The Alpha’s Cursed Queen (Eternal Oath Saga #1)

Chapter 5

Alice

I’m not fond of tomato and cheese sandwiches.

But I’m eating this one because Darian left it on my doorstep last night. I could have thrown it away. I could have given it to Mary; she loves this combination. Instead, I’m munching on it. I’ve clearly gone and lost my mind.

It’s worrisome that he knows my exact address. That means he did look me up.

Yet, he keeps coming.

My heart has been feeling funny ever since he dropped off that big bag of expensive steaks the day after my birthday. Last night it was these sandwiches from one of the most high-end bakeries in LA. Why hasn’t he backed off? Why isn’t he disgusted by me, like everyone else?

We haven’t actually seen each other since he found me at the lake on my birthday. Still, my eyes burn with emotion because hope is something new to me; I’m frightened of it, but I can feel it. I don’t want to smile when I think about Darian, but he makes it impossible not to.

I wasn’t expecting any of this. The more I try to push him away, the more he insists on getting closer to me. I feel a little foolish about how I was judging Mary for being so idealistic and romantic when my own heart keeps fluttering when I think of that cocky, handsome wolf shifter.

I’ve had my moments of doubt when I wonder if he’s just leading me on. If he is, he’s doing a very convincing job of it.

The door to the break room opens, and Sam walks in.

I look up at him. “Can I ask you something? And give me an honest answer.”

He opens the door of the fridge to take out his lunch. “Sure. Shoot.”

“Do you think I’m attractive?”

He turns his head to look at me critically. “Ugly. Not my type. And if this is your way of hitting on me, I’d appreciate a heads-up so I can be well prepared to let you down gently. You have no one to blame but yourself. You chose to play with fire.”

I bite into my sandwich, saying dryly, “Thanks. You’re so good for my ego.”

He sets a bottle of juice on the table before sitting down with his pasta. “Anytime. I’ve got you.” Pointing his fork at me, he adds, “If you didn’t have the red hair and the blue eyes, I might have gone for you. Maybe just the hair. Your loss.”

“My loss indeed,” I drawl. “Now I have to live with the knowledge that I will never be able to get with such a charming individual as yourself.”

Sam stuffs his mouth with a forkful of pasta. “You’ll get over it. I break a lot of hearts.”

I snort. “I wish I had that kind of confidence. It would take me far in life.”

Sam grins. “You’re either born with it or you’re not. Anyway, what’s with this line of questioning? Are you having some sort of identity crisis? I could buy you a mirror for your birthday. I was going to get you a gift. I even saved up for it, but then I got hungry and got myself a burrito.”

“You were going to give me something that costs as much as a burrito?” I stare at him.

My friend gives me a deadpan look. “I love burritos.”

My brows scrunch together as I stare at him, not knowing what to make of that statement.

“So, spill.” He chews his food. “What’s going on with you?”

“I’m not having an identity crisis,” I correct him. “I met someone. He seems to—I think maybe he kind of likes me, although I don’t see how that is possible. I didn’t tell him about not having a wolf spirit. I didn’t have the strength to tell him that. But I did tell him to look me up in the registry. Surely, he has found out that way. I know he looked me up because he has my address. He sent me a gift of steaks the other day. And last night, he dropped off these sandwiches. I just don’t know what to make of it all.”

The words come out of me in a rush, and then I have to stop and gulp in some air.

“So, you’ve got yourself a boyfriend.” Sam looks pleased. “Good for you.”

“He’s not my boyfriend. We’ve met all of two times. Or maybe three.”

“Sounds like a boyfriend to me.” Sam looks at me. “So what’s the problem? He likes you and you clearly don’t hate him. Give it a shot. He doesn’t seem to have a problem with your lack of wolf spirit. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

“What if he’s faking it?” I reveal the uncertainty in my heart. “What if he’s just pretending with all this, and then later he—”

My friend rolls his eyes. “This isn’t a movie. There’s nobody placing a bet here to humiliate you. He likes you, and you seem to have a thing for him or you wouldn’t be so conflicted. You have to take a chance sometimes.” When I don’t say anything, he sets down his food container and gives me a long look. “You do like him, don’t you?”

