✿ Zoltan's POV

“Don't waste my time, Mr. Yule. Your ten minutes are up and you haven't said anything sensible to me about the new feature we're adding to the houses we're yet to build” I stated.

He gulped visibly and I noticed how he was sweating. The AC was on at full blast. I sighed.

“Mr. Yule —”

“If I may, Mr. MacQuoid” Geneva, my cousin interrupted me.

I looked at her and reluctantly nodded.

“I think Mr. Yule made very excellent points with this presentation,” she said.

I arched a brow.

“Really?”

She nodded and moved to the touchscreen monitor.

“For instance, let's look at the...”

Loud voices reached my ears and I tuned Geneva out, trying to see if I could figure out what it was. The voices just grew louder and I raised a hand, stopping my cousin.

“You know what, if Mr. Yule's presentation makes sense to you, let's go with that,” I said and stood up.

“Sir?” she asked, surprised.

I nodded and buttoned the middle of my jacket.

“I'll review it tomorrow and we'll pick it up on Monday. Have a good weekend.”

I turned out of the conference room.

“Sybil?” I called out, knowing she was behind me.

“Yes sir?”

“Find out what that commotion is all about and make it stop” I instructed. “But before that, tell Warren to see me in my office.”

“Right away, Mr. MacQuoid.”

We pathed ways and I headed straight to my office. I took a seat behind my desk and drummed my fingers on the desk. Eamonn Barlowe's seventy-two hours were almost up and I hadn't heard a thing from the old man.

A knock reached my ears.

“Any updates on the Eamonn Barlowe situation?” I asked, not bothering to look up from my laptop.

“No, nothing” Warren answered.

“And the spies?”

“Barlowe hasn't left his home since we went over there.”

Damm that man!

“Zoltan, is this really necessary?” he asked.

I looked up at him.

“Is what really necessary?”

“Marrying Barlowe's grandchild.”

I sat up.

“Are you suggesting I just let the thirty million go?”

Warren pulled a seat opposite me and sat down.

“Get Nexus Vale instead. He offered it right? And get his other lands” he said. “Is marrying that...” he struggled with his choice of adjectives, “... the girl... is that worth it?”

I chuckled.

“You saw how Eamonn Barlowe caved when we brought up his grandchild, right? That girl is his core and I won't stop until I hit him where it really hurts. And when he finally gets to hell, I'll be part owner of everything he leaves to his grandchild. It's a win-win.”

Warren rolled his eyes.

“It's not a win-win if she looks like that, Zoltan. That's not the type of woman you should be marrying” he groaned. “Just look how Allison was—”

“Warren!” I barked.

He stopped and lowered his head.

“Forgive me. I forgot she's not to be—”

“Never forget again, Warren. Or I'll forget we've been friends since our childhood” I growled.

Damm you, Allison!

He nodded.

“If we don't hear anything from Eamonn Barlowe and his seventy-two hours are up, we'll go to the council,” I told him.

“Yes Alpha” Warren responded. “Would you like me to do anything else?”

I stared at my laptop's screen.

“Check in with Syb—”

“Miss, I'm sorry but you can't go in there without an appointment!” we heard Sybil say loudly.

The reply that followed was a bit muffled. I looked towards the door.

“Maybe I should check out what all that commotion is about” Warren suggested and got up.

He moved towards the door.

“I asked Sybil to but I guess a firmer hand is need to keep all that chaos under con—”

“Hey! Stop!” Sybil screamed.

The door to my office opened with such force that would have seriously injured Warren if he hadn't been quick to jump out of the way.

“I'm really sorry Mr. MacQuoid. I tried to stop her!” Sybil exclaimed, panting heavily.

I waved her off.

“It's okay, Sybil. I'll handle it” I said.

She nodded and left the office with relief all over her face. Warren frowned at the woman standing by the door, who for some reason had on a motorcycle helmet.

“Are you going to question her or should I?” he asked me furiously through the mind link.

“Miss, can I help you?” I asked.

She turned away from the door and faced me.

Why is she wearing a helmet?

She walked directly up to me, took off the helmet, and slammed it loudly on my desk.

Okayy.

I took a slight look at the helmet before raising my eyes back to the girl. She rested both her hands on my desk and leaned forward. I held back a chuckle and looked straight into her eyes, waiting to see what she's take off next.

“I don't know what kind of sick game you have planned out but I'm warning you Mr, if you don't cut it out, you'll be sorry” she growled lowly in my face.

