Selling Myself To The Alpha
Chapter 30

Axel POV

Irritation and frustration boil in me as I look at the dead phone in my hand. She put the phone down in my ear, the little witch!

"I hope your mother likes the gift," Angela says next to me, and her voice makes me cringe inside. "I know I would." "Come on," I say politely and guide her out of the store.

The very last thing I am in the mood for right now is this woman and my mother. Mother adores Angela and the two of them are insufferable together. Not even a deaf person can ignore the blatant hints that I should marry Angela. And yes, on paper she is the perfect mate. She is an alpha's daughter, and their pack is strong. Our parents have been friends for years and I know nothing will bring them greater joy than me tying the knot with Angela.

But I cannot stand the woman. She is clingy and annoying. Not to mention incredibly entitled and rude. I do not care how much it financially makes sense to marry her, my life will be one living hell if I do.

Especially now that I have found my mate and know how it feels to hold her in my arms. How do I go from complete bliss to utter misery for the sake of the pack?

But I am also sensible enough to know that it would be a nuclear explosion if I claim Liana as my mate now. As long as Wyatt is still in her system, she will reject me but that is the least of my concerns. Her brother is a problem.

After investigating him I learned about his gambling and financial problems. There is no way I can allow him to be associated with the Alpha house. He will tarnish our pack's name and that could lead to dire consequences. Other packs will withdraw business from us. And how do I accept Liana without her brother?

Angela babbles nonstop next to me as Drew drives us back home, but I do not listen. I keep on thinking about Liana and trying to figure out a way for us to be together.

I grind my teeth when Angela clings to my arm as we walk inside. I want to shake her off like a pesky fly, but I have no choice but to endure this as we enter the entertainment area.

"Ah! Axel," Angela's father greets us jovially. "Come and join me and your father for a scotch. Let the women talk about ... whatever."

He laughs heartedly at his own joke, and I plaster a smile on my face as I walk to them. At least I am rid of Angela.

"Son," Dad hands me a drink. "Jack and I have been talking and we came to a fine agreement."

"Which is?" I accept the drink and take a sip. Something tells me they have been at this for a couple of hours and that their ideas might not be as well thought out as they think.

"You and Angela will get married," Jack raises his glass and I nearly choke on my drink.

"Not you too," I groan. First the women and now them? Do they have nothing else that they can talk about?

"It's the perfect solution, son," Dad puts his arm around my shoulder, and I nearly spill my drink. "With our companies combined, we can go international. Our designs and their technology. Nobody will be able to beat our prices." "With all due respect..."

"No, no," Jack cuts me off. "You don't have to worry. You have my blessings. Angela will cooperate."

"You don't understand," I try again. "I'm not ..."

"We thought it all through," Dad chimes in. "You marry Angela the day before your inauguration as alpha. Then we do both the Luna and Alpha ceremonies simultaneously the next day."

"I'm not marrying Angela," I bellow and instantly everything quiets down. Even the women sitting on the opposite side of the room stop talking and look our way.

"Angela is not my mate," I continue with a moderate tone of voice. "She and I both deserve the happiness a mate brings. Therefore, I respectfully decline this idea you two concocted."

"Axel," Mother gets up and walks over to us. "Just consider it, please. You're twenty-nine and haven't found your mate. Chances are you never will. It would be wise to marry Angela while you have the opportunity."

"Angela and I aren't cattle that you can trade, Mother," I ball my fists to keep myself from exploding. "She's sitting right there and can hear how you talk about her as if she's a consolation prize."

"Well, I don't see a problem with it," Angela says, and I wish I could wring her neck right now. "I will be a loyal and faithful Luna. Even if we aren't mates."

"For me, it's an enormous problem," I grunt.

"Everything isn't about you," Father yells angrily. "It's what's best for the pack. You will marry Angela."

"I will not marry her," I challenge my father. "And that's final."

"Then you'll never be alpha," Dad is red in the face as he points a finger at me.

"Fine," I shrug. "Find someone else to take over."

"Axel, Grant, enough," Mother intervenes. "Grant, if you disown Axel, you will be challenged by every rogue and wolf from here to Africa to take over this pack. It will destroy everything and everyone within these borders. Is that what you want? And Axel, you know perfectly well what it means to be alpha. Making sacrifices for the greater good. You need a strong Luna, and Angela is perfect for the position. At the very least, you must consider her."

"Fine," I place my glass down. "If I haven't found my mate by the time of my inauguration, I will ask Angela to marry me."

"Thank you, son," Mom smiles grateful at me. "Grant?"

"Agreed," Dad mumbles and pours himself another drink.

Angela gives an excited shriek before she huddles with her mother. Dear goddess, she is already a blushing bride.

"Excuse me," I grunt. "I need fresh air."

My heart is beating dangerously fast, and I must fight my wolf for control. Blinding I walk in a direction. I need to be anywhere but here.

I am furious at my parents for cornering me in front of Angela and her parents. That is a type of conversation that needs to happen privately. And do not let me get started on Angela! How thick-skinned can a person be? I denied her openly and aggressively and still she is planning a wedding that will not happen. I simply cannot marry Angela. She will drive me insane, and I might kill her.

I stop abruptly when I realise, I am standing in front of Liana's cottage. I know she is not home, but I go inside anyway. I need quiet to gather my thoughts and calm down.

Liana POV

I will be a terrible detective; I sigh as I walk from the bus stop to my cottage. I have searched for Wilson on social media since I climbed the bus, but I have had no luck. But I am not going to give up. I will subtly ask Nina where he works and then I will take it from there. I know how it feels to be cheated on and I will never be able to live with myself if I did not at least warned Nina.

I walk inside my cottage and nearly scream when I see Axel sitting on the couch. I bet he is here to fight with me about earlier.

"What the hell, Axel," I press my hand on my galloping heart. "You gave me a fright."

"Sorry," he gives me half a smile. "I just needed to be alone for a moment."

I look at him for a moment, trying to figure out what is happening. I was so certain that he came here to fight. And I am more than ready to rip him a new one about Angela, but something tells me that there is something else going on here.

"Are you okay?" I frown as I put my handbag down and walk to him when I notice how tired he looks.

"Yeah," he sighs and takes a deep breath. "I had a disturbing meeting."

"That's a first," I say as I sit down next to him. "Nobody has ever referred to a meeting as disturbed."

"It's more polite than to call it fucked up," he pinches his nose bridge between his fingers and closes his eyes.

For reasons unbeknown to me, I get this overwhelming urge to comfort him. All my arguments about Angela are forgotten. Without thinking about it, I climb onto his lap and cradle his head to my chest. His arms instantly go around my waist like clamps, and he holds me as if his life depends on it.

Whatever it is, it is really eating at him, I realise as I stroke his hair. I have seen him angry, serious and humorous. But I have never seen him so lost.

I have no idea how long we have been sitting like this, but his grip has not eased for a second. When he finally lets go of me, his eyes are overflown with emotions that I cannot decipher.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I whisper as I gently stroke his cheek.

"I am now," he smiles as his fingers curl into my hair and pull my lips down to his.

There is an urgency in his touch as his hands roam my body that I have not experienced before.

"I have an idea," he murmurs against my lips before he lifts me off his lap and stands up. "Get your sketchpad and pencils. I'll be back in twenty minutes."

"Where are we going?" I call after him, but he only gives me a wicked smile before he closes the door behind him.