His Abused Mate: The Alpha King's curse

Chapter 10

Aria–

He drew me in closer once more then finally let me go. I wondered what was the reason for this sentimental action.

“Finally,” Catherine exhaled, “We've found you.” I looked and there she was,all sweaty,blinking rapidly. Why? What was happening? I looked around and there were like a hundred people there. I was scared. I searched the crowd for Cynthia, because if these many people were here,she would be here too.

A flustered Cynthia forced her was through the crowd and sighed immediately her light brown eyes caught a glimpse of me. She looked relieved.

Wait! Were they looking for me?

I was so frightened that I had failed to notice little Caleb had clinged to my leg while sitting on the floor. I picked him up from the floor and gave him a pat on his back.

I could recognise some pack house members and a few warriors.

“We've been searching all over for you. We thought something bad happened to you,” Catherine said, walking over to where I stood, beside the bench.

“Why didn't you tell anyone where your were going,” he growled,his voice rumbling as his gray eyes were pinned on me. It looked like his wolf wanted to surface because of the constant change in their eyes,from gray to green and then gray again. I don't want to die today,moon godess. “And you. I left her in your care. What if something bad happened to her? What if she got hurt?”

I turned to look at Cynthia because I knew she was the one he was referring to and she looked like she wanted to s**t herself. I never wanted her to get in trouble and now I just put her in big trouble with Lucian.

“Wait. It's not her fault,it's mine. Don't punish Cynthia for my wrongs.

“You can all leave now,I have found her,” Lucian dismissed the crowd. He looked so cold and I could see frustration in his eyes. “Thank you,”he said to them, trying not to sound angry.

Catherine asked out of concern, “Are you okay?”

“Yes,”I said, “I'm- I'm fine,” I muttered.

“Hello Caleb,” she said, waving at the child,but no response came from him. She took no notice and went inside the orphanage to see other children.

I hadn't noticed that Lucian was gone. He left with his beta.

I saw Cynthia sitted on the bench I was walking towards earlier, trying to catch her breath,she was still frightened by how Lucian spoke to her. “What's wrong Cynthia?”

“Aria. After breakfast, Alpha Lucian requested that I took some fruit upstairs to you. When I got to your room I couldn't find you,I searched and searched. I even tried mind linking to you but it didn't go through. I panicked and went to tell the Alpha,that was how the search began. He looked very angry and ready to pounce on anyone who came his way,” she summarised briefly,her words trembling. I could imagine how pissed he looked.

“Thank you for sticking up for me,it meant a lot, literally,” her voice dropped to a whisper.

“It was nothing,my friend. And I'm sorry for not informing you before leaving. I just didn't feel the need for it. Things are different now,” I apologised.The bench creaked as I say beside her.

“It's alright,”she answered simply. “Who is this little guy?”she said, pointing at Caleb who was standing behind the bench. I guess I was too overwhelmed by everything to notice he had let go of my leg.

“Oh,this is Caleb,” I replied as he got out from behind the bench and got onto my lap.

“How old is he?”

Before I could answer,he had pulled out four little fingers in front of her face. “Well,that's your answer,” I said,and we both laughed.

“Luna,it's lunchtime for the kids,” one of the workers said as she walked up to us.

“Oh okay. I'm sorry for causing you any inconvenience.”

“I will be waiting for you Caleb,” I assured him,as he was carried away from my lap. His smile that was lost when Lucian was speaking very loudly came back.

But why was Lucian so mad at me? I wasn't his pet,and I could go anywhere I wanted to without his permission. Why did the moon goddess make me a mate to such a man? I heard she was never wrong with the people she paired but I think I and Lucian are a big mistake.

“I will be inside,” Cynthia said, leaving me alone to my thoughts.

I was calmed by the peaceful environment. I began to meditate, trying to maintain my calm but I was disrupted by the little body of a four year old boy running towards me.

“Aria,let's play,” he said happily as he got onto the swings again.

“Okay.” I began to push him gently,just the right speed.

It was time for me to return to the pack. It was 7 p.m already and I was exhausted from all the playing and running around.

“I will visit you again, Caleb,” I assured him once it was time to leave. He had an upside down smile,his eyes were wet but he didn't cry,he just looked down at the floor. “I will come again with a very special toy for you,” I said, trying to cheer him up. He forced a smile and gave me a tight hug then a kiss on my cheek.

