CHAPTER 3

ASHER

"MATE!" My wolf roared inside me as I stared into her hazel eyes. She looked back at me with a mix of confusion and shock and I was feeling the exact same way even though I would never show it.

I hated normal wolves. Every single one of them. If our plans went the way they should then all these pathetic creatures would be wiped out of existence.

So why in the name of the Moon Goddess was my mate one of them? It was an abomination.

"Your Majesty I will have her ready for you in just a moment" the man holding her arm said. Before I could respond he yanked her up and dragged her backstage like she was a ragdoll.

She turned back and our eyes met for a brief second before she vanished behind the curtain.

I hated normal wolves. I had to hate them. Yet when I looked into those hazel eyes something I had never felt before stirred inside my chest. It made me uncomfortable and I did not like it one bit.

I turned slightly and could hear the disgusting murmurs of the wolves behind me. They were high ranking based on their auras. Alphas and Betas who had been drooling over her like animals.

My fists clenched as I remembered how that announcer had torn her dress in front of all of them. They had all stared at what was mine. I wanted to rip out every single one of their eyes for that.

"Your Majesty you just bought a normal wolf" Ethan my right hand man whispered beside me. He knew better than anyone how deep my hatred ran for their kind.

We Lycans never saw ourselves as equals to wolves. We were ten times stronger than they could ever dream of being. We were superior in every way.

I gritted my teeth instead of answering him and I heard him gasp.

"The reason you came here was to gather information to exile all of them from the territory. So why are you buying one? Wait. Is she your..."

"I will reject her" I said flatly before walking out of that building as fast as I could. Being surrounded by that many normal wolves made my skin crawl. If I had not picked up my mate's scent from a mile away I would have never set foot in this filthy place.

As soon as we stepped outside the man from earlier who had put his dirty hands on my mate walked up to us and bowed.

"Come this way Your Majesty. She is ready" he said with a greedy smile.

I pressed my lips together and followed him. We walked into a tent and the moment I laid eyes on her again I could not help but notice how beautiful she was.

Then my gaze dropped to the finger marks bruised into her arm and my aura darkened instantly. The air around us grew heavy and the men nearby took a step back out of instinct.

She was still in that disgusting dress that barely covered her body. The thought of any other man buying her and taking her home made my stomach turn even though I did not want to care.

"Take her outside Ethan" I ordered and his eyes widened slightly but he said nothing. He gently helped her to her feet and led her out of the tent.

"So we can begin processing the payment" the man said. He smiled at me and the greed dripping from his eyes disgusted me more than his rotting teeth.

I glanced around the tent and picked up the vase sitting on the table beside me.

"Oh do you like that too? I can..."

Before he finished his sentence I smashed the vase over his head. It shattered into pieces and he collapsed to the ground unconscious.

I thought about slicing off his fingers for ever touching her but I did not want to stain myself with his worthless blood. I kicked his body aside and walked out without another word.

My eyes landed on my small fragile looking mate standing beside Ethan but I forced myself to look away. I could not take her with me. A normal wolf and a Lycan could never be together. We were enemies by blood.

Besides I did not need a mate right now. I had a duty to fulfill as King.

"Let us go Ethan" I said. I could feel her eyes burning into the side of my face but I kept walking.

"And the girl?" Ethan asked from behind me.

I shot him a glare before slowly turning toward her. The hopefulness in her eyes caught me off guard. It made me wonder why someone with such a strong aura was being sold at an auction like a piece of furniture.

"Leave her. Let us go" I muttered and turned away.

Her eyes immediately filled with panic but I ignored it and kept walking. I could not have a normal wolf for a mate. That was final.

"Your Majesty are we really just going to leave her here?" Ethan questioned as he caught up to me.

"I am going to reject her anyway so what is the..."

I stopped mid sentence. A small tug pulled at the back of my suit. I stood still for a moment before slowly turning around.

There she was. This tiny girl was holding onto my suit with her small fingers and looking up at me with those damn hazel eyes.

"You are the Lycan King?" she asked.

I frowned. Of all the questions she could ask that was the one she chose? I did not trust my voice so I just nodded.

"Why did you buy me for such a huge amount?" she asked.

My frown deepened and I glanced at Ethan who looked just as confused as I was.

Could she not feel the mate bond? I tried reaching out to her wolf and although I could sense it was there it was not reacting to mine at all. That was strange. Very strange.

I said nothing. Instead I turned and tried to walk away but her grip on my suit was surprisingly strong. I let out a sigh and faced her again.

"What?" I asked. It came out harsher than I meant it to.

"I need your help" she said softly.

"With?" I asked.

A fire lit up in her eyes. A look of pure determination that did not match her broken appearance at all.

"I know you hate wolves like me. I have heard a lot about you" she said and I nodded. There was no point denying what was true.

"I need your help to get revenge on my mate" she said.

My entire body went stiff.

Mate?

"Mate?" I repeated and she nodded.

"He took everything from me. He killed my parents and sold me off. I need to take back what is mine and you are the only one powerful enough to help me" she explained.

I leaned down toward her and immediately regretted it when her scent flooded my senses. It was sweet and warm and it made my wolf stir but I did not pull back. I just stared deep into her hazel eyes.

"And why should I help you? You said it yourself. I hate your kind" I murmured.

She bit her lower lip and my eyes followed the motion before I could stop myself.

"Because you bought me for a reason and I am willing to give you whatever you want if you help me" she whispered.

I knew exactly what she meant by that. And from the way she was clenching her fists I could tell she did not want to offer it. She was desperate.

"I already bought you. You belong to me now and so does your body. So tell me Hazel. What else can you offer me?" I whispered as I moved closer. I could not help it. My body was moving on its own.

"That is the problem. I do not just want to be owned by you. I want to be your wife" she said.

She paused and held my gaze without flinching.

"This is me proposing to you."