Chapter 2: The Mate Bond
1044 Words
"Lady Aria?"
Martha's voice came from outside the door again.
"Everyone is waiting."
I stared at my reflection.
My hands trembled against the edge of the dressing table.
This wasn't a dream.
The smooth skin.
The younger face.
The bright silver eyes that hadn't yet been dulled by heartbreak.
Everything was real.
I had truly returned.
Five years.
Five years before my execution.
Five years before Kael destroyed my life.
A bitter laugh escaped me.
The Moon Goddess must have a twisted sense of humor.
In my previous life, all I wanted was another chance.
Now I had one.
And I intended to use it.
Carefully.
This time, I wouldn't be naïve.
This time, I wouldn't trust anyone.
Most importantly...
This time, I would never fall in love with Alpha Kael.
Never.
"Lady Aria?" Martha called again. "Should I come in?"
"No."
My voice came out sharper than intended.
Silence followed.
Then the door slowly opened.
Martha peeked inside.
The older woman immediately frowned.
"My lady, are you feeling unwell?"
My chest tightened.
I remembered Martha.
She had been one of the few people who genuinely cared for me.
In my previous life, she had died protecting me during an attack on our territory.
The memory made my throat ache.
Without warning, I threw my arms around her.
Martha froze.
"My lady?"
Tears burned my eyes.
She was alive.
Alive.
Warm.
Breathing.
A luxury I hadn't realized I would miss so much.
Martha awkwardly patted my back.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
You have no idea.
I slowly pulled away.
"I'm fine."
She looked unconvinced.
But she nodded anyway.
"The visiting Alpha has arrived."
My expression darkened.
Kael.
The name alone made my stomach twist.
Martha smiled.
"The entire pack is excited."
I almost laughed.
If only they knew.
If only they knew what kind of monster they were celebrating.
"Let's go," I said.
---
The pack house was overflowing with wolves.
Laughter echoed through the halls.
Servants rushed from room to room.
Young unmated females adjusted their dresses and checked their reflections.
Everyone wanted to impress the future Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack.
Everyone wanted his attention.
In my previous life...
That included me.
The memory made me cringe.
Back then I had been young.
Hopeful.
Foolish.
I believed in fairy tales.
I believed the Moon Goddess would bless me with true love.
What a joke.
As Martha guided me through the crowd, familiar faces appeared everywhere.
Faces I hadn't seen in years.
Faces of people who later betrayed me.
Faces of people who stood silently during my execution.
My heart hardened with every step.
The meeting hall came into view.
The moment I entered, the noise faded.
Everyone was gathered around the front platform.
And standing there...
Was him.
Alpha Kael.
For a second, I couldn't breathe.
Not because he was handsome.
Not because he was powerful.
But because I remembered everything.
The way he looked at Vanessa.
The way he turned away while I begged for my life.
The way he ordered my death.
Hatred surged through me.
His dark hair was slightly longer than I remembered.
His broad shoulders filled the black Alpha uniform perfectly.
A dangerous aura surrounded him.
Even at nineteen, he already commanded attention.
The room practically revolved around him.
Then something happened.
His eyes met mine.
The world stopped.
A strange force slammed into my chest.
Pain.
Heat.
Longing.
Possession.
My wolf suddenly came alive.
MATE!
The word exploded through my mind.
No.
No.
No.
Not again.
The bond snapped into place with brutal force.
The same bond that had ruined my life.
Across the room, Kael went completely still.
His eyes widened.
Shock flashed across his face.
The crowd continued talking, unaware of what had just happened.
But I knew.
And he knew.
We had found each other.
Again.
My wolf whimpered happily.
I wanted to scream.
Kael took one step forward.
Then another.
His gaze never left mine.
The bond tugged.
Demanding.
Pulling.
Calling us together.
Not this time.
I clenched my fists.
Not this life.
Kael finally stopped directly in front of me.
The room slowly fell silent.
Everyone sensed something unusual.
His eyes searched mine.
Confused.
Intense.
Almost desperate.
"Who are you?" he asked quietly.
A laugh nearly escaped me.
Who was I?
In another life, I was your wife.
The woman you condemned.
The mate you murdered.
Instead, I smiled politely.
"My name is Aria."
Something flashed across his face.
Recognition.
Possession.
Need.
The mate bond was affecting him.
Good.
Let him suffer.
For the first time in both my lives, I had power.
Kael opened his mouth.
Probably to announce the bond.
Probably to claim me.
I wouldn't allow it.
Without warning, I stepped backward.
Then another step.
And another.
His expression darkened immediately.
The Alpha in him didn't like being avoided.
Good.
I hoped he hated it.
"My lady?" Martha whispered.
Ignoring her, I bowed slightly.
"Welcome to our territory, Alpha."
Then I turned around.
And walked away.
The hall erupted into shocked whispers.
No unmated female walked away from an Alpha.
Especially not after discovering a mate bond.
But I didn't stop.
I refused to look back.
I refused to care.
I refused to become his Luna.
Again.
---
That night, I couldn't sleep.
Moonlight poured through my bedroom window.
My wolf paced restlessly.
Mate.
Mate.
Mate.
I buried my face in my pillow.
"Shut up."
She growled in protest.
Unfortunately, she wasn't wrong.
The bond existed.
No matter how much I hated it.
No matter how much I hated him.
A knock sounded at my balcony door.
I froze.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
I sat upright.
Another knock followed.
Three slow taps against the glass.
My pulse quickened.
No one should be outside my balcony.
Especially not on the second floor.
Then a deep voice spoke.
The voice that haunted my nightmares.
"Aria."
Ice flooded my veins.
Impossible.
How did he know where I lived?
I turned toward the balcony.
And nearly stopped breathing.
Alpha Kael stood outside my window.
His silver eyes glowed beneath the moonlight.
Locked on mine.
Predatory.
Obsessive.
Dangerously determined.
Then he spoke the words I had feared most.
"I know you're my mate."
And suddenly...
The balcony door handle began to turn.
- Writer
