Chapter 5

Esme's POV

"He may seem like a selfish, egotistical and ruthless bastard but he's actually a broken wolf calling for help, hiding behind the shadow of a tough exterior. He needs you Esme, he needs his mate. You're very special and I believe that not only will you break the curse, you'll bring back the caring Ethan that I once knew, the one who could buy people's hearts with just his smile." Rachel pleaded.

"I understand everything you've said and I truly feel for Ethan, he was badly wronged and I hope that he can find redemption but you're wrong about me.

There's nothing special about me. I'm just a weak little wolf struggling to survive in this harsh world. I would never be able to do what you're asking, especially since he doesn't want to see me." I resisted.

"If you could just__"

"I'm telling you that I can't help you because I need to heal as well. My life has been just as tragic as his. I've been imprisoned and tortured for the past twelve years, I'm broken both physically and emotionally and all I really want is someone to love me, to want me.

I came to this Pack expecting that but as I've come to realize, Selene doesn't love me enough to grant me this one wish.

Have you ever heard of a broken person fixing another broken person? 

We might be mates and I might be the first woman who's been able to touch him but it doesn't matter because we're not meant to be. 

I wouldn't be able to do anything for him. If you really want to help him, then go find someone who's worthy enough." I said dismissively and turned to leave, heading back towards the carriage.

Solar was struggling within me, asking me to turn back and take Rachel's offer but I knew leaving was the right thing to do, at least it seemed to be.

"It seems I really was wrong about you. Selene must have made a mistake by making you Ethan's mate, you're weak and not worthy of him.

You're also not grateful as well." She said and I suddenly stopped, her words causing me to turn back sharply.

"Why do you seem so surprised when you know it's true? You said it yourself, you're not worthy of Ethan or the title, Luna.

Ethan took pity on you and saved you from your abusive pack when he could have easily just rejected you and turned a blind eye to your suffering.

He's only treated you with kindness, even up to this moment and you choose to repay him by running away instead of helping him now that he needs you the most.

A person such as yourself is truly unworthy of Ethan, I'm sorry I burdened you by telling you the truth in the first place. You can leave now, take your wealth and go but once you leave, make sure to never return." Rachel said and turned away from me.

This is full-on emotional blackmail, I know it but I can't deny that she has a point.

Ethan did help me when I needed him the most, even when he could have just rejected me. If he had, only Selene knows what might have become of me, especially if the Alpha decided to carry out his threat of making me the pack's……

Ugh, I don't even want to think about it.

If I do agree to this, will I be able to keep my promise? Will I be able to help Ethan heal without losing myself completely in the process?

"Esme, you already know what my decision on this is but I won't pressure you. Just follow your heart and do what you feel is right." Solar advised and I sighed, finally making a decision.

"I accept your challenge but I'm not making any promises. I'll try my best to help break Ethan's curse and revive his dead heart. I'll make him fall in love with me by any means possible. He might have given up on us but I won't, not without a fight." I finally gave in.

"That's all I wanted to hear, I knew you had it in you. I'm sorry for the things I said, I was just desperate because you truly are Ethan's only hope. I just want things to go back to the way they were." Rachel sighed.

"If there's a chance for my happy ending, then I'll fight for it as hard as I can. It's time to take destiny into my own hands for once." I asserted.

****

I didn't wait for my presence to be announced before barging into the throne room.

The Alpha who had been busy reading some documents, quickly set them down. His face contorted in a frown at seeing me.

"What the hell are you doing back here?" He fired at me.

"That's not a nice way to greet your mate and Luna, now is it?" I asked, quickly gathering all my courage as I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around him in a hug.

His wonderful scent invaded my nostrils, dazing me a bit. He smelt of cedarwood mixed with citrus, a strong but warm scent that tickled my senses, building up reactions I could have never expected.

He stilled at my touch and I could hear his heartbeat, it was a slow but addictive rhythm. Everything suddenly seemed beautiful.

I was rudely ripped from my fantasy when he pushed me away from him, the unprecedented force causing me to lose my balance but I managed to stop myself from falling in the nick of time.

