Beta's Bride [ShadowPack #2]

Stella was breathing heavily ever since she was at the festival right now. She did not know what was happening but something about the air in the festival was making her head dizzy.

Well, dizzy for Xavier

She watched him from the peripheral view of her eyes before they were greeting someone that was coming their way. Stella did not know this man but apparently, Xavier did.

"Beta," the young man said and when Stella looked at him closely, it was the same young man when they have a brunch at the café on the first day. He was there with Xavier in town to do some business.

"Zack, is there anything you want to say to me about our 'business' during this hour?" Xavier came up beside her before she felt his hand on her waist. Was this the possessive move that Stella was hoping for Xavier to do to her?

If so, why would she felt so sad right now?

"Yes...it was your—"

"Do not tell me it's my sister again. I can assure you that my mother has taken care of her and she was not healthy enough to travel around. I hope I was clear enough for you?" Xavier said before Zack was clenching his jaws. But he nodded.

"Good. Now let us enjoy this festival. I am sure that you have someone to go and entertain, yes?" Xavier said to Zack before he sighed. Then, he went away but Stella heard his mumble along the way.

"Not that she would ever see me, so no," he said before Xavier was pulling her by the hand to look around the festival. She did not know what took over Xavier after that moment but she knew it was not a genuine reaction that she got from him.

Stella pulled her hand away before she turned to look at him. Xavier arched his eyebrow.

"What is it?" she asked him before he was furrowing his eyebrow.

"What is what—"

"Do not mistake me for one of an idiot blonde woman. I am far more than that," Stella gritted her teeth as she was trying to control her anger toward him. Xavier was looking around but Stella did not miss the way that his jaws clenched.

It looked like he was trying to control himself right now. Good.

Stella waited and watched for him to make the first move of telling her what was wrong right now. Why would Zack came to him and trying to tell him that his sister was...sick, she guessed, from the reactions that she read from him and Zack alone.

"Was she alright?" Stella broke the ice as she was speaking slowly before she reached out for Xavier. He did not flinch her touch before he sighed. Clearly, he has been burdened by this and Zack has made it worse.

"He is alright. I was more concerned of..." Xavier said before he locked eyes with her. the orbs were shining under the moonlight and Stella was breathing heavily right now.

"About us," he said quietly before she was gripping his arm. She did not know what she had to do in that situation but one thing for sure.

She wanted him and she would happily give herself to him right now, tonight.

"Xavier—"

"Let's not talk about it in public. I have something to tell you," he said before he was scanning the area, then without speaking much, he pulled her into the alley that was abandoned by people when they were enjoying the folk festival.

Stella was looking at his head as Xavier was scanning the area like a predator. If there was an animal that Stella would associate him with, it would be a wolf.

A solitary wolf.

But Xavier would not be an Alpha, no, he was not suitable to be someone that would lose their tempers so easily. If anything, Xavier would be a Beta for he was rational and he was calm in handling any situation.

Including her.

Stella stopped in her tracks before that notion registered in her head. Was she...? Stella did not need to answer it because the moment she stopped, Xavier was looking at her like she was a petulant child.

That statement hit her even harder.

"Stella, what is it?" he asked before she was trying to step away from Xavier. She has never thought that she was one of the pities that Xavier would look after. but right now, she doesn't want pity from him. She wanted to be love.

Stella wanted to be loved by him, Xavier, the most beautiful stranger that she ever met.

Suddenly, she felt like she cannot breathe. It has been overwhelming after the time that her mother sent her that email. She cannot breathe properly and she was hoping that Xavier would be happy to know that she was planning to elope with him. Give herself to him.

But would he be happy about it? When Stella practically threw herself at him?

She was shaking her head now, trying to release his hold on her wrist. She wanted to get away, she wanted to escape him for his magnetic force was too strong for her.

But not here for Xavier.

"Stella, what's wrong? You're shaking," he stated the obvious before he released her wrist and at that moment, she turned away and ran as fast as she could.

*****

'Mine,' his wolf snarled when Stella was running away from him. Xavier did not know what was happening for his legs were carrying themselves to get as close as he could with her. He did not dare to breathe for he was losing Stella.

"Stella!" he shouted before she was turning to look at him briefly. Then, Xavier saw it. The emotions that were portrayed on the face of his mate. It was raw, untamed, and breathless. But there was one thing that made his heart squeezed even more.

There was sadness.

He did not know why Stella was upset with him right now. He was planning to confess to her about his feelings and told her to elope with him. But of course, he has to take into consideration the staff and the legal affairs as well as his family and hers.

How complicated to marry a human.

He chuckled before he was chasing his mate and then Xavier realized that they were entering the Paphos forest, which was known for its limber. He can smell her scent around it before he halted, trying to breathe in her sweet scent as he was looking around for her hiding spot.

"Stella? Why are you running from me?" he said before his super hearing was picking up the breathless breaths of Stella. She was hiding behind a tree and her heart was beating wildly. She was gasping and panting.

It made his cock hardened with need.

"I know you think that I am ignoring you or perhaps withdraw from you but I have something to say to that strange behavior of mine," he continued on, walking toward her tree before Xavier stopped and she was breathing normally now.

"I never felt like this before but I wanted to tell you that you are the first woman that ever made me feel this way. I am vulnerable when you are concerned and I think...I know that my heart belongs to you. Only you, Stella Canali," there, he said it. It has been done. All he has to do was wait and watch if Stella would reciprocate his feelings or not.

Like it or not, he will have to bare his heart on a silver platter for her and accept any reaction from her. I can do this. I was born to do this, he chanted before slowly but surely, Stella was getting out of her hiding spot, looking at Xavier like she was looking at him for the first time again.

*****

Stella was breathing hard after she heard the confession that was coming from Xavier's mouth. She wanted to scream out loud and shout that she was happy to hear it but she still feels wary of him. Was it true? Was he just jesting with her? How come she never heard this before?

She closed her eyes before she was taking a deep breath. In and out. It has been 4 years, 3 months, and 5 days since she was planning to come here.

It never occurred to her that she might find someone to spend her future with as well.

But what about your mother's email and threat? She mused as she was trying to weigh it in. she did not care for the wealth or the social status of her life. All she could ever want was for Xavier to be her husband. And that was enough for Stella Canali.

She opened her eyes and stepped from her hiding spot before she was looking at Xavier like he was everything to her. and he was. No more pressure from her mother. No more arranged marriage. It was only him and him alone.

"Stella?" he asked before he was offering his hand and she took it. For the first time in her life, she was ready to surrender to the flow and perhaps throw the cautions to the wind for once in her life.