The only sound that resonated in the room was the pinging of her ring bouncing across the floor, followed by a soft moan as she began to lose control. What did he truly want from her? This was wrong. There was no question she absolutely should push him away. She should urge him to stop, but she couldn't bring herself to protest. The dangerous aura that seemed to be oozing from his every pore engulfed her.
"Kiara," a loud knock on the door forced Xavier to open his eyes. His astonished green irises meet terrified chocolatey ones.
"Fuck!" Xavier drew back quickly like he was being burned. He shifted his face to the side as Dean continued trying to take him over.
"You fucking bastard! Don't you dare even think about trying to take over again!" Xavier warned his wolf. He couldn't believe he had kissed a female. How could he have lost control and allowed this to happen? Those prostitutes hadn't even been able to get him hard; instead, their smell had made him feel sick. He usually kept his distance from females, but that had been a FUCKING KISS! He did not feel disgusted when his lips touched hers.
"Grr… this isn't my fault. Both of us are aware of how sexually frustrated we are. At least I didn't fuck her," Dean growled back at Xavier, making known his displeasure at being disrupted before he could make his next move.
"We're never going to fuck her!" Xavier yelled at him. "She is only our surrogate," Xavier continued, running his hand over his face in an attempt to regain complete control over himself, but Kiara's scent was on his hand and lips. What the hell had this fool been thinking when he created this surrogacy plan? Things would have gone too far if the knock hadn't jolted his brain into use instead of his dick.
Dean's animalistic behavior had become alarming for Kiara. The younger female could be heard shivering behind him. Kiara had glued herself to the door as she stared at him, completely perplexed by his erratic behavior. He looked as if he was about to vomit. He despised his actions. Dean made him feel ashamed and irritated with himself.
"Don't hold that against me. She enticed us," Dean gave Xavier the cold shoulder, knowing he wouldn't be able to break through now. If he tried to get through, Xavier would block him. He had complete control over his wolf at all times. This was the first time he lost it.
"What?" Xavier was perplexed. They had been seduced by this little female? How was that even possible?
"If you don't believe me, look at her," Dean added. Kiara's big anxious eyes caught Xavier's attention. Her clothes were rumpled as a result of him squeezing and caressing her waist. Her hair was again cascading over her delicate face hiding it, revealing a new and more lovely aspect of her. Xavier's gaze was drawn to her stiffened nipples. "See?" Dean snapped at Xavier.
"Shut up, you jerk!" Xavier snapped back at him with a lethal glare. He resolved to keep his distance from the young female. That way, he could maintain a very business-like relationship with her, and she would never have any idea that she had almost lured him into a trap.
"Are you okay, Kiara?" Another knock banged on the door followed by Adira's anxious voice. Her sister had been locked in a room, alone with one of the most dangerous Alphas. As she stood quietly near the stairs, she sensed movement coming from inside one of the rooms and ran over to knock on the door. What were those rumblings? Had he caused Kiara any harm? The prospect terrified her. Why were they taking so long to open the door? As she watched the door of the room slowly open, she breathed a sigh of relief. Kiara was standing there completely safe."You frightened me!" Adira drew her into a tender hug while observing Xavier, who was staring at the two sisters. "He didn't do anything untoward, did he?" she whispered quietly into her sister’s ear.
Kiara had been silent for a few seconds. Was it okay for her to inform her sister about the kiss? She had no clue how she would respond after being kissed by a stranger and an adversary at that. She couldn't believe what had just happened to her. Kiara didn't want to worry Adira any further because she had left her alone in the room with him.
"No, he didn't," she assured her, pulling away from Adira, hoping that Xavier hadn't heard her lie.
"So, what's the deal with you smelling like him?" Adira inquired. Kiara was stunned. How could she possibly explain their unexpected close proximity a few minutes ago? She'd completely forgotten that she would smell like him. Adira noticed that her inquiry put her sister in an awkward position. Kiara remained silent since she had no intention of lying. "Forget it," Adira said, brushing aside her own query. She could readily read Kiara's expression and understood what had happened. But as long as her sister was not hurt and had not needed assistance, she preferred to ignore the incident between Xavier and Kiara that in all honesty, she had expected.
