Chapter 5 Jackson's Pov

• I didn't want to come for this wedding in the first place but I had no choice. I hate the crescent pack; they are liars and manipulators. I told everyone but they didn’t believe me. Eliot knew I hated him, so sending a special invitation didn’t come as a shock to me. He probably wants to rub it on me since he has a mate now and that too with another pack. I had to attend if not it would be a sign of rebellion and might cause a war among wolves. Even though I know I will win, after all I am the strongest alpha, I didn't want to cause an unnecessary fight.
• I knew the party would be luxurious, but Eliot took it too far. i didn’t really care though; it is not my wedding nor is it my money. I saw the order of events and I couldn't help but laugh. a three-day event? Anyways, I could care less. One of the maids escorted me and my right-hand man to our room. It is not really normal for an alpha to share his room with someone but this is Eliot's way of degrading me. I didn't really care, I took it. At least, the room wasn’t shabby.
• “Alpha, I could leave if you want me to.” my right-hand man, drake said.
• “no, please stay. I am ok." I said to him while looking round the room. I had a bath and freshened up for dinner for the alphas.
• it is obviously big and luxurious like I thought it would be. There was a lot of drink and food for all the alphas. According to him, he wanted all of us to share in his happiness.
• After the toast and we were all done eating, he decided to pick on me.
• “so, alpha jackson, i didn’t see you come with anyone. don’t you have a mate?” he asked.
• Everyone looked at me expecting an answer but I didn't want to give any. As the strongest alpha, it was quite normal for everyone to question my inability to find a mate. but unlike other alphas that just go around and pick anyone, I am looking for the right one. My mother always told me about this magical moment of finding a mate and how good it feels and I want to experience that.
• “If you have none, you can take from our pack before leaving. we have so many beautiful and strong she-wolves.” he said to me with a little chuckle and sipped on his wine.
• “no, thank you. I am fine, and we both know that finding one is very easy for me.” I said to him and looked at his bride. He frowned at me. I think he got the memo.
• With the kind of influence I have, any woman would feel lucky for me to choose them. Even Eliot's so-called bride, if I gave her the chance, she would leave him and come to me immediately.
• After dinner, it was time for the ball, I stayed by the side for a while and sipped on some champagne. I must commend Eliot though; he does know how to throw a good party. The ball was massive and filled with a lot of pulp and splendor. There were a lot of drinks and food that was enough to feed a community. no wonder their pack members don't lack food. It was a masquerade ball so everyone had to cover their faces.
• I stayed for a while and got bored so I went upstairs. Drake tried to stop me but I insisted. I really didn’t want to stay; not because I was jealous or something but because they are liars and killers and I will prove it.
• I waited until midnight with my right hand-man, drake. At midnight, I went to the balcony immediately. I saw a lady there in black dress and on her mask. she was looking at the moon, when she noticed me, she turned and looked at me. We both stared at each other for a while. I didn't know what to say.
• “Alpha, if you don’t mind can we find somewhere more private? I would like to speak about something important.”
• “sure.” I said and inhaled. I led the way to my room. I sat at the end of the dining table in my room while Drake stood behind me. the girl in question stood on the other end.
• “alpha of crescent moon is trying to cause a rebellion. this whole marriage is a way for him to take over is bride’s pack. he has done this to so many other packs and taken a lot of wolves and need you help to stop. i humbly ask you to help me.” she told me.
• “and I can safely assume that you are one of the wolves he took.”
• She was quiet for a while. “yes.”
• I didn't say anything more. I was sure the silence was killing her. i knew that eliot was a scum but taking kids, that was far off. I thought really hard and I wasn't sure if it was safe for me to help her. She clearly wants something more but she isn’t telling me.
• “remove your mask.” I ordered her after the long silence.
• She took a deep breath and slowly reached for the back of her head and untied the mask and I was wowed. she looked even better without the mask. i knew she was pretty but without the mask, she looks like a piece of the moon.
• “What's your name?” I asked her.
• “amelia.”
• “and how old are you?”
• “18.”
• I sighed. “let’s say what you are saying is true and i help you, what will i get in return?”
• “What do you mean?”
• “I do deserve something to help you.” informed her.
• “isn’t this good enough, i am telling you how to prove all you have been saying.” she said.
• so, she did her research.
• “Well, I want something else.” I told her.
• “What do you want?” she asked me.
• “you.” I simply told her.
• “I don't understand.”
• “I want you to be my mate.”
• She looked at me speechless, like I was on drugs or something. I knew she was in shock. It was out of the blue and unexpected so I decided to give her some time.
• “I will be leaving tomorrow after the wedding so I need your answer by then. you may leave now.”
• she left with a look of disbelief on her face. I looked at drake. There was a bit of shock on his face. I felt he wanted to say something but he was holding back.
• “If you want to say something, just say it.”
• He took a deep breath. “I don't mean to question you alpha but are you really going to marry her? you don’t even know her. wouldn’t it endanger you and the pack?” he asked.
• “because she is my mate.”
• Alpha, are you sure?”
• Honestly, I am not. I don't even know why I asked her to marry me. I feel the connection but she doesn’t. I know we are connected but I don't get why she doesn’t.
• “We will find out tomorrow when she gives an answer.” I stood up and went to the window. The moon was full and I really wanted to see it.
• “what if she refuses?” Drake asked.
