Tymarie's Betrayal

Tymarie got into the limo and sat across from her parents.

"Let's go." She tapped on the driver's window to let him know they were ready to leave.

"Where's your sister?" Her mother asked.

"Tyla is still getting ready, and I don't have time to waste. I can't be late to my own Bride Pairing." She grabbed their champagne and poured herself a glass.

"Nonsense, we can wait a few minutes for her." Their mother began to roll down the window to let a servant know to get Tyla moving, but their father interrupted.

"No, Lisa, Tymarie is right," he said. "We don't have time for this. She has a ceremony to get ready for, and I have business matters to get to before the pairing starts. Tyla can take a different car. Let's go."

The limo began to move and Tymarie downed her champagne so there was none left to spill on her dress. It wasn't a long drive since the pairing was taking place at their territory's packhouse this year. She hated when the Bride Pairings were in dull towns or boring cities and her parents made her attend. Their pack only participated every few years, but the ceremonies took place once a year all over the world. Tymarie wished she could've been in an international pairing, like France or Japan, but packs all over the world were the past few decades and the board of the United States Pack Unity had ruled that all pairing stay within America until further notice. Bummer, because Tymarie felt like she had so much more to offer the world than being bride to some no name pack member in the states.

"It would be nice if you get paired with Nate Jackson. His mother and I go way back. They hardly live an hour away and her and I could do luncheons." Lisa was rattling on.

"That's not going to happen." Tyler sternly interrupted.

"Maybe the Windler's son, from Missouri? They have a great bloodline with lots of males and strong Alpha history.

"Enough." Tyler put his aura out strong to shut her mother up. The woman cowered back into her seat and closed her mouth. "It's already been decided. Tymarie will marry William Fitzgerald."

"What?" Tymarie asked. "We haven't even drawn rocks yet."

"You didn't?" Lisa looked at her husband with disappointment.

"Tymarie, you are a woman now. Let this be a lesson to you. We use every opportunity in this world to benefit ourselves and the pack. Everyone and everything can be bought for the right price." Her father went on. "Allowing you be paired at random could take the risk of wasting your pairing on some low rank male with no power."

"What are you even talking about?" Tymarie looked to her mother for answers, but she was just as shocked as her.

"You are the daughter of the Alpha to one of the largest packs in this country. I decide what happens. I control it. Do you understand me now?" The wolf inside of him lit his eyes yellow and a low growl rumbled within him.

"Fine. Whatever. Chill." Tymarie rolled her eyes at her father's unnecessary anger. "I'm fine with William Fitzgerald. I'm okay with your rigging it."

"I wasn't asking your permission." He growled again, but Tymarie just smiled and looked out the window. Her father didn't scare her like he scared all of his people. She actually thought it was comical and embarrassing on his part.

William Fitzgerald was from a pack not far away. It had been a while since she'd seen him, but he had been a decent looking teenager, a little older than her. It was no secret why her father would've rigged it to get them paired; the Fitzgerald's pack was large and powerful, not as large as Azzora, but her father saw power in numbers and connections. It helped ease her mind that William's family was rich too, which in all actuality mattered the most to her. She could deal with an ugly mate, as long as he had enough money to maintain her lifestyle.

"I have other business to see to." Tyler said as they pulled up out front of the packhouse. "I'll meet you inside."

Arriving at events like this with Alpha Tyler was like pulling up at the Oscars with a top celebrity. Being part of his bloodline meant red carpets and black-tie affairs. Tymarie loved to soak up all the commotion and attention that came with it. She stepped out of the limo and onto the red carpet as though she were a silver screen queen with fans surrounding her, but as she looked over to her right, she noticed a group of rough men that seemed out of place.

Wait, was that the Darkest Moon pack? It couldn't be. Why would they be here? Their pack was too low to be allowed a part in the Bride Pairing and she'd never seen them at events like this before. They stood out amongst the crowd, in their casual black shirts, jeans, and leather. They were a smaller group but known for their strength and fighting skills. Even the large powerful packs like her father's didn't dare start trouble with them. They were ruthless and unpredictable.

As she went by, one of the Darkest looked up and directly into her eyes. He was taller than any male she'd ever seen, with long brown hair that wildly fell down to his broad shoulders. His face was scarred and rough, but she couldn't help but think he was sexy in a forbidden way. She could see he was covered in tattoos, even around his neck, but what was most intimidating about this male was his deep intense stare that he held with her.

"Inside." Lisa pushed on her daughter's back, snapping Tymarie away from the moment and causing her to turn away from the male. "Get inside and don't look that way again."

