Chapter 40: Just The Mark, Right?
(SASHA)
"Tyler," I intend to blackmail him with more threats but end up doing the opposite. "I...I’m sorry." I say hoarsely. I’m as shocked as Tyler is the minute those words leave my mouth. They sound foreign to me too. I can’t remember the last time I apologized to anyone.
We gaze at each other for a beat as the apology hangs in the air.
He blinks at me disbelievably.
"I’m sorry, but I have to protect my mother and my brother." I grit my teeth. "Angelo is coming after me. He doesn’t care that exposing you to the other syndicates could get my family killed. All he wants is to take over."
"How are you any different, Sasha? Don’t you want that too?"
"It’s my birthright." I snarl. "I’ve trained for this my whole life. I can’t stand here idly and watch Angelo take what rightfully belongs to me."
His face softens and his anger seems to subside. "We just have to be firm and keep our stories straight." He implores. "That way Angelo can’t prove our marriage isn’t real, no? It’s his word against ours."
"Just like I told you earlier, we can’t prove our marriage is legitimate if you don’t have my mark. Think of what will happen if the men learn that I lied to them."
His gaze narrows and he looks confused. "You told me your parents’ marriage was arranged. It is a common practice among the mafia families to strengthen alliances and they tend to do it all the time. Why is our case different? Why does anyone have to be enraged by our arranged marriage?"
"That’s because much as the arranged marriages happen, alphas have to claim their omegas. The marriage has to be real. My parents’ marriage was indeed a business deal but that didn’t make my father to not claim my mother. That’s how it works. The bond is the only way to assure the men of the union."