Chapter 2

Kael’s POV

"Mate."

The word had left my mouth even before I could stop it. The room was completely silent as I heard the sound of her heart beating fast as she struggled to pull away from me.

“Kael! Stop, you’re hurting me. Please!” She cried, desperately trying further as everyone stood with their mouths wide open in shock. 

I stared at her again, unable to look away this time. As though I were under some sort of magic spell. A soft flowery smell that made my insides jiggle in ecstasy clouded around her. 

It was everywhere, in my lungs, air, and under my damn skin as my wolf, who had always been quiet as shit surged as though it had been electrified. 

I pulled her to me as she fought tirelessly to get away. Her breath was harsh, and tears misted in her eyes as she made eye contact with me for the first time. 

The crowd took some steps, as though I were some sort of freak. Well, maybe I am because at this moment it was as though I was losing my mind. 

And it was all because of this girl. As though I were possessed, I lifted her feet off the ground and carried her with her weight pressed against my shoulder as they gave way for me to pass through. 

My eyes made contact with Ronan, her supposed fiancee. I smirked as I was watched him boil, his hands clenched into a fist as he watched us go. 

 After walking for some minutes, we finally arrived at a quiet corner of the house. I dropped her roughly, causing her to land on her butt as she winced in pain. 

She struggled to get up and dusted her ass. “How dare you do this to me?” She yelled, with her finger pointed at me. 

I arched an eyebrow, unsure of why she was even furious in the first place.  “What the hell was that back there?” I asked, hoping she had answers because she literally has no right to even claim to be innocent. 

She pushed her hair and rested her hands on her waist. “Stop asking me questions I honestly have no answer to.”

I watched her carefully, as my temples throbbed in rage. I wanted to walk away, but right now I needed answers, and I’ll be damned if I believe whatever crap she’s on about. 

“I’d ask you for the last time, Aria. Since you’re so slow to comprehend whatever shit happened back there,” I explained, fighting the sudden urge to sniff every inch of her body.

The thought alone made my skin crawl because what on earth was this intense heat on about? Perhaps I’d need to see the pack doctor later.

“Explain why my wolf chose you. Because you and I both know you did something back there.”

She hissed and rolled her eyes at me. “How would I know, huh?”

“Because you were the one standing in front of me,” I snapped, now glaring at her as she stood still . 

The fact that she answered my question with a question made a vein pop on my forehead, but still, I stood there unsure of what to do with her. 

My wolf's voice whispered in my ears, and all he could say was the word "mate." Over and over. Like, dude, I know, so shut the hell up. 

“Look, I don’t really know what happened back there, but it’s getting pretty late, and I want to go to my dorm,” she announced as though I was the only one who felt whatever happened back there.

I licked my dry lips and tilted my head as I observed her. Everything about her was suspicious, and her family background makes it even worse for me to ignore.

“Could this be some sort of plan to ruin my family and my pack's cause—?”

“Do you even hear yourself? Do you think my father planned a stupid school party? And some silly truth or dare game?” She asked, every word sharp as her retinas bore into mine. 

I stood speechless, because clearly I had no answer to that myself. It sounded so ridiculous, but maybe it was best I did some findings myself. Hopefully, before this thing growing in me makes me run mad.

I rubbed my palm against my temples and sighed. Realizing an argument wouldn’t solve the problem. “Look, let’s just forget about what happened tonight. I don’t think the blood bond mattered since I haven’t even marked you yet.”

Not like I even understood any of it myself. I turned to leave, not giving her room to say whatever, because I didn’t want to hear it. I pray we both forget it and move on. 

“Kael!” She called, and just like that, a sharp pain on my chest forced me to  a halt as though the sensors of my being were wired to hers.

“What happens if this is serious or more than the both of us can comprehend? Because this is entirely your fault, and heaven knows I will not forgive you.”

I steadied myself, pretended like whatever that was didn’t hurt me. 

“I don’t know, okay,” and with that I was gone. My mother had called earlier today and said that she missed me, so I had to go home to be with my family either way. 

Remind me to get a perfume later. Scents always snitched the tea before our mouths did. By the time I got home, her scent was lingering around me, or maybe I was the only one perceiving it. My cue that my little plan failed.

I marched through the front door, my only plan: get to my room first before my mother saw me because she was always a night owl. But before I could take eight steps, my mother appeared from the shadows. 

Her eyes narrowed with her arms crossed over her chest as she made her way to me, looking vibrant as ever. “What happened, Kael?”

Yeah, my mother dropped the alpha formalities with me years back. 

I smiled warmly and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. “Mum, I had something to take care of, and I promise it’s not what you think.”

“Of course it’s what I think, Kael; you know why I’m worried about you,” she whined, her voice almost breaking. 

The silence in the room was pretty loud this time as memories of how I’d almost lost my life resurfaced. I frowned. “Mum, I’m okay. Can you please just stop doing this…please?”

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and nodded. “You just don’t listen and you—“

Her eyes grew wide as she grabbed hold of my arms and sniffed, audibly enough for me to know her nose had picked up a scent. Oh great. 

“Whose scent is this?”

My stomach dropped as I pressed my lips together. “Mum, it’s a random girl from school,” I lied. 

"Kael!"

I sighed. “It's Aria, okay,” I replied, defeated.

My mom's lips parted before she took slow steps back, shaking her head slowly. Tears are now evident in her eyes. "No, no,” she repeated.

“We bonded.”

“You what?!” She exclaimed, almost crashing to the ground. 

“Believe me, I didn’t know how, and everything happened so fast,” I explained even though I knew it made no sense. 

“It happened at a party and—“

“Do you know what you’ve done, Kael?” She roared, not giving room for me to finish. 

I made my way to her. "Mother, how bad can it be?”

“You didn't choose her, Kael; your wolf did, and that's far worse than you could ever imagine.”

She watched me carefully with coldness in her eyes as she engulfed me in a warm hug. “Stay away from her, Kael. You have to promise me this.”

I stood frozen as I let out a deep sigh and stared into nothingness. “I don’t know, Mother…” I paused and pulled away from her. 

For once my mother, who carried herself with grace, had worry written all over her face and something far worse that terrified even me. 

“I don’t think I can, Mother.”

“Why? Her family is not going to sit back and let her be yours. Don't you see that we are at war already?”

“Promise me, please!” She begged, as though it were a matter of life and death. 

Somehow I couldn't tell her the real truth, and neither could she. 

What exactly have I done?