Chapter 9
Ready for Negotiation
Alexa
Present day
“Ugh, I can’t believe this. How the hell did I never see through him? Man’s a wolf wearing sheep’s wool.” I clutch my forehead, memories of my childhood with Gabriel flashing through my mind.
I would’ve never suspected I’d been deceived by his kindness and gentle demeanor all these years. He has never hurt me. In fact, he has always been caring and tender, as if he could not even bring himself to harm an ant. How foolish I have been not to see the truth hiding behind that mask.
“That’s why I’m the damn fool here,” Harlow says, shaking his head while rubbing his face with both hands. “Time after time I swallowed his lies, and last night I still let him rope me in with those promises. I really thought I could get you outta here.”
I sit in silence, staring down as I contemplate the future waiting for me. Is this all that lies ahead? I press a tissue gently against my cheeks and the corners of my eyes, wiping away the last traces of tears. It’s over.
“Gabriel fooled everyone,” he murmurs quietly. “That’s why I left Silver Moon. I’d rather wander as a rogue and figure out who I am than stay here and get laughed at.”
His gaze drifts far away, lost somewhere in his thoughts. He looks at me, but his eyes seem unfocused. My chest tightens at the sight of the pain carved into his expression. I clench my fists and press them against my chest, trying to hold back the ache and the tears threatening to spill again.
“Did my father mock you too?” I ask carefully. I bite my lower lip, dreading the thought that my father might have acted just like those arrogant elders.
“No.” Harlow shakes his head. “He stood up for me. Told folks to back off. Even offered me a job at the Dawson household.”
A faint smile appears on his face, dimples forming in the way I have always loved.
“Thank Goddess.” Relief loosens the tight knot in my chest. I should have trusted my father. He’s an honorable man who would never judge someone based on their rank in the pack.
“Wait. If Gabriel really cheated like that, he shouldn’t have become Alpha.” Mythril’s voice suddenly echoes in my mind, striking like a spark against dry wood.
My eyes widen. Yes. She’s right. If Gabriel cheated during the Alpha trials, then he is not entitled to the title of Alpha.
“But the Moon Goddess blessed his coronation.” My brows pull together as I turn the thought over in my mind.
“No. That can’t be right. Prove his cheating and the Moon Goddess will help reveal the truth.” Mythril’s voice rings again, firm and certain.
“Something on your mind?” Harlow asks.
I look up at him. Our eyes lock. His gaze still carries that quiet warmth that always weakens my resolve. I know I should let this hope die, but I can’t. This time, I refuse to give up.
“What if we try negotiating with him?” I ask, my voice trembling as I fight back another wave of tears.
“Negotiating?” Harlow frowns.
“Yes. What if there’s still an option?” My fingers tighten around his arms. “It’s crazy, I know. But we should try.”
“How?” he asks, one hand steadying my elbow.
“You know his secret.” I take a breath. “We could ask Gabriel to agree to an open marriage.”
“An open marriage?” Harlow blinks, clearly stunned.
“Yes. He wants to keep Lorraine as his mistress anyway. If he gets that, you could stay by my side as my bodyguard.”
“Whoa now, slow down.” He lifts both hands slightly. “Have you lost your mind? What happens if folks find out? What if it blows up in our faces? And don’t forget, you’ve got a blood pact with Gabriel to marry him.”
“I promised to marry him.” My voice steadies as I meet his eyes. “But I never promised to love him.”
I grip his arms tighter. “Please, Harlow. We’re true mates. We’ve talked about this before, remember? All we need is for Gabriel to agree to the arrangement.”
Hope flickers inside me like a small flame refusing to die. As long as there is even the faintest chance to fight for the life I want, I will not stop.
“Damn it, Alexa.” Harlow exhales deeply. His hands drag down over his flushed face, stopping at his ears. “I ain’t worth you wrecking your reputation like that.”
“No. Don’t say that.” I shake my head firmly. “You’re worth everything to me. We can do this. I need you in my life.” I look at him with raw desperation shining in my eyes.
