Chapter 2- Forbidden bond

One minute I was standing there, the next I was running back to where I came from. I looked back to see if was following me, but I found no the traces of his large body.

I ran back into the room as I opened the door and slammed it, short of breath, my eyes wide with terror as I looked at the figure on the bed, still snoring, unaware of the turmoil I had just experienced.

I leaned down by the door, as I placed my hands on my mouth to hold back my breathing. I cried into my palms as I struggled to hold myself together, from falling apart.

He was my mate, I found my mate.

I wanted to scream, to roar, to cry, but I held it back.

Fate was cruel, not him, not the man who murdered my father, not the man I spent hating for everything that happened to me, for raising a monster that had no regard for life, not a man who was known to be the god of war, who destroyed everything in his path.

And I realized, tomorrow, the truth will be known. I couldn't be sure he saw my face because the light was behind me, which had reflected to his face instead of mine, but I could be very sure he must have felt it, felt the bond click, felt it connect.

And I knew, the alpha had been searching for his mate for many years. He was a goddamn lycan, as old as anything I could think of. If he found out I was his mate, he would never let me go. He would snatch me up from his son, and I would rather die than endure another cruel fate in his hands, not after everything was set, set that could make me disappear from the face of the earth, out of Ryker's reach.

I had to do something, I couldn't sit here and cry and wait for him to find out I was his mate tomorrow, when he was sober enough to realize he had met his mate and he had let her go.

So I left the room, once more, I needed to find Beta George, his mate Anna, was my good friend, she would know what to do.

I slipped out of the room, knowing the risk I was taking if he found me now, but I was better now than tomorrow, hopefully he would forget about everything by then, but I knew it would be a lie.

I ran, out of the mansion, heading to the beta's mansion, I knew one thing that could save me at this moment, as I ran to Beta George's home, I knew in this critical time he was the only one I could trust, especially since I was very close friends with his mate.

On reaching his door, I knocked, looking behind me, well aware of Ryker's spies.

The door opened to reveal Anita, all swollen with child, I stumbled in.

As she rushed to hug me.

“Oh my god, Diona,” she cried out, looking at my body, and I was still panicked.

“Are you alright?”

So I told her everything there was to know, her eyes widened as I talked about it.

"You can't leave now, not with the alpha king here. My mate isn't even around. The security has tripled over the last hour. Leaving is impossible, and anyone caught will die. You know this," she whispered, and I knew she was talking about her mate. I collapsed on the ground, holding my head.

"I can't... what happens when he picks up my scent tomorrow? When he comes for me, what happens?" I snarled at her. She looked at me with pity, and I knew she understood my fear and resentment. After my parents had died and the pack was handed over to Ryker, I had it hard. She knew of the beatings I took from his wrath, the cruelty that went on behind closed doors.

"I... I know a way, a way to save you," she whispered, and I stopped whimpering as I looked at her. She walked towards the window and peeped outside, just to be sure I wasn't followed or that no one was listening to our conversation.

"What way?" I asked, and she turned toward me.

"There is a fluid used by the pack spies, Ryker's spies. Once spread, it masks one’s scent. If we get rid of your scent, there is a high chance the alpha king would be unable to know you're his mate unless..."

"He touched me," I completed her words, everything clicking into place.

"Exactly," she answered.

"Oh... oh my god..." I sighed in relief as I placed my hands around my mouth, feeling relieved.

"But you have to make sure you avoid skin contact as much as possible. I heard Ryker tell my mate he is only going to be there for three days, but there is a disadvantage," she whispered, and I frowned at her.

"What disadvantage?" I asked, and she sighed.

"If you use the scent mask, you will be without scent, and you know..."

"Everyone will think I'm pregnant," I said horrified. It was no secret that once a she-wolf got pregnant, she lost her scent, just like Anita, who now had no scent. But that didn't matter. As far as I could buy time, buy time until I could escape and leave this place.

"I'll take it. It would be even better if Ryker thinks I'm pregnant; it makes it easier to eliminate any suspicion about this. Now, where is the mask?" I asked her, and she hurried off into the bedroom while I stood there trembling, a certain golden-eyed image in my mind.

Anita returned shortly with a box, handing it over to me.

"I'm sure George wouldn't mind, but you can't take it with you. Its effect would wear off in five days, which means you have to return every five days to use it," she said. I opened the box, spotting three gold bottles inside. My heart raced in my chest, knowing what I was about to do. If Ryker finds out, Anita and George would be in trouble.

"I... how rare are these bottles?" I asked as I hesitated.

"They cost a fortune, but..."

"No... what if he knows? What if he sends one of his spies down for this spray? If he finds out I'm indeed using it, faking a pregnancy," I whispered.

"Then he deserves it. You deserve to be free. You're his fucking punching bag, and now you want to be his father’s. This is worth it: a week. Use it for a week, and I and George will find a way to get you out... in less then week," she whispered, gripping my hand.

As I sighed, I took the bottle and sprayed it on myself.