Enlightening Bloom(37)

She placed her hand over his and looked up at him with a genuine smile. "That may be so, but I blame it on the little alpha you've put in me. Any female would get cranky having to deal with two demanding men."

"You're handling us both very well, my love." He said placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"I try. Now back to the task we have at hand." She turned her attention back to me. "Rose, did your parent's explain how serious this assignment is?"

"We did, Alpha." Dad chimes in for me.

"Can she not answer for herself?" She snapped at him.

"Sorry, Alpha." Dad whimpered, showing his neck in submission.

"Now, Rose, did they?" Olivia repeated her question.

"Yes, Alpha, they did." I answered, quickly not wanting her to doubt my response.

"You understand that you'll be moving away from your family for a very long time?"

"Yes, Alpha."

"That you'll be required to court this human boy, and later breed with him?"

"Yes, Alpha." I echo my earlier response.

"You'll essentially be giving up your youth in service of your pack."

"It would be an honor, my Alpha." I reply, baring my neck in submission and respect.

Olivia released her mate so she could move to me. She stroked my bared neck with one hand while the other caressed her pregnant belly. "You and this human will create the perfect mate for our son. Bringing our pack great power in doing so."



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My younger sister, Lily, laid on my bed, her stomach to the mattress, her legs up in the air, kicking back and forth. She was fourteen, only two years younger than me, and my best friend in the whole wide world. She propped her head up on her hand and said. "I can't believe you've agreed to this."

"I have to." I replied, instantly, as I continue to pack clothes into the suitcase my parents just bought me. I'd never needed one until that point, because I'd never left our pack territory.

"But you're going to be doin' it with a human!" She reminded me like I didn't already know that little fact.

I placed the shirt I was folding into the suitcase, and then collapsed beside Lilly on the bed. On a sigh I told her. "I know. But I won't have to go that far for a few years."

"Still..." She mumbled, scrunching up her face in disgust. "Why do the Alphas even want you to? What is there about this human that will make your baby so valuable?"

That was the big question, but my parents weren't asking it, so I knew it wasn't my place to ask neither. All I did know was that I had to do the task. My parents had dug themselves into a deep hole financially. And the Alpha's were offering too good of a reward for them not to offer me up as a breeding female. I was honored to be chosen. I'd be the mother of the future Alpha female. What shifter wouldn't want to take credit for that? But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared.

I won't be around my family for years. I can contact them but I won't be visiting. Part of my cover is that my parents are dead, and that I'm being raised by an Aunt. Another shifter named, Harper, is playing that role. In reality she's going to be my handler. Making sure I keep to the plan, and reporting back to the Alpha's on my progress. They introduced us and I have to say I really wasn't looking forward to spending years with that cold woman.

Ignoring the questions Lilly asked, that I had absolutely no answer for, I rolled to my side so I could face her and said. "I'm going to miss you, Lil."

She copied my move, rolling to face me, as well. Tears filled her eyes as she begged. "Don't go."

"You know I have to." I told her as I wiped a tear off her cheek.

"I hate our parents!" She wailed.

"Shh!" I pulled her close, wrapping her in my arms. "Don't say that. They're only doing what they have to."

Against my neck she cried. "They're selling you off like some trashy street walker."

"I'd prefer to be called an escort, and a high class one, if you're going to insist on referring to me as a lady of the night." I teased, tickling her side in an attempt to lighten the mood. Not just for her, but for me also. She was right though. I was being sold off like some breeding mare. My womb going to the highest bidder, without care for what I might really want. I knew there were true mates out there, but my pack leaned more towards the betrothed pairs. So even if I wasn't being forced upon some unknowing human I wouldn't have had a choice in my mate, anyways. My parents would've promised me off to some shifter male without my say.

"Stop being ridiculous." Lily giggled as she tried to squirm away from my reach.

I stood and pulled her up beside me. I took my Madonna t-shirt out of my suitcase. It was my favorite, with its cut neckline that made it fall off my shoulder. And I knew Lilly coveted it. I pushed it into her arms. "It's yours now."