The Alpha's Stripper Mate: Sold To Be His.

XAVIER

Sending Nylah to the pack and bringing Ivy to the pack were different events that happened at the same time.

I'd agreed to a marriage with Ivy to stop the war that had lingered between both packs and I should be happy that the Alpha was giving his daughter to me for settlement.

But strangely, I was sad about it. It was a call for celebration but I was mourning on the inside.

The guard whom I put in charge of moving Nylah to the pack informed me when they arrived at the pack. As much as I wanted to be there, take her to the pack myself and walk her to her room, marking my boundary and giving a signal to the pack members to stay clear of her.

I couldn't because I went to bring my bride-to-be to the pack much to my dismay.

"Everything is set for the bonfire night, you have to be ready before eight." Brian informed me briefly before stepping out again to get something ready for the night.

I exhaled and poured some liquor into the cup and took a sip.

"Take my daughter with you, treat her with care, and remember, the unity of both packs lies with you both. On her return, if there are no complaints from her, we'll proceed with the marriage as planned, but otherwise, prepare for war."

Alpha Dmitri's words sounded in my mind as I took big gulps of the liquor as if to quench the effects his words had on me.

Shit!

I had to act right to avoid a war between both packs. This was the reasonable thing to do but everything about it seemed wrong to me.

I was never one to be pushed around by anyone but I felt like a child forced to eat his least favourite food.

"Alpha, your bride-to-be is here to see you." One of the guards announced by the door and knots formed in my stomach upon hearing him.

Ivy walked in seconds later in a shimmery white dress like a bride going for her after-party.

"How do I look?" She asked amidst smiles, her hands gesturing to her body.

'This is not a wedding ceremony, it's a bonfire night.' My wolf grumbled. It was no surprise that he didn't like Ivy, she wasn't our ideal woman and adding the fact that she took advantage of the situation to be my Luna displeased Arric.

"It's usually chilly outside at night. You should cover up a good amount of skin." I replied with a frown as I peeled my gaze from her exposed thighs.

"Don't worry about that, I can handle some cold, thanks to my wolf." Her sheepish smile irked me and I wanted nothing more than to be with Nylah, watch her fumble with words under my intoxicating presence and receive satisfaction from her fast beating heart.

"You're so thick on the outside, it's almost impossible to know what's going through your mind." She started, making small steps to where I sat.

"Let me guess, you like what you see but you don't know how to pull me close and express how you feel." She thought with her index finger tapping on her jaw.

She's the worst person I've ever heard think! Of all the things I could be craving at that moment, none involved having anything to do with her. On the contrary, I was thinking of a way to dismiss her.

"Go to your room. You'll be informed when it's time for the bonfire night." I said dismissively but she continued making her way towards me.

"I heard that the bonfire night is also a means to introduce me as your Luna-"

"Soon to be Luna" I corrected.

"What's the difference? My dad asked you to take good care of me, and that includes catering to my needs. I want you to touch me."

Not only was I displeased by her sense of entitlement, I was pissed because she thought I was one to be told what to do. She thinks because of my desire to end the war, I'd do whatever she asked me to do.

"Leave Ivy," I instructed and gulped down some more content of the cup.

"Touch me Alpha, I know you have a history of rough handling your women, I've always wanted you to touch me that way." She reached for the zipper at the back of her dress.

I never knew Alpha Dmitri's reserved daughter was a horny little slut, and as much as that would've aroused me on a normal day, I felt no urge to touch her or have anything to do with her.

If I was indeed going to marry her, then it would be for formality's sake, I don't plan on having an heir with the daughter of a corny Alpha.

I broke out of my thoughts just in time to see her almost peeling off her zipper and just then, the door swung open and Brian walked in with a straight face.

"It's time Alpha, everyone's waiting." He kept his gaze on me the whole time. I knew he must've seen what Ivy was doing but he knew well to act like he was oblivious.

"Let's go." I stood up from the sofa and strode towards the door but Ivy's voice called me back.

"Aren't you going to hold hands?" I frowned with gritted teeth and walked back to where she stood, pushed my elbow sideways and slid her hand through the created space to hold my hand.

The bonfire night was full and alive by the time we got there and I had a feeling it was because of the rumor that had spread around the pack about the introduction of the soon-to-be Luna of the pack. Everyone wanted to see who she was, and what she looked like.

However, the only person I was dying to see was Nylah. I hadn't seen her for almost a week and although I hated to admit it, I was missing her badly.

I could tell from the different reactions of the pack members, some of them approved while some others hated the idea but I kept my head up and focused on the event of that night while darting my eyes from side to side in search of Nylah.

'Just a glimpse, just a glimpse.'

After a while, I gave up on seeing her that night. She might've heard the rumors too and decided to lock herself inside the confines of her room.

Just when I gave up on seeing Nylah that night, I noticed a huge part of the crowd were more focused on something behind them than me or Ivy and I decided to find out what it was.

As I strode towards the reason for attraction, I noticed someone was drenched. From the long hair I saw, I knew it was a female but her hair covered a part of her face so I couldn't see her face.

A few more steps and my heart froze when I saw Nylah, drenched with a pungent liquor.

I looked around in search of who must've done that to her and I felt anger course through me when I saw a petite lady with a jug and a smug look on her face. The urge to strangle her until she begged for her life churned within me but I suppressed it with gritted teeth.

Not only will it arouse suspicions and side talks, but it'll also make Nylah become Alpha Dmitri's sworn enemy and might scatter the peace plan.

Breaking out of my thoughts, I noticed Nylah's gaze was on me, her expression sober and it was as though it said.

"You've finally shown your face after I was disgraced."

I peeled my gaze off her immediately to catch my breath and gather the courage to do what would be more painful than avoiding her.

"Go get yourself cleaned up, don't divert the attention of the people." I felt those knots again when she looked at me with unbelief.

It felt like a hundred thousand little pins were piercing my heart.

Unable to bear the pain I felt for putting Nylah in pain, I walked out of the scenery.

"Isn't that the lay you brought here today?" Brian asked, gesturing towards the crowd.

I nodded and he shook his head.

"And she's already getting bullied, I don't think she'll last a week here. You might just have brought her to her grave like the others."