The Fourth Mate

Chapter 4: Long-Forgotten Bond

Lucky was hurt in a way that no one else had dared to do since she became a werewolf. She did not know that she would react the way she did when Edge cut her hair, but she knew it was possible. The first thing Star did was tip her hair pink. It made her feel different than her sister and emboldened her to step out of the cage her family placed her in. She liked it even if everyone else did not. Her wolf’s comforting words made it alright to change her appearance from Lucy’s look. But, right now, her words are not taking away the pain that man caused her. It was like a knife had stabbed her heart, which drew her anger to the forefront, making her want to do something horrible.

Lucky had planned to hurt him like he did her, but it did not work out like she intended it. Her wolf was even helping her, no matter how crazy she thought it was, to fight over hair that grew back. Her anger soared too much for her to think rationally, especially after he pinned her against the bookshelf swiftly. She is still struggling against him to get justice while growling at him. She did not care that her body was aroused or that he flipped her around without a problem. It was not enough to deter her attention from what he did to her.

“As you can see, it grew back with pink tips,” Edge pointed out to everyone.

Lucky halted with fear, slamming her heart against her chest, making her stop fighting him. She did not want them to find out about Star’s abilities. It would only mean trouble if they knew she had a special wolf in her. She had to think of something quickly. She understood her wolf’s need to keep her powers a secret.

“So, what!? My wolf did it, so I would not be upset,” she snapped. “She could feel what you did to me even though we are not one yet."

“True,” Edge chuckled with a finger on her back, holding her in place. “However, I find it doubtful that your wolf could do that so soon in her life. So, you will be coming to my pack.” He turned his head towards his son giving orders. “Andrew, call Beta Finn to arrange Lucky’s stay at our packhouse on the alpha floor. She will be joining our pack and will be taught everything about being a wolf and trained to fight."

"Yes, Father,” he responded.

“And who said I would willingly go with you to your pack,” Lucky snapped. “I never agreed to be a part of Cullen’s pack even. I am only staying here long enough to shift, then I leave exactly as I had told him when he spoke of my stay here. There is no way I will be a part of a pack that has my sister in it or with a cruel alpha like you!”

Edge growled menacingly at her, which sent a little bit of fear through the haze of her anger. She just did not care at this point. She wanted her freedom from those people that think it is okay to do whatever they want to her.

“Lucky, Alpha Edge is someone greatly respected by other packs,” Cullen explained patiently. “He does not induct many into his pack or let them stay there for long periods. This is something that you should feel grateful about since you are going to be shifting soon.”

“And who knows what may happen there,” Lucy added happily. “You may find a man to your liking since newborns are banned from receiving mates by the goddess.”

Lucky remembers the conversation Ross had with her about the goddess punishing newborns. They are not allowed to have a fated mate because, long ago, people chose to use the potion for power, greed, and strength. It made the Goddess of Wolves upset that the wolf was abused so badly to become something unnatural. So, no newborn is to have a fated mate to empower another wolf like a mate bond does.

She knows she has a fated mate out there, though. Star had informed her of this, but she did not tell her why the goddess was being lenient towards her. She finds it strange while compelling to have a man that loves her unconditionally. The mere thought of being accepted for who she is and becoming strong by that love has its appeal. However, she knows that Fate has never been kind to her. She will not accept a man who wants to hurt her.

“I would rather be a rogue,” Lucky intoned. “I don’t trust either of you, alphas, after I have been locked in my room with only five hours of yard time, and with you chopping my hair off. And if mistreating me is how it is in a pack, then it’s best I don’t stay, because I would never trust those who submit to you two. And that is the whole point. An alpha needs the trust of each pack member and their loyalty, which is not something I have for either of you.”

All five alphas growled with their auras radiating at her to apologize. Lucy has her arms wrapped around her mate’s neck with tears welling in her eyes. Lucky, though, fights against the urges to do the same to Edge while his body is pressed against her, again. His ragged breaths are in her ear, sending a delicious wave of lust between her legs. She could feel her wetness practically dripping out of her while his erection was poking her back. The thought of tasting it entered her mind, but the smell of his wolf close to the front diminished that thought. She did not want to die by his claws.

She turned her head to see how close it was and found his red-rimmed eyes were black with his canines already formed. The smell of his arousal added to her needs. A harsh ache was at her entrance that begged for him to thrust in her. She was still worried about her life expectancy. She had a distinct impression that he wanted to kill her.

I think you just angered the wrong Alpha, Lucky.

Lucky knows Star was right, but she could not feel remorseful about it. Edge looks sexy from the moment she walked into the office to now. She wanted to be the one that trims his beard to make him look less monstrous and more of a refined gentleman. His attitude towards her, though, had her pulling back from her thoughts. She did not want him or any alpha to think they could do as they pleased with her. She will decide where she will go and what pack she will be in. This is not for them to choose for her, but now, he looks positively hot.

She wondered why her libido is going haywire.

We could try to seduce him, so we don’t get in trouble.

You go from whimpering to h***y in seconds for a man who cuts our hair and is onto our secret!?

Well, yeah! I am a growing wolf.

You are positively confusing! I know my mind. We may be aroused by him, but we are not going to let it get to us!

Lucky knows that is easier said than done with Star in her. She feels double the attraction towards him, but she is stubborn enough to hold a grudge. Their future is counting on it. Her wolf is too special to let any man have a hold of her, especially someone as cold and cruel as this man.

