Two years ago

~Aria~

I stared at my reflection in front of the dressing mirror, a hard lump forming in my throat.

Why does Damon hate me so much?

Why does he look at me like he would want nothing more but for me to drop dead?

Getting back to my chambers, I'd immediately tore the fancy lacy blue dress off my body. Entered the washroom and scrubbed my body so hard it still burnt even after I was out of the bathroom. I hoped it would be enough to remove any mixture of their scent that could probably still be lingering on me.

But still the images of him and Bertha romancing wouldn't leave my head.

I kept seeing Bertha sticking her tongue into his mouth and the smacking sound of their mouth as they kissed, echoing in my head.

Suddenly, my wolf’s senses picked up a presence. Someone was coming behind me.

First, I stilled. And then once I sensed the presence close enough, I spun. Without looking, I gripped whatever I reached and twisted it.

“It's me, Beatrice!” Beatrice yelped as her arm bone cracked.

“Oh my goddess!”

“Sorry…Reflex,” I apologized profusely.

“How are you so strong, yet allow those maids and Bertha to walk all over you?” She asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

Actually, I was naturally blessed with heightened senses amongst other gifts I hated to reveal to people. But having suffered from many hardships and enemies, I was forced to learn how to protect myself using my sharp senses and gifts.

But then I could never use my strength or anything I learned here. Even if I wanted to. Mom had specifically told me to stay hidden. According to her, it was my only way to survive in this faraway pack.

“Well, I have bad news and good news. Which do you want to hear first?”

“Good news first,” I answered without much thought.

“Okay. The Alpha did not attend school today meaning you still have the chance to follow him the next time. And bad news is that he is on his way here, heading for your room,” she informed, her eyes dropping into worry. “He looks really upset,” she added, her face creasing more.

“Upset?” I could almost feel the deep wrinkles in my face at this point. Because why would he be upset? If anything shouldn't I be the one upset? He was the one parading his concubine to spite me.

“Yes. He had a meeting with an elder and when he came out, he was like that. He was always sensitive after meeting this particular elder.”

“Elder? Which elder is that?”

“Chief Elder, Elder Wraith. He's the Alpha's only remaining family.”

I frowned as Beatrice's warning mulled in my head. However, it was broken the moment the door abruptly opened. From the musky scent, I already knew it was Damon.

My heart sank.

“Leave us,” he ordered Beatrice, scowling.

Immediately the door shut after Beatrice, he turned at me sharply.

“Is this what you want?” He sneered, his eyes dark. His jaw clenched as he approached me menacingly.

I slowly drew back but still managed to hold his furious gaze. My heart roared in my rib as I tried to evade my husband who had suddenly turned to an animal on the verge of devouring me.

Until my back hit a dead end–a wall. And I was only one stride from his reach. At this point, I knew I was done for. A hard lump dropped heavily in my stomach as I froze.

“You'll never have your way,” he growled, his jaw locking.

Reaching where I was trapped, he took my hands and pinned above my head, his scent of musked wine overwhelming my senses.

I turned my face away. My wolf pranced inside me violently, very close to the surface. I was practically holding myself back, doing all my best to hold my wolf back. To keep her caged.

Not now, wolf. Please…

Using his index finger, he rotated my chin until we were eye ball to eye ball.

“I will never marry you or accept you as my wife!” He spat.

I clenched my fingers as I forced myself to swallow back the emotions surging through me. But my eyes betrayed me as tears quickly formed.

Heck I hated that I was too emotional.

I yanked myself out of his grip in a last effort to protect whatever pride I had left. My chest heaved heavily as I backed him all the while hastily sniffing back my tears.

“Why do you hate me so much?” I asked, spinning to face him again.

He did not answer immediately and for the tiniest of seconds, I saw guilt and pain flash in his eyes.

“Why are you so angry? The fact that I was chosen as your mate or because I was chosen as your wife? Do I bother you that much?”

His jaw tensed and at the same time, his throat moved. Without another word, he wheeled around and trotted out.

I panted heavily.

But I was confused. Why did he just leave? What was the guilt flash in his eyes?

Maybe there was something I didn't know. There really may be a reason the kind cheerful boy I met two years ago would change this drastically.

Or maybe Beatrice was right.

Maybe he was acting this way because he has to maintain his pride, he has to wear the title of a ruthless alpha to maintain his territory and lead the pack.

“Are you alright?” Beatrice ran into the room frantically.

Or maybe instead of wondering, I could just ask him directly.

I grabbed a robe and dashed out.

“Where are you going?”Beatrice called.

“I have to find out something!”

I ran out of my room into the corridor of our wing.

Damon must have heard me running me, because he stopped.

How come he was still in the corridor when he left my room almost two minutes ago?

But I didn't have the time to start worrying about that as a sense of urgency gnawed inside me.

I stopped a few inches from him, panting heavily.

“Don't you remember me? Two years ago—we–”

But then, what if he only got furious after remembering our past ties?

What if the Damon I met two years ago was different from the one before me right now?