucking her hair behind her ear as I straighten up and steady her. “I know,” I nod, noticing how flushed her cheeks are, as if she’s flustered, making the whole act more believable when we turn to the crowd.

More applause and cheers ring out from the hall, and our black ops friends offer us smiles and nods as we make our way down from the stage. Now that the verbal mating ceremony has been completed, we join the pack and our friends for a feast.

I notice that Emily hardly takes a bite of food, as if she resents her plate as much as she hates me.

After mingling with the pack members with more pretenses as they congratulate us on our mate bond, all that’s left is for the newly mated couple to return home, so it’s again more believable.

My home.

Nestled on the south side of Stowe, where the mountains cast a shadow over the house during the day, and act like a protective dome during the night.

Emily doesn’t walk beside me, her arms folded as she stays a few paces behind until I’m at the door. I open up and step aside, curtly offering an arm.

“Your new abode, madam.” I try being courteous, but Emily scoffs and rolls her eyes scornfully as she steps over the threshold.

“What are you gonna do next? Throw me a housewarming party?” she sneers.

“If that’s what you want,” I offer as I step inside after her, my heart lurching as I close the door behind us.

This isn’t going to be easy, but I didn’t expect it would be. Turning slowly toward Emily, I plaster a gentle smile on my face as I nod toward the hallway.

“Let me show you to your room,” I say as I lead the way. She doesn’t say anything as she follows me quietly, leading me to wonder what she’s thinking as she walks through her new home.

This place was a gift from my father upon my return and retirement from the black ops missions. Coming back to the surprise of this newly built structure, designed by my mother, who planned on gifting me the blueprint once I stepped into my role as the alpha of Silverfang, was bittersweet.

For most of my teenage years and leading into my early twenties before Mum died, I pictured my life very differently.

I wasn’t supposed to join black ops. The only reason I did was that Mom died, and I needed to run.

And I wasn’t supposed to reject Emily. She was supposed to be by my side since the very beginning.