Chapter 3: Fated Wrongly
1591 Words
I dashed to my closet as soon as I was alone in my bedroom. My parents had gone mad. What in the heavens made them think Alpha Cedar would be pleased to see me at his side on the mating stone tomorrow?
He chose Lara when he could have easily picked me. I had a terrible feeling about everything. I needed to find Lara and save my head before dawn.
The dress was already on me before I even realised what I had picked in a haste. A sexy double slit black dress with a deep v-neck, which should be worn to a club or a date.
“Why did I even buy this?” I muttered in anger, trying to force my big breasts in place under the thin fabric.
But there was no time for a change, so I just pulled the string of my cloak tighter around my neck and snuck out of my home.
The streets of the Silvermist pack were dangerous after dark and my destination had a reputation for being the worst place for a weak wolf to tread.
Yet there was a lot on the line. I had to find my sister before something bad happened to her and I had to make sure that I still had a roof over my head while doing things the right way.
“Is this where I can find a hunter?”
The man guarding the door to the house I sought entry accessed me for a moment. His lips curled into something in between a snarl and a smile.
“The Manor is no place for a girl like you.”
“I think that’s for me to decide, sir,” I placed my hands on my waist and put up my best fierce look. “I asked you a question.”
“Yes. What do you wish to hunt?”
“A person.”
Shock flashed in his eyes, but he just spared me an ugly grin. “It will cost you, you know? I just hope you have the money to pay for it and not daddy.”
“Open. The. Door,” I tried growling.
He shook his head, still grinning. “Not until I see the money you have first.”
The man noticed that I was adamant on doing anything but that. He climbed down the short steps between us and when he was on the last riser, I stepped back.
“Ah.” I gasped when I bumped into someone behind me.
When I looked, two other scary looking men stood behind me. They had burly arms and I was half all three of them’s heights.
“Let me inside—“
“I’ve changed my mind.” He grabbed the neck of my cloak and tore the rope, letting the garment fall at my feet. “Hmm. You’re quite overdressed for the occasion, girl. But I won’t say I’m not enjoying the view.”
The other two searched the inside pocket of my cloak and found the bag of money I had with me. It was all my savings I had come with tonight and I was about to lose it all.
“No, don’t take that!”
They laughed at my expense and the man in front of me added, “You’ve made us rich. Now you should make us happy.”
He moved to grab my breast when a dart shot at his hand and he screamed, falling away from me. They all started moving back. I saw the man approaching and my mouth fell open.
Darts shot at all of them again and the men dodged a few, but couldn’t for all. I heard them curse, fleeing down the street with my money.
“Are you following me?!” I snapped.
“A thank you would be most worthy for the moment, Flora. Or don’t you think so?”
He was right. I glanced over my shoulder at the way the men had just fled through. The door to the manor was freed now.
“Thank you. Thank you for saving me,” I said and ran for the entrance, but he stopped me on the stairs.
“No. It’s dangerous.” His grip on my arm eased. “Once you open that door, worse wolves than the ones you just saw will see you as only a prey.”
“My sister is missing and I have to find her before dawn or else I would mate the Alpha of the Silvermist pack in her place on my father’s orders. I can’t just do nothing!”
He hauled me to him when I wouldn’t listen. “Flora. That’s not what I’m saying. Look, I have a better idea than the Manor.”
“I don’t even know your name—“
“My name is Damian Fane.”
His sterling grey eyes searched mine. I could never get used to his dark, piercing gaze. And after that long, intense moment, I cleared my throat, taking a step back. We had to stop finding ourselves in these positions.
“Why do you need your sister back before dawn?”
“How could you even ask me that? She could be in trouble—“
“But you want Alpha Cedar for yourself. I know he was the man you spent the night with at the hotel.” He didn’t stop talking even as my jaw dropped. “This is your only chance, so why?”
His question struck me to silence. My reason was that I just wished Cedar had picked me when he found out I was his fated mate and cancelled his wedding with Lara.
I dropped my gaze when I found my voice. “He didn’t choose me, Damian. I want to do things right and tell Lara the truth. I fear Alpha Cedar will not like the idea of me standing on the mating stone tomorrow.”
Silence fell between us for moments. I had a feeling he didn’t want to help me anymore until he sighed. “Meet me where we first met in two hours. If I don’t see you, I’d take it that you’re happy with your parent’s choice.”
He left and I rushed back home to get a change of clothes before what happened a while back would happen again. My mother walked into my room just when I was grabbing another cloak.
“You were supposed to be testing out your wedding dress.”
“I’m sorry, mother, but I have to go out. When I return—“
“Are you out of your mind?!” She snatched the red velvet cloak and tossed it out of my open bedroom window. “Do you want our family ruined? Is that it, Flora?”
“Mother, I could never—Look, I found help. Someone has gone to find Lara and I trust him.”
Three hard slaps landed on my face. She kept hitting me until I fell on my arse, holding my burning red face. There was nothing I could do that my parents could count as good.
“Since you have no ears, you will never leave this room until the hour of your mating to the Alpha,” she ordered and my bedroom door slammed closed behind her.
I sat hopelessly on the rugged floor for a while, thinking about how everything I worked for tonight had just wasted. Damian would show up at the hotel and I wouldn’t be there waiting.
A hot tear rolled down my cheek. I would have to mate the man arranged to my sister. And even though he was my fate, I didn’t feel pleased at all.
Morning came like a flash. I was in a wedding dress now, veil covering my face as my father walked me down the aisle to the mating stone. A crowd had gathered at the Silvermist pack house for the occasion.
“Alpha Cedar,” my father greeted before handing me over.
I stood at Cedar’s side, palms sweaty and my throat parched like a bird’s nest. My heart couldn’t stop beating erratically. He held my veil and lifted it slowly.
I smiled at him when I didn’t know what else to do. His face had frozen without expression. I hoped he would soon show his gladness that it was me standing here now.
“What is this?” he spat and my face fell.
“Cedar, I can explain.” Tension made my eyes watery.
But he just lashed out, scratching me across the face with his claws. I shrieked and fell, holding my bloody face. There was so much blood.
“How—How could my fated mate do this to me?” I croaked in pain.
Cedar cast me a lethal glance, still on the stone with me. “I reject you, cheap, low-grade Omega, Flora Thorne! You disgust me. I have never been more abhorred by a gift, not to mention one from the goddess.”
My ears buzzed. His words caused an earthquake inside me and there was no stopping the wreck. Never had I imagined that it would be this horrible. He was cruel.
“It could have been any woman else mating me. But it can never be you.”
Tears rushed out.
“I—I accept your rejection, Alpha—“
But he shouted. “Guards! Take this Omega away from my sight and sell her to the highest bidder!”
- Writer
