BETRAYED BY FATE

Chapter Three

"What the fu… .." I blurted. I was only halfway through the crowded space when I met someone I had not seen for what seemed like an eternity.

She is my childhood friend. And since she is also the daughter my uncle never fathered, she became my cousin also. I only got to know she was my cousin because Dad had told me each time I got back from my little vacation.

Dad always made sure I go visit that son of a b***h sitting close to the beast I am to get mated to during the holidays. Dad figured that since he had no one to keep him company after his mate met the cold hands of death, I would do well to fill the void.

In truth, I enjoyed my time in his space and I got the chance to go hunting on a few occasions. Besides, it also gave me time to clear my head from school activities because Dad always insisted I read during the holidays which always comes and goes within the twinkle of an eye.

I always feel happy whenever the holiday is around the corner. It means Kim would stop bothering me to be his girlfriend. He was a cute guy, a guy every girl would die for and I never figured out why I said 'No' to him until this very moment.

Even though I am yet to officially talk to her, seeing Helley giggling with Jenifer pissed me off.

I wonder what she's doing here.

The last time I saw her was the year before my dad's throat got ripped apart. She was supposed to come to visit us that very summer but the son of a b***h uncle changed his mind at the very last minute like he always did whenever my dad insisted Helley come over.

Dad couldn't get why he always prevented her from coming over but I guess he does now, knowing that he met his end at the hands of his brother, Rylan.

My eyes scanned through the crowd but the different colored lights flashing from every angle made the entire space dim.

An open space it is.

The beast who called himself the king had chosen the venue by himself.

"We should use the park garden because the crowd is going to be huge" he had said when I suggested we use the hall.

I guess he was right judging by the huge crowd that had nothing to do but to come watch a weak werewolf become a mate.

A few blonde-haired ladies waved at me as I moved to take the other walkway.

The crowd is still getting thicker with each second and I can miss my steps with the huge number of eyes looking at me

I hate it when they do that. Don't they have anything else to do?

The quick steps I took slowed down when I got behind the crowd.

There is no more reason to run. Few people would turn their eyes to see me, that's those that cared to see the Mate before she got marked.

My feet moved steadily, touching the grass-covered floor as I made my way to a little corner to catch my breath. The chairs were carefully arranged into two sections, giving a rectangular shape as they left a huge space in the middle. Illuminating bulbs hung from tiny strings that were barely visible. They seem to hang freely in the air.

My face turned to a black-suited man covered in dark shades.

I immediately recognized him. His deep voice easily gave him out.

His name is Henry.

In his hands was a golden bowl which he immediately placed on a rock standing center stage.

This is where I am to drink from after the beast sunk its teeth into my neck.

My eyes met Helley a second time.

Only that I stood behind her this time. Jenifer always gives out a kind of smile whenever she is not planning anything evil. She carries a frowning face other times but she seems to be enjoying herself with my childhood friend.

My stomach twitched as I contemplated going to say hello.

They haven't seen me the whole time. Jenifer would have had one or two things to say about me not being fit to be his mate.

My head bowed a little as I processed the sharp pain induced in my stomach. My palm did little even as I placed it on my stomach, and after a while, going to the bathroom was all I could think of. I needed to pee. And this is not the first time. I have been peeing since yesterday.

As soon as I found myself in the bathroom, the pain began to subside after doing the needful.

A loud growl jerked my body back as I turned the doorknob on the way out

"Who did that?" I thought, pulling the door open

The bathroom was in the main building but the growl seemed like something done right before me.

Only Ken, the lycan king would do that but why?

I sure must find out.

As I scurried towards the cheering audience, I couldn't help but wonder what the cheer was all about.

Another loud growl echoed. Even louder than the first.

Both palms did well to cover my ears before I became deaf

My eyes finally met the most shocking scene of my life when my legs finally slowed down from the little sprint.

His teeth were already in her flesh as I tried to catch my breath.

But I couldn't.

I watched the red liquid flow from the side of his mouth as his teeth sunk right deep into her neck

The crowd cheered further when he jerked his face up, leaving the blood-covered fangs visible as he threw his mouth wide open.

A growl escaped from the stage and before I could process the rest, my face got covered in tears.

I had been crying the whole time. I just didn't know until my palms touched my cheeks in an attempt to wipe them.

And that was when I knew I had been betrayed

The mate thing all was a lie. Not a lie per se but it just turned out to not be me.

I wiped further but the endless liquid won't stop flowing. And why shouldn't it flow seeing someone else take my place?