Chapter 16: SIXTEEN

A hammer on the head “There’s something I have to tell you.”

Ava was at it again, what was it with this thing she wanted to tell him that she hadn’t told him since? Something told him that the reason for her strange behavior since wasn’t just because of her nervousness for tomorrow’s ceremony. He wasn’t up for this now nor was he in the mood; he’d just had the most mind-blowing sex of his lifetime and he was exhausted, he needed to sleep. But this was his Ava; he couldn’t brush her off just like that even though it was tempting to do so.

“What is it?”

Ava hesitated; the silenced dragged for longer minutes, and when Ray couldn’t take it anymore, he said; “Ava, my love. You know me very well, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Ava answered shakily.

“You know the things I like and the things I don’t.”

“Yes, I do.”

“So, what you’re going to tell me, is it something you know I won’t like to hear? Is it something you know that will hurt me very much?”

“Yes,” she confessed.

Ray closed his eyes for a few seconds. Whatever it was, he might regret this later but for now, he didn’t want to care.

“Then don’t tell me,” he said, and went back to sleep.

Ava knew Ray very much, and she knew that just like that, the matter had been closed. When Ray says something like that, he means it. No matter what it is, he doesn’t want to hear it. If she brought this subject up again without being able to tell him, she’d be pushing him to extremes, and Ray was someone you wouldn’t like to see the angry part of. At this moment, there was only one thing left to do;

she was going to do the right thing. Like Ethan said, it would be heartless of her if she allowed herself to be joined to Ray tomorrow without telling him the secret and now Ray didn’t want to hear this secret of hers anymore since it failed numerous times to come out from her mouth. She knew it was a coward thing to do, but running away, walking away from it all was the best option for her now.

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Ava stared at the glowing mirror in front of her. The morning session had just ended and she had to return to her room to rest a bit and change her outfit for the evening ceremony; the main event where she would be joined to Ray forever amidst many witnesses. It was almost time, and she’d just put on her evening ball gown, a beautiful red flowing gown with a wide opening at the back and flowery designs all over, the gown hugged her body form, outlining her features and she couldn’t have looked more dazzling in red. As she stared at herself in the mirror, she recalled how she spent the whole day, greeting leaders from all over the globe who were here to witness her joining with the moonlight Alpha.

Her heart skipped when she thought that Lucas would be present, he was an Alpha, he was supposed to be here but he wasn’t. She couldn’t blame him though; she wouldn’t have come if she was in his shoes either.

She’d contemplated running away in the early hours of the morning when she woke up but couldn’t bring herself to do it, the same way she couldn’t bring herself to tell Ray the truth. This was her whole life, what she’d been preparing for since the day she was chosen, she couldn’t walk away from it all because of some attraction she felt for another.

Ray and Ethan had been super busy with the guests today. Even though she’d seen them, she hadn’t had the chance to talk to either of them today. At least she would be spared Ethan’s interrogation because she knew he’d want to find out if she’d told Ray yet.

As she sat at the chair in front of the vanity table, the doors burst open and Nicole walked into the room with the make-up artist. She turned to the young woman that had followed her into the room.

“Get on with it,” she instructed her. “Our Luna has to be the brightest face at tonight’s event. She’s already worn a killer gown that’ll have all the Alpha’s tripping at their feet for her.”

“Don’t be silly Nicole, I belong to only one Alpha.”

“Which of them?” Nicole asked sarcastically. Ava knew what she meant, but pretended not to hear the question, she didn’t even bother to ask herself how Nicole knew that Lucas was an alpha.

“Hurry, the escorts have arrived, they’re waiting for her outside to usher her to the venue,” Nicole hurriedly said to the make-up artist as she drew lines on Ava’s face.

The venue for tonight’s event would be held at the moonlight packhouse located in the middle of Chester. After their joining, she and Ray would shift into their wolf forms and run together into the forest, where they would howl and mate under the moonlight, where she would accept his claim. Her heart skidded and there was a sudden question that was brought to her mind that she hadn’t asked herself before. Can a she-wolf be claimed twice?

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The make-up artist had already applied the finishing touches and she was now ready to go, she bowed her head once at Ava, then at Nicole before leaving the room.

Nicole helped her put on her jewelry and Ava would’ve noticed how beautiful she looked from the mirror if she hadn’t just realized something that drained the blood from her face.

Nicole noticed her pale face and asked her, “What’s wrong bunny, is anything the matter?”

“I’m fine. I just need some time alone; I’ll join you downstairs when I’m ready.”

“Are you sure? You don’t look too good.”

“Yes, just go now, I’ll be down soon.”

“Ok dear,” Nicole knew something was wrong, but didn’t want to push it. If Ava said she was fine, then there was no choice but to believe her.

After the door closed, the sudden realization hit Ava like a hammer on the head.

If Ray claimed her tonight, she’d be joined to two Alphas. This was the worst thing that could happen, it was like two alphas fighting over a territory. If it were a drag between an Alpha and a lower ranking wolf, it would be much easier as the lower ranking wolf would by default, have to surrender to the Alpha because of his lower status. But between two Alpha’s, they’d have to fight to the death in order to decide who would have the final claim on her. Oh, this was not good at all.

She knew none of them would want to surrender; surrendering to another alpha was a sign of weakness and cowardice in the wolf world and almost an abomination. Even though your life would be spared, you would never be able to overcome the shame and despite your followers will look at you with, you’ll be demoted to the lowest of rankings and then you’ll realize it would have been better to have fought and just died.

Ray might want to surrender, but the moonlight pack’s tradition would never allow him to, he’d have to go through with the battle. And as for Lucas surrendering, she didn’t know him too well but his possessive and dominating nature already gave out the answer. The only thing she could hope for at this point was that Lucas wouldn’t come after her, but with those last words of his yesterday, she wasn’t so sure.

Would it be better to run away now and not be joined to Ray? If she did, she’d be saving his life but also running away from her responsibilities. As she contemplated on what to choose, Layla’s ears then twitched and that’s when she noticed she wasn’t alone. Someone was here in the room with her, she froze.