Marked by Fate, Hated by the Alpha

The Mark

Liana~

My mind was in a haze. It took me a few seconds to process what was happening.

The High Priestess stood before me with the Alpha, staring at me. I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breath. Then she smiled at me, a warm smile, one that no one gave me since I stepped foot here.

“You are of the Raven bloodline”.

“Yes” I replied almost immediately.

Raven. I had grown up hearing whispers of the name and what my family was capable of, about the fear and respect our name inspired. And now, here I was with the High Priestess, looking at me as if she already knew what that blood meant.

“May I see your mark?"

She asked, her voice calm and gentle.

I hesitated before brushing my hair aside. I tilted my neck slightly so she could see it clearly. She stepped closer, her eyes studied the mark from every angle, trying to make sense of it. The air in the cell turned heavier. I watched as her expression changed into a serious one. She stood upright and turned to Kael.

“Alpha”

As if he understood, he slowly undid the first two buttons of his shirt, revealing a mark on the right side of his chest. It was dark, crescent shaped, with a small star beside it. Exactly the same as mine. How could this be?

My stomach dropped.

The High Priestess stepped between us, her attention shifting from my mark to Kael’s chest and back again.

She didn’t say anything at first.

The uneasy silence dragged on.

Kael’s jaw tightened beside me.

My heart sped up.

Then the Priestess let out a quiet breath, like she had already made up her mind.

“It is confirmed,” she said.

The mark on my neck throbbed, warm and alive. I froze as heat spread from the crescent, down my spine and into my chest.

Across from me, Kael stiffened.

“You are fated mates and the bond has awakened.”

I gasped. Impossible!

“No.”

Kael objected immediately.

“She is the daughter of my brother's murderer, how is this possible?”

“It is rare, not impossible,” she replied

My mind struggled to process it. My old nanny had told me stories about mate bonds, mates chosen by fate, of bonds blessed by the Moon Goddess. But those were tales told to children.

“The Goddess does not consult grief when she binds souls.”

She said with a warm smile.

“I'll be on my way”

And just like that, she was out of the cell, leaving me alone with the Alpha.

“This changes nothing! You will serve with the others”. He said it and walked out without another word.

Those words felt like a spear through my heart, which made no sense. I barely knew him.

Not because I wanted this bond, of course not.

But never had I imagined that my fated mate would be someone like this, or that it would happen this way.

I had always imagined something grand, something magical like the stories my old nanny told me.

It stung because fate had chosen him.

Part of me wanted to feel relieved, but the steady pulse at my throat didn't let it feel that simple. I tried my best not to think about it.

A few minutes later, the cell door clanged open, and two guards stepped inside. One of them spoke up.

“You’ve been assigned to the servant quarters, come with us.”

Before I could say anything, one of the guards held me by my hand and pulled me up to my feet.

“Move”

He commanded and I stepped out of the cell immediately. The corridor was narrow and dim, there were several guards standing by each corner. We climbed a staircase and came out on the fields. We arrived in front of a huge door, guards standing on each side. Inside, the atmosphere was different, it was warmer and lighter, the scent of food and woodsmoke filled the air.

A lot was happening here, different people moving around, each busy with different tasks. From their looks, you could tell they were servants, which made me wonder how many of them could be captives like me. No one paid special attention, everyone was either too busy or they just didn't care.

The guards turned down a narrow hallway and stopped in front of a smaller wooden door. One of them knocked once before pushing it open. The room looked modest but functional. Baskets of folded linens stacked neatly on a long wooden table covered with fabric and thread.

A younger girl stood before a long wooden table, before a young lady with honey brown skin and dark hair that fell across her shoulders. She had on a short modest floral dress that exposed her flawless legs. She held up a piece of cloth between two fingers.

“This!” She said sharply.

“This is what you washed?” The girl in front of her flushed.

“I washed them properly ma, just like you asked me to.”

“These clothes stink! How incompetent can you be? I gave you a simple task and still you can't get it done?” She snapped harshly and dropped the cloth back onto the table.

“Rewash this and make sure you leave no stain on it, or else I'll pluck out your eyes.”

“Get out!”

She yelled and the girl dashed out immediately with the pile of clothes. At that moment, she noticed the presence of the guards and I. She stepped forward slowly, arms folded on her chest.

“She has been assigned here”. The guard said to her and turned to me,

“You'll work under Susan's supervision”.

I nodded.

Susan's gaze swept over me slowly, assessing me from head to toe.

“Understood”, she said. Without another word, the guards sprang out, shutting the door behind them. She just stood there, looking at me like I was strange.

Goodness.. this one was going to be a problem. I just hope I am able to survive all of this.

“Well,” she said lightly, brushing invisible lint from her sleeve.

“You'll start with the back washrooms, the drains are clogged, make sure you clear them completely. Do not touch anything else until I say so.”

I hesitated when I heard the task I was given. I had never done anything like that before, I don't even know how it's done. If I pretend that I know what I'm doing, I might make a mistake, that would only make it worse.. So I swallowed my pride and finally spoke.

“I haven’t done anything like this before. Can I… can you give me a tip? Something practical?”

Susan’s eyes narrowed. Her lips pressed together for a moment.

“You haven’t done this before?” she said slowly, her voice sharp.

“How is that my problem? Do you think we are here to play games?” I shook my head.

“No, I was just asking if you could give me some directions so I can do it properly.”

Saying it for the second time seemed to trigger her. Her fingers shot out, grabbing my ear and tugging sharply.

My eyes widened in pain and shock, I didn't know how to react

“Ouch! A scream escaped my lips before I could stop it.