MATE BOND

Laura's POV

 

My eyes widened as I stared at him. I couldn't believe what had just come out of my mouth. My weak wolf, that had barely stirred in all my nineteen years of life, had just called Ryan mate.

 

Ryan stared back at me. His eyes were wide and his chest was rising and falling like he'd just run a very long distance. For a second, I thought he forgot how to breathe.

 

We stood there frozen, the world around us fading away. It was just him and me…and the bond that was slowly forming between us.

 

I could feel it now, a golden thread connecting my heart to his.

 

I didn't know how long we stood staring at each other through the haze when Sasha's voice brought us back.

 

"Ryan!" She appeared beside him and wrapped her arm around his. He blinked and looked away from me. The spell was broken. "What are you doing here? Are you joining us for dinner?"

 

Ryan didn't answer. He just kept staring at me with this strange expression on his face.

 

Sasha's eyes followed his gaze and landed on me. Her smile faded just slightly. "What are you still doing here, slave? You're dismissed. Get out."

 

I bent my head immediately. My heart was pounding so hard I could barely breathe. "Yes, Miss."

 

I turned and walked away. My legs felt like they were made of jelly. I didn't run, but I wanted to. Every step away from Ryan felt like I was being ripped apart. The bond pulled at me, screaming at me to go back.

 

I couldn't possibly go back. I kept walking until I reached the maid quarters.

 

I closed my bedroom door and leaned against it. My whole body was shaking. I brought my hand up to my chest and felt my heart racing rapidly.

 

Did that really just happen?

 

Ryan was my mate. The Alpha to be! The most powerful wolf in Silvercrest. And he was mine.

 

Mine?

 

My wolf stirred inside me. She was pacing again, restless and excited. Mate, she kept saying. Mate. Mate. Mate.

 

I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. For the first time in my entire life, I felt hope. Maybe, just maybe, something good was finally going to happen to me.

 

But then the smile died as soon as it came with doubt creeping in.

 

There was no way Ryan would acknowledge me. I was nothing.

 

Why would he want someone like me when he could have any woman in the pack? Sasha was beautiful and powerful. Her father was the Beta. She was everything I wasn't.

 

I shook my head. How foolish could I even possibly be to think something like that?

 

A knock on my door snapped me out of my thoughts. I hurriedly opened it, expecting another servant or perhaps one of the older maids with a task for me.

 

Instead, one of Ryan's personal guards stood there, his expression blank and unreadable. "The Alpha requests your presence in his chambers. Immediately."

 

My heart stopped. "His chambers?"

 

The guard didn't elaborate. He simply turned and walked away, clearly expecting me to follow.

 

I followed him through the winding hallways of the pack house, my mind racing with every step. My hands were trembling and my legs felt weak, but I kept moving. I couldn't refuse a direct summons from the Alpha.

 

The guard stopped outside a large oak door and gestured for me to enter. I pushed it open slowly, my heart pounding so hard I could barely hear anything else.

 

Ryan was standing by the window, his back to me. The room was large and richly decorated, filled with dark wood furniture and expensive fabrics. He turned when he heard the door close behind me.

 

I dropped to my knees immediately, my head bent so low my forehead almost touched the floor. My whole body was shaking. I remembered his temper, the way he had thrown that basin at me without a second thought, the way he had screamed at me until I couldn't stop crying. He was probably disgusted. He was probably here to reject me. He was probably going to hurt me.

 

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I didn't mean to call you that. Please don't hurt me. I'll do anything. I'll accept whatever you want."

 

There was silence above me. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited.

 

"Why would I reject my own mate?"

 

His voice came out steady and amused. I stiffened at that and slowly looked up.

 

Ryan was kneeling in front of me. His blue eyes searched my face like he was looking for something. I swallowed hard, unable to speak.

 

"I don't even know your name," he said.

 

"Laura," I whispered.

 

"Laura." He said my name slowly, like he was testing how it felt on his tongue.

 

I kept my head low, too scared to meet his eyes properly. I couldn't understand why he was being gentle. I had seen what he did when he was angry. I had felt his rage before. This version of him didn't make sense to me.

 

He leaned down and pressed his lips to my forehead. The kiss sent waves of current down my stomach and I trembled.

 

"Come to the ball tomorrow," he said. "Wear something sexy for me. I'll make you my mate in front of everyone."

 

I stared at him. My mouth opened but no words came out. He pulled me up and held me steady. I was still shaking, unable to believe what I was hearing.

 

"Don't tell anyone," he added. "If you tell, you'll spoil all the fun."

 

I nodded because my voice was completely gone. He started to turn away, but then he stopped and looked back at me.

 

"You must step up and prove you're mine after I call you in front of everyone, okay?"

 

I nodded again. "Answer me, Laura," he said. His voice came out so firm that I almost swooned.

 

I swallowed. "Yes," I managed to say. "I understand."

 

He smiled at me then before turning to leave. It was a beautiful smile, and it made my heart flutter.

 

The door closed behind him and I fell to my knees. My legs gave out completely. I was weak, trembling, overwhelmed by everything that had just happened.

 

Was this real? Could this possibly be real?

 

I pressed my hand to my chest and felt my racing heart. This was real. My heart beating frantically proved it. Ryan was my mate. He wanted me. He was going to make me his Luna.

 

...

 

The next morning, I woke up with a smile on my face. The sun was streaming through my tiny window and for the first time in my life, everything felt right.

I went to work with a lightness in my step. My head still hurt from where Sasha had pulled, but I didn't care. Nothing could ruin my mood.

I was assigned to clean Sasha's room. My smile faded slightly as I entered her quarters. Her room was huge and beautiful, filled with expensive furniture and clothes. I started cleaning, dusting her shelves and making her bed.

Until when I opened her wardrobe to hang up some clothes,that was when I saw a beauitful piece of black lacy lingerie, hanging there, brand new, the tags still attached.

My heart started pounding.

I looked around the room. No one was there. I reached out and touched the lingerie. The fabric was so soft, so delicate. It looked stretchy, it was a material that could fit a range of body types rather than something fitted to a specific size.

Ryan had asked me to wear something sexy. I had nothing like this. I had nothing at all. My mother's old olive wedding dress was the only nice thing I owned, and it was worn and faded and too tight for my body.

Guilt washed over me. This wasn't mine and I couldn't take it.

But then I thought of Ryan. I thought of him holding me, kissing my forehead, telling me he wanted me. I wanted to look beautiful for him. I wanted to be worthy of him.

I grabbed the lingerie and shoved it into my apron pocket. My hands were shaking.

"I'm sorry," I whispered into the empty room. "I'll return it, I promise. I just need it for tonight."

I slipped out of the room, my hand still deep in my pocket as I closed the door. I turned to leave but immediately gasped and stumbled back when I saw the head of the slaves standing there, her eyes fixed on me.

Her gaze dropped to my pocket. "What's in your pocket, Laura?”