• I didn't really think of her rejecting me, but for me, it is not an option.
• “You may leave now drake. I want to be alone.”
• “yes alpha.” he said and left.
• I poured myself a glass of wine and stared at the moon, I recalled everything that just happened that night and it felt like a dream. I remembered her face and I couldn't help but smile. I just hope I am not wrong. I have never felt something like this before. I just hope she is the one.
• i left the alpha’s room shocked. I am not sure if I heard correctly. I made sure no one saw me and I went straight to the servants’ quarters. I went to Karla's room, still in shock. When I opened the door, she came to me immediately.
• “amelia what happened?” she asked. she tapped me and asked again, “amelia, what happened?”
• I looked at her. “I do know if I should be happy or not.”
• “What do you mean?” she asked.
• I told her everything that happened and what the alpha requested.
• “Well, that is good news!” karla said with a smile on her face but seeing the look on Amelia's face, she reconsidered the thought.
• “What do you mean that is good news? Do I need to marry him? I don't even know the man who loves him.”
• “Well, he is not just the most wanted alpha for nothing, marrying him is not a bad idea.” She looked at me.
• I couldn't believe her. “If it isn’t a bad idea, you go marry him.” I said and turned away.
• “I would if he asked me. do you not want to marry him because you don’t like him or because you still love crane?” she asked me.
• Honestly, I didn't know. I looked at her, not knowing what to answer. Was I still in love with the Crane? I didn't even know how to answer that question.
• “I think you should answer that first before you say you don’t want him but I hope you accept it. he wouldn't have asked you if he didn’t like you and crane rejected you, so you are free. please just consider.” she said and went to bed.
• I stayed up all night thinking about it. Why would an alpha want to marry someone he hardly knows? I couldn't really understand it. Why would he want to marry me? I mean, he has a lot of wolves to choose from, he does even know me. I thought hard all night but I couldn't come up with a reason.
• The next day was the wedding and I was meant to serve since karal filled in for me at the ball. I didn't know if I would see him again since he said he would be leaving immediately after the wedding. All the maids were so busy getting everything ready that I forgot about the alpha till his right-hand man came looking for me. He made sure I was alone and asked me to come with him. I wanted to refuse but there was no use. They already knew my face. He took me to the alpha’s room where he stood looking at the venue of the wedding through his window.
• “How did you know I am a maid here?” I asked. I made sure to hide my identity so how did he find me?
• “You are not the only one with tricks up your sleeve amelia.” he told me. “so, what is your decision?”
• “What decision?”
• he gave me this confused and condensed look then i remember.
• “oh, do you mean the wedding? I haven't decided yet.”
• “why?”
• “because I want to know why? why do you want to marry me?”
• “because I want you. must there be a bigger reason” he said plainly.
• “but you don’t even know me.”
• “so? I will get to know you. besides, I am an alpha, if I want to know something I can find out.” he said to me.
• I didn't know what to say. This seemed too good to be true. It looked like I was in fantasy land. He did know what to say and I don't think he has any bad intentions.
• “so, what is your decision?” he asked.
• I thought hard about this last night and now. I looked at him and he was clearly waiting for an answer. my head went blank but i knew i had to provide an answer and a good one.
• “I will agree to marry you on one condition.” I told him.
• “Are we negotiating?”
• “I think we are.”
• He looked at me with kind eyes. I didn't really care though. I wasn't going to go into this marriage without gaining something from it.
• “Okay, what could my lady want?” he said with a bit of sarcasm.
• I couldn't care if I was being shameless at this point, being shameful was what brought me to this point. I was rejected by the man I loved and found out that they both lied to me. I care less now what anyone thinks anymore.
• “I want you to help me find my pack.” I told him. I saw the look on his face. it was neutral, no emotion. I couldn't even tell what he was thinking. I was desperate at this point. I wanted to find them and know what exactly happened. I want to know if they abandoned me or something and want to know how I ended up with the crescent moon.
• “You don’t have a pack?” he asked.
• “Yes, I don't.”
• “which means you haven’t transformed yet.” he said with a smirk.
• I put my head down. I was embarrassed. A lot of wolves get their wolf even before they turn eleven but I didn't get mine. I thought getting a mate would open it up but I got rejected.
• “I agree.” I heard and I looked up.
• “what?”
• “I agree. I will help you find them and you will get your wolf after our marriage.” he told me. I didn't know what to say anymore. I was happy. At first, I thought he wasn’t going to agree but he was quiet and asked questions that made me disqualified as his wife but he agreed.
• “okay, what happens now?'' I asked, trying not to smile much.
• “While, I will call you when I am ready to leave.”
• “thank you alpha.” I bowed and turned. I stopped. a certain thought crossed my mind and i turned back to him.
• “please alpha, i hope you are not fooling me?” I asked. I didn't want to get my hopes crushed. I have experienced it before so don’t blame me for being safe.
• He smiled and looked at me. I can already tell that he knows I have trust issues. He walked over to me and held my chin, making me look at him. “Wolf, it takes a lot of courage to have faith in someone you just met. I am an alpha and I promise you I will keep my word.”
• At that moment, I felt some kind of relief by hearing that. It made me feel like I could actually trust him.
• “Now, you go, when I am ready, I will send it to you.”
• I left his room with a smile and went to help out with the wedding decorations.