Chapter 4

I have never seen a man so handsome. His face looks like they were perfectly carved by hundreds of sculptors. His nose is unbelievably straight. His lips are so well defined, they look both calm and sinful at the same time. His hair is raven black, and his skin is the smoothest I've ever seen.

The entire hall remains frozen in silence, everyone staring in awe at the piece of perfection standing before them. Layla’s mouth hangs open. She had expected an ugly monster, well… we all did. But instead, we get the shocker of our lives.

“Alpha Lucian,” Alpha Terran finally speaks, his voice a little louder than a whisper.

So that's his name, I mutter. Lucian.

“I'm terribly sorry.” Alpha Terran continues. “I didn't know anything about this. It's an…”

“Save it.” Alpha Lucian cuts him off sharply as he walks to the seat prepared for him at the edge of the dining table. “I don't like being made a fool of Alpha Terran,” he says, his voice calm. “If I’d known you were this useless, I would have never agreed to this deal. I should kill you for wasting my time.”

Without sparing Alpha Tarren a glance, he reaches for a goblet of wine on the table, his fingers lazily swirling the liquid inside. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he tosses the wine onto the floor, the red liquid splattering like spilled blood.

Alpha Terran’s hand curls into a fist at the insult but he does nothing. Alpha Lucian looks a lot younger than Alpha Terran. He's probably in his late thirties at most, and Alpha Terran was well over sixty. But Alpha Terran’s head remained bowed, it's the Scarred Alpha speaking, age means nothing. Countering him would be suicidal.

“But no need to worry,” Alpha Lucian continues, a mischievous smile curving his lips. “I won't kill you, your pack will still be of good use to me.”

He picks up an apple and stands, strolling like the hall is his yard. 

“I came for a mate,” he says, taking a bite, “and I'm definitely not leaving without one.”

Layla’s face turns ghostly pale. “I’m sorry Alpha, I was just joking”, she cries, her voice shaking.

“Keep quiet!” Alpha Lucian roars. I swallow hard, my fingers failing to stay still. 

“This whole shitshow happened because I let you choose for me,” he says, his eyes scanning the hall. “Now, I'll choose my mate myself.”

He strolls around, pausing to take a glance at every young woman seated or standing in the hall. Then all of a sudden, he stops in front of me. 

“Raise your head,” he says calmly. 

And I do, slowly. 

When I look into his eyes again, my stomach flips. The rest of the world blurrec as I stare at him in silence.

“What's your name?”

“Leah,” I say softly, my voice shaky.

“Relax Leah. I'm not going to hurt you.” He holds my hand and steps forward. “I have made my choice. Leah will be my mate.”

Alpha Terran’s eyes go up in flames, “What? No you can't! She's just a maid. I'll find you a replacement..”

A low growl escapes Lucian’s chest as Alpha Terran tries to grab my hand.

“I don't think you understand”, he answers him menacingly. “It's either I take her, or there will be war. Do you hear me?”

“Yes,” Alpha Terran replies, his bravado calming. 

Alpha Lucian turns back to me, staring deep into my eyes. “Or do you not want me?”

I stare blankly at him, not knowing what to say. Although I'd give anything to watch Alpha Terran getting insulted over and over again, I can't help but feel like I'm just a pawn in Alpha Lucian’s game. He didn’t get the mate he came for, so now he’s settling for me. A rebound. 

“You don't want her, trust me”. Layla’s voice rings out before I can talk. “She’s too weak for you. Take me..”

“Say one more word about my mate and I'll rip your lungs out,” Alpha Lucian threatens, cutting her off as he holds my hand, and shoving me behind him. She drops to her knees immediately, begging to be forgiven.

My stomach flips as I hear him call me his mate. I don't know if I should be happy that I get to leave this life of torment or I should be sad that I'm going to be mated to a tyrant for the rest of my life.

“Now apologize” he growls at Layla. 

“I'm… I'm sorry” she stammers, unable to look me in the eye.

“Good.” He retorts, a devilish smile on his lips as if all of this was a joke to him. He faces the crowd and holds my hand up. 

“I, Alpha Lucian of the Bloodmoon pack, choose Leah as my mate, and that is final. You may return to your dinner now. My mate and I have a lot to know about each other”.

He turns to me again, his voice low and smooth. “Let’s go.”

“She's right”, I blurt, resisting his pull. “I'm too weak for you. I don't have a wolf, so I can't be your Luna. I…”

He leans close to me, cutting me off and whispering in my ears, sending a storm of butterflies through my stomach. 

“Oh you must be mistaken. I didn't choose you for beauty or your body. I know you're weak and powerless. But I'm the Lycan Alpha. Whatever I say is mine… is mine.” 

He leans back and looks into my eyes. “So whether you like it or not, you're mine now, little flower. Mine!”

He pulls me after him as he pushes the heavy doors open. My heart aches, my mind racing like lightning. I take another look at him again as he pulls me with him, his beautiful black hair cascading down his shoulder as he walks. I still can't wrap my finger around it, one thing keeps ringing in my mind.

I just got mated to the Scarred Alpha!