#Chapter 6 A Daring Proposal

Mira “What, Mate?” I blurted out. Dominic remained stoic, staring at me. I didn’t know what he was up to, until I saw the smallest wink in his left eye, a wink that only I could see. He was trying to help me. Was this the same wolf who had thrown me against a tree just forty-eight hours ago? “Me?” I clarified. “Her?!” Tessa yelled at her brother, walking towards him. “You can’t be serious! This pathetic nobody of a she-wolf could never be you Luna. Dominic, please tell me your joking.” The Alpha did not so much as glance at his step-sister. The guards began to grow uneasy, not sure what order they should follow. “Sir,” the driver piped up, “this seems rather unorthodox. We were told this woman has no Mate, and so she must be taken to the traveling medical team at once. With due respect, how can we be sure you’re telling the truth?” “You dare question me? Do you know who I am?” Dominic asked rhetorically. “If I tell you this woman is my Mate, then she is. Right, my dear?” “I—“ “Don’t be nervous, our secret is out now,” he took my hand turning us so that we faced the small group of people that remained. “In truth, we argued the other day— completely my fault— and I think my fiancée here was trying to teach me a lesson by claiming we were not together. But really, Mira, you didn’t need to put your life in danger just to worry me!” Who was this man? I suppose life in the Alpha family had made him an excellent politician. “Dominic, you don’t have to do this,” I assured him. “I’ll be fine out here. Just let me go—“ My words were cut off when I was hoisted into the air and over Dominic’s shoulder. “Oh my god— let me GO!” I tried in vain to squirm out of his grip. “Come along, darling!” he seemed almost jovial as he carried me and placed me carefully into the back of his car. I could hear Tessa’s whining as Dominic slammed the door closed, ordering his driver to retrieve my bags and take us home. “Dominic, what is going on?” I asked his profile as he stared straight ahead. “You and I both know I am not your Mate, I’m not anyone’s Mate, that’s why they are sending me away!” “Be quiet, please” he said carefully. “At least until we are no longer being watched. I will explain everything.” “You better!” I kept my voice low. “If your step-mother finds out about this—“ “This is none of her business.” “Like hell it is!” I shot back. “How on earth will you explain this to the Pack? That you’ve chosen a nobody, a wolf less woman, to be the next Luna? Is this some sort of joke?!” “I would never joke about something so serious, Mira.” he turned his head so quickly I wondered if he strained the thick muscles of his neck. His eyes flickered with emotion as they met mine. “I have chosen you to be my Luna, because I want you to be. This match is advantageous for both of us.” “Advantageous?” “Yes,” he turned back to face front. “You need a Mate to save you from a horrible fate, and I need a Luna so that I can take over as Alpha. And it is my duty as Alpha to look after the health and safety of my Pack, and now I have brought them a new doctor. A very skilled doctor, I might add.” “So…” I didn’t know how to respond. “This is, what, a business deal? Do I have to sign a contract.” “Of course not,” he scoffed at my idea. “At least not until the Mate Ceremony, then all necessary documents will be drawn up and put in order.” “You can’t be serous,” I felt myself growing angry, especially when he seemed to be ignoring me. “So I’m a pawn in your plan, an object that you can parade around with some facade of romantic companionship? And in the meantime I just cater to your needs?” “I thought you said it is your purpose to care for and heal others,” he turned back to me, talking as if to a child. “I am gibing you just that opportunity along with my protection.” “Your protection? It sounds like I’ll be your property!” He said nothing. “And I refuse?” “Well, I can do my best to keep you from the field for a while, but even an Alpha cannot go against pack rules. Without a mate…” “Yes, right, I know, I’ll be sent to my certain death,” I finished for him. “Don’t you think the Pack will object to me, wolf less, being chosen as your Luna? This can’t be a simple as you say.” “My decision is final,” he said firmly. “Anyone who dares question my motives can face me head-on, and they know better than do stoke my anger.” This threat of violence didn’t do much to quell my anxiety, but I couldn’t see any better way to get out of this mess. I either went along with his plan, or would be sent off to serve and die. “Okay,” I whispered. “I’ll do it.” “Of course you will,” he said smugly. “And by the way, I hope you enjoyed my gift. I suppose we’ll eventually have to get you a ring.” “The necklace!” I blurted out. “You didn’t need to surprise me like that, with a bribe!” “It was not a bribe,” He interrupted my outrage. “I knew you would not accept it otherwise. And it was put in your bag before I hatched this current plan— I simply…wanted you to have it.” “Oh,” was all I could manage. His tactics were more confusing with every passing moment. “It belonged to my mother,” he said wistfully, as if talking to someone who wasn’t there. “She would want someone worthy to wear it.” “And no one worthy has shown up before me,” I said with sarcasm, trying to hide my discomfort and what might have been a compliment. “Someone did, but…” he trailed off. “It does’t matter, it is yours now, and I hope you will wear it with pride, my Luna.” We shared a brief moment of what could have been tenderness, but just as quickly he turned away and I felt the walls go back up. This was business, not personal. I would have to remember that. We spent the rest of the ride in silence, and I thought of the trials I would soon have to face as an aspiring Luna. But I had made it through medical school, so how hard could it be? Dominic had called an emergency council meeting when we arrived, and I barely had time to put down my bags before I was being dragged along and the hall and into an austere chamber room. I did my best not to let my nerves show on my face and Dominic addressed the pack. “My friends, my kin,” Dominic’s voice filled every corner of the room with authority and power. “I have called this meeting to share some important news that affects all of us in the Pack.” The room stirred, pairs of eyes trained on Mira as they tried to guess what was going on. “It is my pleasure to introduce you to Mira,” he said, clasping his hand in mine. “She is a skillfully trained doctor, and your next Luna.” Stunned silence hung in the air. I tried not to breathe. An eruption of cheers and applause rippled through the room, many Pack members jumping to their feet. I saw eyes glitter with excitement and people turned and whispered to each other about this news. I looked at Dominic, his face radiant with adoration. For a moment I believed our lie and wondered if his heart was beating as loud in his ears as mine, if there was something real in this partnership. He bent his head down to whisper in my ear, raising the hairs on the back of my neck. “Don’t look so bewildered, my dear,” his voice low and sultry. “Show them the powerful she-wolf I know you to be.” I did my best not to swoon as this public display of affection. I turned and took a step forward on the dais, raising my arms to wave like a queen at the members of this new family of mine. I would not disappoint them. As men made their way to congratulate Dominic, women made their way towards me, offering awkward hugs and words of encouragement that I did my best to receive gracefully. “I’ve heard about you,” a sharp voice said into my ear. “Oh, that’s nice,” I responded, hoping that my medical work had impressed her. “Don’t be so sure,” the woman’s was pinched as if she tasted something sour. “Tessa has told me all about you.” My stomach flipped. “This woman,” she raised her voice, drawing attention to herself and me, “is not what she seems!” The crowd quieted down in confused, I looked to Dominic and he was already making his way back to me. “She is known to have pursue other people’s boyfriends, including that of our beloved Tessa! Mira’s been making false claims of ridiculous relationships, purposefully creating trouble.” Oh no, people were actually listening to her. “She is a fraud, and is not fit to be our Luna!”