“I see you like that boy very much,” Cynthia noticed.

“Yes,I do.”

Deep down I wondered how I would get the funds to buy Caleb the toy I had just promised him. It pondered on my heart. I then thought of asking Mrs. Clara,that seemed like a good idea.

Lucian and I crossed paths as he walked out of the pack house in his trainers,his arm brushing into shoulder but he didn't look back,and I was glad. I increased my pace to avoid him speaking to me. Was that hurt I saw in his eyes? I wasn't sure and I didn't want to know.

“See you later,Aria, goodnight,”Cynthia bid me goodnight, walking to wherever.

I took the elevator to the fifth floor.

As the doors opened,BOOM, Catherine was in front of it. She scared the s**t out of me and I jumped back.

“Sorry, sorry for scaring you,” she apologised immediately.

“It's no problem, I just need to put my head down,”I responded,with her trailing behind me.

She entered the room with me. She wore a blue jean and a crop top,hair was in a ponytail and she wore gold earrings and bracelets. She sat on my bed,and looked around the room.

“I thought you might have adjusted the room’s arrangement,” she commented briefly.

“No,I'm fine with this arrangement.” I sat on the sofa next to her.

“ I just wanted to let you know that an alpha has been chosen for the pack,we will be leaving soon,but please keep this a secret,we don't want others to know yet.” “The new alpha is not a member of this pack,” she paused to add. Lucian will make the announcement this evening and disclose his identity.”

“Okay,my lips are sealed.”

“Do you know when we will be leaving?” I enquired.

“In four days,”she said happily,I could tell she missed home by the way she swung her head, making her ponytail dance in unison.

After a minute of awkward silence,she spoke.

“I came to confide in you as well. Can I ?” She asked, breaking the silence and I was relieved.

“Yes,you can,” I said, smiling.

“I'm in love with a warrior in my pack,but I don't know how to tell him about how I feel,” she said, almost in tears, tugging at her sleeves.

“If he is your mate,then it's fine,you know that right,” I replied, walking over to the bed.

“My mate died…,” her tone turned cold. He was killed by rogues when he went out for a forest run and it- it was all my fault. He was having a bad day and I foolishly told him a run would clear his head,” she cried, burying her face into her hand.

“Don't blame yourself,” I comforted,as my heart sank from hearing her words,“ you only had good intentions for him.”

“That's what everyone says and believes but it seems I'm the only one who thinks otherwise,”she added softly, wiping her eyes.

“So,the guy you are in love with, doesn't he have a mate?” I enquired,eager to know.

“He doesn't,she rejected him.”

“Does he feel the same way for you?” I asked

“I guess so, I don't even know,” she sighed.

I concluded,“Don't worry, everything will be fine.

Lucian–

I was devoured by fear when that girl walked into my office to tell me that Aria was not in her room.

My mind was racing as I imagined a million bad things that could have happened to her. Rogues were everyone. I summoned everyone to try and contact her through mind link. I could kill anyone who would come in the way of me finding her.

I was so furious at the maid I kept in charge of taking care of her. If not for Aria,I wouldn't mind that she was mated to a warrior in my pack,I would have snapped her neck there and then. I had reached out to the best shifters and smell trackers they had in this pack just to find her.

I couldn't mind link her since we were not mated yet so I pack linked her, but it didnt go through,she had kept her walls up and this annoyed me.

I needed her to get accustomed to me before we share a room. It made my wolf,Ares,race everyday from being away from her,which made me go crazy as well,I had to shut him off.

She always ignored me and shivered when I spoke or came near her and I knew it was ntentional of her avoiding me,for example,not coming down for food the other time. I regretted how I reacted towards her at the Orphanage,but it was my wolf wanting to surface there,I had to calm him down and the only way to do that was to hug her. Most of my day was spent on wondering if she is okay or not.

And back home too,my parents were eager to meet her. I had grown so fond of her and I could not imagine loosing her,I just wished she felt the same way for me. I needed to make sure everything was okay with this pack before leaving,they needed a leader. I had already chosen who would lead but we decided to keep it a secret. I had to announce to the pack members about the ceremony taking place in three days but I had to make sure that Aria was okay. She was even more important to me than my title as the Alpha king,and there was a reason.

My father would be incharge of the Shadowcrest pack and soon I would leave to the Bloodmoon pack with Aria.