Chapter 3

•~~~~~Layla~~~~•

I had deliberately stayed in my room for almost an hour after that stupid bastard marked me. I hated him. I hated everything about him, especially the way he had marked me without even asking for my consent.

Yet, while I was busy complaining about my miserable situation, my wolf had been giggling inside my head for what felt like forever. She was ridiculously happy that her mate hadn't rejected us.

Honestly, I couldn't understand what was so exciting about being tied to a man who looked as though he could kill someone without blinking.

"Leah, I hate the fact that you never listen to my orders or respect my rules. And that man doesn't even look like someone I would want to be with," I complained, rolling my eyes.

After the maid had shown me what seemed like a thousand dresses and robes, I finally made up my mind. I wasn't going to dress up for that bastard. I didn't want him getting the wrong idea and thinking I was making an effort to impress him.

Instead, I instructed the maid to bring me a man's robe.

At least, that would make it clear that I wasn't interested in pleasing him.

A few seconds later, Leah finally decided to respond.

"I don't listen to anyone, just like you don't listen to anyone. So don't give me any damn rules. Besides, our mate is handsome! Did you see how tall he is? I absolutely love the height difference. And he doesn't seem like a bad person to me," she replied, practically blabbering nonsense.

I groaned inwardly.

I hated how talkative she could be, especially when she was defending someone I couldn't stand.

After putting on the male outfit, I left my room. A maid approached me almost immediately and informed me that he was waiting for me.

Of course, he was.

I made my way towards the ballroom, where conversations filled the air. Guests were still gathered in groups, chatting and enjoying themselves as though nothing unusual had happened that evening.

The moment I spotted him, my eyes narrowed.

He was sitting there with that cold expression of his, looking completely unbothered. It was almost impressive how someone could be so irritating without even saying anything.

He didn't know me, but I would make sure he experienced hell in his own pack. I would do everything within my power to make him regret marking me. One way or another, I would make him erase that mark and reject me.

"Hmm-hmm."

I cleared my throat, trying to get his attention.

He slowly turned his eyes towards me. For a moment, he simply stared, his expression revealing absolutely nothing.

"Let's go," he said.

I blinked at him.

Was he serious?

How could I possibly leave for his pack on the very same day he had marked me? I hadn't even had enough time to understand what had happened, yet he was already ordering me around as though I were one of his servants.

Before I could say anything, he stood up and walked towards the exit without waiting for my response.

I stared after him.

Was I seriously going to die this time?

I wasn't prepared for any of this. I barely knew anything about the man apart from his name, which I had heard Father mention on a few occasions. I hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye to my parents.

Not that I expected them to be particularly worried.

I was certain they would eventually come looking for me. After all, that was what they were used to doing—pretending to care about me whenever it suited them.

I quickly followed him. I hated being left behind, especially when I could feel people's eyes following my every movement.

I straightened my back, lifted my chin and walked like a queen, refusing to let anyone see how uncomfortable I felt.

If I had to suffer, I wasn't going to give anyone the satisfaction of watching me look miserable.

When I finally got outside, I stopped in surprise.

There was only one carriage.

I looked around, expecting to find another one somewhere nearby, but there was nothing. My gaze returned to the carriage. It was spacious, certainly, but not spacious enough to make me comfortable with the idea of sharing it with that man.

Was I seriously expected to sit beside him?

I approached it reluctantly. The guards were already stationed around the carriage, standing at attention. I reached for the curtain and pulled it aside, only to find him sitting inside with another man.

The stranger beside him had a smile on his face, as though he found something amusing.

I ignored him and focused on my so-called mate.

"Hi. Where am I supposed to sit? Or should I just stay in my pack? You know, we could still be mates," I said, forcing a smile even though the thought of sharing a carriage with him disgusted me.

My wolf immediately stirred inside my head, clearly unhappy with my suggestion. I quickly tried to keep her under control before she could take over.

I looked at him, waiting for an answer.

"You don't deserve to sit with me. You're going to use your feet," he replied, his face completely emotionless.

I stared at him, wondering if I had heard correctly.

"What? How am I supposed to walk all the way there? I'm the daughter of an Alpha!" I protested. "No, no. I know I find it disgusting to sit beside you, but at least I can tolerate it for now."

I couldn't believe I was actually begging to share a carriage with him.

He didn't bother answering. Instead, he simply signalled to the nearest guard, ordering him to move the carriage.

Before I could say another word, the carriage began to move, leaving me standing behind.

I watched it pull away, my mouth falling open.

Was this man actually serious?

I quickly considered my options. If I returned to my room, Father would definitely kill me for abandoning my mate. I couldn't afford to die just yet, especially not because of a man with an attitude worse than his appearance.

So, whether I liked it or not, I had no choice but to follow him.

I hurried after the carriage.

Hours passed, and my legs were beginning to ache terribly. We had travelled deep into the woods, surrounded by tall trees and thick vegetation. The further we went, the more unfamiliar everything became.

The carriage remained ahead of me, and I struggled to keep up with its pace. Every step made my legs feel heavier, but I refused to stop.

Thankfully, the carriage was still within sight.

Surely, that stupid bastard would at least save me if something happened, right?

"Leah, are you there?" I called inwardly, wondering whether she had fallen asleep.

"Hi. What's your problem this time?" she replied with a yawn.

I almost lost my patience.

"Wow! So you've started getting angry with me? Shouldn't you be angry with your stupid mate instead? He's the reason I'm out here trekking like a commoner. Anyway, I wanted to ask if you felt like walking so I could shift, but I can't exactly walk around naked in these woods," I complained, feeling increasingly frustrated.

"Oh, my goodness! Why are you asking me when you know you can't let me out to run through the woods? Stop disturbing me. I'm sleeping," she replied.

I couldn't believe her.

"You're sleeping while I'm out here struggling to walk?" I protested.

She didn't even bother responding.

I let out an annoyed breath and looked ahead to check whether the carriage was still close. My eyes widened when I realised it had moved much farther away.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"

I hurried forward, trying desperately to catch up. Unfortunately, I wasn't watching where I was stepping. My foot struck a stone, and before I could regain my balance, I stumbled and fell.

"Ouch!"

Pain shot through my knee.

I looked down and immediately frowned. Blood was trickling from the scrape, staining my skin.

I hated getting injured. My precious skin was far too delicate for this kind of treatment. Why did I have to suffer like this simply because of one arrogant man?

I pushed myself up, wincing as I put weight on my injured leg.

The woods seemed strangely alive around me. Unfamiliar sounds echoed between the trees, making me glance nervously in different directions. I didn't like being alone in a place like this, especially when I had no idea what dangerous creatures might be lurking nearby.

I quickly turned my attention towards the carriage and continued walking.

I hated this stupid mate of mine.

After struggling for a while, I finally managed to get closer to the carriage. However, a wave of dizziness suddenly washed over me.

I stopped for a moment, trying to steady myself.

My head felt strangely heavy, and my injured knee was throbbing. I rubbed my face with one hand, hoping to shake off the uncomfortable feeling.

I wasn't going to let myself look weak.

The blood running from my knee was more than I could bear, and the pain was becoming unbearable. My breathing felt heavier as I tried to continue walking.

I couldn't afford to lose consciousness out here. What if a lion or some other wild animal found me? I wasn't about to become someone's dinner in the middle of the woods.

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to straighten up.

Just a little farther, I told myself.

I tried to take another step, but my legs barely responded.

My vision began to blur, and the sounds around me seemed to fade. I fought against the weakness creeping through my body, determined not to fall.

But my body finally gave up.

My knees weakened, and I could no longer keep myself upright.

My eyes slowly fell shut.