BRINGING THE ALPHA TO HIS KNEES

Diego, who seemed to feel sorry about me, suddenly lashed out, "Ariana, what the hell did you do? Has something come loose in your brain?"

"I don't give two hoots, sir," I shouted and turned to Camela, "and you'd better keep your mouth checked around me."

"There a problem, my lord?" a guard spoke from outside.

I held Diego's eyes, daring him to order his guard on me. He didn't. And I knew why he wasn't acting like the ruthless Alpha he was known for.

Diego had one secret, a secret that was so sacrilegious it could cost him his alpha position. If leaked, it would cause an instant revolt. His own guards would turn against him, his Beta and Gamma would shift form and attack him viciously. It might be an even fight — Diego was extremely strong—but not when the whole pack got involved! They wouldn't spare as much as a hair from Diego's skin.

A hint to this: his parents "died of natural causes".

I was there that night in the blowing snowy winter, hiding behind the oak. I saw him do it. He realized, when it was too late, that I saw him. But he wasn't so sure, as I had blended so well with the snow; I was a white wolf. And when, the next morning, he cunningly asked where I was last night, I denied it.

He was confused. His Alpha senses never lied to him. Neither did I. He tried to snip the truth off my eyes, but my wolf, Agresh, had a way of hiding from his gaze. If she stared too long at Diego's wolf, she'd give in to the mate pull and begin to blubber everything.

Oh, another truth: it was after that night that he suddenly agreed to marry me — it wasn't really about my pestering. He'd pushed me to the bed and made furious love to me. Hours later, he told me to begin making wedding arrangements.

So, Diego was constantly torn between treating me nicely and not.

Why didn't he just push me away when I rejected him as my mate? Yeah.

Camela was relentless. "Was I wrong, bitch? If your mother hadn't pretended to be sick and threatened Diego, how could he marry... you?"

I turned to Diego. "Do you think so, too?"

He didn't answer. And I didn't need his answer.

When my mom had begged that I got married to my mate, I had gone miles to convince Diego. I'd cried and begged and told him that I also wanted to be married to him. I knelt down, weeping for his ring.

And one night, he just said, "Wait, Nicole, do you in any way think I'm a fool? C'mon, I know a sick person when I see one. Pulling such a trick to force a wedding is plain stupid." He turned to the window, tossing a coin. "I had so much respect for your mom."

During the prom night in high school, when the history of the school was broken because the Alpha Prince, Diego, had chosen me, a mere omega, as his mate, I was willing to retain this delicate position. I forced myself every single moment to please Diego. I didn't want him to think I didn't worth him.

Diego liked submissive women, so I licked his ass and followed him around like a maid. And, on his drunken nights, he'd make me sit between his legs, grind on him till he was rock hard, and I'd proceed to give him a massage — a sloppy massage with my mouth.

And what did I get in return? A cold, indifferent attitude. I was constantly terrified of Diego Rockarm.

But after meeting Camela, I realized that he could be gentle.

Camela could put up childish acts, laugh very loud and hold his hands, even in serious situations. The very things I died inside to be allowed to do. My heartbeat doubled when Camela was around.

One time, I held his palm, sniffed on it and told him, "I want to do your facials, Diego. Let me give you baby treatment." I had a teenage-girl grin on my face, my hopes held on a knifepoint.

He leapt from the couch, glaring at me like I was a madwoman. "Never, Ariana, in your life repeat this. Damn." He went ahead to wash his face.

I didn't recover for the next two weeks. After that, I never acted petty to him again. He didn't care, either.

But Camela was always glued to his skin and Diego was happiest when that happened. He paraded her anywhere he went, introducing her as his "lil baby", and this was killing Agresh, my snow wolf.

To most people, he and Camela were a couple, and I was probably their P.A. With him, I had nothing except the title of girlfriend.

If it hadn't been for my mother's limited time and her repeated requests, there would never have been that heart-wrenching wedding.

Now, I stared at Diego with agony, tears filling my eyes.

This was the man I had loved for almost ten years. Was he really my mate? Was there something going on that I didn't know? Was he keeping me close so I wouldn't spill his secret? Why wouldn't he just kill me then?

Slowly, I realized there could be more to this than met the eye. Diego harbored secret plans about me.

I really had to leave now.

"Diego, come check if my face is swollen," Camela cried out, immediately snatching his attention. "How could she be so beastly? My face hurts like hell."

I employed so much force in that slap, and I left visible finger marks on her face.

Diego suddenly turned sore. "Ariana, apologize!"

Silence. A full minute passed. Agresh was aggrieved, pulling me to please apologize.

Finally, I sighed and walked up to Camela.

"And if I don't, my lord?"