The Cursed Wolf's Beta Mate

CHAPTER 6

Luro’s POV

We arrived at a huge mansion on the other side of the Amaru forest. Sprawling over several acres of land, it screamed luxury and class. The gilded walls, high towers, an ornate garden, and a large fountain that changed color with the time of the day added to the appeal of the place.

The ambiance was peaceful but I felt a bit restless. A nagging sensation that something was about to go wrong kept tugging at my insides.

“Luro… Come on,” Wanda said as she dragged me through the entrance. “Only the families of Alphas have been invited to this feast. So, you can relax and enjoy yourself.”

I nodded my head and tried to flow with the moment. Soft music drifted through the room and a man dressed in uniform announced, “Alpha Voltran from the Wanderwood Pack is here.”

A young man dressed in a crisp suit rushed to greet us. His brown eyes dazzled with mirth as he bowed to my father, “Alpha Voltran. It is such a pleasure to finally meet you.”

His head lifted and he smiled at me, nodding in acknowledgment, but when he turned towards Wanda his smile froze and his eyes glazed over. It was as if he had been turned into a life-size statue.

I turned to find Wanda in a similar state. They were looking at each other as if the rest of the world had ceased to exist. My father cleared his throat in annoyance, but it had no effect. The rims of his eyes had turned red and I knew that he would burst out any moment. So, I tugged at Wanda’s arm and pulled her aside.

Even then, she didn’t avert her eyes. Her lips lifted in a bright smile as she stated, “Mate.” Her voice was still ringing in my ears when the man’s husky voice sounded, “My Mate.”

He took a step towards her and placed his hand around her shoulder protectively. He met my father’s eyes and said in a confident voice, “She is my destined mate and I accept her. Will you give us our blessing?”

The corners of my lips tugged. It was evident from his tone that he wouldn’t be parted from my sister even if my father opposed it. I was glad that my sister had found someone who wanted to be with her.

“What is the holdup, Derek?” A harsh voice with a slightly sinister undertone sounded. A man dressed in ceremonial robes approached us. His expression darkened on seeing Derek’s hand wrapped around Wanda’s shoulder.

Derek’s hand immediately slid down and he took a step away from her and bowed low, “It’s not what you think, father. I wasn’t fooling around or something…. I just found out that she is my mate….”

He kept his eyes lowered as if waiting for his father’s verdict. My heartbeat accelerated. Derek didn’t look like he would oppose it if his father disagreed with the match. I laced my fingers through Wanda’s and drew closer. She looked so pale that I was afraid she would faint.

After a few moments of silence, Alpha Elliot finally spoke up in a stern voice, “Derek Holden! Come here!”

Derek glanced at my sister once before moving towards his father obediently. Alpha Elliot placed his hand on his shoulder and looked at my father. His fingers were curled into tight fists and his brows were drawn together. For a moment, I felt like there was going to be a bloodbath.

“Alpha Voltran…”

“Alpha Elliot….”

“It's such a great opportunity to unite the pieces of Amaru to form a large formidable territory. Are you going to refute it?”

“No, You?”

“Of course not! My son is so lucky to have found his mate. Why would I snatch his happiness from him?”

And just like that, the tension in the room diffused. Alpha Elliot led us to the section reserved for family members and gave us a grand welcome.

“Alpha Voltran, now that you are a part of our family; you have to help us welcome Alpha Dimon.”

The color drained from my father’s face and his knuckles turned white, “Alpha Dimon is visiting?”

“I didn’t tell anyone but his visit is the reason I am hosting this feast.” My father nodded in understanding. Alpha Dimon was very powerful and had the entire Estherland under his control. If the other packs found out about his visit, they were bound to cause problems.

Derek had to go to welcome the rest of the guests. So, my sister went along. It was very uncomfortable to sit under the scrutinising gaze of my father. So, I sneaked out when I got the opportunity. After scanning the hall and dining room, I found her standing alone near the entrance.

She was gazing at Derek who was talking to some other guests. “Wanda!” I called out in a cheerful voice. She spun around and gave me one of her best smiles. The tint of pain that was usually reflected in her eyes was replaced with unbridled mirth.

My heart warmed up and I grabbed her hands; “Wanda…. Wanda… wanda… wanda….”

“Stop chanting my name, Luro. People will think you have switched bodies with a parrot….”

My lips curled downward and I rested my head against her shoulder, “I am so happy for you, Wanda. You have finally found your mate.”

Wanda lifted my chin and said, “If you are so joyful, why do you sound like you are mourning?”

My lips pressed into a thin line as a corner of my heart ached, “Now that you have found your mate, won’t you forget me?”

She tapped my head sharply, “Is that how your brain functions? Do you really think I can forget you?”

Realizing the stupidity of my words, I shook my head. I pulled her into a tight hug and said in an emotional voice, “We can never forget each other.”

“Why don’t you give me a hug too?” A deep, icy voice sounded behind me, making my skin crawl. I spun around in anger to find a tall, muscular man standing right behind me. He towered over me by a good foot. His features could be considered handsome; in fact, he looked like he had been chiseled out from a piece of jade.

His eyes, however were cold and emotionless. They held a kind of darkness that could make anyone shudder. His powerful demeanor gave off a domineering aura. I found myself moving a few steps backward.

He raised his eyebrows and took a step toward me, “I asked you for something.” His words sliced through me like a sharp knife. Until now, I thought that he was joking. My eyes darted towards Wanda but she looked as dumbfounded as me.

“H..How can someone be so shameless? I… I don’t even know you….” I hated the fact that I stuttered. I had wanted to sound confident but something about this man gave me chills.

His eyes twinkled and his lips lifted in a smirk. He drew closer, enunciating every word with each step he took, “I.always.take.what.I.want.”

Without a warning, he crushed me against his chest. His grip was so tight that I gasped for air. I struggled against his hold; kicking and thrashing, but his steel-like grip held me in place. My entire body was covered in sweat and my heart was pounding like crazy. If it continued like this, I would probably die of anxiety.

“Alpha Dimon,” a voice sounded distracting him. His grip loosened slightly. Taking advantage of this, I pushed him away and slapped him as hard as I could.

My palms stung by the impact but the man didn’t even flinch. His eyes bore into mine, making me shudder. I averted my eyes and looked around. Alpha Elliot, Derek, Wanda, and even my sister was present at the scene; yet nobody had tried to stop him.

I stole a glance at my father. His eyes were red with anger but for some reason, I felt that it was directed at me. What had I done wrong? Tears of humiliation brimmed in my eyes. I didn’t know that my father wouldn’t protect me in a situation like this.

I covered my mouth with my hands, spun around, and ran out of that oppressing place. I found a secluded corner near a staircase and sat down; rubbing my arms constantly. I hadn’t even calmed down when my sister came running. I had never seen her panic so much.

Her face was pale and tears stained her cheeks. Her voice trembled as she spoke, “Alpha Dimon…. He… he has challenged Derek’s father… They are going to fight each other to death.”

“What?” My mind went blank and I gaped at her; stunned by the absurdity of her words.

She grabbed me by my shoulders, forcing me to stand, “Why did you slap him, Luro? Why?” Her voice turned hoarse as she continued, “Alpha Dimon accused Derek’s father of deliberately insulting him.”

I felt like someone had punched me in the gut, “Th… that’s not true….”

“Who cares if it is true or not? Don’t you know how powerful Alpha Dimon is? Is there anyone who would go against him?”

Extracting myself from her grip, I made a mad dash towards the combat hall. This was absolutely crazy…. I had to make Alpha Dimon see reason….