Stuck Between A Rock And A Hard Place

Mirabella

"What am I going to do?" I asked Lucia.

"Mira, I don't know." She sighed, running her finger down the fabric. That signaled that she was thinking. Because her answer had come out almost absentmindedly.

We were at the clothing store shopping for new clothes. It was a routine we did once in two weeks.

"I'm so confused and tired." My stance was weak and resigned. My impending nuptials with Beta Dowager was weighing heavily on my mind. Recently, I have had a difficult time resting properly because of anxiety and fear that my choices will be taken away from me. And if I allowed that to happen, I wasn't sure that I will be able to recover from that.

"We will get through this together, I promise." She squeezed my fingers gently with a weak smile on her face.

I knew she was trying to placate and make me feel at ease.

"Malik, we are done with pot selections," Lucia announced.

"Madam, are these the only items?" The shop attendant frowned in confusion. Whenever we went shopping, we usually bought in bulk. Malik was disappointed because the items we bought today were small compared to our usual haul.

"Yes Malik. Please pack them up, my guards will take them to the car."

We stopped at the cafeteria close by to relax ourselves and eat some food. I was famished, which I suspected was an effect of my rising dynamic. I haven't even disclosed to Lucia about my suspicions that I could be an Omega.

"What are you thinking about?" Lucia's eyebrows were creased in concentration. It was obvious she was thinking of how to help me out of my dilemma.

"Do you still have those forged documents?" Lucia asked me after the server had brought our orders.

"Huh?"

"Swallow or just nod." She smiled wryly, teasing me.

I nodded, quickly swallowing the food that was in my mouth.

"Yes, why are you asking?"

"Do you remember what we planned years ago when we were younger?"

"We did plan a lot of things. What are you specifically asking about?" My stomach was filled with dread. I understood where Lucia was going with all these but I was not brave enough to say it.

"Common Mira. Of course you do know what I'm talking about."

"That's not an option." I whispered, staring at my almost empty plate.

'And neither is marrying that old fart against your will an option. You can't do that because not only will you lose yourself, you will be miserable for the rest of your life." Her cruel words cut into me but her eyes were gentle.

This was Lucia, always the honest friend who was more realistic than anyone I have ever met.

"I know but I have considered that option." If I was honest with myself and Lucia, it was the first option that infiltrated my mind.

"In this case Mira, you only have two choices; it's either you marry Beta Dowager or you run away to The King's City."

"And what if I decide to,"

"You know it won't work." Lucia cut me off, shaking her head.

The other alternative was to bring the case forth against Cornelius to the Alpha's Council of our town. If they contemplated on the case

"You don't have an Alpha male relative from your dad's line to represent you. It will be like hitting at thin air." They won't give me the audience if I can't present an Alpha to represent me.

But I knew that and I was still going to try because I was the head of my household. I was the one that brought back my family's respect after my father died and Cornelius ran our finances to the ground from spending too much and making nothing in return.

And I thought it was a fair issue to raise to the Alpha's council. The different households in a town paid a certain amount of money into the coffers of the royal family monthly. I had been able to barely bring back the household back from the brink of destruction.

"Damn it." I fought the urge to swipe at my teary eyes.

"I know you don't want to leave because of me, but it's the only alternative that we both have. I can't bear to see your suffer and I won't forgive myself if I watch you get married to that old bastard." She sniffed, holding my left hand. Lucia never cried, she wasn't someone that believed

"I don't want to go." I pressed her hand searching for comfort.

"Neither do I. But it's for the greater good. Promise me that you will think about it?"

"I will." I answered after a few minutes of silence.

"Thank you." She squeezed my hand in relief.

Lucia dropped me at home after we finished our lunch. I decided to spend my day off from my teaching job in the office. So I was in there looking at some of the records from the store. I was tidying up the balance sheet for last month to see if we were on the safe side or not.

"What are you doing here?" Cornelius barged in.

"I should be asking you that." I didn't bother looking up from my work.

Cornelius has been getting on my last nerve after he announced his intentions with Beta Dowager.

I heard him take a deep breath. We both needed that, at least he was trying to be civil.

"With your impending nuptials to Beta Dowager, I think it's high time that you start transferring all these duties to me." His smirk was downright annoying as always.

"In due time, I will." But not to you. I finished that statement in my head.

That was going to be my revenge. The things that I was setting up in place was going to shock Cornelius and make him livid with anger.

His eyes widened not expecting my compliance.

"Well, well that's good. You see Mirabella, things will go well for the both of us if you just listen to me." His countenance was much relaxed.

The only thing I could do was nod and hold in the words that were threatening to burst out of my mouth.

"And Beta Dowager wants to have dinner with you. What time will you be free?"

"My week is all booked down. I will let you know when I'm free."

Selfish urchin. I whispered to myself.

"Alright, I will leave you to get back to your work." I nodded watching him leave.

I had to be real fast with my plans before Cornelius suspected that I was up to no good. Because I sure as hell was not going to be Beta Dowager's fifth wife.

The next thing I needed to do was to book an appointment with my gynaecologist as soon as possible.