Once Abused Now Loved.
CHAPTER THREE. MINE.
RYDER.
It was the long-awaited ball night in the Red Moon pack, and so far, it sucks and seems to be getting worse with each fleeting second.
"But hey, look on the brighter side; she's got the right size of boobs and will be enough just for the night, only for the night," Jason cheered, whistling towards some random bimbo.
Jason was my Beta, and he would go down in history as the sleaziest of all the Betas Red Cross pack has ever known.
"Keep your dïck in your pants, Casanova. No sheets-rumbling for you tonight or any other night we're gonna be spending here, "I stated in disgust at the costume the bimbo and every other person in the party had on. It sure wasn't Halloween, but they were pretty much dressed like it. It was awful, goddammit!
"C'mon man, she's not that bad. Just look beyond her crazy costume and you're gonna be dripping wet for her,"
"Too bad I can't see past her scruffy, Goddess-have mercy, costume. Why in the world would she-wolves dress up like clowns?!"
"You can't blame them much, Ryder. All they wanted was to make quite an impression. Maybe they overdid it a little…"
"You mean a whole lot…" I snorted.
"Yeah, right. Still, if they'd known your preferences, they'd have tried to match up to them. With all the rumors about you, no one knows what to believe anymore. Who knows if they'd been told that you've got a liking for she-wolves dressed in crazy costumes?"
"I'll be damned!" I gulped the last of my drink and grabbed another from a passing waitress. From the rim of the glass, I could see Father, having quite the chat with the Alpha of this pack and his son. I'd been trying to avoid going over there, or at least, put it off a little longer.
"She would have been okay to calm my hard dick, but she got eyes for you, man. Look at her trying to fawn her way to your heart," Jason mocked, taking a sip of his wine and gesturing at the bimbo who was making petty, sultry moves while winking and blowing kisses my way.
"Tough luck." I got a glance of Father, leading his newly-acquired acquaintances in my direction. I gave Jason a quick tap. "Run!"
We were quick to maneuver to the other end of the room, shielding ourselves behind long flower vases that had been exquisitely arranged in the ballroom.
"How long do you plan to keep this up? We've done nothing but hide from your father ever since we got here. I'm horny asf, and this hide-and-seek isn't helping,"
"Just need to put off the meeting a little longer. The usual formalities and introductions between Alphas are a routine I'm sick of. I'd do anything to escape it tonight. "
"Then just grab one of these bimbos and get her laid. Trust me, that's a better way to be shilly-shallying than running around like kids," Jason was upset. Gulping down the last of his drink, I could hear the low growl of his wolf.
"I'm not gonna let you fuck any of these she-wolves. I can't. So I'm afraid you're gonna stay pissed all night. " The finality in my tone dismissed the issue, and we just had our drinks in silence.
"Why isn't she here?" Jason muttered to himself, but thanks to my extraordinary hearing ability, I picked up every bit of his words.
"A fling of yours?" I asked casually, still keeping an eye on my father and checking out the next spot for hiding.
"Nah, I wish." He chuckled, but not his usual mock chuckle. "Just some she-wolf I met yesterday, while I was on my espionage,“"Hmmm, I can pretty much guess the ending of the meeting, but I shouldn't state the obvious, right?"
"It ended with her walking away, and me, staring long at her and her silhouette until there was nothing left of her to stare at. That's how it ended,"
"Wow, that's a shocker," I said, stunned by the difference in his tone and words. I knew all the shades of Jason - anger, lust, infatuation, asshole - but this right here was different.
"I know, right? I realized it too. It was the first time I had acted differently towards a female. God knows how it would have turned out if she'd stayed a while longer,"
"Was it like... a mate thing?" My gaze was intent on him. Jason had sworn on his life never to have a mate. He had only one item on his bucket list, and that was to fuck a million hoes before he died. He should be counting ten thousandth hoes soon.
"Nah, not a chance, man. It was just like a weird thing, really weird. I thought if I saw her tonight, I'd get to figure out exactly what it was I was feeling. But she's not here, and... you're not running away either. Greetings, Alpha, " Jason ended his words with a bow and skedaddled right after.
It took me a nanosecond to comprehend it all and quickly acknowledge my father, who'd just caught up to us.
"Son, I'd like you to meet Alpha Zed, and his son, Jake. Zed, Jake, this is Ryder. I'm sure you've heard a lot about him," Father announced with so much pride.
"Only the good stuff. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Alpha prince," Jake bowed, alongside his father. I responded with just a curt nod. I wasn't about to start saying loads of flummeries.
"Son, why don't you join us at the round table?"
"Of course, Father, "I bowed. Father led the way and his acquaintances followed. I was the last to join the trail, with my hands in the back.
We got to the table and I took a seat next to Father. Alpha Zed initiated the conversation, and it went on and on. A lot of matters were discussed. The peace treaty. An appeal to share a food route with them. The future of both packs, if 'unluckily', I get to choose a mate from his pack. I wasn't about to burst their bubbles about how impossible that was.
Father was already having a great time, and I wasn't about to ruin that for him.The conversation took on different levels, and it went on for over an hour. I barely said anything and just chirped in some words whenever Father asks for my opinion.