Kiara turned to Xavier, feeling the presence of the big Alpha standing behind her, but this time he kept a safe distance. "So, would you like to be my surrogate?” he inquired. “I'm looking forward to hearing your final decision." His hands were tucked into his pants pockets, and she realized that his face had become expressionless once more. She didn't feel like he was the same male that had just kissed her. He appeared to be just as cold as he had been earlier with her family.
"What? a surrogate?" Adira gave her sister a startled glance. But Kiara remained calm.
"Yes" While responding to Xavier, Kiara squeezed Adira's hand. Even though she was still astonished by what she had just learned, the older sister maintained her calm. Although Kiara was younger, Adira felt confident in her capacity to make her own decisions. Xavier smirked in his head. The outcome of their lengthy discussion favored Xavier, which pleased him."But," Kiara hesitated before taking a step closer to him. Xavier scoffed. But what, and why? There should not be a 'But.' There was no turning back now. Kiara sensed his frown, though he waited patiently for her to continue. "I can't ever tell my parents that I'm a surrogate," she murmured anxiously, biting her lip. Xavier's gaze was drawn to her nicely biting the soft flesh of her lips. "Our pack may be smaller than the Sirius Bright Pack, but my father's image is more valuable to him than his life. He will be quite offended if he discovers that I have agreed to be your surrogate. I don't care what consequences await me when the truth is out, but I can't face the thought that my decision will also impact my mother and sister," Kiara stated her final reservations on the matter.
She had noted Adira's concern for their mother when the surrogacy was brought up. There was one more thing bothering Adira. If everyone knew that Kiara had accepted being a surrogate, it would bring Kiara humiliation. She had only discussed her parents with Xavier, but she kept how it would complicate her personal life in the future from him. After forcing his greedy gaze away from her lips, Xavier caught and understood the sister’s exchanged glances. Like he and Zander, they shared a strong sibling bond.
"Then I'll tell them we're getting married," he added, having discovered the answer to their predicament. He wouldn't allow anything to stand in his way as long as she consented to be his surrogate.
"You will marry me?" Kiara was taken aback.
"No," he amended, "but I can simply lie to safeguard your honor in front of your parents and pack." Kiara was surprised by his response. So he was doing this for her? Allowing her to keep her dignity intact. But why? Xavier read her face even though she had not questioned him explicitly. "I'm not concerned with preserving your father's ego or social standing, but I do not want my surrogate's reputation to be tarnished. No one will be harmed by this small lie. You must be mentally and physically healthy in order to have a healthy pup," Xavier offered by way of an explanation. Kiara mentally slapped herself as she nodded. What the hell had she been thinking? Obviously, he had not wanted a disgraced female to give birth to his heir. He needed her record and reputation to be clean. "And, certainly, the same will apply to my pack. We can't tell anyone that you're my surrogate," Xavier added.
"How is this going to work?" Kiara was perplexed by that since she needed to be there, but how was he planning to cover it up?
"I'm going to be telling my pack that I've decided to take you as my chosen mate. No one will dare to ask any more questions once they learn that. I can always create the excuse that we don't want to be together a year later, after the birth, on the day you choose to leave my pack. Things didn't work out between us, so we agreed to go our separate ways." Xavier described his whole strategy, which he had planned with Dean earlier. After a few moments of contemplation, Kiara agreed. She didn't have any other choice. "Let's go downstairs. Clear the air with your parents. I don't want to stay in this pack for another second," Xavier walked out of the room.
"Kiara, do you trust him?" Adira asked, her voice apprehensive.
"We don't have any other choice, Adira. We need to protect the pack and our parents," Kiara countered.
“Still…” Adira came to a halt.
"What's the matter? Do you dislike him?" Kiara was confused since she knew Xavier had not said anything to offend her sister, but she appeared disturbed.
"No, it's nothing like that, but his scent bothers me," she grumbled.
"His scent? What about it?" Kiara wondered.
"His clothes are covered in scents from his pack members, and one of them, in particular, is strange." She did her best to explain, but she was also oblivious to what was upsetting her.
"Which scent?"
"Forget it. I was only saying," Adira said, shaking her head.
