6. Erain
CHAPTER 6
Erain
I stormed into Rook’s office without knocking.
“Undo it,” I told my First Alpha without preamble.
He looked up at me, an eyebrow raised. He doesn’t pretend not to know what I’m talking about.
Teddy’s in the corner with his feet up playing games on his phone but I know he’ll go with whatever we decide.
“Don’t be a fool. You know I can’t.”
Hot anger pulses through me as I pace in front of Rook’s desk.
“This can’t be real. It’s like a fucking nightmare.”
Teddy shrugged.
“C’mon, Erain. “I’m not exactly chomping at the bit to get married but she’s not that bad. We don’t know her.”
“She is that bad,” I retorted, struggling to contain my temper. “She’s the woman you have to give up all other women for, remember? You want to fuck only her every day for the rest of your life?”
Teddy made a face as I knew he would.
“Rook, are you sure that’s a requirement?”
Our First Alpha didn’t even look up from his work, but a muscle flinched in his jaw.
“Yes. Once she perfumes you won’t want anyone else.”
Rook has been a good First Alpha. Brutal to everyone else, but fair and honest with us.
“I can’t imagine never wanting to fuck anyone else,” Teddy says disbelievingly. “What am I, a nun?”
“What we have to do,” Rook said firmly. “Is make the best of it.”
The impotent fury flickers inside me, spreading out to each limb.
“Make the best of being tied to that. . . tacky cheap. . .”
Rook looks up and my voice trails off under his steady glare.
“Well, she is ,” I said defensively. “And you know it too, even though you’re too stubborn to admit it.”
Hell, I know he agrees with me.
“There must be some mistake,” I insisted.
Rook sighed, pushing away from his desk and rubbing his eyes.
“We displayed at her scent card,” he said tiredly.
“I don’t even remember it,” I countered. “What did she even smell like? Wouldn’t I remember her scent better if she was really my fated mate?”
“It was a flower of some kind,” Teddy put in, putting his feet up on the other end of Rook’s desk. “It might be even nicer when she perfumes.”
“We get married in a week,” Rook growls, knocking Teddy’s feet off and using his Head Alpha voice to make sure we pay attention. “You’ve all got one week to make your goodbyes. To anyone you need to.”
Cressida
I know Rook feels the same way I do. He knows this marriage is going to be a disaster.
But he’s right, I reflected gloomily as I headed back to my quarters in the palace.
There’s nothing I can do about this. The only thing I can do is make the best of it.
But I’m not married yet.
Abruptly, I turned around and headed to Cressida’s sleek little apartment next to the symphony.
If I only have a week left with her, I plan to make the most of it, while I’ll be dreading each day that draws me closer to a lifetime with Piper.
When I got back, I meet our campaign manager Beatrice coming out of the Palace smoothing her hair.
Hmmm. Looks like someone’s just been fucked.
She nodded to me and as soon I opened the door I came face-to-face with Rook.
“Admit it,” I said.
His tightened lips were like a harsh line across his face.
“I admit it,” he growled. “Happy? I don’t want to be bound to her either and I’m fucking dreading the wedding. But we can’t back out now, can we?”