I'd drank every brand of wine served in the room, and it was barely enough for the long night I was having.
I had to excuse myself for a while and get a breather. Saying I wanted to use the restroom was cliché but it worked and I was already headed out.
The air outside was refreshing and I could feel my wolf come alive. Having to share the same air with over a hundred wolves was suffocating and had him hidden in the back of my mind.
My wolf, Red, was named after our pack and seems to be getting kind of bipolar as the years went by. During wars and games, he had the adrenaline going and the speed of lightning.
But when the buzz dies, he was back to being as calm as a lamb. Father thinks it's the aftereffect of not finding a mate yet. He feared that soon my wolf would lose its fervor and grow weak and maybe die.
It was the only reason I gave in to this insane idea of a mate-hunt. But so far, it feels like the worst decision I've ever made.
Just then, everywhere went still. The clock seemed to stop ticking. The movements slowed. My abilities heightened and I could hear the chattering from a thousand miles.
What was this? This scent. like... lavender. It was unique, enticing, and alluring. It was calling out to me, to Red, and he was bursting the seams to get to it.Red was awakening with a force that would cause me to shift into my wolf form if I didn't fight hard to keep him in.
I stifled my growls as I looked around for whoever bore that scent. There was no one, just him.
What?! It made no sense that it could be from a male! He was walking into the ballroom and I was sure he wasn't a member of my pack.
I followed him with such quick strides that I almost bumped into him when he made an abrupt stop.
"Son," Father called. And just then I realized I was back at the round table, "What's wrong?"
"Who's he?" I used my Alpha - tone and it got Zed and his son scurrying to their feet and making a bow.
"His name is Roland, and he's a very trusted member of the palace council, "Zed explained in fright, keeping his head bowed."Why do you have that scent on you?" I continued with my Alpha - tone, suppressing them to my will. I needed the truth about this man and I was gonna get it the way I knew how.
"Son…"
"What did you do before coming here?" I egged on, ignoring Father's call. He was startled by my sudden attitude. I was too, but my wolf wouldn't have it any other way.
"I... uh...I dropped by the kitchen and instructed the cooks…" The man stuttered his replies.
"Before that!" I growled, clenching my teeth in the tide of rage rushing inside of me.
"I... uh.. please Alpha, take pity on me," He went on his knees, pleading miserably for his life.
"Let me touch your hand," He was stunned and hesitated a great deal before carefully placing his hand on mine. I inhaled every bit of that scent shadowing him, and it got Red wild and fighting to break free.
"Son!" Father was up to his feet. My claws were out and my fangs were sticking out in a gruesome rage.
I could hear the uproar in the background. The onlookers were fleeing to safety.
"Who were you with before now? Who touched every inch of you?!" My fur was sticking out, and in a few seconds, I would be taking the shape of the wildest, ghastly beast the werewolf kingdom has ever known.
"My mate, Hara!"
Red broke out, pouncing on the man and ready to chew him up.
"Son, get off him right now!" My father roared in his Alpha tone and my wolf got silenced. "Go run it off!"
With the command came a loud, furious howl of Red. He was running out of the building with one word on his mind.
"Mine!"
CHAPTER FOUR.RYDER.Pacing relentlessly and -for the umpteenth time- checking my wristwatch, I was growing more impatient.It's been two hours since the disaster of a party. Father has ordered me locked up in my chambers, away from any interactions. He wouldn't even let me speak to that Roland - guy, who'd been rushed to the hospital over a minor shoulder dislocation, courtesy of Red's massive claws.Father thinks I've lost my mind and I might attack another random victim, but he was wrong about me attacking 'random' victims.The man had something that was calling out to me. He was no random victim, he was attacked for a reason…the scent.Right now, I got the scent stuck in my head, and staying in here was driving me insane. I needed to be out there, demanding that I see this…Hara. I was dying of curiosity about what she might look like, and how she could be able to arouse so many things in me, with just the whiff of her scent. If she was indeed my mate, then I can't help but wonder
CHAPTER FIVE.ONCE ABUSED. NOW LOVED.RYDER.Alpha Zed was trembling so much that his knees gave out and he was bowing, with his face pinned to the ground.“Please spare my life and that of my people, Alpha Prince!“ He wailed, rubbing his two hands frantically.I wasn't paying attention to his theatrics. In reality, I was still lost in the words he'd said when he rushed in. They were too heavy and hurting to comprehend, and they were echoing inside my head.Did he just say Hara's missing? How's that even possible? It makes no sense. I couldn't help but think of it all as a scheme; of course, he wouldn't want me taking the mate of one of his people, so he thinks he can feed me this thrash. I'll be damned if I believe this bullshit!My angry strides closed up the distance between us and I stomped hard on his fingers, crushing those little things underneath my foot.He cried so loudly I thought his warlords outside would come rushing in. But they didn't, they wouldn't dare come in here