Doesn’t he realize how much he means to me? If it were not for him, I would have rotted away in prison and still ended up a weak, wolfless orphan. With him beside me, I feel stronger. Even if it means stepping into a marriage that is far from perfect, I’m willing to do it.
“I don’t know. It’s…” Harlow takes a deep breath and turns his face to the side. The tight crease between his brows tells me he’s thinking hard.
I reach for his hands and hold them firmly. I cup them in mine and press a kiss against his knuckles.
“Trust me. Please.” I squeeze his hands again, my voice barely above a whisper.
He studies me for a long moment without saying a word. His teeth press into his lower lip as he weighs my offer. Won’t he stand with me?
“I don’t know,” he mutters. “I should’ve gone looking for my biological father instead. Now I’m stuck here in Silver Moon all over again.” His gaze drifts down to the tips of my shoes.
“I know.” My chest tightens. “Everything you planned fell apart because of me. But I promise you, once I become Luna, I’ll use every resource I have to help you find him. So please. Tell me you’ll stay with me through this.”
One of my hands rises to cup his cheek while the other presses against the left side of his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. My eyes search his, desperate for the answer I want.
“Why you gotta be so damn selfish?” he sighs.
My stomach twists at his words. “But…” My voice turns hoarse as I struggle to find another way to convince him. One last try before he shuts me down.
“Alright,” he says suddenly, gripping my hand. “I know where to find him.”
He pulls me out of the dressing room. Two female attendants gasp from their chairs as Harlow and I rush past them. We run down the ballroom corridor toward the men’s dressing room.
My heart pounds wildly in my chest. My skin grows warm, my emotions threatening to burst with the fragile hope building inside me.
If this were a romantic movie, the sight of us running together would look beautiful.
One hand lifts the hem of my gown while the other stays entwined with Harlow’s fingers.
Our clothes even match the moment, dressed for a wedding beneath the pale morning sunlight streaming between the marble pillars.
By the time we reach the men’s dressing room door, both of us are breathing hard. Harlow’s chest rises and falls heavily, and the sight makes me wonder if he feels the same rush of excitement about my plan.
Maybe this is the moment we change our fate. This is the moment he finally chooses me and I choose myself. My heartbeats racing uncontrollably, eager to get all the happiness in life.
Harlow knocks on the door. A few seconds pass. No one answers. Then from inside the room, a woman’s voice coughs weakly, gasping as if she cannot breathe.
“Something’s wrong,” I whisper, my brows knitting together.
“You’re damn right,” Harlow mutters. The next second he slams the door open.
In the middle of the room, Gabriel stands beside a wooden table. His face is flushed red, his teeth clenched tight.
A woman in a light-green bridesmaid dress lies half sprawled across the table. Her legs thrash between Gabriel’s feet. Her mouth opens desperately for air. One hand reaches upward, her eyes wide and terrified as she silently begs for help.
My breath catches in my throat. “Gabriel?” I shout. “What the hell are you doing to Lorraine?”
“Move!” Without warning, Harlow lunges forward and slams into Gabriel, knocking him straight to the floor.
The two men grapple violently across the ground until Gabriel finally gets pinned beneath him. I rush to Lorraine and help her sit up from the table. She coughs violently, her neck already turning red from the pressure.
“Are you okay? Here, sit down.” I guide her out of the room.
“How dare you attack me! I’m your Alpha!” Gabriel shouts as he pushes himself off the floor. His face burns red with rage as he glares at Harlow.
“No, you ain’t my Alpha,” Harlow says, shaking his head.
“You ungrateful Omega! I’ll kill you!” Gabriel snarls, ripping off his black suit jacket. His shirt hangs wrinkled across his chest.
“You wanna fight? Fine by me.” Harlow shrugs out of his blazer and tosses his tie aside.
“Gabriel!” I shout, stepping forward. “If you hurt Harlow, this wedding is over! And you hurt Lorraine. She’s still my family no matter what, and you nearly choked her to death!”
“Then to hell with the wedding.” Gabriel rolls up his sleeves to his elbows. “I don’t care about any of you anymore. I’ll kill every last one of you myself, you ungrateful maggots.” His claws extend as he raises his hands, ready to tear into Harlow.