I rub the spot on my chest right above my heart. “I don’t know. I’ve never felt this way before. I was so rude to him, and he didn’t care. It’s like everything I say rolls right off him. I try to push him away, but he doesn’t seem to get the hint.”

Sam resumes eating. “Sounds like a keeper. I know you have this melodramatic idea that only bad things will ever happen to you, but good things do happen, Alice. The world is a shitty place—and I believe that statement wholeheartedly—but sometimes good things happen, and you should just go along with them. This guy is clearly into you. Sending food is courting behavior. We both know that. Why are you trying to turn it into a bad thing? There’s no harm in giving him a chance.”

I play with my sandwich, my appetite vanishing. “He wants to meet up tonight. Do you think I should say yes?”

“Yes!” my friend says loudly. “Go out with him. Let him spoil you. You clearly like him, Alice. I keep telling you this. Give him a chance. Not everybody’s a monster.”

My lips curve slightly. Mary told me the same thing. Maybe I should just take their advice and go out with Darian. I didn’t want to see him, now that he knows what he knows, but this might not be the worst idea. If he’s willing to accept me as I am, isn’t that what I’ve always wanted? To be accepted as I am?

As I finish the sandwich, I find myself smiling.

*****

Darian told me to meet him at the restaurant, but when I exit my building, a car is waiting for me. At first, I ignore it, but a blond man gets out of the driver’s seat when I walk past, and he calls out to me. “Alice Lane?”

“Yes?” I ask cautiously. “Can I help you?”

“Darian sent me to pick you up.”

I stop in my tracks. “Darian sent you?”

“Please, get in. I’ll drive you to the restaurant.”

He opens the back door for me, and reluctantly, I slide into the seat.

The driver glances at me in the rearview mirror throughout the drive but doesn’t say anything. He pulls up in front of a restaurant that looks far more expensive than anything I could have imagined.

“A–Are you sure this is the right place?” I don’t think I can even afford to breathe the air in there.

“Darian has reserved a table. Don’t worry, the ma?tre d’ will guide you.” The driver looks toward the entrance just as a man in a tuxedo walks out. My clothes are simple, a blue blouse with bell-flared sleeves that I thought looked pretty and a pair of black jeans. But next to the man in the tuxedo, I look shabby.

The ma?tre d’ doesn’t so much as blink. “Right this way, ma’am.”

He’s a wolf shifter like me. His scent gives him away.

I enter the restaurant and am immediately dazzled by the high ceilings and gorgeous decor. The entire place has been done up in hues of gold and red, a beautiful combination that screams elegance and sophistication.

The ma?tre d’ leads me to the back of the restaurant, which offers more privacy. As I pass by the other diners, I feel even more underdressed. The women are wearing gorgeous dresses, while their partners are dressed in suits that drip money. I really don’t belong here.

A sliver of doubt creeps into my mind. But when I see Darian looking over at me and beaming, some of it fades away. He gets to his feet and pulls out a chair for me. The ma?tre d’ immediately turns red. “There’s no need for that, Your—”

He doesn’t get to finish his sentence because Darian cuts him off. “I believe everything is set for tonight.”

The sudden, formal edge to his voice has me blinking. The easy-going and casual man I know has been replaced by someone cold and aloof. The ma?tre d’ pales and hurries away.

I sit down hesitantly, and when Darian looks at me, he’s back to his normal self.

“Did we really have to come here?” I look around uneasily. “When you said dinner, I thought you meant getting something like hotdogs or pizza. I mean, I know you work for the royal family, but this is insane.”

“You don’t like this place?” Darian looks around. “We can go somewhere else.”

“It’s fine. I just wish you had warned me about the dress code here. I would have worn”—I look down at my clothes—“not this.”

“What’s wrong with your outfit?” Darian asks bluntly. “You look gorgeous.”

I’m taken aback by the compliment as I look around at the other females in the restaurant. Gorgeous is not the word I would use to describe myself. These women look like polished socialites, their makeup and hair done to perfection.

I suddenly realize something. There’s some distance between our table and every other table. It’s almost as if there’s an invisible barrier around us. Some of the diners are glancing our way, but very discreetly. And the ones closest to us are sitting stiffly, looking very uncomfortable.