CHAPTER 6. A MONTH AND A HALF LATERHARA“Suzy, here's an order from table 14, make it quick!“ “Got it!“ I yelled, moving my quick hands through the wine shelves. I filled the glasses and a waitress immediately came for them.Heaving tiredly, I slumped against the counter. Sweat ran down my face like waterfalls and all I could do was roughly wipe at them with the back of my hands.It was my free five seconds and I wasn't about to waste it wiping my sweats. I'd been so busy attending to orders that I forget to breathe and now, I was short of breath. These five seconds would be wisely spent on catching all the breaths I'd missed out on.I'd barely caught her breath before a hand slammed another order on the counter.“Suzy, table 20 needs five shot glasses of tequila on the rocks,“ Shilah said, twirling a lock of blonde hair. Shilah was, what I'd like to call a mini-Barbie. From her head to her toe were plastics. Her big boobs were always on display, leaving absolutely nothing to the i
CHAPTER 7. FORGETTING HARARYDERThe walls of the hotel shook tremendously at her loud, endless shrieking. Her hips had just buckled and her squirts flooded the bed, like a waterfall. Her trembling hands latched mine. Her quivering lips muttered incoherent words, which had a ”please“ in the middle of them.She'd been at it a few minutes after we began, pleading that I let go of her. But I was yet to have my fill of her. With no heads-up, I Iifted her long legs to her head, pinning them at each side. Her pinkish asshole came into sight. It was wet from her numerous squirting. My throbbing dick went into her hole real nicely. Her shrieks increased like this was her death of her. My thrusts were quick and harder. I was venting, needing to release all my pent-up, agonizing emotions. Her hand continuously slapped at her asshole, and her head was thrown back. Gritting her teeth with so much force was the only way she could tone down her shrieks. Gotten enough of her, I let her go. Havin
CHAPTER 8. AN IMPROMPTU WEDDINGRYDER.The route leading to the pack was silent, just as it should be. I'd chosen a hotel in this remote part of the city for the silence and solitude it had to offer. I thought it'd be good medicine for my soul and it was.Halfway through the ride, I got a glance of Jason, swiping his fingers on the screen of a tablet.I recognized the tablet instantly, it was his aide as my Beta and P.A.“You seem thrilled about resuming your duties,“ I said. It was dry sarcasm as neither of us was in the mood for jokes.Although, trust Jason to match my sarcasm by saying, “Uh-huh, so thrilled I'm close to tears,“ He scoffed and continued, “Just checking out your schedule for the month. I just got the email,”“Read it out to me.“ I listened passively as he read out the contents. It was all the usual responsibilities that came with being an Alpha. Stuff I was pretty used to.A golf rendezvous with the CEO of Glazier corporations, one of the biggest corporations owned
CHAPTER 9. The Late night visit.RYDER“That's right, Ryder. I'm your would-have-been bride if you hadn't ruined everything with your insane speech. You can't imagine how embarrassed I was after that. I couldn't even come to greet the guests. I was riddled with shame!“I shook my head, hating the ugly twist of event. This whole thing just took a turn to 'freaking - impossible!'Standing and needing to put a distance between myself and her stench, I lingered towards my shelf. The smell of my newly, bought books rid me of her stench.Nah, no way this was gonna happen. Another girl, I would have reconsidered. Another girl, I would have yielded to Father's request.But not Ciara, not this Goddess-forsaken creature.It was very typical of Father, I must say. I mean, it's understandable he'd wanna chunk Ciara down my throat. She was, after all, the only she-wolf he'd put respect on her name, aside from his late Luna, My Mum.In his books, he was doing me a favour, pairing me up with the mos
CHAPTER 10. MEETING THE BOSSHARARunning in high-heeled shoes has never been my area of expertise. I've never been deep into fashion and just went with whatever was comfortable. High-heeled shoes always had me tripping and seemingly clumsy. I had to avoid them and every occasion which specifically demands them.Winding up as a worker in the bar did bring about a terrific change though. It was one of the huge flaws of my job – their strict requirements for every female worker to be on heels. I would have loved to exempt myself from the rules, using my pregnancy as the perfect excuse. That was impossible. They had no idea I was carrying a child and I intend to keep it that way for a long time.So yeah, had to compromise myself every day, putting on heels and taking on the torture that came with it.After a little more run on the sidewalk and I arrived at the bar. I had an afternoon shift, which would end a few hours before midnight.The bar was a bit serene. There were a good number of
CHAPTER 11. MEETING HERRYDER.”Again, I have to say, this seems like a setup. Or a threat. Silver pack is definitely up to something. I suggest we act now,“ Giveon stated firmly.We've been at it since dawn, going over every pending issue. Deliberating on the possible actions to take about whatever situation wasn't appealing.It was a roundtable meeting for just the seven top-ranked warlords of our pack, Father and I. Giveon was the third-ranked warlord.“Nah. We would be seen as bullies, trampling on a weaker pack. We got no solid evidence about their alleged - conspiracy with the rogues. I suggest we wait and watch.“ Fredrick countered. He was the sixth.“I agree with Fred, Ryder. We should wait and watch. Silver pack is just a speck of dust to us. We could have them destroyed in just a sweep of our claws. They're not much threat, so waiting isn't detrimental to us in whatever way,“ Jason added. He wasn't a warlord, but he was my Beta, so he had to be here.“But Jason, the earlier,