Chapter3
2096 Words
~ Andrea
Lilly's disbelieving and disappointed gaze bore into me, worsening my pains.
We had promised to remain abstinent until marriage, aiming to set ourselves apart from others in the pack who engaged in promiscuity.
We tried so hard to be special, like diamonds in the rough. However, in breaking that vow, it seemed all for nothing.
"I apologize, Lilly," I stammered, my voice shaky.
"I did it to please him."
"That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard," Lilly retorted, turning to confront our mother.
"Mom, how could you? How could you make her do this? She was supposed to wait until marriage!"
"Watch your tone with your mother!" my father interjected sternly, while my mother maintained her silence.
"So, you knew too?" Lilly demanded.
"How could you both do this to her? Not only has she lost her mate, but now she's lost the only thing that could have given her dignity!"
"We did what we believed was best," my mother said calmly.
"What if she had gotten pregnant?!"
"That was the plan, I hope Liam didn't use protection," my mother replied. “Andrea wouldn’t disclose if he did use protection, or not,” she said, turning away.
"OH MY GODDESS!" Lilly shouted, rising to her feet. "You whored your daughter out?! For what? For a piece of title! You both are disgusting!"
I heard movement and a smack before Lilly fell at my feet.
"You will not speak to your parents like that again!" my father shouted.
I couldn't take it anymore—the chaos, the arguments, Lilly being hit by my father.
My dormant wolf, silent since Liam's rejection, suddenly stirred within, urging to break free. Without hesitation, I fled the house, clutching my phone.
"Come back, Andrea!" My father's voice echoed like thunder, but I pressed on without looking back.
This was necessary. I needed to make things right.
Once a decent distance away, I messaged Liam , "Can we meet at our favorite spot? There's something important I need to share."
Anxious, I waited for my message to deliver. Moments later, a response came through.
"What's on your mind? If it's another plea, I'm not interested. I've already made my decision."
"I understand, Liam ," I reply. "But there's something important you should know about Hannah, whom you've chosen as your mate."
"Oh really? Tell me then."
"Only if you agree to meet."
"I won't agree until you reveal the details."
Knowing Liam's stubbornness, I sigh and send him a message. "After cleaning the pack house today, I caught Hannah and her Beta having s*x in the broom closet."
"Seriously? I get you're not thrilled about my choice, but fabricating stories about Hannah is a grave accusation."
"I swear, Liam . I'm telling the truth."
"Why didn't you speak up at my father's office?" Liam questioned.
"She threatened me, Liam ! Warned of dire consequences if I didn't keep quiet."
"Why tell me now?" he responded, testing my patience.
"Because I can't afford to lose you! You're my mate. Doesn't that carry any weight with you?"
Liam stayed silent for a moment. Just as I thought he wouldn't reply, his text came in.
"Fine. Meet me there in the next ten minutes."
I breathed a sigh of relief.
Our favorite spot was atop a cliff, nestled on the fringes of the woods. Liam and I would transform into wolves, sprint together, and then unwind at this quiet location. It used to be our preferred pastime – gazing at the stars or listening to the river's roar below.
But now, this place now overwhelmed me with anxiety, and sadness.
My heart raced, anticipating Liam's imminent arrival. I thought about the consequences of him discovering Hannah's infidelity – would it alter his decision to marry her?
Restlessly pacing back and forth, I detected movement.
"Liam ?" I called out.
I noticed a figure moving among the trees. Before I could ask who it was, they emerged into the moonlight, and my heart sank as I found myself face-to-face with Hannah Cooper .
Had Liam disclosed my words to her?
"Hello, Andrea," Hannah greeted in an accented voice. "You must be wondering why I'm here and not your beloved mate, Liam."
Certainly, that question lingered, but I refrained from responding.
"The moment I learned you were his mate, I took precautions to protect my interests." She said, as she circled around me.
"I expected you’d reveal my secret, so I borrowed his phone, and as expected, you reached out."
The revelation was delivered with a deadpan expression.
"What do you want?" I asked, uncertain about the direction of this confrontation. "If you believe you can keep me quiet through intimidation, think again. I won't back down in my fight for my mate!"
Hannah's smirk blossomed into a wide grin. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Before I could grasp the meaning of her words, a hand covered my mouth, and a familiar scent of flowers surrounded me. I tapped into my wolf's strength, attempting to break free, but he proved too powerful.
"You know I promised there would be consequences if you didn't keep your mouth shut!" Hannah said.
Panic surged through me as my captor pulled me towards the cliff. I attempted to scream, but his hands clamped tightly over my mouth and nose, making it difficult to breathe.
Hannah approached, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Goodbye, Andrea. I'll be sure to convey your love to Liam."
With those words, Hannah's accomplice pushed me to the cliff's edge. A forceful kick sent me spiraling down into the abyss of darkness below.
The sound of rushing water greeted me as I opened my eyes. All I could initially see was mud, and beyond it, towering trees shrouded in darkness. A groan escaped me as pain shot through my head.
Squinting, I turned to face upward, causing the pain to ripple down my arms and sides. Gradually, the discomfort became more manageable, allowing me to collect my thoughts. I realized I was lying on the bank of a flowing river.
As I pondered how I ended up here, memories of Hannah's lover tossing me off a cliff flooded my mind. The rush of adrenaline propelled me to swiftly rise to my feet.
