ROSE ‘S POV

I turned around with surprise, “You say what?”

Ruby walked up to me and held her stomach with care, “I’m carrying Brian’s baby. Think of it sister, even if you hate Brian and I to the core, what about this innocent baby? It doesn’t…. “

“Shut up” I yelled angrily. “What’s my concern with the bastard? I’ll expose you no matter….”

“Yes go ahead and report me Rose” Ruby’s voice suddenly changed from the repentant tone to a nonchalant one as she interrupted me, “You won’t know how it feels to be used a bait for some ugly mad Alpha. If this gets out, Lord Akbar will wage a war against us”

This broke me and my knees became weak as I fell down. So her groom was Lord Akbar? The Powerful Beta who was said to be mad and always thirsty for blood?

I don’t even know about all these because I live alone. But still, how can.. how can I forgive Ruby?

Ruby fell beside me, “Dad and Lord Akbar had a bet about something and dad lost, I guessed he asked from hand in marriage instead of war, but this preganancy….”

“How old is the pregnancy?” I ask slowly,

“Almost three months” Brian responded this time, with an unbothered shrug.

My eyes flew wide, my head whipping to Ruby for confirmation, and she dropped her hand in defeat, shoulders deflating. “I… I’m sorry” was all she could say.

“Madness or not, you are supposed marry him” I whispered, trying to keep my head straight my vision blurry with tears that are threatening to fall again, “If you elope, what will Dad and I say?”

“If you hadn’t interrupted, and we successfully elope, then neither you nor Dad will be in danger” Brian jaunted in “Lord Akbar is a mad man. He kills people for living and doesn’t have any mercy. But he has a battalion of army that could pull this pack down within a blink of an eye, so what did you think he’ll do if he finds out about this pregnancy?”

I don’t just know what to do. All these are so fuckin crazy to me so much that I feel I could just go insane.

“I don’t want to be stuck with some mad man that no one wants…” Ruby said again, “I don’t want to be used as exchange for war”

“Then what about the pack? Don’t you love your pack?” I hiss. “What he looks like doesn’t matter. You have to get dressed and act along, only then can you save this baby”

“No.” She growls back. “No, he will kill me when he finds out.” She touched her belly with care, “This is the token of my love with Brian, Rose please, support me”

“Support?” I smirk sadly. I should support my twin sister to elope with the man I love? What a pathetic life story.

“Rose” Brian finally walks up to me as he whispered and clutching my hands. My body shakes, my throat aching from trying so hard not to slap him “Please don’t hate too much, let us go”

Tears stream down my face, my whole body shaking violently and my wolf howling in my head begging me to fight a battle I have no hope of winning.

“Then what should we do about the marriage?” I asked with shaky voice.

“You need to inform Lord Akbar that I won’t be coming.” She breathed. I don’t have the strength to argue with her. “Dad will be heartbroken, a war might ensure. But please, handle it Rose”

“And if I say no?” I ask, trying to suppress my inner feeling of bargain out and tell the whole world what they’ve done to me.

Rose pulled out a small dagger and handed it to me, “Then kill me. Lord Akbar won’t wage a war if he sees my dead body right?”

“And it will go down the history that you’re the one that murdered your sister!” Brian supported her.

My heart trembled and I shifted back. Tears didn’t stop but what can I do? Will I kill my sister? Will I murder an innocent child? Well I let war consume our pack?

Without any words, I rushed out of the room like a mad woman. Only a minute to spare before Ruby is expected to walk down the aisle. As I pass the mirror on the wall, I freeze, wiping my face before pulling in three ragged breaths.

“Rose, accept your fate” my wolf tells me and I braced myself even though my nerves are gnawing away at any real bravado I have.

Getting to door, I took three ragged breathe before opening the giant door, every eyes turned at me probably expecting the bride.

The man at the end of the aisle is impossible to ignore, since my arrival, I haven’t seen him around which means he'd just arrived.

His back is against the door as expected of a groom. I can only assume he is the mad Lord Akbar.