Tymarie continued walking, but just as she was about to enter the building, she looked back one more time and saw that the Darkest male was still staring at her. She knew she shouldn't, but she smiled his way, and the male's eyes widened.

"Tymarie!" Her mother yanked her arm and pulled her inside. "Do you know who that was? That male would rip your throat out for looking at him the wrong way."

"Big deal. Wow, it's one of the Darkest Moon members. Who cares? I can look at anyone I want." Tymarie refreshed her lipstick and popped her lips at her mother.

"That's the damn Alpha of the Darkest, Ram Brooks. Do you want to start a pack war right here and now? I'm sure you've heard the stories."

"So."

"So, you know not to stare at him or anyone from his pack, no matter how big or powerful your father's pack is. There's just no need for blood. Now, go meet the other brides and get ready for the ceremony." Lisa straightened her dress, and her face went from concerned to happy in very quick phony second. "Glenda!" Her mother called out to another high up wife and disappeared into the crowd.

Tymarie hated that about her mother; the way she could be so fake and change in an instance, but Tymarie also knew that she could and would do the same thing. It was a trait the wealthy females all seemed to share. Their whole life would be smiling at the perfect moments and pushing away the real emotions that males demanded they keep to themselves.

Hundreds of members from all over the country had shown up for the event, maybe even a thousand, but she tried not to think about the numbers as she made her way back to the meeting area. There was no room for nervousness. Besides, her father had already rigged the pairing and she knew she had a good match.

"You look amazing." Annie was standing there in her own sky-blue dress. Tymarie couldn't say the same to the girl. She looked okay, but not amazing.

"I like your dress." Tymarie told her instead. "And your hair is pretty."

"Thank you." The girl seemed pleased at the compliments.

There were two dozen females, and the same number of males. Annie was the only other female from their pack. Her father was a politician in the human world, very helpful to the packs even though the humans knew nothing of their existence. Tyler had surely been involved in Annie getting picked as a bride to benefit himself as well.

Annie was babbling on about something irrelevant that Tymarie wasn't listening about, when she noticed the girl stop talking. Her eyes widened and she looked frightened. Tymarie turned around to see Ram Brooks walking towards them.

"Hurry, let's go." Annie grabbed her arm and tugged her, but Tymarie didn't move, she stayed still and silent, her eyes glaring into the rugged males. The girl disappeared quickly before the male got closer.

"Her." Ram pointed at Tymarie. "Bring her."

A large man from Ram's Darkest Moon Pack came around and reached for Tymarie. She swatted at him.

"Don't touch me!" She smacked his hands. The male laughed and reached again. "How dare you! Do you know who I am? Do you know who my father is?"

"Damn it, just shut her up already, Payne." Ram commanded his man.

The male, Payne, grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth. She was outraged and mortified as he picked her up off the ground like a child in one arm, on hand still over her mouth and kept her quiet. Luckily, they were in a private area of the packhouse, not out for all to see. Still, all the Chosen Brides and Grooms were watching as the two Darkest males stormed down the hall with her slung over Payne's arm like a ragdoll. At the end of the hall, there was a private room where Payne tossed her onto the floor.

"This one." Ram pointed down at Tymarie.

She looked up and saw her father standing there with a few of his own men. Good, she was safe now.

"That is my daughter." Tyler told him. "You can't have her, she's one of tonight's chosen brides."

"I don't give a fuck about your people's made-up bullshit." He pointed down at her again. "You want this deal, then she's the debt you owe."

Tyler turned to his Beta Greg who stood beside him, and they whispered a few words to one another.

"Deal." Tyler agreed.

"Father!" Tymarie called out. "You can't be serious? You can't allow this!"

"Shut your mouth." Tyler yelled as his Alpha aura filled the room, but just as it hit her senses, another stronger aura covered his. Ram's aura was unlike any she's ever felt before. It was terrifying, and overwhelming.

"Tyler, if you fuck me over on this arrangement, I'll pass your daughter around my pack to repay your debt." Ram threatened Tyler, but her father didn't seem bothered by the threat. "And then we'll come for you. And I will murder you and everyone in your bloodline. It won't be a fast death, I promise that. I will enjoy each second of it."

The second threat seemed to rattle Tyler more. He was trying not to show it, but Tymarie could see how uneasy her father was by words.

"You can't do this!" Tymarie screamed at them. "I am a chosen bride! I have a duty! The moon has chosen me. The packs have chosen me!"

"Get the girl." Ram directed Payne.

"No!" Tymarie refused.

Just as she was prepared to fight, her father nodded at his Beta, and Greg came forward. She was relieved, expecting that he was now going to help save her from these filthy males, but to her surprise he hit her upside the head, knocking her unconscious.