"What's wrong with you?!" He growled.

"Why are you so mad? You're my mate so of course I want to touch you, hug you and do much more intimate things." I said and he gritted his teeth in anger.

I might be overstepping my boundaries just a tad bit but I can't deny that I'm enjoying this.

"I don't like being touched and especially not by you." He snarked.

"You didn't reject me, remember? And as long as I'm still your mate, I'll only abide by our bond and not your decisions.

I was going to leave but then I remembered something, how you swooped in and saved me that day. You took me away from that hell and you've only been kind to me, I could never be selfish enough to just leave so I've decided to return the favor." I chirped.

"What are you getting at? Quit beating around the bush and speak directly." He snapped.

"I want to return the favor by fulfilling my duty as your mate. I want to bear your child, who will be the future Alpha of this Pack." I stated simply and he broke into a hard laugh like I had just told a really funny joke. 

What the hell is he laughing about?

"You must have hit your head on your way here or you've lost it. If you did not understand me clearly before, I'll say it again.

I don't want anything to do with you. You'd better get rid of that big dream you have of bearing my child cause it's never going to happen." He said disdainfully.

"It will happen, I'll make it happen." I challenged him.

"I don't like repeating myself, I'm telling you to leave once more because I won't be responsible for my actions if you continue to provoke me like this." He warned huskily.

"I won't leave, at least not now.

One year, I want you to let me stay in this Pack for one year and within this period, I'll make you fall head over heels for me and have your baby as well." I offered and he stared at me blankly for a few seconds before replying.

"Are you deaf or do you perhaps have a death wish? Don't think I won't harm you just because you're my mate." He threatened and though I was scared out of my mind by him, I kept my calm and cool exterior, sporting a small smile which only seemed to anger him further.

"You might be scary to others but not to me because I know something that they don't. I know about your past and the reason why you don't want anyone too close to you. I know about your illness and though I can't promise to cure it, since I can touch you, I promise to give you as much comfort as I possibly can…..." I promised, the words barely leaving my mouth as he grabbed my hand and pushed me against the wall, caging me with both his hands so there was no escape.

I gulped as I tried to look at anything else but him.

"Look at me." He demanded and I quickly obeyed, looking into his ocean blue eyes which held no iota of warmth or emotion.

"You found out a little about my past and now you think you have me all figured out. Well let me break it to you, you don't.

I'm twisted, like nothing you've seen before. You don't want me in your life, I'll hurt you, break you and possess you with all my darkness. I'm doing you a favor by asking you to go.

I don't have a heart so I can't offer you love or the comfort that comes with it.

You're way too fragile to be with me, I'm no Prince Charming. I'm your worst nightmare with a side of disaster so don't you dare think for one second that you can fix me.

You'll only be consumed." He warned huskily.

"Are you trying to scare me? Because you seem like the one who's scared, scared to let someone in because you're scared to love again. You keep saying you don't have a heart but you do, everyone does. Yours might be dead but I'll do everything in my power to revive it and if that doesn't work, I have a big heart and I'll be happy to share it with you, all you have to do is let me in." I said and raised my hand slowly before carefully touching his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin.

He grabbed my hand and threw it aside.

"No, you're going to leave." He said firmly and turned away from me.

"So my suspicion is correct, you're scared of giving me a chance because you know I could be right. One year is nothing for you, you're confident you can resist falling for me then why don't you agree? To think the bloody conqueror is scared of a mere woman." I mocked, seeing if I would be able to push the right buttons.

"You want a challenge? Fine. A challenge you'll get. You have one year to get me to fall in love with you and become pregnant with my baby.

You're destined to fail if you think you can save me, nothing in this world will be able to fix me." He spoke confidently.

"I bet love can, it's the greatest form of magic. Everybody deserves it, even you." I persisted.

"You should keep in mind that if you fail at your task, you'll have to leave this Pack without a single thing and never return again because if you do, I'll make sure to kill you myself." He added, causing a lump to form at the back of my throat but I wasn't about to give up after coming so far.

"I accept your condition. One year it is then."