Chapter 11
Aliyah
It took me a moment to speak up, breaking the silence between us. "Who created this whole Council of Lycans governing Werewolves? Was it your father."
He looked at me with a serious expression. "It wasn't him," he said. "The Council was created a long time ago, before he was born. It was established by the first generation of Lycans, who gave it their family name, Lunar."
I took a spoonful of soup as the words he spoke settled in my mind. I never knew the Council was created by the first generation of Lycans. There is a whole history of Werewolves being slaves to the Lycans back then. The Werewolves were not allowed to have an Alpha, as the Lycans ruled over them like gods. But over time, they multiplied, becoming too numerous for the Lycans to govern alone, so they created the Council, dividing the Werewolves into different packs. Also Lycans lived longer than Werewolves, as their aging slowed after they turned eighteen.
"Eat," he said. "Before the food gets cold."
"How old are you?" I asked.
"More than two hundred years old," he replied.
I stopped eating and stared at him. I was just twenty-two years old, and I was going to marry someone ten times my age?
He tilted his head. "You're surprised?"
I tensed. "You're way older than I thought. And you're planning to marry me."
"But I don't look my age at all. Humans think I'm in my late twenties."
Another question rose from the storm of thoughts in my head. "You plan to marry me. What happens after?"
"You will be crowned Queen of the Lycans."
I wanted to laugh as I stared at Tristan. "Are you serious? I don't even have my wolf yet."
"That wouldn't change anything."
"And what would the people say? The Elders? About having a wolfless girl as Queen. Aren't you supposed to marry someone as strong as you? Like a Lycan?"
"Are you worried about being rejected by the Elders?" He smirked.
I frowned. "I'm not worried. I was only concerned. I'd be happy if the Elders rejected me."
He smiled. "I don't need the Elders' approval for what I want."
I eyed him, wondering if he was suffering from some kind of disorder. He might just wake up tommorow and decided to cut off anything with me. I wouldn't be surprised as I really think he had some disorder.
"Did you know this isn't the first time I've seen you?" he asked.
"What?" I frowned deeply.
"I saw you in the hospital when you were healing a patient," he said.
My eyes widened in surprise. "And yet you tried to kill me?"
"I wasn't in my right mind when I woke up. The last thing I remembered was being doused in a liter of wolfsbane before I fell unconscious," he said. "But back to what I was saying: after I saw you healing a patient, I asked my men to keep an eye on you every time you visited the hospital."
"What were you even doing in the Crescent pack to begin with?" I questioned.
"I had business with a Crescent witch."
I raised a brow. "A Crescent witch?" I was surprised, as the witches in Crescent pack were known for not associating with Lycans.
"Yes."
"So your men have been stalking me? For how long?"
"A few months," he replied. "Wanting you as my wife wasn't something I just decided after meeting you in the woods."
"You know very well you could wake up tomorrow, and I'll be gone?"
He leaned closer with a smirk. "That wouldn't be possible. And even if it were, you'd put yourself in danger because I have a lot of enemies, little mouse. They would come for you."
...
After Tristan left for his room, I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. I wanted to stay awake and think of a plan to escape before I married Tristan. But he had already warned me of the consequences. Running wasn't an option now. I just had to accept that this was my life because even if I ran away and returned to my pack, they would no longer recognize me as one of them. Do I even have the money to take a flight to Alaska? My phone and everything else were still in Crescent, and Tristan told me he would get me a new one.
I felt exhausted, and sleep came the minute I closed my eyes. I slept so soundly as it has been a long time since I had slept this deeply.
When I woke up, it was morning, with the sun drifting through the windows, but the thick curtains blocked most of it.
Standing in front of the mirror, I tried to turn around to check the wound. The bleeding had stopped, and it looked dry.
Wanting some fresh morning air, I opened the balcony door and stepped outside.
Sucking in a deep breath, I closed my eyes and gripped the railing. The morning air brushed across my face, sending chills down my back.
If Tristan had left me in Crescent pack, I might have been selected as the next Alpha. But would the people want me as Alpha? A wolfless female?
Pushing those thoughts aside, I focused on the present. If things went his way and I really got married him, I couldn't tell how things would turn from there.
I ran my tongue over my lips as my stomach twisted. Looking downstairs, my breath caught in my throat when my eyes fell on Tristan standing with Hayley.
He was dressed in a black shirt and baggy trousers. A cold breeze moved across the area, messing with his neatly combed hair. He towered over his sister with his tall frame, and I wondered if Hayley was just short or if Tristan was that tall.
A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts, and I left the balcony to find Piper standing there. This time, she was dressed like a maid.