Is it because of me? Am I making them uncomfortable because I clearly don’t belong here? I consider asking Darian, but he seems to have put a lot of thought into this…dinner. I don’t want to ruin it.

In the back of my mind, I know that this dinner is really a date. But I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around it.

“How did you even get a table here?” I whisper.

Darian gives me a half smile. “I pulled some strings. I thought you’d like the food.”

I open my mouth to tell him that I would have preferred pizza and something cheap to drink, but I don’t want to hurt his feelings, so I decide to keep my opinion to myself.

“Oh,” Darian suddenly says. “I got you something.” He reaches over to a small table by his side and picks up a gift bag from what looks like a very expensive store. “Here.”

Now I really feel uncomfortable. “You’re already doing so much. I don’t need this. I didn’t get you anything.”

“That’s fine. It’s a gift. Your birthday present.”

I take the bag as I glance at him. “Why did you get me a birthday gift? I already—You’ve already given me so much: the cupcakes and all the food you’ve been sending me…”

“Your friend got you an entire outfit. I had a feeling you wouldn’t let me buy you an even nicer one, so I thought I’d get you this instead.”

I open the bag and take out the softest scarf I have ever felt. It’s emerald green. A stunning color. I could bury my face in this scarf and die happily. It’s so beautiful and silky.

When I look up at Darian, he’s smiling broadly. “You like it, then?”

“I do.” I can’t stop touching it. “But why did you get me a scarf? This is for cold weather. Winter temperatures in Los Angeles hardly ever drop to scarf level.”

“Which is exactly why I bought it.” He grins. “I bet you’ve never had a scarf before because you never needed one.”

I stare at him, trying to understand his logic. “That’s a big brain move there.”

He laughs. “Isn’t it? Am I right? Is this your first scarf ever?”

“It is,” I admit. “And I love it. I don’t know what this material is, but I could sleep in it.”

The pleasure in his eyes makes my heart skip a beat. “I hope you don’t mind, but I ordered us a three-course meal in advance,” Darian tells me. “I wanted to give you the scarf first. I would have gotten you something better, but I wanted to give you something you’ve never had before. Look at the corner.”

I pick up the side of the scarf he is pointing at and see something embroidered in gold thread.

Darian’s Alice.

He’s making this too real for me. He’s forcing me to face a reality in which someone cares about me. I don’t understand. I’m scared to understand.

I look at him, a pang in my chest. “Darian, why are you doing this?”

“What do you mean?”

“I—My friends told me not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but if you figured out where I live, then you must’ve looked me up in the registry. You know the truth. Why are you still interested in me?”

He’s about to say something when I hear someone call out my name. My entire body turns stiff as a board.

Turning my head to the left, I see a familiar face approaching us. She’s not alone. Willow is dressed in a beautiful gold dress, and right behind her is her father, Thomas.

The beta looks shocked when his eyes land on my date. The first thing he does upon reaching us is to greet Darian, much to my surprise. “Your—”

My date holds up his hand, a warning look in his eyes. “Stop. I’m here with somebody.”

Thomas’s eyes settle on me, and I see the barely restrained anger and disgust in them. I’ve seen him mad before, but never like this. It looks like he wants to skin me alive.

I shrink away from him, knowing he is capable of doing just that. My companion notices my fear, and he growls. “Why are you scared of him, Alice?”

Thomas immediately smooths out his expression. “Alice is a member of my pack. She has no reason to be scared of me. Right, Alice?”

His eyes dare me to say a word.

I shake my head, a wooden movement.

“A member of your pack?” Darian sneers. “Then why did I come across her so badly wounded the other day? Someone had beaten her to a pulp. Is this what is done to your pack members?”

“Alice must have picked a fight with someone,” Willow titters, covering her mouth to hide her smirk. “She does that a lot. She’s a little uncouth. Always getting in trouble.”

“That’s not how it looked to me,” Darian says darkly. “It looked more like she had been used as a punching bag by someone. It’s a pity she’s not talking; I guess I’ll have to investigate the matter myself.”

When Thomas freezes, I wonder about Darian’s identity. Who is he that even the beta of a pack is scared of him?

“Alice?” Willow’s voice is sweet but dripping with contempt. “What are you doing in a place like this, anyway?”

“She’s my date.” Darian gives her a cool look. “And who are you?”

