I was Kidnapped for Revenge by a Ruthless Alpha-Chapter 81: Truth or Lie?

~ODETTE’S POV~

The packs dining hall was packing in when we arrived. The sounds of cheery laughter and rustic voice could be heard echoing through the hall on our way in.

Arm and arm we enter the room and awe in the form of silence settled in the room. All eyes were on us.

Well, more specifically, me.

Forks had dropped clinking on the plates.

"Wow..." A young girl whispered.

"She’s beautiful." An older raspier woman said.

"She’s a goddess." Said another voice.

At first, I heard nothing but compliments under people’s breaths. I’d never felt so visibly seen in my life.

I could feel myself glowing.

"They recognize what I see in you. The see the beauty in you. Something everyone should have always seen." He whispered low in my ear.

At a long table in the back Jaylin and another woman sat at the table along with another man next to her. on the other side of Jaylin sat two empty seats and then Beta Damon. Meaning those seats were ours.

He guided me to our seats, and I just let the bright positive atmosphere wash over me. It was nothing like a mixture of elite vampires. So, judgy and unforgiving. It’s a sin how long those old jerks hold grudges. Remembering who sat at the wrong seat and humiliating them. But here they switched around seats, group hopped. Everyone was so comfortable being around each other. It wasn’t like they were waiting around for the right opportunity to mock someone or humiliate them. The joy was real and didn’t come at someone else’s expense. Was it like this with all shifter packs or just the ColdMoon Pack?

The chatter was lively, I sat silently observing everyone.

"Princess Odette, was it, Hi, we haven’t been properly introduced; I’m Marrion Moon, Jaylin’s chosen mate and wife, and this is my brother Mark Moon, Jaylin’s chosen beta."

"Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you both." I put on my friendliest smile and give her the gracious tone deserving of the partner of the packs new luna.

I wanted to make the best impression I possibly could.

"That was some fight, Princess Odette, I’m wholeheartedly impressed by your combat skills. I’ve never seen someone fight so well, I know it was ruled a tie, but honestly, I’d be willing to bet if you both went all out, you’d win against Luna Jaylin." Beta Mark causally complements me.

"I appreciate your observation; however, Luna Jaylin is an excellent opponent. I’m definitely a bit rusty, maybe I’ll put up a better fight once I pick up training again after I return to capital with the alpha king." I didn’t want to disrespect the new Luna of the pack by basking in my own strength.

"Mark, if you don’t shut your mouth, I’m going to shove food in it." Luna Marrion joked pretending to smack her brother hard, laughing even harder.

"How long have you two been together?" I asked Luna Marrion and Luna Jaylin.

"The three of us actually grew up next door, we’ve always been together. Mark is the youngest I’m the older of us twins." Luna Marrion mentions.

"Marrion and I actually used to fight over who would marry Jaylin when she grew up, she’s younger than both of us by two years." Beta Mark added.

"Oh, no... Not this again." Jaylin scoffed sarcastically, pretending to be unamused by their sibling antics.

"No, really. Marrion and I were both crazy about Jaylin, we even competed in games to win her heart." Mark continued.

"Yeah, but you had no chance. I only ever had eyes for Marrion. My first love, my one and only." Jaylin leaned over and kissed Marrion square on the lips. And the room erupted in howls and hammered their fists on the table.

The first course was brought around it was potato-based dish, called Garlic Parmesan Duchess Potatoes accompanied with a Winter Salad.

Servants passed around water wine and mead.

The potato dish was rich in flavor and fluffy in texture. It melted in my mouth and tasted so savory. The salad was a good palate neutralizer as well, making it so the garlic didn’t taste weird with wine.

I couldn’t believe I was sitting and drinking wine with a pack of wolves like I was one of them.

Everything was going smoothly.

"What about you, how did you come to be a guest with our Alpha King?" Luna Marrion asked innocently having no idea how I actually got here.

And just like that my heart sunk.

I wasn’t sure how to answer this. Should I be truthful? Would it start a fight? Would they believe me? Would that hurt Ambrose’s feelings? Would he be mad I disclosed this. I mean it should hurt, he did, in fact, kidnap me and still holds me against my will. As far as he knows, anyways.

"I kidnapped her from her graduation ceremony, actually." Ambrose answered for me, I was shocked by his admission of guilt, but he sounded so distant when he said it, like he was talking about something someone else did.

The room quieted down.

There was a story to tell, and I could see it in their eyes and body. They were eagerly waiting to know more about why their Alpha King kidnapped the vampire princess. And how.

"I’ll tell you a story..." He started, and my heart sunk even lower. He would tell them what my family did and how this is for revenge. My chest felt like it was caving in. I wanted to clutch my chest grip it for protection and to stifle the growing ache.

Obviously, I haven’t forgotten what he’s done, but now, hearing it told to a room of strangers. Knowing the judgement that they would place on me. I’m sure everyone here knew the history but hearing it from a witness. A victim’s recount of the events, it hits different.

"A man was spying on his childhood friend; she had a big fight with the school’s top student and that’s when he laid eyes on the princess. That princess was the top student that friend was to fight. And after the man saw them fight, he knew he had to have her. So, he plotted with his beta and best friend, to steal her away after she graduated." Ambrose lied so well he almost had me believing the story. I wanted to believe it. I liked this story far more than the truth.

"As you can see, I was successful. I used my ruthless nature to take her and then my charm to keep her. Now she’s my guest, though she’s a permanent guest that can never leave my side."

I felt a piece of my heart crack when he said I could never leave.

It wasn’t like I was planning too, but the fact he wouldn’t let me have a choice, hurt me. Could I really love him?

Or is this just Stockholm Syndrome?

Will I ever know if what I truly feel is real?

I needed air.

I looked at Ambrose, with all the composure I could muster and whispered "I hate to go to the ladies room, I’ll be right back." And before he could stop me I disappeared out of the dining room.

All the questions started to swirl in my mind.

Until they suddenly halted and I was ripped from my own internal spiral by some girl shoving me from behind. She caught me off-guard because I was fucking distracted by my own chaotic, troubled thoughts.

I stumbled only slightly before catching my balance and turning around quickly.

I saw four people standing in the hallway alone with me, one man and three women.

"You have a problem?" I snapped. I was in no mood for the drama they were about to start.

"Yeah, we do. We know the truth; we’re from the capital. We don’t know what spell you put our alpha under, but we killing you will end it, that we’re sure of." One woman with golden hair snarled at me.

"You’re not good enough for our alpha king, you don’t deserve to stand by his side." The shifter with short brown hair said.

"He made a mistake kidnapping you and bringing you to our sacred land. It’s an insult to have a vampire living on sacred land." The last woman who had long dark brown-hair, yelled.

"You don’t listen. But if you touch me, I’ll end you."

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