The Alpha’s Arranged Bride

ALPHA CARAMEL’S POV

I knew Mum was just being herself when she acted that way towards Lavender. It was her usual tactic. “I have never understood why she always did that or why she felt the need to do it, but the pattern was that she did it whenever she was meeting someone new, regardless of the person’s position or status in society.”

My wild guess is to know how they react, but I never found it interesting to ask. Despite my attempts to concentrate on my work in the study room, I was aware of Lavender’s reluctance to have me leave earlier. However, I knew Mum would not push her too much.

No matter how strict my mother was on the outside, she was soft and maybe a little over the top sometimes, but she knew how to control it. I flipped through the pages of the document I held. It was for the people who wanted to come into the pack.

Each of them had something they wanted to do, but I wasn’t comfortable letting anyone come into the pack just like that. I was trying to not make the mistake I made years back. Now that Lavender was here, I needed to make sure security was tight.

An hour later, someone knocked on the door. “Come in,” I said softly.

The moment the door opened, I lifted my head to see who had come in, and I smiled. “Mother,” I greeted.

She walked slowly towards my table. I gestured for her to take a seat, and she smiled before doing so. “Hope you didn’t stress her?” I teased, placing my back on the backrest of my chair.

“Why will I stress my daughter-in-law?” she smiled.

“So you accept her?” I raised my brows.

“And if I did not, would you listen to me?”

She had a valid point, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t curious about her thoughts. She was my mother, after all, and I would love to know that she was okay with my choice. “Does she understand her duties?” she inquired.

I sat up with a sigh. “Not yet,” I replied.

“You don’t want to give them to her?” she squinted her eyes at me.

I sighed. “It’s just not the right time.”

“So, when do you want to give them to her?” She asked.

“I want her to get acquainted with everyone first, fit in, and then I’ll announce her as my Luna and give her the full duties of being the Luna,” I explained.

It took a while for her to agree. She stared at me for some time, then nodded. “If you think that is best, then I won’t argue with you about it,” she told me.

I know the people would not hate Lavender. She was sweet. There was no way she would not fit in, but I did not want to impose my views on them. I loved Lavender. I chose her out of the many that were flocking around me and making me uncomfortable.

She was different, yes, but that was what made her perfect for me. That was what attracted me to her. I can still remember when I first saw her after so many years. I didn’t care to keep track of Joanna after they left. Anyone could call it stupid, as it was wrong not to keep an eye on what you agreed on.This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

But the reason I did not do that was because of Selena, my mate. I never thought I would give anyone my heart because I truly loved her. Yes, maybe I had it in mind to keep her in the palace as a maid, but it still did not occur to me to check on her.

Years after Selena’s death, everyone wanted me to choose a new mate for myself. Selena was my true mate, and despite the lingering trauma, it didn’t hinder me from finding love and happiness elsewhere. I knew how much everyone wanted me to choose a mate in the pack, but they couldn’t persuade me.

They went as far as involving the children, fully aware of my affection for them. They made jewelry for me. A simple necklace, but they also made one for my wife. They explicitly told me it was for whoever I wanted to make my wife.

I knew I needed one for the sake of the pack, but I saw no one who I wanted to make the Luna. And most importantly, who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Mum went as far as telling Rose she should try to get close to me.

I knew Rose was beautiful, and anyone who wanted to get married to her would be lucky. However, she was not the one for me. I could not imagine her as my wife and Luna. I did not think she was fit to be the one.

She had good qualities, but she lacked a few, which I needed to see in whoever I wanted to get married to. She was not compassionate, and she hated being close to the pack member, which was something I wanted from whoever I was going to get married to.

They loved me not only because I gave them their necessities, but because I was close to them. Whatever time I had, I tried as much as possible to speak with them closely. Sometimes, I don’t get to know they need something from my sentinels, but from having a conversation with them.

That was me, and that was not Rose. She advised me to stop it because I was their Alpha and was to show boundaries. “We are royalty. You should not be getting too close to them, or they’ll think you all are equal. Peasants and royalty are not meant to mix.” Her words rang in my ears.

I don’t know if it was before or after that, I knew she would not be my wife. Yes, I do not ignore the fact that some of them might forget their boundaries, but I knew how to set them straight. Calling them peasants was another thing I hated.

No matter who this person was, she always called them peasants if they did not fall into a higher category than her or above hers, and that was wrong. A few times I have tried to correct that notion, but if a grown woman does not want to change, I would not be her tutor for life.

As for Lavender, I had seen her for the first time when she hurried to get to class after getting her coffee from the coffee shop. I did not know why, but my eyes remained on her for a long time, even after that. She quickly dropped a dollar note for the guy begging on the street and got on the bus.

Once she was out of sight, I thought that would be it. Asher asked if anything was wrong, but I brushed it off. Nothing was wrong. I just saw a girl who was heading for school, and that was it. However, I arrived at the medical school so I could meet with an official of the state whom I wanted to do business with, as he was part of the board of the school.

After the meeting, I was heading out when I saw her through a glimpse in front of a large congregation. I stood at the door as my eyes remained on her. She was making a presentation with a few of her course mates. She was nervous, and she kept darting her eyes around while swallowing.

I found it amusing and cute, so I patiently waited for her to leave school and return to her house, Joanna’s house. Once I discovered that she was the one I had been promised and the person who made me feel emotions I hadn’t felt in a long time, I couldn’t simply walk away.

Watching and studying her only made me embrace the fact that I loved this girl even though I had not interacted with her. I loved her innocence, and it piqued my interest to want to turn her into a bad girl just and only for me.

She was just perfect. “If you are done smiling now, can you listen to what I am saying?” Mother’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

I did not know I was smiling. “What is it, Mother?” I asked all ears.

“It’s about Lavender. Do you feel anything around her?” she asked.

“What do you mean? I love her, if that’s what you’re asking,” I replied.

“No, I mean, do you feel anything is wrong with her?”

“Mother,” I did not like where this was going. “There is nothing wrong with her,” I firmly added.

“There is,” she matched my tone.

My expression clearly conveyed my annoyance, but Mother, as per her usual behavior, remained unfazed. “I’m right,” she said.

“Okay, if something is wrong with her, then what is it?” I sounded offended.

She exhaled, then stood up. My gaze did not leave her as she did so. “I don’t know yet, but I will find out,” and she left my study.