Willow focuses on Darian as if assessing him, and when I see the interest in her eyes, my heart sinks. If she expresses her interest to her father, Thomas is going make sure I stay away from Darian. “I’m Willow Elvin. My father is the beta of the Moonlight Pack. And you are?”

A female indicating her father’s identity like this is usually a surefire way of seizing the interest of a male. After all, she has just told him that she has power and backing.

But Darian doesn’t look impressed, much to Willow’s annoyance.

“None of your business.” My date looks irritated now. “If you’re done interrupting us, you can leave.”

His arrogance shocks me, and to my surprise, Thomas puts his hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Let’s go, Willow.”

Willow shakes off her father’s hand. “I just want to know how they even let Alice in here. Look at the clothes she’s wearing, Father. Alice, dear, if you didn’t know how to dress for a place like this, you could’ve told me. I would’ve helped you.” My cheeks grow hot, and she continues. “You don’t have to embarrass your friend, Alice. That’s so distasteful. I would have shared any of my old dresses with you, if you had just asked me.” She looks at Darian, her exquisite features twisted into a pout. “She doesn’t pay attention to herself. I’m so sorry for my friend. She just doesn’t understand her surroundings. She’s an orphan, you see. There was no one to raise her and give her proper values.”

“If your father is the beta of the pack,” Darian counters, his eyes sparking, “then it was his responsibility to teach her what you think is lacking.” Thomas’s face turns red, but my date is not finished. “It seems to me that you’re the one who is being distasteful. We are trying to enjoy our evening together, and you keep forcing your way in. I think it’s time you leave.”

The flash of anger in Willow’s eyes has me swallowing. She’s going to make sure I pay for this humiliation.

I want to tell Darian to stop, but I can’t find my voice. If I was ever truly scared of anyone, it’s Thomas.

Thomas gives me one last look, which promises retribution, before saying, “I have to be somewhere. It was nice seeing the two of you. Come along, Willow.”

He drags his daughter away, and I tremble.

Darian looks at me, his brow furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

I shake my head, trying to calm down. “He’s going to kill me,” I finally whisper. “You shouldn’t have said anything to him. What have you done, Darian?”

I’m so terrified that I can’t even feel my legs. If I could, I would walk out of this place and run home to pack my bags and leave right now. Forget the mating gathering and the consequences of not attending. I don’t want to face the punishment that Thomas will have planned for me for tonight.

Darian gives me an uncomprehending look, and then, as realization settles on his face, he gets to his feet, rage in his eyes. “It was him? He did that to you?!”

I can see the bloodthirst in his eyes, and I grab his wrist, pulling him down before he makes a scene. “Stop. Please. Don’t make things harder for me.”

“Be honest with me. Is the beta of your pack responsible for your injuries that day?” His voice is harsh.

“His daughter isn’t my biggest fan,” I admit. “She and I don’t see eye to eye, and he doesn’t like it when Willow is unhappy.”

“How long has this been going on? Does your pack alpha know?”

I wet my lips, feeling on edge. “Everybody knows, Darian. I don’t want to talk about this. Just leave it.” I can’t control the way my hands are shaking in fear. “You shouldn’t have spoken to him that way. He’s going to punish me for it. And Willow wasn’t all too pleased with your snubs. She’s—” I sigh. “Forget it. I knew I shouldn’t have stayed for the mating gathering. I’m going to leave tonight. I can’t risk Thomas coming after me again.”

Darian lets out a soft growl and gets to his feet, wrapping one hand around my wrist and picking up my belongings with his other hand. “Let’s go.”

“What are you doing?” I ask as he pulls me behind him, walking out of the restaurant. “What about dinner?”

“Forget that. I want to know what’s been going on with you.”

The car that brought me here turns on its headlights. It’s parked across the road, but when Darian motions with the hand that is holding my things, the driver gets out, comes over, and takes them from him.

“Get the food packed, Jimmy. Alice and I are going somewhere else.”

The driver, Jimmy, looks between the two of us before nodding. “Alright.”

Darian leads me down the street for several blocks until we reach a small coffee shop. “Go take a seat.”

His voice is authoritatively sharp, and instinct tells me to obey.

