Chapter 6 The Dinner

Kira's POV

As I walk into the dining room, I can already hear lively conversation. I tell myself that all I need to do is make it through this dinner, and then I can ignore him.

Well, until Giselle decides we should go on dates and get matching tattoos. I take inventory of who is sitting around the table. My Dad is seated at the head of the table, with Giselle posted to his left. I normally sit on the right side of Dad symbolizing my place in this pack, but tonight I notice that there is an empty seat left right beside our honorable guest, in the middle of the table. I move past the chair to take my usual position next to Dad, but as expected, Giselle speaks up.

"Oh Kira darling, we thought it would be a pleasant experience if you sat next to your handsome fiancée."

I groan inwardly; before responding, "I don't recall being asked for my hand in marriage. Therefore, I do not have a fiancée at this table, or at all for that matter."

Giselle, clearly annoyed with my response looks to my Dad for help. "Kiki, remember this would be easier if you two got to know one another. Please."

I look around for an ally, but all I find are the faces of Giselle, Miles, and my siblings Gabriel and Gianna. Giselle had the twins when I was four; as she explains it, she just absolutely had to have children of her own in the pack for the pack to respect her as Luna. According to Giselle, she needed to bring something of value to the pack, and having the twins was just the thing. She said every pack should have a contingency plan for the Alpha heir.

Giselle dotes on the twins more than she has ever considered doing for me, but I am not looking for Giselle's affection. Right now, I am looking for an ally, and I do not have one at this table. Gabriel looks as though he wants to speak up, but I shoot him a look to tell him it's not worth it. Gabriel and Gianna just turned 14 a couple of months ago.

Even though they have the stepmonster's DNA, they are my joy. Gabriel is strong and stoic, like Dad, but don't let that fool you! Gabriel is a total sweetheart. I know that as the oldest, I will take the Alpha position, but Gabriel would have made one hell of an Alpha. Gianna, the total baby of our trio. She has Dad wrapped around her finger, but she has our backs every time. Lately, Dad and Giselle have become more strict when they interfere with our disputes. Therefore, I can't blame them for staying quiet, but Gabriel, forever my protector speaks up.

"Can you at least let her know who else is coming to dinner, so she will not feel alone?" My Dad looks to Gabriel, who bows his head as a sign of respect, and explains, "I have invited the Beta family to have dinner with us. After all, Miles needs to get to know Elijah, if he is to be his Beta as well."

Did I hear him correctly? How is Elijah our Beta? When did me and Miles become a pair?

"Dad, don't you mean Elijah will be my Beta? Why do you keep speaking as if I am sharing the Alpha title?" I ask Dad in a low voice.

Dad gently rubs my shoulders, "We will talk more this evening when Miles comes down for dinner."

I plop down in my seat, losing the tiny appetite I did have. Gabriel and Gianna both lean forward to keep their conversation low; "Mom says they have Miles all squared away in his room. Did you see him before you came down?" Gianna asks.

I shake my head, "No, but I did have the displeasure of meeting him earlier, and let's just say… I am not sprinting to the altar," I answer.

Anger flares up in Gabriel's expression; "What did that jackass say to you?" He says as he balls his hands into fists.

"He better not come in here starting any shit," Gabriel says. Gianna sends him an austere look.

"You better calm down before you get Mom and Dad's attention. Kira doesn't need that right now." I take a look at my brother and sister, and I am filled with so much gratitude to have siblings and friends to rely on. If I have any shot in hell of making it through this dinner, I am going to rely heavily on them.

I take a couple of deep breaths to steady my nerves. Right as I feel myself calming down, I hear the sliding doors to the dining room open. "Great," I say to myself. "I just calmed down and now enter the jackass!" Thankfully, I am wrong and I look up to see the familiar faces of my soon-to-be Beta and his mate.

"Boy am I happy to see you two!" I jump up and hug my friends. They hug me back before Bella takes my hand; "E suggested it to your Dad, and he went for it." Bella says.