I could tell the way I just sat there with zero expressions on my face disturbed her but she retained her position and kept glaring at me.

“Do I know you?” I asked calmly.

Her brows furrowed and she leaned away from my desk, folding her arms across her chest.

“Oh so you can't even recognize the woman you're hell-bent on destroying Eamonn Barlowe for if you don't marry?” she asked, a sarcastically amused look on her face.

I slightly arched a brow.

That's Barlowe's granddaughter?!

From the corner of my eye, I saw Warren's equally stunned reaction. I leaned back against my chair and took a good look at her.

She wasn't unpleasant to look at, not at all. She was tall and voluptuous, had the strangest shade of green hair, and the most captivating honey brown eyes I'd ever seen.

“I see. So you're she” I stated.

She frowned.

“Look, I don't care about you or anything that has to do with you okay? But I need you to stop with the threats, okay? I'm not going to marry you. This isn't the bater system or slave trade. So if you don't lay off my grandfather, you'll regret it!” she ranted.

I took in a deep breath and stood up. She took a few steps back and I smirked. I slowly walked away from my seat and stopped in front of her.

“No” I let out.

She blinked.

“I'm sorry, no?” she questioned.

“No” I repeated.

Her frown returned.

“Who the heck do you think you are?!” she fumed.

I slowly slipped both my hands into my pockets.

“Tell me something” I sighed. “What were you expecting to happen? You'd storm in here, give a long yet empty and very unnecessary threat and everything would be settled?”

She didn't reply.

“Well I'll tell you what's going to happen,” I said calmly. “We're getting married. And even if the goddess herself descended, I'm not going to change my decision.”

She narrowed her eyes at me.

“Look Mr. MacQuoid or whatever you call yourself, I'm not ready to get married. If I want a man, imma get a man. And if I'm ready to get married, trust me, it wouldn't be to someone as self-centered as you!” she snared.

She relaxed her shoulders and leaned back a little.

“And besides” she chuckled, eyeing me up and down. “You're not my type.”

I wasn't her type?

I smiled.

“Just like you weren't Alpha Anton's, eight years ago.”

The smug look on her face disappeared and it was replaced by shame and terror, whilst at the same time, her honey-brown eyes reflected a lot of hurt.

I chuckled quietly.

“Don't worry. Even with your new figure and eccentric looks, you're not my type either. This marriage is solely for monetary benefits.”

That seemed to get her emotions to somehow spark back to life.

“You're really full of yourself aren't you? You think the world just happens to revolve around you?”

I bobbed my head.

“You have no idea.”

“Look here you lousy and highly inconsiderate person” she sneered, as she uncrossed her arms and jabbed her index finger in my chest, with each word she let out. “I'm going to ask you to cut the crap and leave my family alone or we're going to have an issue.”

“The only issue you and your family are going to have will be when I go to the council and report that bastard. It's going to get real when your grandfather’s company along with all his remaining fortune; Nexus Vale included, of course, come crashing down with all of you in it” I growled. “So I suggest you watch your tone with me.”

She was getting frustrated.

Just like her old man.

“This is absolutely insane! You're insane!”

I just looked at her.

“We're getting married, mm? Get over it already.”

She scoffed nastily.

“You don't even know my name!” she shrieked.

I shrugged.

“So?”

“So?” she let out more aggravated than before. “You don't know my name yet you've already thought of getting married?!”

“If I knew your name, would you quit whining?”

“No!”

“Exactly,” I said.

She huffed and threaded her slender fingers through her hair.

“You can't force me to do anything, Zoltan!”

She knew my name?

“You know my name” I chuckled.

“I googled you, you idiot” she let out.

I found her lame attempts at insulting me cute and amusing.

“You know, I'm not forcing you to do anything, right? Don't be dramatic” I said. “And besides, your other options aren't very promising. So I'd suggest you drop the Wonder Woman attitude and stand by my side as my bride. It's not that hard. All you have to do is stand there and smile.”

“Well too bad because I don't take orders from assholes like you, Zoltan James MacQuoid!” she countered confidently, maintaining eye contact.

“Then I guess I'll have to teach you how to take orders after I put a leash on your tongue!” I snapped back.

That was all it took to make her crack. But she didn't say a word. She just grabbed her helmet and turned around in one swift motion. I took her arm, stopping her. The look she shot me over her shoulder was enough to get the message that she didn't like to be touched. I let her go and stepped back behind my desk.

“Since it's clear that you're not going to win, let's do this shall we?” I stated and reached into the bottom drawer in my desk.

