The Lycan Kingpin's Captive: A Baby For The Beast

Beta's Runaway Bride: 7 - Xiomara

Things between Maxim and me seem to be progressing. By progressing, I mean we’re civil to each

other now and I don’t feel like I want to kill him. Now I just want to lightly strangle him.

He doesn’t bother me and I don’t bother him. We keep out of each other’s way and I find it surprisingly

pleasant when I’m sitting on the balcony in my bedroom just staring over the estate.

It’s beautiful here, but I am way too stubborn to appreciate the beauty.

Luna Mia hasn’t been back since I saw her last, apparently, her son has a bit of a cold so she’s

reluctant to leave his side. It’s understandable and I’m actually glad she’s a caring Luna - unlike most

out there.

A knock sounds at my bedroom door and I frown; when I walk over to open it, I get more of a surprise

when I see Maxim standing there. “Luna Mia wants me to take you to the packhouse so you can meet

the other brides. Are you okay to go?”

I blink when I realize he’s actually asking me if I’m okay to go. Out of the house. With him. He’s never

asked me how I feel about something, he’s always just ordered; this in itself is a major improvement.

“S-sure! Let me just grab my boots and coat,” I stammer as I walk over to my closet. Maxim had clothes

bought for me, all perfectly in my size and style. Thanking him for that was even harder than realizing I

might have been wrong about him.

He waits for me outside the bedroom door with his arms crossed, and when I walk out, he gently places

a hand on my lower back to lead me.

I take a deep breath as we walk through the wooded area leading to the main packhouse, and a bright

smile crosses my face. This is as much freedom as I’m going to get and I’m going to savor every

moment of it!

“And that smile?” Maxim asks after a while and I turn my head to look at him.

“I was raised in a gilded cage, but I love the outdoors,” I say while taking another deep breath. “This is

my favorite part of the year, too; watching the greenery fade to deep browns and maroons. It reminds

me that everything needs to go through a change to come out vibrant and beautiful again. That even

death can bring about beauty when given time.”

Maxim blinks, seemingly surprised by my words but I don’t let it get to me. Instead, I take in the floating

dead leaves on the breeze and smile again. Would he let me come out here by myself, I wonder?

“You know, you’re allowed to walk around the estate,” he says, not looking my way. “You don’t need to

sit in the house all day.”

I stop walking as his words hit me and a warmth slips into my heart. “Really?” I ask and my voice

cracks a little. “I can come out here and enjoy the weather?”

He chuckles mirthlessly and nods his head. “I told you before you’re not a prisoner, Xiomara; you can

come out of the house, too,” he says and places his black gloved hands into the pockets of his cargo

pants.

To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel about Maxim’s sudden change toward me. I mean, I am thankful

he’s no longer an asshole but this is something I didn’t expect to come from him. Is there an angle to

this? Is he waiting for me to let my guard down or something?

Before I can overthink things further, I see a beautiful stone mansion come into view; it’s the one I see

peeking out over the trees on a daily basis. It’s even more beautiful up close and definitely old; seems

like this Alpha must come from old money.

Instead of leading me up the stone steps, Maxim walks around the back of the mansion. With our trust

in each other already so fragile, I don’t question where he’s taking me but it’s revealed to me as soon

as we head into the garden.

Six women, five of whom I met on our first drive over here, are seated around a circular wrought-iron

table decked with snacks and wine. They’re all smiling genuine smiles as if they’re not unhappy to be

prisoners here.

This makes me feel slightly apprehensive; now I feel all alone again. They look like they’ve come to

terms with being chosen wives and I’m about to sigh when I see the man standing next to Luna Mia

and saying something that gets the women laughing.

My body stills when I take in the tattooed beast of a man, which I am certain is Alpha Nikolaos. He has

striking green eyes, and dark slicked-back hair, is tall and broad, and looks every bit as deadly as his

reputation. This is the man I ran away from, the man who holds my future in his hands.

I thought Maxim scared me…but this man terrifies me.

“Xiomara?” Maxim’s voice cuts through my fear and I turn my head to look at him. I didn’t realize that

I’d stopped walking when he came to stand in front of me. “Hey, are you okay?”

I blink a few times and swallow deeply before I slowly nod. “Y-yes… It’s just the first time I’m seeing

Alpha Nikolaos,” I admit.

Maxim’s jaw clenches when I say this, as if he’s not happy that his Alpha scares me. But anyone being

in the presence of this man would feel the same way I do. My fight or flight response is telling me to

hightail it the fuck out of here.

“Yea, Niko has that effect on people…only that’s not Niko, but his twin brother, Bastien,” he says, then

gestures to behind me. “That’s Niko.”

When I turn my head to where he’s pointing, my heart jumps into my throat and a deathly cold shiver

shoots up my spine. Where the other man made me feel fear, this man…makes me feel like I’m

hanging over the precipice to meet death.

There’s nothing behind his eyes, no warmth like the man standing with Luna Mia…and he’s staring

right at me.

My breath hitches and I take a step backward, but Maxim wraps his arms around my waist and pulls

me closer. “Hey, it’s okay-”

“He’s going to kill me,” I whisper, burying my face into his chest. I am not going to survive here, not with

that man as my Alpha, and especially not since I tried to run away from him.

Maxim gently strokes my hair and hides me from view. “You’re mine, he won’t touch you,” he whispers

into my hair. “You have nothing to be scared of, Xiomara, I promise.”

I take a deep breath and allow what Maxim has just said to sink in; I’m his. I belong to the Beta, so the

Alpha won’t harm me. Why does that not upset me as much as I thought it would? Being the Beta’s

bride…could be the difference between life and death.