I glance up at my best friend and Beta, "I knew it was a reason I kept you around." Elijah grabs at his chest, as if I have just wounded him. "Damn Kiki, that's cold!" Elijah responds.

We take our seats at the table, and we continue to wait for the "guest of honor" to arrive.

"Mom, can we at least eat?" Gabriel whines.

"We have been waiting for this guy for over 20 minutes! I am starving," Gabriel continues. Dad calls over an Omega, "Have someone check on our visitor. Make sure he hasn't gotten lost, or fallen ill." No sooner than Dad finishes his sentence, Miles Austin comes waltzing in like he owns the damn place.

"We are so honored you could join us. For a minute, I didn't think dinner was on your itinerary," I say with a snarky tone. Giselle; however, pays zero attention to me as she stands to greet Miles with a hug.

"Miles, it's so good to see you again honey! I am so glad we could all come to this joyous decision in aligning our two packs." The decision that was made without the opinion of the future Alpha, but I kept my thoughts to myself.

If I am going to play the game, I can't fight Dad and Giselle at every turn. I look across the table at Gabriel and Gianna who both are giving me reassuring smiles, as Giselle walks Miles over to the empty seat next to me. If it wasn't for the fact that Elijah was sitting on my left, I would try to make a run for it. With the fakest smile I have ever seen plastered on Giselle's face, she introduces Miles.

"Everyone this is Miles Austin of the Jade Stone pack. He will be staying with us for the foreseeable future, as he will wed and mate our darling Kira." Though everyone in the room was privy to our guest and why he was there, shock is still etched on our guests' faces.

Uncle Elliot and Aunt Sarah, Elijah's parents, look disappointed. E and Bella are looking at me for my cue, and Gabriel looks like he could murder his mother. "Mom, you said he was coming to get to know Kira, not wed and marry! What about her mate?" Gabriel speaks up.

Giselle doesn't blink, before answering, "That is not your concern, sweetheart. Let's just make Miles feel at home, okay?" Gabriel begins to speak again before Dad intervenes, "Your mother and I still run this pack, and we often make decisions that not everyone will like or understand. However, make no mistake, this decision is what's best for the pack should Kira not find her mate. We all know how long it can take to find your mate if they are not residing in the pack; we are ensuring the security of the pack. Now, let's eat." No one dares to say another word. Though Dad didn't use his Alpha aura, we know he left no room for argument.

"You clean up very well, I see," Miles whispers into my ear. I feel a wave of disgust come over me as his cologne hits my nose. "If this is your attempt at a compliment, it's not needed. You made it painfully obvious what you think of me and my body earlier," I chirp back. Miles moves back into his space and shrugs his shoulders. "What can I say, I like what I see in my future wife." All I want to do is pick up my fork and stab this man in his eye, but thankfully Uncle Elliot calls for him.

"So, Miles was it hard leaving your pack behind? What are you looking forward to the most, as you integrate into our pack?" Miles throws a charming smile in Uncle Elliot's direction before looking back at me and winking. How the hell do they think I am going to enjoy getting to know him, let alone mate with this idiot?

"I am looking forward to my role here. Though I have never been jealous of my older brother, it was disappointing to think I would never have my pack. However, now I get the opportunity to run one of the best packs with a beautiful woman by my side," Miles answers.

Bella, to my surprise, speaks up, "By your side? I'm sorry, don't you mean that you will be by Kira's side, seeing that she is the heir and next Alpha."

Dad and Giselle exchange looks that instantly send anxiety throughout my body. Miles begins to chuckle awkwardly, "Am I the only one who is aware of what this union means for this pack? It was the only reason I agreed to this marriage in the first place." I am still waiting for Dad or Giselle to explain what it is that Miles is aware of and I am not.

Dad clears his throat, "Kira honey, the only way that Miles would agree to this union, is if you two will work as Alpha together. You will share the role. There will be certain duties that you will be over and Miles the rest."

Once again, decisions have been made for me without me! I know one thing is for sure, There is no way in hell I am marrying Miles Austin!