I picked up the black velvet box inside the drawer and opened it to show her the pear-shaped three-carat Cullinan diamond ring inside.

“Hand” I instructed.

She frowned again.

“Did you not hear a single word I just said?” she asked. “I'm never going to marry you so do your wor...”.

I moved away from my desk yanked her left hand towards me and slipped the ring on her ring finger. She froze as she stared at it on her finger for a while. Then her frown returned and she began to slip the ring off her finger.

“Take it off and it'll be the last thing you ever do.”

She stopped and looked at me.

“Are you threatening me?”

“I'm giving you the chance to save yourself and your pathetic grandfather. But you're welcome to start the war. Be my guest.”

She put her hand away and I smiled just as she turned away from me before quickening her pace towards the door.

“And more thing” I called out just as she took hold of the doorknob.

She stood still.

“Meet me at my house tomorrow night. I'll hold an official pack meeting where I'll introduce you to everyone and announce our engagement” I informed her. “Don't be late... and do something about that hair.”

Her knuckles tightened on the doorknob before she turned it, stepped out, and slammed it firmly shut. I let out a quick breath.

“And you still don't see what's wrong with all of this?” Warren asked.

I chuckled.

“She'll get over it.”

“And where'd you get that ring? When did you buy it? Did you know she would be coming here?”

I walked back behind my desk and sat down... closing the bottom drawer.

“I've had it for years, Warren,” I said. “I was going to give it to... you know... before she let me know of her other plans.”

He just looked at me. A knock came on the door and Garrard stepped in.

“Am I interrupting, Alpha Zolt?” he asked.

I sat up.

“No, not at all. What is it?”

“I just got word that Barlowe's granddaughter is back in town,” he said. “It only means Barlowe is going to accept the marriage proposal.”

I placed both of my hands on the table.

“I know, Garrard.”

He pushed his glasses further up his nose.

“You do?”

“Yes. Actually you just missed her and the engagement.”

Garrard arched his brow.

“Ulyana was here?”

Ulyana? That was her name?

I nodded anyways.

“Interesting girl.”

“If by interesting you mean insane then yes, she's very interesting” Warren rolled his eyes.

I shook my head.

“You got her to agree to marry you?” Garrard asked.

“She didn't... and still doesn't have any other better choice, Garrard” I chuckled. “And besides, I'm Zoltan MacQuoid, Alpha of the Moonstone Pack. I never lose.”

✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽

✿ Ulyana's POV

“Do I know you?” he asked calmly.

My brows furrowed for a second. He seriously didn't know who I was?

I folded my arms across my chest.

“Oh, so you can't even recognize the woman you're hell-bent on destroying Eamonn Barlowe for if you don't marry?” I asked, finding it funny at how stupid he really was.

“I see. So you're she” he stated in what sounded like a disappointing tone.

The nerve of this man!

“Look, I don't care about you or anything that has to do with you okay? But I need you to stop with the threats, okay? I'm not going to marry you. This isn't the bater system or slave trade. So if you don't lay off my grandfather, you'll regret it!” I warned.

I watched him take in a deep breath before rising to his feet. His muscled body made me rethink my decision of coming here and I took a few steps back. He moved away from his seat, past his table, and stopped when he was in front of me.

“No” he let out, the mock shining in his amber eyes.

I blinked and lowered my head from all the looking up I didn't even realize I was doing

“I'm sorry, no?” I questioned, fighting back the stutter.

“No” he repeated.

My frown returned.

“Who the heck do you think you are?!” I fumed.

He calmly slipped both his hands into the pockets of his pants suit.

“Tell me something,” he asked, his voice equally matching his frustratingly calm demeanor. “What were you expecting to happen? You'd storm in here, give a long yet empty and very unnecessary threat and everything would be settled?”

I looked away for a split second, trying to think of a good reply for him.

“Well I'll tell you what's going to happen,” he continued. “We're getting married. And even if the goddess herself descends, I'm not going to change my decision.”

I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Look Mr. MacQuoid or whatever you call yourself, I'm not ready to get married. If I want a man, imma get a man. And if I'm ready to get married, trust me, it wouldn't be to someone as self-centered as you!” I snared.

Then I relaxed and leaned back a little.

“And besides” I chuckled, eyeing him up and down. “You're not my type” I let out rudely.

He just smiled.

He didn't doubt his looks?

“Just like you weren't Alpha Anton's, eight years ago.”

My smirk was quick to disappear and I looked away.