My eyes widened, scanning the surroundings for Hannah or her lover, but all I could see were towering trees and darkness. A sharp pain cut through my head, and I cried out, clutching it.
Unfamiliar with my surroundings, it became evident that the river I fell into had transported me elsewhere.
In the distance, faint drumbeats and music hinted at a nearby gathering—a party, perhaps. Determinedly, I walked out of the mud, pushing aside the pain, and followed the sound of the drumbeats and music.
Before long, I found myself deep in the forest, surrounded by exceptionally tall trees. I craned my neck upward, amazed by their height, a sight I had never seen before.
The more I walked into the woods, more scared i become. The darkness felt alive, shadowing my every step.
"Hello?" I uttered, my voice echoing. "Is someone there?"
Silence lingered. I moistened my lips, determined to communicate. If the inhabitants of this forest find me here, I wouldn't like the outcome. they need to know I'm not an enenmy.
"I'm Andrea," I stated, hesitating on my next words. "I ended up here by accident—tumbled from a cliff," I stammered, "and the river brought me here."
I paused, scanning for any movement. Despite the stillness, I felt something, a movement. I turned, but no one was there, no scent wafted in the air.
"Please, if you can help me, I think I'm hurt." I used my wolf vision to scan the woods and listened intently, but there was no sign.
As I walked further into the woods, the music because louder. Waiting for a sign that never came, I decided to press on.
With each step, the music grew louder. Suddenly, I heard a snap, causing me to freeze. Without moving my head, I scanned my surroundings, feeling an unfamiliar fear crawling up my skin. "Who's there?" I whispered.
What happened next was beyond my expectations.
A deep, guttural growl echoed through the woods, causing my body to tremble involuntarily. Sensing a formidable and lethal presence, I slowly raised my head, realizing the source was directly above me. My silent prayer echoed in my mind as I hoped to escape this encounter in one piece.
Two glowing red eyes locked onto mine from the tree's pinnacle, prompting an uncontrollable scream to escape my throat. Without hesitation, I ran through the forest, my legs carrying me in a direction unknown.
Fear forced me not to glance back as the primal roar of the creature resonated through the woods and my very bones. It leaped to the ground, relentlessly chasing me.
"Help!" I shouted, desperately hoping the distant partygoers could hear me. "Someone, please help me!"
The creature roared, prompting me to glance back, risking my balance in the process. As I stumbled, I found myself falling to the ground, the impact sending unbearable pain through my body, forcing tears.
My agony was interrupted by the approach of red eyes. This creature, with the hind legs of a wolf but standing upright like a man, instilled paralyzing fear. I realized I was in the presence of a lycan—an entity exuding an aura of death, power, desire, and control. As it neared, I froze, contemplating if this was where my journey would end.
Amidst my thoughts, I pondered if Lilly would sense my absence and go into the woods to find me. Would she ever learn of my fate? The uncertainty lingered—would anyone find my lifeless body, or would this creature become my devourer?
It tilted its head thoughtfully, then lowered it, bringing its nose close to my face. A low growl escaped, less menacing this time. I stayed composed as it bent, sniffing from my neck down to my legs.
Suddenly, it lifted its head, howling to the sky, prompting echoes throughout the forest. Panic set in – if there were more like him, I needed to escape.
Imagining a painful death coming to me, I unconsciously slashed at the beast's exposed belly.
It whimpered, giving me a chance to crawl out from beneath it. As I stood and attempted to flee, a sharp pain shot through my foot, sending me tumbling back to the ground.
Having sprained my foot, I found myself confronted by this angry monster. Closing my eyes, bracing for pain, I instead felt a grip on my ankle. Opening my eyes, I witnessed the creature dragging me toward him. Then, something extraordinary happened.
Before me, the lycan underwent a mesmerizing transformation into the most beautiful man I had ever seen. Fur gave way to hair as dark as night, and his snout transformed into high cheekbones and a chiseled jaw. This man possessed a face and body seemingly sculpted to perfection by the Goddess herself. As the moonlight bathed him, all I could see were his glowing red eyes fixed on me.
Gradually, he extended his right hand toward me. "Drink," he uttered in a voice that wasn't entirely human.
I looked at his hand, confused. "Drink what?" I inquired.
His gaze shifted to my right hand, lifting it slowly. He scrutinized it as if it were a piece of art. Gradually, he lifted my hand, and suddenly, his elongated teeth pierced my palm, drawing blood.
I winced in pain, trying to free my hand from his grip as he greedily lapped at it. "Drink!" he commanded again, bringing his hand towards me.
It became clear; he wanted me to reciprocate, to bite him. Due to the excruciating pain or the fear of what he might do, I obeyed. I positioned my own elongated teeth on his palm and bit down firmly.
He smiled, and I could have sworn I saw a ghost of a smile. The moment I drank his blood, I couldn't get enough of it. It was like sunshine and warmth, power and darkness, storms.
By the time I finished, every wound in my body had healed completely. His glowing eyes never left mine.
When we stopped, he asked of my name, and I told him. Then he uttered words that rocked my being, leaving me dumbfounded.
"I, Wayne Greyback , King of lycans and ruler of werewolves, choose you, Andrea Faloca, to be my mate and queen," he said, smirking dangerously.
"You're mine now."
- Writer
