Twenty Four

                                    

                                          
A/N: I done messed up 😂😂 So it seems as though I published chap 25 before I published chap 24... whoops! Below I'm publishing the missing chapter, chapter 24. Previously I published a chapter and called it 24 but it was actually 25 and... yeah, sorry... 
                          
Here's 24!
                          
"Hello, darling," he said, smiling and stepping into the room. I swallowed hard, and backed away shaking my head. "Don't be afraid. My name is Nathan Fields, I'm the Alpha of Fever." At the look on my face, he raised his brow. "But you knew that, didn't you?"
                          
I narrowed my eyes, and felt my back press against the doors of the balcony. 
                          
"Well, I hope you're comfortable here. This will be your room until the ceremony," Nathan said. Ceremony? "And then we'll be moving you into my room." Wedding. He was talking about a wedding ceremony. "Anything you need, you let Cynthia know, and she'll get it for you. She's the one that led you in here." 
                          
He took a step closer, and I felt my heart pound in my chest. I looked over my shoulder, to the bathroom door. 
                          
"Akina, you don't have to keep looking for a way to escape," Nathan said, a smirk on his lips. "You can calm down." 
                          
I glared up at him, and he shook his head. "Stubborn girl, huh?" 
                          
I wanted to scream at him, to yell and tell him that he was crazy if he expected me to be open, and talk to him, and to not be rigid and scared of a boy that would send his second-hand man after me to kidnap me and take me back to his house.
                          
"I see you aren't wearing the dress I laid out for you," Nathan said, looking me up and down. I crossed my arms over my chest, and stood up straighter. "Is there a problem with it? I was sure that I had your right measurements." 
                          
I rolled my eyes. 
                          
"Do you speak?" Nathan asked. I could tell I was getting on his nerves, and it made me almost want to smile. But instead, I turned up my chin, and looked away. "You will respect me, Akina. I am the Alpha, whether you like it or not, and you are my Mate. You will listen to me and be submissive." 
                          
My eyes snapped over to him, disbelieving. Submissive? No. This was not 50 Shades, this was not the animal kingdom (well... you know... only partly the animal kingdom). I would not be submissive. 
                          
"Get ahold of yourself and realize that this is your life. My father chose you to be my Mate, and now that we know you aren't a complete failure in the wolf world, I will accept you to be my only love. Fighting me will only make this harder on you."
                          
I'd heard that multiple times before. I knew that if I just gave in, then everything would be easier. But I didn't care. For three years, Calix didn't give up on me. He fought to protect me, and didn't ever just let go, and just give me over to Fever. Even now, I knew he was still fighting. 
                          
So I would not give up. I would make this man hate me, all the while hating him even more. 
                          
"I expect you to put that dress and the shoes on for dinner, or your guard-dog will see the consequences," Nathan said, turning back to the door. "And find your voice, or he'll be sure to yell out until his is gone." 
                          
My heart stopped, and I felt tears prick at the corner of my eyes. Everything I had just told myself about being strong, and fighting because he did, was now just danger. I could get him killed for being stubborn. And now I didn't know if I could stay strong. 
                          
I closed my eyes tight, and heard the door close. Holding back the tears, I went over and sat on the bed, pressing the heels of my hands into my eyes. I took a deep breath, and looked over at the dress, frowning.