Chapter 2 ~ I Have A Mate

{Ciril’s POV}

For some reason, I was very thankful for yesterday’s turnout. For strange reasons, Rufus didn’t return and Ivanka had grown tired of waiting so she had dismissed me after dumping on me a couple of frustrated slaps and kicks. She postponed my ‘full punishment’ to today.

So today, I locked myself in my room in hiding. I couldn’t go out for fear of being seen by Ivanka.

Maybe if she didn’t see me, she would forget about me and her quest to punish me.

I lived in a crumbling room on the third floor of the Alpha Mansion and my room was shabby enough for living in the forest to be better than it.

You would think that of all the houses in RawHowl Pack, I was graced to be staying in the Alpha Mansion. But then, there was really no grace to it. I was only there because Alpha Gregor— the devilish Alpha of RawHowl Pack, his Luna, Dolores, and the rest of their miscreant family wanted to have me very close in case they needed someone to pour out all their hatred on.

I was on my bed now and had survived the first seven hours of the day. So I just had to remain hidden for the next seventeen hours— without food and water.

That can’t be hard, right?

Just as I settled under my sheets, there was a sudden knock on the door that shattered my comportment into a thousand pieces and made me jolt up fearfully.

Please no…

I hope it’s not who I’m thinking it is.

“W… who’s there?” I quizzed in a quivering voice and my growing panic as I started panting.

“It’s Felin.” A female’s voice said. “Luna Dolores seeks your attention in the Wilter Hall.” She informed me and I heard her footsteps retreat back into the silence while my heart grew a rugged pace. 

Felin was one of the Omega workers of the Alpha Mansion and if the Luna had sent her to summon me, it meant nothing but trouble!

A knock on my door always means trouble.

I immediately raced over to my wardrobe to get changed from the clothes Ivanka had soiled during her bully episode yesterday.

One thing was to answer Dolores’ call, and another was to get there on time.

I took out a black and baggy sateen dress — very baggy, from my cloth pile in my scruffy wardrobe and put it on. I preferred to wear slouchy clothes because it helped to hide my womanly features, as occasionally, It tends to draw the attention of those It isn’t supposed to.

I made my hair into a bridle fix and with that, I left my room and began to sneak my way toward the Wilter Hall of the Alpha Mansion.

My strides were stealthy but my heart’s rhythm wasn’t. For all I knew, every cruelty possible could happen when it came to Dolores. 

She’s worse than a witch!

I took a left and was getting close to where she was standing, her raspy voice with its cackling undertone being my indicator. 

My strides grew weary as I caught sight of her now. Her pastel silver grey hair clothing the sides of her evil face while she gave instructions to some worker made her mirror the appearance of an ogre Monster.

“Luna Dolores, you called for me,” I muttered audibly, forcing my expression to remain unshaken and not reveal the terror that was bubbling underneath.

“Yes.” She started casually, not bothering to spare me a look. “We have a few very important guests coming to the Pack and they would need a place to stay.” She finally rested her glare on me and a wave of confusion swept over me.

I knew who these guests were since Ivanka had forced the information on me yesterday, but then why was she telling me this? Does she want me to give them my room?

Maybe this is a test.

“Uhm…” I let a gulp slide down my throat. “Do you want me to gi… give up my room for them… or?” I said that last part slowly, hoping I hadn’t successfully misunderstood her.

“Give up your room?” She let out a brief but derisive chortle. “That Fleapit you live in?” Her cackle grew louder now and I sighed in my resentment.

Of course, I misunderstood her! She always does this— intentionally leaving conversational blanks for me to fall into so she can have the latitude to ridicule and tag me a fool. Good thing it was just the two of us here, else I would have been bathed in sneering cackles of spectators.

—the feeling is worse when there are so many people laughing at you. Believe me.

Dolores kept on laughing at my offer but alas, bad luck seemed to be cheerful today as her cackling caused her to mistakenly spill her wine on her dress, and it took everything in me to suppress the laughter that pressed against my lips. 

Thankfully, I did because the goddess knows what that would have caused me. 

Luna Dolores's features squeezed into a tight frown now, which she directed to me of course.

I obviously didn’t do anything but she was looking at me like I was the cause of the wine spilling. 

“Give me a piece of your dress.” She said to me. I couldn’t hide my confusion. 

Huh?

This was new, but not necessarily unusual, and I knew better than to protest. But I was being hesitant about it to know if she was being serious or if this was another conversational blank because there was clearly a freaking serviette on the fucking side chair!

Suddenly, with a pounce, a clutch, and a rip, Dolores tore off a portion of my dress. I gaped my mouth a bit in reaction.

“Now listen very closely to me.” She mouthed while she cleaned her dress with the torn piece of my dress. “The Alpha and his Votaries are already on their way so I need you to take your desolate self over to the old Alpha House and clean it up.” She said and her brows furrowed in. 

“All by yourself!” 

She spat her words on me and my gaze stretched at once.

Clean the old Alpha House? 

Alone?!

That’s like a freaking Jail sentence!

I wanted to protest but I knew it was going to be pointless— painfully pointless. To console myself, I decided I would call Feryt, my best friend— and only friend, for help on my way to the Old Alpha house.

