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 herst, apparently, her son has a bit of a cold so she’s
reluctant to leave his side. It’s understandable and I’m actually d 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 ces
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 toe 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 mee 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 cane 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
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 toe 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 mansione 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 muste 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 circr 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’vee 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 womenughing.
My body stills when I take in the tattooed beast of a man, which I am certain is Alpha Nikos. 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 Nikos,” 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 hisforting 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 nts 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,”es 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 sters 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 re up.
Thankfully Luna Mia sees my difort 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
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, andst 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 ce. 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 ofing 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 theplete 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 simr 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 intoughter 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 packnds. The five you don’t see attacking
because the moment you see them, you’re dead.
“You’re brides for The Pente?!” I exim, 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.”
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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
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 sps her tiny hands in front of her. “It used to be like that, I must
admit. But…the more we’vee to know them, the more we realize that the Gammas would never
hurt us.”
“But how can you be so certain?” I exim, 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 thest time you trusted someone other than yourself?”