The Alpha’s Arranged Bride

ALPHA CARAMEL’S POV

Right from the moment I stepped into Lavender’s room, I knew something was wrong. I rarely see her upset, but I do know when she is. She was not her usual self, and I knew she was hiding something even when she spoke. Unfortunately, I had no idea what could be the problem. I had been very busy with so much work, but that did not mean I would not notice what was happening in my palace. However, it hurt me that she could not trust me enough to tell me what was wrong.

When I stepped out of her room, I took out my phone and called my beta. “Asher, find out what happened in the local market today,” I instructed immediately I heard his voice on the other end of the line before heading for my study.

I waited for only an hour before he knocked on my door. He bowed the moment he got in. “What did you find out?” I asked.

I wanted to know as quickly as possible what had happened. Lavender was my wife, and I wanted to make sure she was comfortable in this pack. I was always on top of things, so I wasn’t too sure what could have made her ask that kind of question, which meant something had happened there.

“From the little I could gather, the people have grown some resentment against her…” Asher told me.

“Why? I thought they all loved her,” I asked, wondering what might have happened. They all sang her praises days ago, so why the hatred?

“That, I could not find out, as not even whispers were flying around. It seemed it was an unsaid consensus,” Asher said, and I leaned back in my chair. Did she do something that they didn’t approve of?

“Should I cancel the meeting with the Elders?” Asher asked, and I shook my head.

“I will introduce her to them tomorrow. I have postponed their introduction long enough. They need to meet her. I’m sure they would love her,” I said to him.

I could not cancel now. They need to meet her. I wanted her to officially be my Luna. It has been a long time since I brought her into the pack, and I felt incomplete with her yet to be my Luna. Moreover, I would not want her to think I did not love her enough to make her my Luna and was only filled with empty promises. Plus, I wanted to believe that whatever might have happened was something I could fix before the day of the coronation. It cannot be something too bad. Lavender has been very good in everything.

Asher nodded. “Try to find out what had happened. I would not want that going on for too long,” I added.

“I will do that, Alpha,” he said, and I waved my hand, dismissing him.

I headed back to the room and found Lavender at the foot of the bed, eyes on the floor, looking lost. I sighed, walking over to her. I might have scared her with my words earlier. It was only when I took a seat beside her that she noticed my presence. Without a word, she placed her head on my lap.

“I’m sorry if I scared you,” I apologized, caressing her head. She nodded, but said nothing.

“Can you tell me now what happened?” I had to ask again. I hated seeing her like this. Her smiles and her excitement were all I wanted for her. That was why I wanted her to be happy in the pack. It was also the reason I did everything for her: to make her happy.

She said nothing. I pulled her away from me, my hands around her arms, so I could take a look at her. Is there a reason why you don’t trust me anymore?” I asked her.

“No,” she said with a pout.

“So why can’t you tell me? If anything happened, I would handle it the best I can,” I reassured her.

“I’m fine. You don’t have to worry. I’m just tired. We walked around a lot,” she said.

I wanted to believe she was okay, but I knew she was not. However, I was not going to force her to tell me what the problem was. Maybe she was telling the truth, and coincidentally, whatever happened in the market happened.

I carried her and laid her on the bed. The moment she lay down, she placed her head on my chest. It took some time for her to fall asleep, which was another indication that she was troubled.

The next day, she took extra care of how she looked. From her hair to her shoes, she was very delicate in picking them. I knew we were meeting the sentinels, and she might want to be extra careful with how she looked, but I felt something was pushing her to be this way.

“Please change the hairstyle. It makes me look proud,” she told the maids.

I wasn’t usually present when she dressed up with the maids, but I could sense that this was different, from the way the maids looked at her. They were all shocked by her demands but still proceeded. After thirty minutes, she stood up, took several steps back with her eyes on the mirror, and then shook her head.

“I need to change my dress,” she said and walked into her closet.

I waved my hands, dismissing the maids. She stepped back out with two dresses in hand. “Which do you think is better?” she asked me, then noticed the maids were no longer in the room.

“Where are they? I’m not ready yet,” she said.

I walked closer to her. “You are ready. In fact, you have been ready for two hours but changed six times,” I stated the facts.

“The dresses are not befitting to meet them and-” A knock on the door made me pause.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

I ushered the guard in, and he bowed. “Alpha, the Elders have arrived,” he informed me, and I could hear Lavender sniffling. I glanced at her and saw tears streaming down her face.