Chap 2

I scowled. Alpha Scott had told me to behave but how on earth could I do so when I felt so restless? I fought the impulse to tap my feet impatiently. With the rigorous training I had undergone, I scoffed at people who could not manage their emotions, and who wore their hearts on their sleeves. Doing that was an open invitation for the enemy to know that he had you riled up. 

The guards who stood around me looked at me curiously. I didn't blame them. I knew that I- who they knew as the ruthless killing machine, cold as ice- was acting out of character. 

I would have given anything to have left the room at that moment but my Alpha's induction overrode my will. I put my feelings down to the anger I felt at King Dante. The way he had come to my pack to choose a mate, like the women were ripe fruits he was entitled to pluck at his whim. I looked closely again at the faces of the females assembled. Instead of the disgust and chagrin, I had expected to see reflected on most faces, some of them looked. . . hopeful- like they were hoping King Dante picked them. The buzz of muted voices in conversation filled the room.

Two Omegas on my right were discussing. I was standing close enough to them to hear their conversation.

"I wish we had been informed earlier of Alpha Dante's arrival. It would have given us time to prepare and look more er- presentable." the blonde girl said.

The other girl nodded. "Yes, it's rather short notice." She sighed. "I heard King Dante is so handsome and dreamy."

The girls bent their heads, hands pressed to their lips to stifle their giggles. 

"I won't care what he thinks of me. If I can only have him breed me-"

The girls giggled again, their shoulders shaking with laughter. 

I rolled my eyes at that. Their silly talk irritated the hell out of me. It was annoying to see that some females had no other ambitions than to be mates, and bred by a male. 

"Ahem-" I cleared my throat loudly. They turned to look in my direction, embarrassment and fear on their faces, before staring straight ahead.

Glad to have successfully shut them up, I turned to a guard standing beside me.

"When exactly is King Dante due to arrive?" I asked him. 

"In er- 20 minutes or so." He lowered his voice. "Don't count on it though. I heard he sometimes feels like he is above the restrictions of time so he may arrive sometime later than that." 

Grimacing, I flicked my wrist and glanced at my watch. The time of his arrival was fast approaching. There was a flurry of movement from the second entrance of the conference room. About a dozen guards who were not members of my pack came in a slow procession into the room. That meant that  King Dante had arrived. I brought out my phone again, scrolling through randomly. Sick to my stomach, I could barely wait for Dante to leave so that life could go back to normal. There was a hushed silence as none other than King Dante entered the room. You could hear a pin drop. 

Something was definitely wrong with me. I felt an overpowering urge to look up at that moment. My body wanted to obey. With all my willpower, I kept my head down. Every nerve ending of mine was conscious of King Dante at the other end of the room. I had super sensitive hearing considering the fact that I was a werewolf and a warrior to boot, but my ears had suddenly become more sensitive than I ever thought possible. I heard rather than saw Dante look around the room, his eyes immediately fastening in my direction. His footsteps echoed on the polished floor. I felt physically drawn to him like there was an invisible rope binding us together. He paused again close to me and I assumed that he had found his mate among the Omegas seated at the back. 

Suddenly, he hastened toward my direction, coming to an abrupt halt right in front of me. My head snapped up at its own volition and I found myself looking into Dante's piercing grey eyes. 

"Mate," he said in a deep baritone voice that seemed to echo throughout the room. 

The crowd as one relapsed into a minute of shocked silence. All eyes in the room were fastened on both of us. 

My eyes widened in comprehension and horror. There was the explanation of why I had felt so out of sorts when I had heard of Dante's arrival. He was my mate!

Dante stretched a hand towards me, lightly touching my cheek. I quickly took a step back. Not trusting myself to speak, I shook my head willing all that had just happened to have been a misunderstanding. 

I could not believe that I had such bad luck. As a warrior, my ambition was to become one of the greatest warriors werekind had ever known. I had thought to leave my name clearly imprinted on the pages of history long after I was gone. Having a mate and raising a family had never been on my list of things to do. 

Now, I not only had a mate- I had the worst possible kind. The kind who believed that women were not to be taken seriously. Dante would likely keep me locked away in his pack house. I would never be allowed to fight again, never be allowed to go rogue hunting or to train guards. I would be Dante's recent acquisition, mated and forced to make babies. 

My life with Dante flashed before my eyes and the images filled me with dread. 

"Stop right there," Dante ordered. 

He had been walking towards me and I had backed away from him.

"No," I said in a whisper. Then more loudly, I yelled. "No!"

Dante's face darkened in anger. 

"Allison" Alpha Scott called sternly. I looked over his shoulder at him. He shot me a warning look. "Remember what I told you earlier." 

My eyes darted again to Dante who was striding purposefully toward me. I made a quick decision, my eyes roving around the room. There were guards behind me who would impede my movement and Dante's giant frame was blocking the other exit.

Suddenly, I sprang at Dante. My hands in a fist, I punched him in the nose. Blood spurted from his nose. He rocked back on his heels, surprised at the suddenness of my attack. Everyone assembled in the conference room sprang to their feet in shock. Without waiting for him or his guards to recover, I darted to the door and ran out of the room. 

 I increased my pace.  The scenery passed by in a blur. I had no clear idea of where I was headed. All I wished for was for all this to be a bad dream I would eventually wake up from. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me. Without turning, I knew it was him. My mate.

Summoning the last reserves of my energy, I ran but I was no match for him. He tackled me roughly from behind. My breath whooshed out of my lungs as I fell to the ground. He pinned me to the ground with one hand. The other hand was at my throat, choking. 

"You thought you could get away, huh?" he growled.

I struggled beneath him but he held on, not even seeming to exert himself.

"I am your mate. You must submit to me," he ordered.

I managed to lift my head. Baring my teeth at him, I yelled. "Never."

I glared at him and spat into his face.