Blood oath

The blood oath

The ballroom falls silent, every eye in the room turning towards us. The weight of their stares is suffocating, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest like a drum. My mind races, trying to process what just happened.

Mate

The word reverberates in my head, echoing with an intensity that sends shivers down my spine.

Axel's grip on my arm is unyielding, his eyes searching mine as if trying to decipher something. His features are striking—sharp jawline, piercing green eyes that seem to see straight through me, and dark hair that falls just slightly over his forehead. He exudes power, the kind that demands respect and fear in equal measure.

But what stands out most is the raw intensity of his gaze. It's as if the world around us has ceased to exist, and the only thing that matters is this moment—this inexplicable connection between us.

"Axel?" The voice comes again, sharper this time, filled with confusion and barely concealed irritation.

I tear my eyes away from his, following the voice to its source. A tall, slender woman with flowing blonde hair and a perfectly sculpted face steps forward. Her expression is a mixture of concern and possessiveness. I don't need to be told to know who she is—Elena, the woman everyone has been talking about. The soon-to-be Luna of the Winterclaw pack.

The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. Axel is not just anyone, he's the alpha. And I am...his mate?

"By blood and moon, by earth and sky, we bind your souls and fates. Let your hearts beat as one, your strengths unite, and your bond endure through all trials and time" the elders say.

"All hail the Alpha and our new Luna" one of the elders say and the whole crowd fall to their knees at our feet, except Elena.

I look down at our intertwined hands, to see blood still dripping from them, it all makes sense now. The Alpha and I are not only mates, we just completed the blood oath.

We're married.

My mind whirls as I try to make sense of it. How could this be happening? The alpha already had a chosen mate, someone who fits perfectly into his world. Someone like Elena. Not me, the daughter of a human mother and an omega father, I'm not the kind of mate an alpha like Axel would be destined for. And yet, when he looked at me, something inside me stirred—something primal and raw, I can sense my wolf howling in excitement as my whole body burns with arousal.

Axel finally lets go of my arm, but his eyes never leave mine. "You're hurt," he says, his voice deep and commanding, yet with a hint of concern.

I glance down at my bleeding hands, the sharp sting of pain finally breaking through the haze of shock. "It's nothing," I mutter, trying to brush it off. I can feel the heat of the crowd's gaze burning into me, and all I want to do is disappear.

"Someone get a towel!" Axel orders, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. A couple of pack members rush off to fulfill his command, and I can see Elena's eyes narrowing, her jaw tightening.

"Axel, this is hardly the time—" she begins, but Axel cuts her off with a look.

"what's your name?" He asks.

"M-Maya" I say as firmly as I can.

"Maya," he says, his tone hard and commanding. "Come with me."

I hesitate, glancing at Elena, whose icy stare could freeze the blood in my veins. But there's something in Axel's eyes, something that pulls me towards him despite the fear and uncertainty gnawing at me.

"I'm fine," I manage to say, though my voice is shaky. "I just need to clean this up."

Axel's gaze hardens, and for a moment, I think he might insist. But then he nods, stepping back. "We'll talk later," he says, the words more of a command than a suggestion then he turns and strides out of the ball room, leaving me cold, alone and confused in the center of the crowd.

Lowering my gaze, I turn to leave the room. The whispers start up again, just as I'm about to pull the handle, I feel slender arms wrap around me.

"Come with me" she whispers as she drapes a veil over me, as if to protect me from the crowd. I oblige immediately and follow her as she leads me towards a door in a nook I didn't notice, just as I'm about to go through the door, I see Carmen, in the crowd, her eyes welled up with tears as she looks at me with fear and confusion, her eyes asking me if I was okay. I quietly stretch my hand towards her and she quickly walks towards me and takes them, then we go through the door. My hands are shaking as I grip hers tightly and drag her along with the mystery woman, the weight of what just happened threatening to crush me.

The door leads to an empty hallway, I loose my balance and have to lean against the wall for support, trying to catch my breath. The reality of the situation begins to settle in, and panic bubbles up in my chest. I had never expected this—never even considered the possibility that I would be mated to someone like Axel, let alone an alpha.

"Maya?" Carmen's voice pulls me from my spiraling thoughts. Her face pale with worry. "Are you okay? I saw what happened... Is it true? Are you really...?"

I nod numbly, the word sticking in my throat. I'm the alphas mate, I felt it deep inside, I just didn't understand at first.

Carmen's eyes widen, and she pulls me into a tight hug. "Oh my god, Maya. This is... I don't even know what to say."

