Adrianna stood, frozen, staring as her father spoke. Surely he didn't mean it. Two days ago, they were fighting the army of the blue moon pack, and today, their alpha was asking for her hand in marriage?

"I am sorry Father, but I won't marry anyone! You can give Kayla's hand in marriage to him," she replied, looking down at her muddy jeans and shoes. ​​

Kayla had yet to be mated and she would jump at the opportunity, so why her?

Adrianna had learnt from her human friends that it wasn't right to marry anyone unless you had dated them for at least three years. Moreover, they had made a list of things that were necessary in a boyfriend, and she wanted to have a word in her own marriage. She did not ever want to end up with someone as dark and brooding as her father. Most importantly, she did not want to marry someone that wasn't her mate. It was a known fact that many alpha werewolves waited for their mates for their entire lives and she was prepared to do the same if necessary.

Ever since she was a young child, her nanny had told her that mates were like your second skin - your other half. Mates completed you, emotionally and physically, in many different ways.

On another note, her friend at college had made a list for essential things to see in a boy before she would even begin dating them, and Adrianna wanted to find her special mate or boyfriend. She didn't want to just be married off to an alpha.

Ever since she was fifteen, almost all the boys of her pack had accosted her in hopes of being her boyfriend. Her long black hair, extremely curvaceous body, pink lips that became red as soon as she bit them, and her small face, made her the most beautiful girl they had seen in all the packs combined together, not to mention that it was difficult not to notice the aura around her. She would glow whenever she was happy, and that was just what the boys tried to do: make her happy to see her glow. Her beauty captivated them.

It was a different matter that over the years she had learnt how to control the glow around her.

Her eldest sister, Kayla, was a blonde with very soft features, but she was nowhere near Adrianna in terms of looks.

Kuro, on the other hand, wanted to ensure the safety of his pack. He was tired of fighting, and this was a golden opportunity for him to get rid of her. He had never wanted her, and marrying her off to the alpha of the blue moon pack would also stop the war, killing two birds with one stone..

"Adrianna, I don't care what you want. You are going to marry him," Kuro said, bringing her back to reality.

Adrianna snapped. "I will not marry any alpha, beta, nor gamma of any pack!"

Kayla had entered the meeting room just then. When she heard Adrianna shouting, she wondered if a gamma was some kind of a supreme commander. She said, "Father, I can marry the gamma."

Adrianna couldn't help but laugh at her sister and Ed joined in on her laughter.

Kuro looked at his older daughter with disgust and said, "Go back to the kitchen. Your eldest brother will be coming with his mate today. He will not bear it kindly if you don't make good food for her."

Kayla looked at Adrianna with repugnance before leaving for the kitchen.

Kuro turned his attention towards Adrianna and said, "You better get ready for this marriage. During his next visit, I will accept the proposal."

"When is he coming back?" asked Ed.

"He shall be here during the next waning moon," replied Kuro.

Adrianna ran inside her room fuming. Most of her belongings were already present at Ed's cottage, so she packed her remaining belongings into a small bag, collected her mother's picture, and passed by the meeting room on her way out. Without looking at Ed or Kuro, she ran outside, started her motorcycle, and rode off.

"It's all your fault!" Kuro shouted, "You have spoiled her!".

"Kuro, she is not a child. You cannot force her into a marriage," replied Ed.

"Get out Ed! I don't want any advice from you. Go back and rot in your cottage!

"I know why you always bring Adrianna here. Did you really think I would be afraid of that girl? Well, you are wrong. One signal from me, and my army of werewolves will tear her limbs apart.

"As for Adrianna, if she doesn't marry the alpha of the blue moon pack, I will marry my eldest daughter to him," yelled Kuro.

Ed smiled and smirked at his son. Kuro's fear of Adrianna showed clearly in his eyes. He left the room and ran after Adrianna in hopes of quickly catching up to her. He tracked her scent as far as possible into the deep jungle, but after some time, her scent vanished. Ed ran his fingers through his hair and left for his cottage, hoping that Adrianna would soon return home.

Adrianna did not return that day. When the night fell, Ed started pacing up and down within his cottage. He would even rush out at the slightest movement. Where could she have gone? He tried to remember all the places she had been to. He called her friends, thinking she might have crash at one of their places for the night, but everyone said that they hadn't seen her for a week now.

All of a sudden, while talking to one of her friends, he heard a rustle of leaves as though someone had just walked around the cottage. He picked a strange smell and ran outside onto the portico, but by the time he came out, there was no one.

With tension rising in his mind, he wished for Adrianna's safety. It would be difficult to get her back if she were to be lost to the dark forces.