Chapter 2

Bella's POV

"He's our mate?" I asked my wolf again but she went mute and I groaned out in frustration.

Finally, being able to walk, I noticed my injuries had healed and I scoffed, rolling my eyes at my wolf. "You healed me, just so you can spend time with him?”

I crouched in front of the man and although I couldn't see his full face, his pale pink lips gave me butterflies.

"Sir? Are you alright?" I asked the man, sitting in the chair saying incoherent words. 

"I'd leave now. I'm sorry for bothering you."

As I stood up to leave, I heard his voice, loud and clear. "Come to me," he said with a husky voice dripping with desire. 

Unable to defy him, I turned around like a good little girl. Kneeling in front of him, I closed my eyes, inhaling the beautiful scent around me, watching him deepen the connection with my wolf while I tried to figure out why I suddenly craved his touch.

In a split second, my back was against the wall, his skin touching mine, and our faces, inches away.  

Before I could say anything, he leaned in and captured my lips in a soft and passionate kiss. 

I stood there, frozen once again, not knowing whether to breathe, move, or kiss him back.

Sensing my uneasiness, he pulled out, brushing the hairs away from my face, "You smell so heavenly," he purred, breaking me from my thoughts. I gasped as his hands moved up and down my body, not sparing any spot.

His touch sent waves of electricity through my body, igniting a fire within me. It was a mixture of desire, and fear that pulsed through my veins. I was drawn to him, captivated by his presence, and yet a part of me resisted, unsure of the consequences that would follow.

As his hands explored my body, a shiver ran down my spine. Every touch, every caress seemed to awaken a dormant longing deep within me. I struggled to understand why I craved his touch so intensely, why his closeness had such an effect on me. Was he truly my mate? Is this because of the mate bond?

"Hmmm," I moaned as his lips trailed along my jawline, leaving a trail of soft kisses that made my heart race. Each gentle touch felt like an invitation to surrender, to lose myself in the moment.

Before I knew it, one of his hands landed on my neck while he kissed and sucked it and the other hand, inside my clothes, caressed my erect buds.

I lost my sanity as I moaned in response to his touch and gave in to him. Before I knew it, we were on the bed, naked, and he was on top of me. Suddenly, his lips landed on my neck, kissing, sucking, and biting. The pleasure was surreal, I invited him in without hesitation and he made me feel better than I ever did in my life.

As our moans and the sounds of our bodies colliding filled the room, he climaxed, adoring my body with kisses. 

"I miss you, Jessica," he breathed on my neck. "My love, don't you dare leave again!” He warned and collapsed next to me on the bed, sleeping peacefully with his arms draped around me.

My heart sank as I heard his words. Jessica? Who's Jessica? Could she be his lover and the reason he was here in this state?

Regretting coming here and giving in to his advances, I gently removed his hands from my body, not wanting to wake him. 

As I got out of his bed, I hurriedly wore my clothes, taking one last glance at the man. "I thought you'd love me and be mine forever. But I guess you've found someone else," I said, tears streaming down my face and I clutched my broken heart.

Quitely, I walked out of the room, unable to stay in the same room with him. His words, especially the name of his lover, echoed in my head amplifying the pain I felt.

Just as I was about to step out of the villa, I heard the snarls of the rogue wolves outside, waiting for me.

I retraced my steps and sat down near the window where I burst into tears as a mix of frustration, anger, and heartache filled my soul. I longed for a mate, a connection that would bring me love and understanding, but this was not what I had imagined. The thought of being bound to that man deeply in love with another woman filled me with dread. 

"I hate you wolf!” were my last words as I cried myself to sleep.

I squinted my eyes as the ray of sunlight shined brightly on me. Realizing it was morning, I stood up from the hard floor where I slept and took a look out the window for any rogue wolves who might have waited for me. 

After making sure the coast was clear, I made my way out of the villa, not bothering to check on the man I left sleeping on the bed as I walked back home, fighting the tears that threatened to pour like heavy rain.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I reached the familiar neighborhood where my step-family resided. The sight of the house brought a bittersweet mix of relief and sadness. While I had always yearned for acceptance and love within my stepfamily, returning to them now meant admitting defeat, accepting that my desires for a fulfilling, peaceful mate may forever remain unfulfilled.

Taking a deep breath, I approached the front door, steeling myself for the inevitable questions and judgment that would follow.

As I stepped into the house, my stepmother, Sophia, hurriedly walked towards me, a cold, disdainful expression adorned her face. Her eyes narrowed with contempt as she took in my disheveled appearance. Without a word, she raised her hand and delivered a stinging slap across my face, the sound echoing through the house.

"How dare you show your face here, you wretched girl!" she spat, her voice dripping with venom. "Where have you been?”

"Where else could she have gone, Mother?” her daughter, Bris, asked. "You can see the hickeys and marks all over her body. She has started prostitution." Bris said, looking at me disgustingly.

Another slap hit my other cheek, "Tell me, Bella! Where did you go?

I winced from the pain of the second slap, my cheeks stinging and my heart sinking. It was clear that the mother and daughter had already made up their minds about me, and no amount of explanation would change that. 

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to tell them about my mate.

"I wasn't prostituting myself, Mother," I said, my voice trembling. "I was being chased by rogues."

Sophia scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Rogues? Don't make up stories, Bella. We all know you're nothing but trouble."

"It's true," I insisted, my voice quivering with the weight of my words. "I was on my way home last night when David and his rogue packs started chasing me! I barely escaped alive!"

"Oh, stop lying, Bella. How can a wolf-less girl like you escape from a pack of wolves?" Sophia retorted.

"They probably raped her and let her go. That would explain the hickeys," Bris suggested and Sophia nodded. 

"You're right. But that only causes more problems for us,” she said, giving me a dirty look.

"What do you mean, mother?"

"Remember the man, I told you about. The one who has a barren wife and took an interest in her. He already paid in advance,” Sophia explained.

"What?" I yelled, surprised. "You sold me to a stranger?” 

"Shut up!" Bris defended her mother. "You have no use for us. You're useless and we need money. And if you look at it from this angle, you get a house to stay and a man to call a husband. Isn't that better than living alone without a wolf?"

Sophia finally spoke up, "I'd get ready if I were you. Your husband will be here soon."

I fell to my knees, begging them. "Please don't do this. I'd do anything you want but don't sell me out please." Just as I was pleading, a knock came on the door and my heart dropped. 

"Don't bother begging. Your husband is here, go and open the door." Sophia said smiling.

"But, mother please…" I begged but she cut me off with a glare. 

I gulped, crying profusely while she happily walked to the door to open it for the so-called husband she sold me to. Is that how much she hates and wants to get rid of me?

"I'll rather die wolf-less and alone than get married to an old man!" I said to myself and wiped my tears. As soon as the door opened, I pushed Mother Sophia aside and ran out. 

It all felt like I would be finally free from their torture but my fantasy ended when I collided with something strong- a man's chest. 

"Let me go!"I yelled trying to break free from his hold but he didn't and that intoxicating scent from last night filled my nostrils.

My heart thumped against my chest like I was running a marathon. I froze, unable to move away from his stronghold. How did he find me?