CLAIMED BY THE TRIPLET LYCANS

CHAPTER 1 - MY CHEATING MATE

ARIEL'S POV

It was the night of the full moon.

The night was dark, and there was not a single star in the sky. I cornered through camps and tents, ignoring the excited chatter of mates, and the lustful moans of females around my age group as their mates claimed them.

It was the first open mating ceremony in my pack, the Blood Moon Pack, as Alpha Damon had pronounced and just like the rest of the pack, I was eager to find my mate.

I was twenty-one and I had not yet been claimed.

My Uncle who had been taking care of me since the death of my parents, had given up on me ever finding my mate. I was slowly becoming a stranger in his house; that much I could tell from the silent treatment and the angry stares from my cousins at dinner.

This year, I was determined to find my mate and as soon as the intoxicating scent of lavender hit my nostrils, I knew I was close. My heart began to race as the thought of finally finding him germinated in me.

What did he look like? Was he from the Blood Moon Pack? Or probably from a neighboring pack? Would he accept me as his mate? Would I be good enough for him?

A warm flame began to swirl from deep within my stomach and my wolf groaned in my head. She had picked up the scent of our mate and now, my heat period was starting.

Usually, I would pray to the goddess begging her to let the moment pass as quickly as possible and I would lock myself in my room but right now, I was eager to find my mate and quench the pressure between my thighs.

I paused in front of a pool and stared down at my reflection in the water below. My silky black hair, long and rich, cascaded down my back, only stopping a few centimeters above my waist and my deep blue eyes, small and almond shaped stared back at me from the pool.

I smiled to myself at the realization of how perfect I looked. My uncle’s wife had chosen the perfect gown for me –a sky blue armless gown with jagged slits here and there, exposing my fair and well shaped legs. She also wanted me out of her house. I was not welcome there anymore.

I knew I had to find him this year. I had to find him now.

With renewed hope and the promise of a potential lavender scented mate lurking that could ease my heat, I continued my search.

The scent of lavender led me right to the base of the clearing and I raised my head to quickly assess the arena. My eyes twitched in shock at the realization of the scenery before me.

It was Alpha territory –the spot reserved for the royal family, the sons, and daughters of the Alpha and Beta of the Blood Moon Pack, and even though they had all found their mates, tradition held it that the tents remained up.

Did I say all? I meant, all except the hot-blooded and devilishly handsome Alpha’s son himself, Ryder.

My heart skipped a beat as the realization of what it meant hit me.

“No,” I silently muttered to myself.

The moon goddess had to be playing games with me. Ryder could not be my mate, not in this life or the next.

My wolf sniffed around as hard as she could, hoping to pick up another scent. Sadly, she couldn’t.

The harsh scent of lavender and fresh roses coming from the red tent in the middle was the only scent I could pick.

Finally resigning to my fate, I let my wolf lead us to the tent.

I knew Ryder was a brute but I had no choice. I had to get him to accept me. I had to get a mate like every other female in our pack.

A few meters from the entrance to the tent, a shrill and soft cry made me pause.

My wolf started growling softly and I perked my ears to listen. I heard the cry again, this time it was louder and laced with sinful pleasure.

At that moment, I could feel my heart begin to pound in my chest. The bare imagination of what was going on in that tent was enough to tear me apart for good and sooner, I realized that I should have turned around and walked away when I had the chance. Sadly, my wolf continued leading us towards the tent.

I pushed the curtain apart and walked in.

Half hidden under Ryder’s massive frame was the girl. I couldn’t recognize her under the dim light of the candle, but I figured she would be pretty. Ryder was rumored to only move with beautiful females.

She rocked against him, as he drove himself deeper inside her. Her claws slashed at his sweaty back, and he grunted as blood rolled down his spine.

“Naughty b***h,” Ryder grunted. In a thrice, he pulled her forward, spun her around and dumped her on the bed again, this time with her back facing him.

“I’ll make you pay.” With one solid motion, he thrust himself inside her.

“f**k it Ryder!” Her pleasure filled moan rent the air. “Take me. Make me yours!”

As if Ryder had sensed my presence, he turned his head towards mine and I watched, hot tears dropping from my eyes, as my mate snickered and spread her legs, completely ignoring me.

The only thing wider than her legs at the moment was the grin on his face. He returned his attention to her, taking her to the seventh clouds. She screamed unintelligible words as the thrusts got faster and stronger.

I felt my wolf begin to tremble as I watched my mate cheat on us without a care in the world. My heart was long forgotten as I felt a tear drop from my cheek to the floor and I sniffed, trying to hold back the flood that had etched around the corner of my eyes.

After three whole years of searching for my mate, I had found him, only in the arms of another woman.

My sniff caught the girl’s attention however and she arched her neck forward to see who it was. Our eyes met briefly and I gasped as her features came to light.

She was Audrey, my best friend that had a few minutes ago, reassured me that I would find my mate tonight.

But here she was, moaning to his strokes. She probably didn’t know that he was my fated mate. Of course it was not her fault. It must have been Ryder that used his charm on her.

“Audrey!” I finally found the word that had eluded me all the while. “I know this would come as a shock to you but Ryder is my fated mate.”

Ryder released her from his grip and turned around, allowing me to have the pleasure of gazing at his nude and extremely hot body. He stared down at me and after a while, he burst into laughter.

“Fated mate?” He snickered. “The future Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack and a mere Omega?”

The pain in my heart slowly began to turn into anger as my wolf returned to the front, glaring at him now.

Ryder walked up to me and threw his bulky arms across my shoulders, nonchalantly. “If you had come in here requesting for a two-some with me and your friend, I might just have reconsidered, but seeing that…”

Thwack

It all happened in a flash and the only reason I was certain I actually did it was the shock on Audrey’s face and the fact that Ryder himself, was bleeding from his left eye.

“You slapped me.”

It was a statement, not a question and as I stared into his dark and malicious intent filled eyes, I knew what I had to do to save myself immediately.

In one quick movement, I hurled a bronze helmet that lay on the table nearby at him, and in the brief moment of distraction, I bounded out of his tent and leaped into the dark forest.