The Alpha’s Substitute Mate

Isabella

A knock on the door woke me up. The sun was almost up the horizon when I got up from the bed. My eyes felt puffy and grainy from crying. And my stomach was rumbling, and I clutched my tummy, and remembered I had skipped dinner yesterday.

Another slight tap on the door and I dragged my tired body to the door and opened it to find Sarah waiting for me

” Good morning, Lady Bella! The Chief guard says you should get ready that your chauffeur will leave in one hour.” She said and turned and left.

” One hour!” Are they so eager to see me gone, I rubbed my forehead in frustration and decided to get ready. I went to the shower and took off my clothes, and stripped off my bra and panties before turning on the hot shower. I scrubbed and scrubbed at my skin as if it would wash away every flaw and fault that had made Dad choose me. I washed my long blonde hair and stepped out in a wave of herbal-infused mist.

I thought about what I was supposed to wear when you were being traded off to another pack. I thought about wearing something gloomy and pitiful but on second thought

what if they decided to host a small welcoming party and I wouldn’t like to make a bad impression on the first day?

I won’t define myself as a beautiful woman, I was just plain. With long curly blonde hair that cascaded down my waist like a fountain and golden brown skin, and my lips were plump and the color of scarlet wine, I have a slender body with small rounded boobs and a not so curvy kinda physique.

So I opted for a flare dress that was pretty but simple. The bright red color blended well with my golden brown skin and my silver eyes shone bright like a diamond. I remembered how the pack’s sorcerers and Dad tagged me as a cursed child because of my weird eyes. Silver eyes are a rare color that has never been seen in any other person but me. I styled my hair into a loose bun while allowing a few strands of curls to fall. I stared at my reflection in the mirror but no matter how complimenting the clothes are, the woman staring back at me was still the plain and ordinary me.

At exactly 1. 00 pm there was a loud knock on the door. I opened it expecting to see Dad or maybe Sarah but instead, it was his chauffeur Mr Jack ” Lady Isabella, your Dad had instructed that I drive you to the Blood Moon Pack. Are you ready? We need to leave immediately so we can get there on time.” He said

I nodded and he took my bags and left while I followed him out. Coming out of the patio and there was no sign of Dad or my sisters everywhere was calm with only the omegas going about their duties. I felt hurt but I was determined not to cry, I had to be strong. I consoled myself and got into the car and we drove off.

We drove for three hours from our pack to the Blood Moon Pack, but it seems like the hour’s drive was just for a few minutes, maybe because I didn’t want to arrive at my destination yet. The journey was a silent one as Dad’s chauffeur Mr. Jack, who had always been open and friendly to me, but today it seems like he has been instructed by Dad not to have a conversation with me, or maybe he was mourning my departure. The look on his face was enough to tell me that he was not happy. The uncomfortable silence lingered for hours as we drove past the mountains and forest..

As we got to the boundary between Blood Moon Pack, I thought of the stories I have heard of the high-profile pack, they were the largest, most powerful, and most brutal. Their warriors were said to be the best, and the most honored and they trained relentlessly. I also heard that they are ruthless and showed no compassion for their enemies. Also, rumor had it that they single-handedly massacred an entire pack that had snitched on them. Just like their name entails they love the smell of blood.

Blood Moon Pack was known for all the evil stuff.

Mr jack’s voice brought me back to reality

” Lady Isabella, we have crossed the boundary and entered into the Blood Moon grounds.”

” I became nervous, my palms started sweating and shaking, and my tummy started aching and rumbling loudly. I felt as if I would collapse at any moment. I slid down the windows of the car and allowed the fresh breeze to strengthen my already weak body. I looked out of the window and was surprised by the view before me, their pack ground was absolutely beautiful, with wild-looking gardens and a huge castle. It was T shaped and stretched out into three sections, a beautiful structure built from native bricks. With large windows crafted in raven shutters. It was fronted by a massive porch and two big baroque doors that opened into the main hall. I was stunned, it was really beautiful. I wasn’t expecting to see this kind of beauty.

I was expecting to see dried-up bones, hanging skulls, and prisoners bound in chains, like something made out of a horror movie.

Mr Jack stopped the car and turned and laid his big rough hand on my shoulder and said ” Stay strong, Lady Bella. You can do this.” That was all he said and climbed out, and came around to open my door. I stepped out of the car and waited for him. He pulled out my bags from the car trunk and then escorted me to the porch, where a small group of people were waiting for me.

A huge middle-aged man with gray hair dressed in a black button-down shirt and black pants that were hidden beneath his large red velvet robe. He had a goatee that made him look ridiculous. His eyes were a piercing blue and quite cruel as they watched me intently. Beside him was a petite woman, beautifully dressed in a black ornate satin silk dress, her long curly black hair and cocoa brown eyes perfected her dark honey-brown skin, and she had an irresistible, tender, and captivating smile on her face. I was happy to see at least one smiling face, it relieved my tension a bit. The other people stood a bit far from the couple and they seemed to be lower-ranking pack members. And they stared at me inquisitively.

I was nervous from the way all attention was centered on me but I tried to walk slowly so they wouldn’t notice the way my legs were shaking from anxiety and also trying to avoid their gazes. All of a sudden the petite woman started climbing down the stairs, she moved with a kind of elegance that suited her, and before I knew what was happening, she pulled me into a hug, and patted my back.

” Welcome to Blood Moon Pack, beautiful one. I am Selena and my husband Leonard.” She pointed at the huge man with a grumpy look and funny goatee. She didn’t address themselves as King and Queen maybe because they had already stepped down for their son who I was given to as a treaty gift.

I looked around wondering where the son was, the Arden I was supposed to marry.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

As if she sensed my worry, Selena held my hand ” My sons are not here at the moment, but you will meet them soon. Come on, let’s go inside and get you settled in your new home.” She held my hands and with one last helpless glance at Mr. Jack, I walked inside the house. The pack house was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside, elegantly adorned.

” Have you eaten?? She asked but didn’t wait for me to reply ” I’m famished, let’s go and have lunch.”

She led me into a spacious dining hall that could easily fit hundreds of people. She pulled me closer to her more like we sat together. As soon as we sat down one of the omegas dressed in a monochrome uniform wearing a chef bonnet and apron with a notepad in her hand bowed in respect.

” Grace, this is Isabella Cross, Arden’s wife.”

The servant glanced at me in surprise and also with a look of pity and then quickly looked back down at her notepad. ” Isabella, this is Grace, the head kitchen staff. So, what will you have for lunch?”

She didn’t wait for me to answer before she started putting down her order ” I’ll have macaroni and cheese with baked beans, chicken fried steaks, and lime pie.”

I looked at her in shock, how can a petite and not-so-chubby woman eat so much, and yet it was not invisible in her body?

Selena turned and nudged me to place my order ” I’ll have cheese and sausage with watermelon juice, please.”

After Grace finished taking our orders she left, leaving me and Selena in the dining room. Selena held my hands and spoke in a calm but low voice ” I know this is a very tough and complicated situation for you, I want you to know that you’re most welcome in the family and I will try everything within my power to make you happy.”

I smiled and swallowed hard trying to hold the tears from flowing, this was my first time receiving this kind of genuine love from a stranger turned family. ” I thanked her and she stroked my hands and tucked the loose strand of curls behind my ear.