Just by facing him from the back like this, I can still feel my skin crawl dangerously, in anticipation of the beast I'm going to face.

My idle hands smooth the bodice of my dress as I try to focus on my erratic breathing, my nerves frayed as I march down the aisle toward potential doom.

Dad looks at me with questioning look, the guests were whispering amongst themselves that “Where’s the bride?”

I guess my dad noticed my expression that Ruby won’t be coming so he rushed out of the hall madly and his elders follow him.

I lick my lips, ready to give him the speech I whipped up, but I freeze as he turns to face me fully, my breath catching in my throat and eyes growing wide.

No…..

This can’t be the so called Lord Akbar with madness?

I can’t lie, I was utterly distracted by his looks. Those icy blue eyes stare at me as if they could look into my soul and that long hair, so unusual that a man keeps arm length hair these days.

There’s no scar or worse still a sign that this man is mentally unstable like they said. Instead, this man looks totally well kept like a celebrity with that imposing aura that entrapped me.

“Who are you?” He asks with a gentle voice that spread some kind of expected warmth to my soul.

My throat goes dry and I gulp with difficulty as I answered, “I… I’m Rose. Ruby’s twin sister”

“And where is my bride?”

“Are you the groom? As in, Lord Akbar?” I ask trying to stall time till Dad comes around. Perhaps he could do something.

To my surprise, he smirked with amusement and shoved his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his feet.

“If I’m not then who did you expect me to be?” He asks and I furrow my brows. His he saying he’s Lord Akbar?

Like this man is the so called Lord Akbar? It can’t be.

“Where is Lord Akbar himself?” I question, obviously uninterested in some handsome jerk, at least not now.

“You can tell me anything you want to tell him,” He answers with a shrug and I feel a wave of relief come over me. He's just a secretary. How can he be Lord Akbar?

“My sister cannot be his bride. She was totally forced to do all these and I hope Lord Akbar understands her situation. So we beseech your Alpha to find another lady suitable for him but definitely not my sister” I tell him in one ragged breathe even though I’m trying to control my own emotions.

“Are you telling me that your father will settle for war instead of giving up his daughter?” He asks.

“No! No, we can’t afford any war now, we just want him to know that Ruby isn’t the one for him. We're going to find him a new mate. A better one.” I squeak out, looking around for Dad. I can’t handle this situation alone.

His eyes turned ashen but still bearable as she ask, “So your sister rejected me right on the alter without showing her face?”

“That’s a mistake in our part.” I mutter under my breath.

“Then since it’s your mistake, you guys should provide another bride for me or should choose myself?” He offers. I stare at him horrified.

He... he's Lord Akbar? The Mad Alpha?

“Y–you are Lord Akbar?” I whisper, awareness trickling down my spine as I force myself to meet his amused gaze.

“I’m happy to say I am” he asks, a cocky grin on his plush lips.

“Rose!” I heard Dad’s voice as he rush towards he aisle where we were standing. He looks very petrified, I guess Ruby and Brian must’ve eloped already.

“Dad”

“I think I’ve found a replacement for your daughter that escaped” Lord Akbar says, his eyes locking back on mine as if we are in some silent battle I’m not privy to.

Dad bows, “I apologize for my daughter’s behavior, I’ll gladly accept any punishment” Dad pleads with him almost crying regardless of the guests that had almost evacuate the hall as some chairs are now empty.

“No need,” Lord Akbar says, turning to face me once more, mischief swirling around him. “Like I said I’ve found who I want as a replacement.”

“Oh thank goodness” Dad turns to me and grabs hold of my arm, dragging me away. “Get the guests to come back, tell them the Alpha has found another bride”

Lord Akbar growls possessively, taking my free arm and pulling me gently toward him. I gasp out in shock, an arm in each man’s hands as I look up at Lord Akbar confused.

“Since your first daughter ditched me on the alter, I’ll take the second one,” he announces and my mouth goes dry.

“Me?” I rasp out shocked, my eyebrows shooting up to my hairline as I try to process his insane request.

“Yes you. You’ll be my new bride”