So, this is it. My grand debut as the pack’s “unofficial rebel” and the “official bearer of bad news.” Let me set the scene for you: I’m standing in the middle of a grand hall, surrounded by the crème de la crème of Moonridge Pack. The air is thick with the scent of freshly polished wood, overpriced cologne, and the subtle undercurrent of tension that only a room full of alphas can produce. Oh, and let’s not forget the obligatory “stuffy” look on everyone’s faces, which is the universal sign for “we’re about to make some terrible decisions.”

The room is filled with people dressed to the nines in clothes that probably cost more than the entire food budget for a year. I’m wearing my best rebellious grunge outfit—because why should I blend in when I can stand out? My mother’s not here to scold me for it, and that’s really the only upside to this whole ridiculous ordeal.

And then there’s Eli. Just as dull as I expected. He’s standing over there by the far wall, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else but here. Seriously, the guy’s got a face that could curdle milk. I mean, if you’re going to be forced into a marriage, at least try to make it entertaining for the rest of us. But no, he just stands there like a statue, all stoic and brooding.

"That’s the guy they want me to be nice to," I mutter under my breath. “Perfect. Just what I need—another reason to be more of a nuisance.”

Our eyes meet, and I swear I can see the moment his opinion of me is formed. I bet he’s thinking something along the lines of, ‘Great, a loose cannon to go with the fiery temper.’ Honestly, the feeling’s mutual. I’m about as impressed with him as he is with me. Which, for those of you not keeping track, means not at all.

The leaders are having one of those lengthy, overly dramatic discussions that only happen when there’s a big, grand announcement to make. They could probably cut the time in half if they stopped pretending that this arranged marriage is the greatest thing since sliced bread. 

“And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for,” Alpha Marcus announces with all the flair of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. “We’ve come to a decision about the future of our packs.”

Oh, fantastic. I can barely contain my excitement. I know what’s coming. I’m the pack’s unofficial gossip columnist, after all. The only surprise here is that they didn’t ask me to write the announcement.

Eli glances at me, and I do my best to shoot him a smirk that says, ‘Get ready for the spectacle.’ He looks back at the front, trying to pretend that he’s not here for a life-altering event but for a boring lecture.

“Eli, son of Alpha Lucan, will marry Devin, heir to the Moonridge Pack, to unite our packs and usher in a new era of peace,” Marcus declares, and the room erupts into polite applause. I can’t help but roll my eyes.

“Ah, yes, the grand peace treaty,” I whisper to myself, “because nothing says ‘happily ever after’ like a forced marriage.”

Eli’s face pales, and for a second, there’s something almost human behind that steely façade. It’s almost like he’s a real person with feelings and stuff. Who knew?

I nudge my friend Tarek, who’s standing next to me. “Hey, Tarek, what do you think the odds are that Eli’s going to punch someone by the end of this?”

Tarek snorts. “If he does, I’ll buy you a feast.”

“Deal.” I hold out my hand, but he just laughs and shakes his head.

The formalities drag on, and as the ceremony draws closer, I can’t help but wonder what it would be like to see Eli let loose. It’d be nice to have a little excitement in this monotonous life of mine. But for now, I’m stuck playing the role of the detached observer, grinning like a fool at the absurdity of it all.

By the end of it, as the crowd starts to disperse and the reality of the marriage sinks in, Eli finally catches my eye. This time, there’s something different in his gaze—a hint of desperation or perhaps just the realization that he’s in a mess of his own making. Whatever it is, I see a flicker of something that isn’t just the typical ‘I’m too good for this’ attitude.

For now, though, we’re still just two omegas from rival packs, each trapped by the expectations of our families and the whims of fate. But something tells me this isn’t the last I’ll be seeing of Eli. And that’s the one thing I’m actually looking forward to.

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