Xavier reached the living room before Kiara and Adira had left the bedroom, indicating his desire to leave this pack behind him.
"Alpha." In the hall, Kaiden had been eagerly waiting for Xavier. After Orion, Kaiden had been promoted to Xavier's Beta, and second in command. He was excellent at his job. Alpha Sawyer and Noah were not allowed to make a single peep in Xavier’s absence, as he had commanded. Xavier wondered at times why he had ever made Orion his Beta in the first place. Kaiden was flawless and far more intelligent than Orion. Perhaps it was because Kaiden had become his friend when they were fourteen. He appeared later in Xavier’s life than his former Beta had. They had first met in school. Xavier motioned for him to release Alpha Sawyer and Luna Martha. But not Noah; he would merely bark like an energetic puppy with none of the cuteness and all of the annoyance.
"Where is Kiara?" Luna Martha had been worrying the entire time. Her gaze was glued to the stairs. Why had he returned alone?
"She is with her sister now and will be leaving with me," Xavier claimed.
"What exactly do you mean?" Alpha Sawyer and Luna Martha asked together. Where was he planning to take their daughter?
"I've made the decision to marry your daughter. She'll be my Luna," he announced.
When Kiara's parents heard Xavier's declaration, they were shocked and speechless. Kiara stood at the bottom of the stairs while Luna Matha gazed at her in awe. So this was how she intended to preserve her pack and family? Kiara was too embarrassed to look her mother in the eyes. She had no clue that things would turn out this way.
"It's ridiculous!" Alpha Sawyer yelled. “She will not become your Luna!”
"Your daughter and I have had a conversation in which no other solution is conceivable. She has accepted my offer to become my Luna, and I don't want to murder my Luna's pack and family. You are fortunate that your daughter has requested that I give her your lives and those of your pack as an engagement present," Xavier smirked evilly as he watched Sawyer’s insulted reaction. Xavier figured that her father's ego was even larger than Kiara had expected. He was well aware that every word he spoke would disgrace him.
"I'm still not convinced. You're not going to be able to take her away. She won't be allowed to make her own decisions as long as I'm alive." Alpha Sawyer couldn't handle the thought that a female, the daughter he had disregarded, had been the one who saved them.
"Being her parent does not grant you the authority to make all of her life decisions for her. Your territory has also fallen into my hands. Therefore you're no longer an Alpha. She's ready to be my Luna. You can't sway her decision because I won't let that happen. Still, I'd like to hear from Luna Martha and gain her thoughts on this matter," Xavier directed his attention to the older female, who had been staring at her daughters incessantly. Her motherly intuition was telling her that they were concealing something from her. Martha was their mother, she could easily read them. But she also noted that Kiara did not appear scared of Xavier and wasn’t surprised by his announcements. If there was a problem or if Xavier had a secret motive that would harm Kiara, Adira would have warned her. "What do you think, Luna Martha?" Xavier's voice grew deep, almost menacing. Luna Martha was aware that her rejection of his proposition would only lead to their deaths. She had no clue what had transpired between Xavier and Kiara, but she was amazed that her daughter could persuade him to change his mind. She promised to save her family and pack and was able to fulfill it. Kiara, on the other hand, scowled. Why had Xavier needed to put her mother in such a tough situation? Kiara was stepping forward to speak up, which would enrage her father further, so Luna Martha decided to answer.
"I agree," Luna Martha gave her blessing, astounding Alpha Sawyer and Noah, who tried, again and again, to open their mouth and shout but couldn't.
"What?!" Her mate snarled at her. Had she gone insane, giving their daughter to an adversary? Kiara was surprised her mother had agreed. Xavier gave Alpha Sawyer a sly grin.
"It's all done and dusted now," Luna Martha regarded Sawyer solemnly.
"It can't happen..."
"Sawyer, you have to acknowledge that our son was a rapist! Why should my family and I bear the consequences of his actions? Now is the moment to set aside your ego, focus on your people, and let Kiara live her own life," she blurted it all out in one breath, disgusted at having to mention Lewis.
"But he is still our enemy..." Alpha Sawyer attempted to protest, but Luna Martha interrupted him.
