The Lycan Kingpin's Captive: A Baby For The Beast
Beta's Runaway Bride: 7 - Xiomara

Things between Maxim and me seem to be progressing. By progressing, I mean we're civil to eachother now and I don't feel like I want to kill him. Now I just want to lightly strangle him

He doesn't bother me and I don't bother him. We keep out of each other's way and I replace itsurprisingly pleasant when I'm sitting on the balcony in my bedroom just staring over the estate.

It's beautiful here, but I am way too stubborn to appreciate the beauty.

Luna Mia hasn't been back since I saw her last, apparently, her son has a bit of a cold so she'sreluctant to leave his side. It's understandable and I'm actually glad she’s a caring Luna - unlike mostout there.

A knock sounds at my bedroom door and I frown; when I walk over to open it, I get more of asurprise when I see Maxim standing there. “Luna Mia wants me to take you to the packhouse so youcan meet the other brides. Are you okay to go?”

I blink when I realize he's actually asking me if I'm okay to go. Out of the house. With him. He'snever asked me how I feel about something, he’s always just ordered; this in itself is a majorimprovement.

"S-sure! Let me just grab my boots and coat,” I stammer as I walk over to my closet. Maxim hadclothes bought for me, all perfectly in my size and style. Thanking him for that was even harder thanrealizing I might have been wrong about him.

He waits for me outside the bedroom door with his arms crossed, and when I walk out, he gentlyplaces a hand on my lower back to lead me.

I take a deep breath as we walk through the wooded area leading to the main packhouse, and abright smile crosses my face. This is as much freedom as I'm going to get and I'm going to savorevery moment of it!

"And that smile?” Maxim asks after a while and I turn my head to look at him.

“I was raised in a gilded cage, but I love the outdoors,” I say while taking another deep breath. “Thisis my favorite part of the year, too; watching the greenery fade to deep browns and maroons. Itreminds me that everything needs to go through a change to come out vibrant and beautiful again.That even death can bring about beauty when given time.”

Maxim blinks, seemingly surprised by my words but I don't let it get to me. Instead, I take in thefloating dead leaves on the breeze and smile again. Would he let me come out here by myself, Iwonder?

“You know, you're allowed to walk around the estate,” he says, not looking my way. “You don't needto sit in the house all day.”

I stop walking as his words hit me and a warmth slips into my heart. “Really?” I ask and my voicecracks a little. “I can come out here and enjoy the weather?”

As soon as I sit down, Luna Mia gestures around the table. “I'm sure you remember the women youtraveled with. If not, let me reintroduce you,” she says, then gestures to the raven-haired womansitting next to me.

“This is Gianna, she’s Ghost's- ah, Divan's bride,” she starts and Gianna beams at me. “The one nextto her is Eden, Romano's bride, then there's Noelle who is Liam's bride, Allessia is Isaac's, and lastbut not least we have Demi, she’s Levi's bride.”

They all look so different from each other and yet they're all wearing the same look in their eyes...one I cannot place. So I decided to break the ice by talking first; I've never been one to back down,anyway.

“Pleasure to re-meet you all,” I say and they chuckle. “I apologize if my absence caused a stir.”

The blonde one named Eden shrugs. “We would have done it too if we had the balls to, no offenseLuna but we were terrified of coming here. If we knew what we know now, then we would not havebeen so apprehensive.”

I frown at her words. “Knew what you know now? What does that mean?”

They all share a look and smile, but it's Gianna who speaks up first. She pours me a flute ofchampagne and breathes out a sigh before facing me.

“We thought our fathers were giving us to heartless men; men who wouldn't think twice abouthurting us for their own entertainment and sick needs,” she says while picking up her ownchampagne flute. “But it ended up being the complete opposite. The Gammas are-"

“They might have a reputation for being heartless killers, but they're different from their outwardappearance,” the redhead, Noelle, says with a small smile. “Although it's similar to speaking to brickwalls, the Gammas aren't violent with us.”

Eden chuckles. “We're attempting to soften them with our womanly charms, but it's going as well asyou think it is!” When she says this, they all burst into laughter as if they're all in on the same secret.The Gammas. Wait...this is SilverCrest Pack, so the Gammas they speak of can only be the one groupof warriors who send terrifying bouts of fear through pack lands. The five you don't see attackingbecause the moment you see them, you're dead.

"You're brides for The Pente?!” I exclaim, a hand flying to my chest in horror. I thought I was havinga hard time with Maxim, but these five women look like they're at peace. “You live with them?!”Demi, the one who has been quiet so far, finally speaks up. “We are, but when they're with us, it'shard to believe their infamy,” she says with a tight smile. “Although Levi is cold towards me most ofthe time, he’s never treated me badly, nor has he lost his temper with me.”

“Liam is the same,” Noelle says and takes Demi's hand. “They're like brothers, both as quiet as thedead, but when they do speak, you take notice.”

I don't know why, but her words make me jump to my feet and run. All this time I thought thewomen here were going through torture, being subjected to cruelty. But the looks on their faces tellme the complete opposite.

The brides of the most ruthless group of warriors in the country are happy with their predicament.Not only that, but they're actually trying to work on their marriages. So what does that make me?Where does that leave me?

I'm so deep in my own self-deprecating thoughts, that I don't even notice my name being calleduntil I eventually hear it. I turn around to see Gianna running up behind me; she’s a gorgeous petiteItalian woman with bright blue eyes and thick raven locks.

A sick thought settles in my stomach that she’s the submissive type Maxim likes - then a stab ofjealousy enters my heart.

“Hey,” she says with a sweet smile as she approaches me. “Are you okay?"

Why am I like this? Why do I feel jealous right now?

“I... don't know,” I admit with a shake of my head. “You're not like I expected at all.”

Her brows knit together in a small frown. “No? What were you expecting?”

I shrug my shoulders and sigh. “Not that you'd be happy for one? That you'd be as miserable as Iwas? That you'd be dying to escape from here and be free, to not be trapped in something youwere forced into?”

Gianna's blue eyes widen and she clasps her tiny hands in front of her. “It used to be like that, I mustadmit. But...the more we've come to know them, the more we realize that the Gammas would neverhurt us.”

“But how can you be so certain?” I exclaim, not understanding at all. “How do you know they won'tturn on you?”

Gianna shoots me what seems to be a sympathetic look and she touches my upper arm beforeasking me a question that blows me away. “When was the last time you trusted someone other thanyourself?”