CHAPTER 001

Sophia's pov

I smiled as I checked the time on my wristwatch and added, "It's already past six-thirty in the evening." I purposely arrived late for the event, which began more than an hour and thirty minutes ago. "Everyone has to be inside by now. I'm glad I arrived this late. I groaned and told myself, "As far as I'm concerned, I'd rather be in my college room right now. I can just sneak to the back while everyone is absorbed and carried away by whatever fun they're having by being present at this ceremony.”

As usual, nobody seemed to notice me walking past. I walked towards the entrance of the hall where the ceremony was taking place. The ceremony was a very elaborate one. Every member of our pack was present and I expected that the entire Lombado Mafia pack would be here too, so it was quite a large crowd.

“Everyone is very engaged now,” I said, pausing to observe what was going on. “This is my chance to sneak in. I'll find myself a seat somewhere I can maybe hide so that nobody will focus on me”, I thought as I stood peeping from the entrance of the hall.

As I walked in, I perceived a very sharp scent. Pausing, I realized it was the intense scent of my fated mate. The scent is a sharp blend of peppermint , grapefruit and lemon. The scent was so pungent that I felt like I could taste it as well.

Before I knew what was going on, I was sweating profusely. It was as though someone had poured water on me. The feeling was so overwhelming, I could not put words to describe how I felt. I felt hot and cold at the same time.

My discomfort intensified, and I felt like I was being torn apart from the inside out. My mouth was parched and itchy, as if I'd gone without water my entire life. The air seemed to have vanished, leaving an unsettling stillness. I was acutely aware of my own body, particularly the throbbing sensation in my clitoris. I squeezed my legs together, hoping to alleviate the ache. "What's happening to me?" I thought, bewildered. "This must be it – I've found my mate." As the realization dawned on me, I understood that these intense sensations were connected to my wolf bond with my fated mate.

I paused and inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm my racing heart and throbbing clitoris. Then I turned and looked towards the direction where the new Alphas stood with my sisters, their new Lunas. In the same instance, Felixo turned his attention to me.

I tried to look away but the force of the attraction was so strong it had created a connection that was undeniable. I recognized it at that moment as my eyes locked in Felixo's intense gaze.

“No!!” I screamed in her heart. “Not Felixo or Fernando. Not them. Please not the heirs to the Lombado empire”, I said to myself as I panicked.

I felt a sense of dread wash over me as I struggled with the reality of my situation. "Why must I be tied to the future leaders of the Lombado empire?" I thought, feeling trapped and overwhelmed. The idea of being bound to the heirs of the Lombado mafia was daunting, especially after I'd worked so hard to distance myself from my family and anything related to the Mafia part of my family. The thought of being pulled back into that world filled me with fear, and I could feel my body responding.

My knees weakened, and my legs trembled. Panic set in, and I knew I had to get out of there. "I have to leave, I have to escape," I thought, desperate to avoid the fate that seemed to be waiting for me. I turned and ran from the room, hoping to outrun the destiny that seemed to be tied to the Mafia life I'd always tried to avoid.

Why is our bond not diminishing? It's supposed to diminish the farther I run,” I noted, noticing the intensity of my wolf bond. “Something must be wrong,” I thought, then I turned to be sure I wasn't being followed and to my surprise, I noticed someone running behind me. He was still quite a distance away from me but I knew immediately I saw him. “Alpha Felixo… he is coming for me. He knows,” I said, shivering slightly in fear. “I can't let him get me. I have to keep running,” I declared and with that, I increased my pace.

I ran only a short distance before I unknowingly kicked the root of a tree and fell flat on the ground. I immediately tried to stand up and continue running only to realize that I had sprained my ankle and couldn't move. I looked up and Apha Felixo was still charging towards me . “I'm trapped. He'll surely catch up with me,” I said, and closed my eyes.