“There are other ways to force you to join my pack,” Edge whispered in her ear angrily. “I won’t need your trust to do it either.”

“Father,” Andrew called sharply, with his wolf nearly taking over his voice. “If she does not want to join our pack, then we should just let her be on her own.”

“No,” Edge chuckled. “I have a better idea.”

Again, in seconds, his left arm wrapped around Lucky’s arms. Then, he whipped them around to face everyone. Her eyes widened at the angered looks aimed at her from the alphas and her sister. Fear slammed her heart in anticipation of what he was going to do to her next. She squirmed mostly from Edge’s biting grip rather than from her need to flee these looks. She could even feel the malice in their auras hitting her. They did not like what she said and were eager to see how this man was going to punish her. She felt helpless for the first time since she turned into a werewolf.

“Sons, say hello to your new stepmother,” Edge stated coldly.

“What? No!” Lucky screamed as he slid her body up to meet his head.

Panic swelled in her, making her legs swing wildly in her attempts to kick him. She missed each time, which frustrated her more. She growled and jerked in his arms while hoping that someone would stop this from happening, but no one, not even his sons, looked ready to do anything. They were all waiting for his canines to sink into the crook of her neck when he grabbed her hair with his right hand. He jerked her head to the side, causing her heart to hammer more in her chest. Disgust thrummed through her at the thought of him doing that to her. Her mind swirled around a solution that did not consist of her apologizing to him. She did not want this, and bile began sliding up her throat.

Then, Edge sank his canine into her marking spot without readying her. She screamed at the pain and fear swirling in her from it. The warmth that began to fill her body disappeared instantly, leaving her cold, almost freezing with it. Her wolf was even howling at the pain filling her, too. She writhed in his arms, until he dropped her on the floor. Then, she thrashed all over, feeling like her skin was being sliced by an invisible knife. Her whole body hurt as the link tried to form, but she would not let it. Her wolf had even put up a barrier to stop the forced mating. It intensified the pain even after he had licked the area clean of blood.

She is still crying out her pain a half hour later with tears streaming down her face. Her hand covers the bruise on her neck feeling it burns. Her writhing did bring someone to try to stop her body from moving haphazardly. She kicked and slashed at them blindly with her claws that her wolf grew for her. She did not want anyone to do anything more for her. The small amount of trust she had that they would be civil left her when Edge claimed her.

Lucky feels violated and hurt by this claim. It was not pleasurable like she was told by her wolf. He deliberately put her in pain when he could have made her feel good. It tells her enough about him. She will regret living just like she had with her family, and before she got her wolf. She no longer finds him attractive but a beast.

There we go, Lucky. The pain has calmed down now.

Star… He marked us. I don’t like this feeling.

I know, but we knew an alpha might do this. I’m sorry.

It’s not your fault. It’s his. I hate him.

Lucky laid on the floor hiccupping from crying so much. Drool slid out of her mouth while she was in a daze where she had put her mind in a field to feel peace. She needed it from the pain filling her heart and her body. She did not know how long it had been from when she was marked to now. The conversation flowing around her did not penetrate her head until her sister spoke.

“Lucky has always been antagonistic,” Lucy sighed dramatically. “I don’t know why she just wouldn’t submit to you. She did not need to put on such a display.”

It was those words that popped her peaceful bubble and snapped her out of her misery.

Star, I want Lucy’s and my bond broken.

I can help you do that, but it would put more pain on us, and the bond would be hard to repair if you change your mind.

I won’t change my mind, and I’ll take the pain for it.

Alright, but so you know, we have seven days to accept the mark and that means we will be in pain until we do. A twin bond breaking lasts a matter of hours.

Understood.

Lucky lifted her head a little then turned it towards the man that marked her. At the same time, Star was mentally showing her where the twin bond was. She was going to distract them with her feelings, and hopefully, no one would stop her from separating from her sister.

However, she did not understand how she knew where Edge stood. It was like a magnet turned her head to look at him with a hardened face and eyes formed into a defiant glare. He was watching her like he could dissect who she was and how to handle her.

“You think you can easily make me your mate,” Lucky said hoarsely. Her throat felt raw from her screams and roars. “That is where you are wrong! You, your relations, your pack is no one I can ever trust. I will prove it to you when the seventh day comes, and your mark disappears from my neck, because I will never accept someone like you as my mate. You mean nothing to me, just like her!”

She pointed to Lucy just as she ripped their bond apart, which did not have much left to it. It was down to a thread from all the pain her twin had caused her over the years. She is not surprised by that. Somehow, she knew that her sister would break apart what was given to them at birth.

Lucy cried out in pain with her hand on her chest, feeling the bond ripping. Lucky, though, sat feeling nothing other than the pain from denying the mate bond. The only sign that it did affect her was the small amount of blood trickling from her nose, but she only wiped it away uncaring. She decided to deal with what she did later and not now.

“I ripped our twin bond a part,” she informed everyone with her eyes only on her sister. There was no anguish in her voice or aura. She would not let that show until later, too, when she is alone and can cry it out. “I want nothing to do with a petty, snotty b***h like you! I know you set this up somehow. So, good riddance to you and know that I will never forgive you for everything you have done to me, including this.”