Chapter five

Aria’s Pov -

Today is the dreaded day. On the day of the ball, all 18-year-olds have the day off to prepare. I start by showering and dying my hair. I go downstairs I walk into my kitchen my mom is making breakfast.

“Hi dear. Ready for the day?” she asks me

I sit at the kitchen Island and say “I am ready to go to the ball and not find my goddess-given mate so I can finally marry Julian.”

My mom smiles at me “ I know your father had selfish reasons for this arrangement but I am so glad it worked out and you found love”

I thank her and then she gasps and smiles so big. “Aria did Julian pop the question ?” So I smile and say “Yes”

“Omg, this is so exciting. We need to find a dress and flowers and a band and of course a venue.” my mom says getting so excited. About the wedding but I stop her.

“ Mom I know you're excited but we need to get through the ball first.” she calms down and agrees we eat breakfast then I hear a knock at the door. I walk over and I smell this amazing scent like a fire pit on a summer night. It's addicting and Intoxicating. I open the door it's my future alpha Leo. “Mate,” we both say at the same time. After I regain myself from the shock. I nod my head in a bow.

“Alpha Leo, I apologize for my lack of manners.” he smiles and puts his hands on my shoulder and these tingles radiate through me. I never want him to move his hand. I never want to be apart from him.

“Aria can we talk privately ?” he asks me

“Sure” I respond we go to sit outside on my deck.

“Aria I know you feel it too. You're my goddess-given mate,” he says. Of course, I feel it

“Yes I feel it but I am already engaged to be married to Julian,” I tell him.

I can't help loving being around him, smelling him, looking at him, feeling his eyes on me. I feel everywhere his eyes are by the magical tingling sensation.

“You’re father wanted a powerful lineage you can’t get more powerful than an alpha,” he says

“I know… but it isn’t just about what my father wants. It is about what I want what my heart wants. I love Julian and I said yes to his marriage proposal.”

“I completely understand that You have loved Julian for the past 4 years your heart knows him. But what about us? You never gave me a chance or given us a chance. Don't we deserve that?

I already feel the pull. I feel it when you look at me when we touch even just from thinking of you. Aria the minute I caught your scent I couldn't stop thinking about you and now that I know it is you I know it is wrong. you’re my best friend's fiance. I never wished for this to happen. All I wanted was for you both to be happy. But now that I feel this connection to you. Now that I know you I need you I want you. I want to know all about you and I want the chance to love and treat you the way that I was supposed to.” He says.

“I wish things would have been easier. I wish that I was never put into an arrangement and that I could have found my mate the normal way. But I also wish my mate could have been Julian It would have made things a lot simpler.” I tell him

“I understand that,” he says

“We also have already taken our relationship to the next level,” I explain hoping this would end the conversation.

My father John comes stumbling up the stairs.

“Father,” I say

“Alpha, Aria to what do I owe the pleasure?” he asks

“Sir I am your daughter Goddess-Given Mate,” Leo informs him I wish he didn’t though. My father's brown eyes light up his skinny weak persona with his salt and pepper hair you can see that he is excited.

“My daughter a future Luna. An alpha is way better than a beta.” my father says

So I look at my father and say “This isn't about rank I love Julian.”

My father looks at me and says “This arrangement was never about love it was about power.” I go to object “Enough you will leave Julian and marry the alpha end of discussion.” He walks away “Actually I won't. I have already promised myself to Julian.” he turns around and violently grabs my arm. “Who do you think you're talking to like that.” I just say “Father you are hurting me.” with that I hear a Growl that makes my skin shiver in fear from behind me and my father lets go of my arm immediately and I am instantly pulled behind Leo.

“You may have your feelings about this situation at the moment but you will not touch her like that again do you understand?” Leo says using his alpha tone.

“I apologize alpha. You will either marry the alpha or you will be banished from my house.

I run upstairs and pack my things including my dress and shoes for the ball and walk downstairs. “Where are you going my love ?” my mother questions

“I just found out that Alpha Leo and I are mates and now dad found out and is trying to force us to get married. However I am already engaged to Leo and he is the one who has my heart. I told him that I am getting married to Julian, so he kicked me out. I am going to stay at Julian’s” I say and then walk out.

I feel Leo hot on my tail. “Aria please wait.” He calls after me. Once I am far enough from my house I stop and turn around “Yes Alpha Leo.” I say keeping it professional.

“Aria I told you, call me Leo, you are my mate after all.” He tells me.

“Yes Leo “ I say.

”I know for years you have been set on marrying Julian … but that was before you found your mate… Please give me a chance … please give us a chance.” He begsq

I feel bad that this isn’t easier. That he has to beg me his goddess given mate for a chance to have what we deserve. But can’t he see why this gets me so upset. My father only cares that he has an successful lineage, He does not care about my feelings my heart my love. He cares about himself. No matter how strong our line gets it wont make him any stronger. He is the weakest warrior we have. It makes me almost wish that I would have a weak mate so that he was not so focused on marrying me off to the highest bidder so to speak.

I know that neither Julian nor I planned this and we were not happy about it at first. However, we love each other and we want to be together and I know that messes with the Moon Goddess plan for her perfect Mate pair especially to an alpha but how m I supposed to just turn off my feelings? How am I supposed to just change everything I have envisioned for myself? For my Future.

”Leo I know you Feel the bond to me and I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel it too. But I need you to understand I have loved Julian for Four years,I have planned a life with him, I have fallen in love with him. I know this isn’t fair to you or to Julian or to myself. I just can’t turn my feelings off like a light switch. I can’t just change my plan for my life and even if we can, how would you fit into everything I would like for my life? “ I tell him

“ I know that these things are hard changes for you. I know you were not expecting to find me and I was not expecting to find you. Not this quickly, not here, and I never expected my mate to be my Beta’s fiancé. I feel like the worst friend ever. But all of these things that you know about Julian and have planned with Julian that didn’t happen overnight with you two. You can’t expect it to happen overnight for us either.” He says to me and he is making a good point.

What am I thinking? I am in a relationship. I can’t think that this could work. I can’t betray my husband to be. I look at Leo and say “ I can’t make any promises or decisions now. I need time to think and time to talk to Julian.”

“I understand and I will be here for you whenever you are ready.” He tells me,

We walk up to Julian's house and we part ways.