He looks furious. However, it’s strange that the angrier he looks, the safer I feel. Nobody has ever been angry on my behalf before. They’ve pitied me, yes. I’ve gotten sympathy. But anger at the treatment I face? Never.

Even Edith and Mary have never expressed this emotion. I can understand why. Wolf shifters look down on the weak. That’s why it’s very surprising to me that Darian is still choosing to be with me. It doesn’t make sense to me, but I don’t want to dig too deep.

As I find a spot for us at the back of the café, I see one of the servers approach each of the tables where customers are seated. He speaks to them softly, and they all get up and start to leave.

I get to my feet, too, but the server shakes his head at me. “Please, sit.”

Confused, I look over at the counter where Darian is standing, a black card in his hand. I notice the server flip the “open” sign on the door to “closed.” The whole place is empty now, and Darian finally joins me.

“What are you doing now?” I ask warily.

“Giving us a private setting to talk,” he tells me, his voice steady but anger still lingering in it. “I ordered us some sandwiches. Now, talk. Why has the beta of your pack been abusing you?”

This is a perfect time to discuss my lack of wolf spirit. Darian already knows about it, but I should still say it out loud so he hears it from me. But I don’t want to. It’s the elephant in the room, but I don’t want to touch it. What if he changes his mind after I say the words out loud? What if he decides to agree with Willow and Thomas and every other member of my pack?

“Willow has never liked me. And as I told you, her father dotes on her.” I mention a few incidents but deliberately keep everything vague. “Darian, don’t cause trouble. I’m leaving. I would rather go in one piece. I don’t want to give Thomas any more reasons to hurt me.”

“He’s not going to hurt you. If he knows what’s good for him, he won’t so much as look at you,” Darian growls. “And what was that nonsense about not going to the mating gathering? You have to come. I will be there.”

“If you think Thomas is going to let this slide,” I mutter, my mouth dry, “you don’t know him. I’m not a coward, Darian. I can stand up for myself. But when people are stronger than you, and of a higher status, it doesn’t matter what you do. No matter how much you fight back, you will always be the one getting hurt. Getting injured. I’m tired of the constant humiliation. I want out.”

“Running away isn’t going to solve anything,” Darian insists. “You’re not understanding. Come to the gathering. Even if the fates don’t bind us, I will still choose you. You have no reason to doubt me. You don’t have to run away. You can choose me. Nothing will happen to you as long as I’m around. I won’t let you down, Alice.”

I stare at him, my heart pounding in apprehension. “What if you find your fated mate? What then?”

He’s silent, and then he smiles at me. “I don’t see that happening. And besides, I would rather be with you. You’re interesting, and I know that being with you is going to make me happy.”

“How can you say that for sure when you’ve only spent such a brief amount of time with me?”

He doesn’t get irritated at my constant reluctance. Instead he reaches out, takes my hand, and presses his lips against my fingers. “I just know. You need to have some faith in me. Come to the mating gathering. In the meantime, I’ll make sure nobody so much as touches you. That’s my responsibility and my promise to you.”

“Who are you?” I finally ask, hesitantly. “Why was Thomas scared of you? You said you work in the royal palace. What is your designation?”

Darian looks delighted. “You never looked me up?”

“Should I have?”

His grin broadens. “Don’t look me up. I would rather surprise you. I do work in the royal palace. And if Thomas knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay away from you.” He kisses me intently. “I’ve never felt this way before, Alice. I don’t know if this is love or whether I believe in love at first sight, but that’s how I feel when I see you. When you’re near me, it feels like the whole world has stopped. I can only see you. Don’t take my words lightly. I never say what I don’t mean.”

“I—” His words have overwhelmed me, and I feel flustered. “I’m not a romantic, Darian. I don’t want to get hurt. There’s a reason why nobody has ever wanted me. What if you change your mind?”

His smile is wicked and sincere at the same time. “I will never change my mind. You don’t have to worry about that. As long as you promise to be mine.”

This is all moving too fast. I should be pumping the brakes, but I can’t seem to do that. It’s like I’m falling into a rabbit hole, and Darian is dragging me farther down. Common sense is going out the window. I want to believe him. I want to place my faith in him.

Maybe Mary and Sam were right.

Maybe meeting Darian was fate.