"Yes, he is our rival, but he has just asked for our daughter's hand, right? He wishes to make her his Luna. If years of hostility can evolve into marriage, I don't see the harm in that. But if you don't agree to this arrangement, you'll lose me forever," she gave her ultimatum.
"What do you mean?" Alpha Sawyer arched his brow.
"I'll leave this pack with Adira and Kiara," Luna Martha threatened; Sawyer and her daughters' faces grew white. When Noah realized that his mother had threatened to leave him as well, he stopped wiggling.
"What exactly are you saying? You can't leave me, Martha," Sawyer murmured, but she ignored him.
"Sawyer, the choice is entirely yours. Let Kiara go with Alpha Xavier, "she advised. Alpha Sawyer, feeling defeated, cast a lethal gaze at Kiara and Xavier. There was no way he could lose Martha. She was obstinate, and if she said she would leave him, she meant it. Luna Martha waited for his refusal for a few moments. With a growl, he turned in the opposite direction. Kiara and Adira had never seen their parents argue like this before. It was unexpected to witness Alpha Sawyer concede defeat to Luna Martha.
"Go pack your belongings," Kiara heard her mother say. She was taken aback. It had actually worked.
"Mom," Kiara moved closer to her mother, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"If you don't mind becoming Alpha Xavier's Luna, neither do I. I am pleased with your choice," Luna Martha smiled. It was preferable to being forced to witness her daughters being raped by the Sirius Bright Pack. Xavier had also accepted her daughter as his Luna. Kiara wrapped her arms around her mother, wishing she could weep. Her mother had always supported her, but Martha had no idea that Kiara had, in truth, agreed to be a surrogate. She had never lied to her mother before, but their circumstances had changed. She felt compelled to do so now to protect her family.
Adira's eyes were welling up with tears. Her sister was departing for good. She knew that she'd never see her again. She swiftly wiped her tears away and embraced Kiara in a hug. Adira followed Kiara to her room; her sister required her assistance at the moment. They repacked everything Kiara had put back earlier after the initial confrontation with their mother.
"Don't tell Mom and Dad about my being a surrogate," Kiara said as she put on a different outfit. She was concerned that her secret might be uncovered, leaving her mother distraught.
"Don't worry. They will never find out unless you want them to," Adira reassured her. She could understand her sense of dread. Kiara told her that after the surrogacy, she would continue her studies and live her life normally. She would also leave Xavier's pack. Adira was unhappy with her sister’s decisions, but she merely nodded. "Don't forget to answer my calls, or I won't be able to sleep," Adira reminded her as she took Kiara's hand. She nodded and drew her sister into a hug. It was their farewell embrace.
"You dare to disgrace our family!" The sisters were startled when Noah stormed into Kiara's room. The moment Kaiden released him, Noah decided he needed to go upstairs and teach his bitch of a sister a good lesson. Who did she think she was forgetting her place and making her own decisions?
"Don't cause a scene, Noah," Adira cautioned, attempting to protect Kiara.
"I'll deal with you later," he warned as he shoved Adira aside and lifted his hand to smack Kiara.
"If I were you, I would have studiously pondered the consequences before even attempting to slap Alpha Xavier's soon-to-be Luna!" Xavier's snarl pierced the air, preventing Noah from committing the act that would surely lead to his death. Kiara noticed Xavier leaning against the doorframe, and his wolf was on the surface. "Stay away from her!" Xavier let out a growl.
Kiara was terrified, taking in his enraged expression. True, he was only calling her Luna as part of their performance, but he seemed so genuine. Xavier had the appearance of a demon, with Dean on the surface. His eyes were like a flame that would reach out to snatch Noah to eat him whole. Adira was terrified of him. Why was he taking their act so seriously? The sisters exchanged glances and Adira hurried her brother out before it was too late.
Without permission, Xavier entered Kiara's room, his gaze immediately drawn to her bed. She watched him inhale deeply. Her perfume was soaked into every fiber of the room. What had been the point of his coming here? She had been too shy to show him the modest bedroom earlier. That was why she had escorted him to Adira's bedroom. Now that he knew the exact circumstances of her life, she chose to quit worrying about it. When he returned his gaze to her, she flushed and blinked for a second. She'd been looking at him! She returned to packing the rest of her belongings.