Stepping away from his comforting embrace, I tilt my head to look up at him and see nothing but

warmth in his once-cold blue eyes. Should I trust this man? Should I take the leap?

“O-okay,” I say, offering him a smile. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I reacted like that.”

Maxim smiles and plants a kiss on my forehead, the gesture sending warmth through my body. “Niko is

my best friend so I don’t see the intimidation, but I know others see him as nothing but terrifying-”

“And they would be correct,” comes a voice that sends shivers down my spine. Maxim chuckles and

steps to the side, only to bring me face-to-face with the Alpha’s twin brother. “Bastien; it's a pleasure to

meet you, Xiomara.”

I tentatively take his hand and give it a light squeeze. “Hello,” is all I can muster out, but the man

doesn’t seem offended. He gives me an odd smile, then turns his gaze back to Maxim.

“Come up when you’re done, there’s something I wish to discuss with you and Niko,” he says, before

nodding a goodbye at me and then heading back to where his brother stood watching the women.

Maxim breathes out a sigh, then he plasters in a fake smile before leading me to where the women

were waiting. They’re all looking up at me expectantly, knowing smiles crossing their lips when they see

Maxim’s hand on my lower back.

“I’ll take you back when you’re done here,” he says before kissing the side of my head and walking

away. Normally I don’t blush, but Maxim seems to have a direct link to those emotions and they

immediately flare up.

Thankfully Luna Mia sees my discomfort and gesture to the empty spot next to her. “Come sit, Xiomara;

I think we have much to catch up on,” she says and I walk over to the empty chair.

As soon as I sit down, Luna Mia gestures around the table. “I’m sure you remember the women you Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

traveled with. If not, let me reintroduce you,” she says, then gestures to the raven-haired woman sitting

next to me.

“This is Gianna, she’s Ghost’s- ah, Divan’s bride,” she starts and Gianna beams at me. “The one next

to her is Eden, Romano’s bride, then there’s Noelle who is Liam’s bride, Allessia is Isaac’s, and last but

not least we have Demi, she’s Levi’s bride.”

They all look so different from each other and yet they’re all wearing the same look in their eyes…one I

cannot place. So I decided to break the ice by talking first; I’ve never been one to back down, anyway.

“Pleasure to re-meet you all,” I say and they chuckle. “I apologize if my absence caused a stir.”

The blonde one named Eden shrugs. “We would have done it too if we had the balls to, no offense

Luna but we were terrified of coming here. If we knew what we know now, then we would not have

been so apprehensive.”

I frown at her words. “Knew what you know now? What does that mean?”

They all share a look and smile, but it’s Gianna who speaks up first. She pours me a flute of

champagne and breathes out a sigh before facing me.

“We thought our fathers were giving us to heartless men; men who wouldn’t think twice about hurting

us for their own entertainment and sick needs,” she says while picking up her own champagne flute.

“But it ended up being the complete opposite. The Gammas are-”

“They might have a reputation for being heartless killers, but they’re different from their outward

appearance,” the redhead, Noelle, says with a small smile. “Although it’s similar to speaking to brick

walls, the Gammas aren’t violent with us.”

Eden chuckles. “We’re attempting to soften them with our womanly charms, but it’s going as well as

you think it is!” When she says this, they all burst into laughter as if they’re all in on the same secret.

The Gammas. Wait…this is SilverCrest Pack, so the Gammas they speak of can only be the one group

of warriors who send terrifying bouts of fear through pack lands. The five you don’t see attacking

because the moment you see them, you’re dead.

“You’re brides for The Pente?!” I exclaim, a hand flying to my chest in horror. I thought I was having a

hard time with Maxim, but these five women look like they’re at peace. “You live with them?!”

Demi, the one who has been quiet so far, finally speaks up. “We are, but when they’re with us, it’s hard

to believe their infamy,” she says with a tight smile. “Although Levi is cold towards me most of the time,

he’s never treated me badly, nor has he lost his temper with me.”

“Liam is the same,” Noelle says and takes Demi’s hand. “They’re like brothers, both as quiet as the

dead, but when they do speak, you take notice.”

I don’t know why, but her words make me jump to my feet and run. All this time I thought the women

here were going through torture, being subjected to cruelty. But the looks on their faces tell me the

complete opposite.

The brides of the most ruthless group of warriors in the country are happy with their predicament. Not

only that, but they’re actually trying to work on their marriages. So what does that make me? Where

does that leave me?

I’m so deep in my own self-deprecating thoughts, that I don’t even notice my name being called until I

eventually hear it. I turn around to see Gianna running up behind me; she’s a gorgeous petite Italian

woman with bright blue eyes and thick raven locks.

A sick thought settles in my stomach that she’s the submissive type Maxim likes - then a stab of

jealousy enters my heart.

“Hey,” she says with a sweet smile as she approaches me. “Are you okay?”

Why am I like this? Why do I feel jealous right now?

“I…I don’t know,” I admit with a shake of my head. “You’re not like I expected at all.”

Her brows knit together in a small frown. “No? What were you expecting?”

I shrug my shoulders and sigh. “Not that you’d be happy for one? That you’d be as miserable as I was?

That you’d be dying to escape from here and be free, to not be trapped in something you were forced

into?”

Gianna’s blue eyes widen and she clasps her tiny hands in front of her. “It used to be like that, I must

admit. But…the more we’ve come to know them, the more we realize that the Gammas would never

hurt us.”

“But how can you be so certain?” I exclaim, not understanding at all. “How do you know they won’t turn

on you?”

Gianna shoots me what seems to be a sympathetic look and she touches my upper arm before asking

me a question that blows me away. “When was the last time you trusted someone other than yourself?”