“Okay, Luna,” I said with a bow and started to retreat— escape in fact.

“You’ll be guarded by two sentries.” Dolores interrupted my getaway. “So you’ll do your work accurately and not do anything stupid!” She said and as if on cue, two bulky Sentries stepped out from the side…

I let my face grow a frown and in my defeat, I nodded and began making my way out, now with my huge escorts.

Sentries were werewolf males who were bigger and than the average size and as a result, served as guards. They are mostly seen at the Royal Palace— so I’ve heard, but since RawHowl was the biggest pack in the Reigns, it had a few.

Soon, I was out of the new Alpha Mansion and strolling towards the Old Alpha House, with the two Monumental beings trailing closely by my side. 

The Old Alpha House was only a few blocks away from the new one, and once I got there, I was greeted by dust and slippery grime on the floorboards.

Ew.

I still had the plan to call Feryt in mind, but with the size of these two Werewolves lingering at the exit, I knew that such a plan would only earn me a bad bruise.

A really bad one!

So sadly and after a moment of internal weeping, I settled my motion and began cleaning.

I mopped the floors, waxed the finishings, scrubbed the windows, dusted the furnishings, laved the curtains, polished the furniture, laundered the luncheon cloths, scoured the druggets… and after three tiring hours, I was done.

I freaking did it!

I smiled satisfactorily as I sent a gaze to the two bulky beings still guarding the entrance. They glared back at me.

Don’t these fuckers ever smile? Or get tired of standing in just one position all their lives?

Anyway, I can’t judge them. I’ll choose their dull life over mine any day.

I took my gaze away from them and started packing up my cleaning items. I then strolled towards the exit and as I did, I marveled at my work pace. I had finished cleaning faster than I could have ever imagined.

I felt really proud of myself— although I did a little fraud while sweeping the dust particles away.

I got to the hefty Sentries at the door and they parted to give me room for my exit, but my stubborn self wouldn’t leave without jabbering first.

“Don’t you blokes ever smile?” I asked.

I didn’t expect them to answer. 

And they didn’t.

Their faces just remained firm as concrete and I scrunched my nose at them before finally leaving. 

Once I was out, I scanned the area to see if Luna Dolores, Ivanka, or their likes were nearby, and once there was no nefarious body in sight, I started to walk over to Feryt’s place. But suddenly, I was brought to a staggering halt as a wave of zest swept over me. I felt a wild energy running through me suddenly.

I swerved my gaze around to see if someone was at a corner casting an enchanting spell on me, but no one was!

For the first time, I could feel it. That potent pull. That intense ardor. That keen inkling… 

I could feel my mate.

I have a Mate. 

Happiness claimed me

I had always dreamed of meeting my mate. It was something I had always relished from ages ago, and not being able to unlock my wolf made me fear that this day would never come…

But it was finally happening! 

I had been told that after one has been fated to his/her mate by the moon goddess on the Full moon, the mate bond is only felt when one’s mate is close enough to his/her mate. So some people, i.e. those who don’t attend the annual mating Ball, never get to find their mates because they remain far apart from them all their lives.  

However, that wasn’t the case for me. I hadn’t attended the mating Ball last full moon because it was held over at the Palace and Dolores would have cut off my head if I had left the Pack grounds. But now, fate has brought my mate straight to me. Turns out I had been matched by the moon goddess last full moon as I could feel the mate bond now. 

My mate was close by.

A smile claimed my lips as the vetiver and musky scent crept into my nose— I’d never been so certain about something in my entire life!

I directed my gaze towards our Pack training grounds and the surrounding domicile and the whiff grew stronger from that angle so I threw my legs into an excited sprint forward.

Everything was pointing me in that direction; the gust of wind, the magical whispers in the air. The moment couldn’t be mistaken!

I kept on with my pace, the urge to just know who it was, fueling my every stride. I ignored my Pack mates who bathed me with their glares and stink eyes as I sauntered on. 

None of that mattered now. Once I had my mate he would protect me and finally take me away— save me from these monsters.

A stroke of pain ran through my chest as I took a left turn down a path but it was over almost immediately so I didn’t need to worry about it. Excitedly, I continued onwards but as I drew closer, I realized I was headed for the… for the Alpha Mansion?

What?

I began slowing down my pace as worry started soaking through me. I was already in the Mansion now and the feeling was still bubbling inside me but I was starting to grow a bit confused.

W-Who could it be? 

I can’t have one of these wretches as my mate. One of Ivanka’s brothers?

Please no.

I knitted my brows together in my uneasiness as I took a shy corner. Even though my excitement was slowly being replaced with worry, I still couldn't stop the urge to want to know who it was. 

I got to the door now and the mate pull was like a deluging field of a thousand magnets tugging me. It was the door of the Wilter Hall, the same Hall where I had met Luna Dolores earlier and I could hear voices chattering from within, of which Luna Dolores’ and Ivanka’s were clearly identifiable.

I needed to know who my mate was and even they wouldn’t stop me today!

With my resolve, I pulled on the handle and pushed the door open.

Slowly three figures came into sight and as predicted, Luna Dolores and her vile daughter were there, but my gaze wasn’t resting on them. My gaze was on him. 

My mate.