~Dalia's POV

I could not believe that I had just accepted a flash marriage.

—And the worst part, I barely knew this guy.

All I have heard about him were rumours and I had no idea how to proceed from that point.

But he seemed better prepared than I was. He adjusted his suit and straightened up.

"Now that we are over that, I'll like to inform you of the terms and conditions attached to this deal," he said, causing my wolf to flip.

"—For starters, you will have to move in with me."

A flush rose to my cheeks as I realised what he was implying.

"But unlike popular opinion, I am a gentleman. So I'll give you some time to get your mind ready... Besides—"

His eyes went to the sleek watch on his wrist before he met my gaze again; "I am heading to the airport right now for a business trip. I'll be back in two weeks. That should give you enough time to be ready, yes?"

"Hmm— yeah?" I stuttered not knowing what words were right to say at that moment.

"Good. See you around then." He took two slides towards me and to my surprise, he placed a kiss on my forehead before leaving for his car.

And just like that, the fleet of cars swerved off the place, leaving me too stunned to even think.

***

Time flew by quickly. Vladimir surprisingly kept checking in on me with messages and all sorts of gifts. From jewelry to dresses. I could say I was really getting spoiled.

Something I never got from Karl. As I thought more about it, I realised that I was always the second option with him.

He had always been at Judith's beck and call. She was always more important than I was.

One time I was sick and needed him but the second Judith called complaining about some minor paper cut she had, he instantly abandoned me to go to her.

I was so stupid that I never even saw any of that as a red flag. But not anymore.

The last seven days had opened my eyes. Karl never loved me.

He only loved that I loved him...

To him and everyone else, I would forever remain the over ambitious omega out to steal Judith's happiness.

And their pictures on the internet only scarred me deeper. But I tried— I tried to live my life and focus on what mattered.

I was lost in thought, my mind wandering back to my conversation with Vladimir, when the doorbell rang. I got up to answer it, expecting one of Vladimir’s messengers with another gift.

But as I opened the door, my heart sank. Karl stood there, a smug look on his face.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed.

"Hey Dalia," he dared say with a smile on his face. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Invite you?" I choked out as my emotions formed a lump in my throat. "You left me, Karl. You turned your back on me and chose Judith and now you want me to invite you in?"

"D, don't be like this—" He groaned and reached his fingers through his hair. "Look, I know you are mad and probably confused but I am here to explain."

His words were like the spark the fuel in my heart had been waiting for. The moment he said them, I exploded inside.

"Oh, are you?" I snapped. "Please explain then... What? You forgot about our bond, is that what happened?"

Karl’s eyes locked on mine, and he took a step closer. “Dalia, I didn't forget our bond,” he said, his voice low and husky. “You’re my mate, and I’ll always remember that.”

His fingers brushed against my face, and I felt a shiver run down my spine in distaste.

“I know it looks bad, but I was trying to protect Judith. Her family was pushing her into a marriage she didn't want. I had to act fast to stop it… I had to protect her.”

"What about me?" I asked in a small voice. "If you keep running to protect Judith, who is going to protect me?"

The weight of my question filled the room and his eyes held mine.

“What about us Karl? What about our bond? Did you ever think about how I would feel when you chose Judith over me?”

For a brief second, I thought I was starting to see remorse. But before he could respond, Judith’s voice cut through the air. Her words, piercing and clear.

“Karl, what's taking so long?” She called, her heels clicking on the floor as she approached us.

And like someone under a spell, Karl instantly moved to her side.

"Did you give Dalia what we got her?" Her perfect face brightened up into a smile as she saw me. "Your help is something we can never repay but please, accept it."

My throat became constricted as I watched Karl pull out a small envelope from his pockets.

"Here... It contains an official offer for you to become hmm— our breeder," he said and my eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"What?" I gasped, grabbing the paper and reading through it with shock.

"Dalia, you are such a sweet girl and I didn't want you to just fade away on the sides. I want you to do something for us— For the pack... Rather than just remaining an ordinary meaningless Omega... So I thought— why not make you our breeder!"

Judith’s voice was like a knife to my heart. Her excitement and enthusiasm made my anger boil over.

"You want me to become your breeder, Karl?" I whispered, my voice already shaky with rage and pain.

His troubled eyes moved around me before he managed to meet mine. "Dalia, you are just an omega and even if you are my mate... Even you can't deny that this is the best arrangement Judith— I — we could come up with..."

Judith clapped her hands excitedly and turned to me. "Yeah, so what do you say? Is it a yes or a yes?"

Boiling with rage, I tore the paper into pieces and glared at them.

"It's a no. I can't be your breeder. I am already engaged."