Chapter 3

Ayla’s POV

“Mine!”

The word rings in my ears like the frantic sound of a bell. I lift my head up and turn around. A man stands inches away from me — blonde hair, golden eyes, tall and handsome. He dresses in a different manner, and I know instantly that he is not a member of my pack.

“Mate!”

He growls again. And I am sure this time, it is really my mate. I can’t feel him, but he can feel me.

I take slow steps toward him, he does the same, covering the space between us as he grabs me, sniffing down my neck, he murmurs, “It is you.”

He releases me and stares deep into my eyes, like he is trying to see into my soul. “I’ve felt you for a long time, but I just couldn’t find you. Little did I know it was because you have been kept behind these tall walls your whole life,” he whispers. His voice is deep and soothing. He is everything I had wished my dream mate would be.

“Thank you. Thank you so much for showing up now, my life would have been messed up if you didn’t,” I whisper as he wraps his arms around me.

“I’m here now. I will protect you.” He assures.

“The moon goddess has finally shown us mercy, Lady Ayla has found her mate!” Elder Vagner announces. The crowd cheers. Everyone is happy—or so I thought. I had no idea what was coming.

****************************

It’s been three weeks since my mate, Julian found me. Life has been easier these past weeks. He treats me so well. He only marked me, but I refuse to be intimate with him until the day of our coronation.

“Ayla?” Elena peers through the half-opened door. I tilt my head in the direction of the door and smile at her.

“Come in Lena,” I gesture with my hand.

“Oh, Look at you my friend. You are glowing!” She giggles.

“Please, Elena. I am not.” I whisper.

“Julian is doing a great job.” She inches closer and her eyes widens in surprise. “He marked you!” She shrieks. I immediately place a hand over her mouth to shut her up.

“Tone your voice down, Lena,” I whisper. My hand reaches out to caress the golden puncture marks on my neck.

“Sorry,” she says. “So tell me, how was it? Was he gentle?” she looks at me, her eyes wide with anticipation.

“No. No, we haven’t done that yet. I ask him to wait until the night of our coronation,” I say to her. Something in her expression flickers, but she covers it up immediately with a smile. I deem it as normal so I didn’t think much about it.

“That’s a good idea. Well, I have to go now. Duty calls.” She says and embraces me slightly then heads for the door.

The coronation is in three days time and I can’t wait for it to happen. I walk to my closet and trail my fingers on the soft fabric resting in there — a red silk gown, mainly worn by future Lunas. But since I am going to be a female Alpha, I had to dress according to tradition. It feels very soft to the touch, a satisfied smile playing up my face.

I step out of my room and walk to Julian’s room. pushing the door open. Julian is sitting on a chair, busy with work, the top three buttons of his shirt were undone revealing a toned, broad chest.

His hair glitters in the sunlight. I smile as I walk toward him, pausing midway as I notice something was off, his hair looks like it was scattered with fingers, or is it just my imagination? He might have been running his fingers through his repeatedly.

“Julian,” I call out as I walk deeper into the room.

“Oh. Here comes my queen,” he says and spread his hands wide, and I quickly run into them. He holds me for a while then releases me and makes me sit on his lap.

“Why are you here?” He asks, smiling softly.

“I miss you. So I’m here to see you.” I murmur.

“How much did you miss me?” he whispers as he brings his face closer to my neck, trailing kisses down to my collarbone. The feeling had me moaning and arching closer to him, a strange warmth pooling between my thighs.

I place my hand on his hair, my fingers tangling his strands and pulling slightly. I bite my lower lip as his hand slips downward into my gown to my underwear, he is about ripping it off when I come back to my senses. I grab hold of his hand and push him slightly.

“Julian, stop. You promised to wait until the coronation day, remember?” I say to him, my chest heaving in rhythm with his.

“Yes, I did. You are just so beautiful, it’s hard to resist you,” he whispers, I can see the lust in his eyes and I feel bad for starving him.

“Just two days more, and I’ll be all yours to ravish as you like,” I whisper, letting him wrap his arms around me.

