Fated to my Sworn Enemy

Chapter Four

Ryder's pov

The fateful day had finally dawned.

I awaited the arrival of my bride-to-be as I stood within the sacred circle where we would soon exchange our marital vows.

What she didn't know was that she was stepping into hell disguised as marriage.

Immediately after her arrival was announced, my wolf, Klaus, jumped in happiness upon finally meeting our mate as my gaze and hers met each other.

This made me shocked because I never expected a day like this to happen.

Why now? Why this moment when I had given up on having one? When I needed a mate the most, why did the moon goddess not make our paths cross?

As I stood there, still reeling from the gravity of the moment, she began to change. Her bones creaked and contorted, fur sprouted across her skin, and her fingers elongated and twisted, forming claws. The fabric of her dress strained and then tore, unable to contain the transformation occurring within.

Lo and behold! She completed her transformation into a beautiful wolf, a sight so mesmerising that everyone gasped in awe. Her fur gleamed under the moonlight, and her form was elegant and powerful.

In all my life of seeing werewolves, I had never seen a wolf as beautiful as this.

A voice among the whispers and murmurs of the crowd caught my ear, momentarily pulling my attention away.

"Dad, she can—she is..." The woman pointed at my mate, and I was struck with confusion, unsure of who she was.

But the collective gasp of the crowd drew my gaze back to my mate.

My heart skipped a beat, and my eyes widened in shock.

Her legs, now transformed into four trembling limbs, buckled beneath her. She collapsed, her body shuddering as she reverted back to her human form right before our eyes, to everyone's astonishment.

In that moment, I froze, unsure of what to do.

Then I saw Kael sprinting towards her, where she lay helpless and unclad on the ground, surrounded by a growing crowd.

The thought of him seeing her in such a vulnerable state spurred me into action. I sprang to my feet, racing past him.

"Someone get me something to cover her with!" I yelled, dismissing the men gathered around and ordering the women to form a circle.

With my heart still racing, I noticed Kael kneeling behind me, and a wave of disgust washed over me. I couldn’t bear the thought of him seeing her like this.

"Kael, please leave."

As he wanted to protest, I cut him off, yelling with fury, my eyes wide open, "Leave this instant, Kael. She is my f*cking mate."

Upon hearing that she was my mate, the crowd erupted into whispers, their surprise evident.

After Kael reluctantly left the circle, a woman handed me a coat. I wrapped it around my mate, though it barely covered her.

I then ordered Brian to inform the royal doctor about the situation and to come to my quarters immediately as I carried her to my quarters.

Once in my quarters, I dressed her in one of my shirts and a pair of shorts. As we waited for the doctor’s arrival, I paced the room impatiently. Klaus, my wolf, whimpered occasionally, his concern mirroring my own.

I could not help but wonder why she had suddenly blacked out moments after transforming into her wolf form. The transformation itself had been astonishing, but her collapse had filled me with dread.

The door swung open, and the doctor entered with Brian. Without wasting a moment, she went to examine my mate, while I continued pacing, my anxiety mounting. Brian stood by, watching silently.

As the doctor was examining my mate's eyes, my family, Zayn, and two other people walked inside the room.

"Adopted family," the lady from earlier, whom I later discovered was my mate's adopted sister, interjected when my father introduced the strangers as my mate's family.

It was then that I realised there was bad blood between them.

"Her fainting is due to her wolf form being suppressed for years," the doctor explained when Alpha Scott mentioned it was her first time transforming and that they didn't know she could due to her memory loss.

"In cases like hers, people often regain their memory gradually after this phase once they wake up." The doctor added.

She then assured us that my mate would awaken before dawn but insisted on staying behind to monitor her in case of any emergency.

As we were leaving the room a few minutes later, the doctor called me back.

"There is something I need to tell you," she whispered, as if sharing a secret.

"What is it?" My curiosity was piqued.

"It is about your mate." She replied hesitantly.

Seeing her reluctance and hesitance to reveal whatever she wanted to say which was getting me impatient, I demanded, "Tell me now, woman!"

She began, her voice trembling. "Your mate... she is... she is..."