Xavier observed that the room's ceiling, like the undersized bed, was deplorable. It was a spooky house if there was no light. He couldn't even see what she had packed, but her suitcase appeared to be rather small. She wasn't taking much. He had already deduced that she was a mistreated female in this home. Her mother and sister were the only people she had been able to rely on. When she bent over the bed, Xavier's gaze was drawn to her butt. She had a perfectly round ass. In his mind, Dean growled with desire. Xavier instinctively turned his eyes away, only to discover a little white cat entering the room via Kiara's small window.
"Hey!" Kiara dropped her suitcase and dashed over to the cat. "What's the deal with you being late today, Cat?" She refilled the food dish, which she kept under her bed. Xavier thought Kiara had the most gorgeous, genuine smile on her face. She was delighted to see the cat, which appeared to be a stray. "You can’t come into my room anymore, Cat. I'll have Adira feed you," Kiara scratched her white fur, totally unaware that the male standing behind her was observing her intently. She had been leaving countless kisses on the cat’s furry little head. Only Kiara and Adira knew about the cat and secretly fed her because their pack did not tolerate pets. They adored her.
"Why are you calling her, Cat? Doesn’t she have a name?" Xavier inquired. Kiara returned her gaze to him, only to realize that he had been watching her. She averted her eyes and blushed.
"She is unnamed," she commented as she put the cat down, letting her eat as she picked up her luggage to leave the room. Did he think her childish?
"Why?" Xavier enquired.
"If I named her, I would be far more attached to her than I am now. It's difficult to be apart from the ones you care about, you know," Kiara's anguish was palpable in her voice. Before he could see her tears, Xavier watched her turn her face as she walked away. She took one last look at the cat with sorrow. Kiara would never be able to see her again. Xavier followed her into the living room, where she was hugging Luna Martha, and Adira. Noah stood throwing daggers at Kiara with his eyes, which she disregarded, and as usual, only led to him being enraged further.
"Put her baggage in the car," Xavier commanded. When Kiara heard him, she turned to face Xavier. It was an oblique message to her that it was time to go. He disregarded her melancholy expression, thinking she already regretted her decision. Kiara examined his expressionless, emotionless face before following him. She stepped out the packhouse door, which had been damaged during the battle.
"Wait a second!" Alpha Sawyer finally made an appearance. Xavier hadn't bothered to look back, but Kiara did. Had her father come to say goodbye? "Because you picked our adversary as your spouse, you are no longer welcome in my house," Sawyer announced as he stood directly in front of Kiara. He had not obeyed Luna Martha when she pleaded with him not to curse their daughter anymore.
"My family break all relationships and ties with you. Now go with him and don't expect to ever come back," he bellowed. From the corner of his eyes, Xavier observed Kiara's watery eyes. He had been expecting that. Sawyer was not the kind of man to let her leave without yelling and severing all links to him. Kiara dashed to the car with a frown on her face, where Kaiden had been waiting. She opened the door and got in before she began to cry. She knew it had been coming, yet she was still devastated. She would never see her mother or sister again. She didn't dare look back at the packhouse. When Xavier got into the car and took the seat next to Kiara, she averted her face from his gaze, not wanting to show him her tears. Kaiden sat in the passenger seat.
“Drive,” Xavier gave the command. Kiara watched the driver as they started to drive away. When she couldn't take it any longer, she turned around to face Adira and Luna Martha, who was staring at her. Kiara cried as the vehicle moved further away from the only home she had ever known. Xavier never said a word. Her cries and whimpers fell on deaf ears. Not once did he look at her. Kaiden felt sad for her.
“Luna,” Kaiden turned to pass over a handkerchief to Kiara, still undecided on what to refer to her as. But when Xavier remained silent, he chose to call her Luna. Kiara reached her trembling hand to take the offered handkerchief, but it slipped from her grasp. Xavier's hand extended out at the same time, and their hands made contact almost as if they were holding hands. Kiara's gaze met Xavier's. She realized that she was holding a stranger's hand. This was the beginning of a new life for her.