Neither do I.

We stand there for a moment, just holding onto each other as if the simple act could keep the world at bay. But I know it's only temporary. I've seen the way things work in the pack. Mates are sacred, their bond unbreakable. But what happens when that bond threatens to unravel everything? When the alpha was already set to marry another?

"Come on," the mystery woman says pulling Carmen and I through the hallway. "Let's get you cleaned up first, I'll explain everything later."

I nod again, allowing her to lead us away. She opens the first door to her right, its a room, with dark wooden furniture, the bed sits at the far right close to a huge window, there's a big round rug in the center and two sofas facing a tv.

She sits me down on the sofa and walks into another door attached to the room which I'm assuming is the restroom.

"Here" she hands me a damp towel to clean my bloodied palms since the wounds have healed and don't need treatment.

"Thanks" my voice croaks a reply. "Why am I here?" I look up at her, only now noticing her features, she looks young, not more than 23 years of age, her features are very warm, her dirty blond hair, her slender brown eyes, button nose, full lips and her round face, with the rosiest cheeks, making her look very innocent and sweet, she's just about my height, five foot seven, maybe a little shorter and definitely a little thicker than I am.

"I'm Melissa" she sits facing Carmen and I " the wife of the beta, Paxton" she continues and I nod.

"I'm Maya," I say quietly, though it feels strange to introduce myself in this situation. "This is my sister, Carmen."

Carmen offers a small, nervous smile, clearly still shaken by everything that's happened. Melissa returns the smile warmly, her demeanor softening even further as she looks between us.

"It's nice to meet you both," Melissa says gently. "I know this is a lot to take in, Maya. Believe me, I understand. I was in your shoes not too long ago."

I blink, trying to process what she's saying. "You... were?"

Melissa nods, her eyes filled with understanding. "I wasn't born into this pack. I was part of the Silverridge pack, and when I found my mate, Paxton, I was just as confused and scared as you are now. It all felt so overwhelming—being thrust into a new pack, having to learn their ways, their traditions. But I promise you, it gets easier."

I swallow hard, the tension in my chest loosening just a fraction at her words. There's something comforting about knowing that she's been through something similar—that she's managed to navigate it and come out the other side.

"How... how did you do it?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Melissa gives a small, encouraging smile. "One step at a time. It's important to remember that you're not alone in this. You have people around you who care about you, who want to help you. And as confusing as it all is, the bond you share with your mate will guide you."

Carmen squeezes my hand, and I grip hers tightly in return, feeling a small flicker of hope. Maybe I can get through this—maybe there's a way to navigate this strange new world I've been thrust into.

"Paxton and I were married just a month ago," Melissa continues, her tone turning a bit more conversational. "It's been an adjustment, learning to fit in here and getting to know everyone. But the pack has been welcoming."

Her words are reassuring, but I can't help but feel a pang of uncertainty. Will they really embrace me? Or will I always be the outsider, the omega's daughter, who was half human, who disappeared for ten years, who just returned a day ago, who somehow ended up as the alpha's mate?

"And what about Elena?" I ask hesitantly, the name still bitter on my tongue. "She was supposed to be Luna, right?"

Melissa's expression darkens slightly, her eyes flickering with something I can't quite place—pity, maybe, or caution. "Elena... well, that's a bit more complicated. She was meant to be the Luna, yes. But she wasn't mated to the alpha, she was his on again off again girlfriend that he decided to marry after years of not finding his mate. You are his fated wife and you arrived just in time, Maya. Don't let the situation intimidate you, don't let her intimidate you, the alpha is twenty six years of age and he had lost hope of finding you, that is why he even considered marrying Elena. The bond between mates is sacred, and even she can't stand in the way of that."

Her words are firm, but there's an undercurrent of tension. It's clear that this situation is more complicated than I initially thought.

"Just give it time," Melissa advises. "Focus on getting to know Axel, on understanding your bond. The rest will fall into place."

I nod, though the uncertainty still gnaws at me. Time. Understanding. It sounds simple enough, but I know there's a storm brewing, and I'm caught right in the middle of it.

"Thank you, Melissa," I say, my voice a little steadier now. "I really appreciate you helping me... even though you don't really know me."

Melissa smiles warmly. "You're my Luna, Maya. That's all that matters. We take care of our own."

Her words offer a small measure of comfort, and for the first time since this whirlwind began, I start to believe that maybe, just maybe, I can find my place here. It won't be easy, and there are still so many unknowns, but with Carmen by my side and a new friend in Melissa, I feel a little less alone.