The next day goes as usual, the pack is very busy with preparations for the coronation. Invitations have been sent out to different packs, I feel boundless joy in my heart.

I didn’t see Julian all day. It is pack tradition that we don’t see each other until the day of the ceremony. They say it brings bad luck.

I walk over to my window and stare out into the night, the mansion looks beautiful, flowers hanging on each corner of the mansion, my lips curves into a small smile. Tomorrow, everything changes — or so I thought.

*************************

A wide smile plasters on my lips as an extremely beautiful reflection stares right back at me. The red silk gown fits me perfectly, my hair glows, same with my skin.

“You look absolutely stunning, ‘Alpha’” I turn around to see Elena, she looks beautiful in a red silk gown. A red silk gown? I am meant to be the only one wearing red today, so why?

“I’m sorry, Ayla. I just feel too happy for you so I decide to wear same color with you to show how happy I am. If it’s not okay, I’ll go change right now.” She explains and was about walking out,

It shouldn’t matter right? She’s my best friend. “No, don’t. Its fine, don’t bother. You look absolutely stunning.” I smile at her.

A knock on the door interrupts our conversation.

“Lady Ayla, it is time.” A maid had come to inform me. I smile nervously at Elena, taking slow steps toward the door, with her trailing behind me.

When the giant doors of the grand hall opens, I look ahead. At the end of the long red carpet stood Julian, looking devastatingly handsome in his red ceremonial suit.

My heart leaps for joy as I walk toward him, but as I got closer, the smile on his face vanishes. A strange feeling settles in the pit of my stomach but I brush it off as a weird feeling.

Julian stretches out his hand to me, and I place my hand in his, before I can register the coldness of his palm, he yanks me forward, his breath icy as he whispers, “Did you for once think I’d let you rule this pack as Alpha? In your dreams, Ayla.”

I blink hard and look at him, an evil grin plays on his face, his grip on my hand tightening. “Let go Julian, you are hurting me,” I hiss under my breath. And instead of letting go, he shoves me, then turns around to face the crowd.

“May the moon goddess bear me witness as I put an end to this cursed bond,” his voice booms across the hall.

I am stunned. My heart thumping so loud I can hear it’s vibrating against my ears. “Julian, what are you doing?” I choke out. Confused.

He turns to me, his golden eyes void of any warmth. “I, Julian Voss reject you, Ayla Reed as my mate. There shall be no bond between us from now henceforth,” he leans in closer, ensuring only I can hear his final word. “Your throne is mine.”

The words hit me like a physical blow, air rushes out of my lungs, and the grand hall spins as I stagger backward.

The same man who had spent three weeks whispering promises of love and protection to me was now staring at me with absolute disgust. Then I could feel it, the bond shattering — and a blinding, agonizing pain ripping my soul in two.

The twisting pain in my chest makes it impossible to breathe. I crash down on my knees, trying to take the pain. But it is just too much for my human body to bare.

“Arghhhhhh!… Aahhhh!” I scream as a scorching heat radiates from the mate mark, spreading throughout my entire body.

I cough up blood gripping my chest as I stare at the crimson liquid dripping down my nostrils.

“Wh… why?” I choke out. Julian had a triumphant smile on his face.

From the corner of my eye, I can see him gripping his chest as a low, painful groan erupts from his throat, and that means one thing — his wolf doesn’t agree to the rejection, so why? Why force it?

“Accept the rejection, Ayla,” he says in an angry growl.

How could he do this to me. I turn and look at the crowd, they were all on their seat, like they already knew about this. Elder Vagner has no expression on his face, that was when realization hit me — it was all a plot.

From the very beginning, my mother’s death, everything was well planned. I groaned as my chest twist in agony. The pain of a bounded soul ripping off of mine feels worse than dying.

I look at Julian and he just stares down at me, his eyes burning with hatred, not even a shred of remorse.

The pain suddenly becomes unbearable, and I had to decide. My voice trembles, but I force the words out of my mouth.

“I… Ay… Ayla Reed, accept your rejection.”