He knew about what happened eight years ago?

“Don't worry. Even with your new figure and eccentric looks, you're not my type either. This marriage is solely for monetary benefits” he chuckled.

My eyes snapped back onto his face. Had he not heard a thing I said?

“You're really full of yourself aren't you? You think the world just happens to revolve around you?”

He bobbed his head.

“You have no idea.”

“Look here you lousy and highly inconsiderate person” I sneered, uncrossing my arms and jabbing my index finger in his chest, with each word I let out. “I'm going to ask you to cut the crap and leave my family alone or we're going to have an issue.”

“The only issue you and your family are going to have will be when I go to the council and report that bastard. It's going to get real when your grandfather’s company along with all his remaining fortune; Nexus Vale included, of course, come crashing down with all of you in it” he growled. “So I suggest you watch your tone with me.”

It got me riled up and I shook my head in disbelief.

“This is absolutely insane! You're insane!”

He just stared at me.

“We're getting married, mm? Get over it already.”

He was bent on ruining my life. I scoffed nastily.

“You don't even know my name!” my blood boiled.

He just shrugged.

“So?”

“So?” I repeated, more aggravated than before. “You don't know my name yet you've already thought of getting married?!”

“If I knew your name, would you quit whining?”

“No!”

“Exactly,” he let out.

I huffed and threaded a hand through my hair.

“You can't force me to do anything, Zoltan!” I fumed.

“You know my name” he stated instead of questioning.

“I googled you, you idiot” I angrily said.

This man was a spawn from hell. He was oddly sarcastic and held no emotions. And he was Alpha? These people were doomed.

“You know, I'm not forcing you to do anything, right? Don't be dramatic” he reasoned. “And besides, your other options aren't very promising. So I'd suggest you drop the Wonder Woman attitude and stand by my side as my bride. It's not that hard. All you have to do is stand there and smile.”

I shook my head.

“Well too bad because I don't take orders from assholes like you, Zoltan James MacQuoid!” I countered confidently, not afraid to maintain eye contact this time.

“Then I guess I'll have to teach you how to take orders after I put a leash on your tongue!” he snapped, his voice laced with a threatening tone.

This is useless, Ulyana. Get out while you can.

Grabbing my helmet off his desk, I turned around in one swift motion. But before I could take another step, a strong hand gripped my arm, stopping me from leaving.

I shot him a look over my shoulder and he got the message and let go of me.

“Since it's clear that you're not going to win, let's do this shall we?” he stated and reached into a drawer in his desk.

Is it a gun?

He held out a black velvet box inside the drawer and opened it to show me the pear-shaped three-carat Cullinan diamond ring inside.

Oh, it's worse than a gun!

“Hand” he instructed.

I felt my expression automatically change into a frown.

“Did you not hear a single word I just said?” I asked. “I'm never going to marry you so do your wor...”

Before I could complete my sentence, he walked away from his desk and yanked my left hand forcefully. And before I had time to react, the ring was out of the box and on my ring finger. The familiar weight of the shining diamond terrified me.

This isn't happening!

My head was spinning. It was just like with Anton. But at least then, he pretended to be in love with me, and my seventeen-year-old self was completely infatuated with him that I couldn't tell it was all a lie.

Now I was engaged to this bitter and cold-hearted man? I looked up from the ring at him and realized he was truly insane. I shook my head in disbelief.

Oh hell no!

I circled the ring with my fingers and began to slip it off my finger.

“Take it off and it'll be the last thing you ever do.”

I stopped.

“Are you threatening me?” I asked.

“I'm giving you the chance to save yourself and your pathetic grandfather. But you're welcome to start the war. Be my guest.”

I looked into his eyes and I could see that he meant it. My heart began to pound so loudly that it reached my ears. I'd never felt this frustratingly helpless.

I put my hand away and he smiled. I wasn't going to have him walk all over me any longer so I turned away from him and hurried towards the door.

“And more thing” he suddenly called out just as I'd taken a hold of the doorknob.

I stood still. And once again I felt forced to listen.

“Meet me at my house tomorrow night. I'll hold an official pack meeting where I'll introduce you to everyone and announce our engagement. Don't be late... and do something about that hair.”

My knuckles whitened as I squeezed the doorknob. He was the devil. I turned the doorknob and stepped out, slamming it firmly shut behind me. I didn't stop till I got to the elevator and finally gave in to the overwhelming feeling that kept washing over me.

I was going to have to marry the devil.

Thank you for reading!
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See you!
~the_atticwriter