The night of the mate bond ceremony finally came, Ava came in wearing a crimson silk that clung to her body, the neckline plunged low revealing the swell of her breast and a tempting expanse of her cleavage. The gown was a tiny arm that stopped low above her knee, exposing her lap, her clothes were revealing yet sexy. She wore high heels which made her legs look a mile long.
Her hair was styled in a messy bun revealing delicate ears which were adorned with pearl earrings, her make-up was perfect and her lips red as a rose.She didn't look like someone who came for the mating bond but like a queen ready to descend on her throne. All eyes were on her as she swayed her hips seductively, no one was able to recognize her as the beta daughter who went missing as her parents claimed.She was all smiles, being the center of attraction was nice and she loved it. Immersed with the whole pack gawking at her, Ava was dragged by an unknown person.Her eyes were filled with anger as she looked at the person who dared to drag her to a corner. She was pulled into a hug by that person.Still feeling disgusted, she pushed the person away waiting for an explanation.“Mitchell,” The girl said with tears in her eyes, Ava was shocked as she stood rooted to the ground.It's been a long time since she heard someone call her that name.Nobody knew who she was apart from her parents, so she scrutinized the girl who called her by her real name. She looked quite familiar.“Mika?” Ava called but it sounded unsure, Ava was trying to see whether she was the one or not.“Yes, It's me, Mika, Don't you recognize me, Mitchell,” Mika said with tears in her eyes. She missed her bestie So much, she knew Mitchell was not missing but was sent somewhere unknown to her.Ava gasped, it was really her best friend Mika, Her fierce eyes were now soft and filled with unwritten emotions.She has longed for her bestie too, they hugged each other dearly.They stayed in each other's embrace for a moment.“Your hair? What happened to it?” Ava asked, she was sure that Mika's hair was red but now the color is orange.Did she perhaps dye her hair?“Oh! Well, my hair changes color every ten years that's why, but this is my permanent hair color, it can't change,” Mika explained to her, that was why Ava could not recognize her.She remembered her bestie came from a scared lineage of elves.“Oh! My Mitchell you have changed a lot,” Mika stammered her mouth agape as she was dumbfounded to see Ava look this hot.“You look like a whole new Mitchell on a different level, ” Mika added, which got Ava all smiles.“It's Ava now, I don't go by the name Mitchell anymore and how did you recognize me,” Ava asked with curiosity.“O, okay, Ava is good too, tch, well about that it was my gut, I wasn't sure at first but then I had to try my luck and then I was sure when I heard your voice, that's when I knew it was you, my instincts never fail me,” She mused proudly which got Ava chuckles.“Oh! My sweet little pumpkin ” Ava teased holding her cheeks playfully which made Mika pout her lips like a kid.She was faking being annoyed by those words, after their sweet reunion, they got out of the corner to join the crowd.Both of them clung to each other as they watched the dancers dance to the rhythm of the drum. It's always like that in the Westwood pack, that always dances first before the Alpha comes in to say and speech and give orders for the mating ceremony to start.When the beat had stopped and the dancers left the stage, all eyes were on the Alpha. Ava clenched her fist, her eyes filled with hatred as she stared at the man who ruined her teenage life for her.The one who tormented her for years and still haunts her in her sleep. She felt like killing him at that point but when their gaze met, her urge to kill him disappeared and was replaced with uncertain emotions that got her thrilled.Their scent was matching and it got her confused. On the other hand, Damon was giving his speech to his subordinate about what the mating ceremony was and the purpose of the ceremony.“The mating ceremony is important as it is a tradition that we have been following since the days of our ancestors. It is a sacred tradition and we all have been waiting for this day to meet our other half, the true mate Selena has bestowed on us. This ceremony is important to us, as we have come together to unite those who were lucky to find their mates during the hunt. It is a celebration of love, commitment, and the joining of two families. This ceremony is intricate and a beautiful ritual-” As he said his speech the wolves howled in unison.His sense of smell heightened as he caught a trail of the smell of cinnamon and cloves with a dash of vanilla. He closed his eyes briefly and inhaled, he scanned around to see where the scent came from.He remained calm as he stared deeply into her eyes, They were far from each other but he could see her clearly. She was indeed an epitome of beauty and it surely looked like she carried herself up, high and mighty.‘Mate!’ his wolf growled inwardly.He quickly took his glance off her as he hurried his speech declaring the opening of the mating ceremony.“I, Alpha Damon, am happy to announce the opening of the first mating ceremony this year,” He said and the whole crowd cheered. He smiled before getting down from the stage.He ordered his guards not to follow him and got out of the hall hurriedly as he went in search of his mate.He wondered why his wolf had chosen her.Who was she?Where did she come from?He had not seen her before and he was sure she was not a member of his pack.Out of curiosity, he searched the whole place for her. It was hard for him since he was stopped by some lords from another pack. He smiled awkwardly as he apologized.Her scent was faint which meant that she had left the hall a long time ago, but he didn't care, he would still go in search of her.His wolf needed her at that moment, he wanted to claim her.Ava had run out of the hall in urgency after she had come out of the trance of sparked emotions that were building up when she saw that devil.Her heart beats very fast as her wolf calls for him.How can the gods do this to her?Why would he be her mate?This is so unfair. Ava questioned inwardly.“Ava baby, what are you thinking about that you were not even aware of my presence,” Alpha Jude asked with his arms folded as he looked at her dearly.Ava gave an awkward laugh, “Uh-hmm, it's nothing actually, I was just calculating something in my head,” Ava lied, she was a very good liar that Alpha Jude wasn't able to detect through her heartbeat.“Hmm, if you say so, you look so beautiful tonight, and I can't wait to have you all to myself when we get back to my pack, so sad that I have to behave well in front of your parents, or else I would have slashed this clothes and take you in,” He kicked his lips as he said those words affectionately, this got Ava laughing.“You are so funny swee
Ava groaned as she stirred awake, squinting her eyes shut when the golden rays of sun stole through the blinds and hit her face.A smile crept on her face when she remembered the previous night with Alpha Jude,frowning slightly when she remembered what happened with Damon.Pushing the thought of him and chastising herself to focus on the present.Alpha Jude had noticed she wasn’t feeling good when they returned,He had made her feel special, and it had to helped Wade off thoughts she was not exactly ready to deal with.His light snore reminded her that he had was still fast asleep beside her, she turned to face him, taking in his lean masculine body splayed in plain sight for her gaze.Ava stared at him, her arm unconsciously moving to wrap around his torso, she felt him stir, and an idea sparked in her head.Running her fingers lightly from his chest, she trailed down to his torso, feeling every muscle and ab beneath her fingers.His breath hitched when her finger ran through the clus
Damon slowly paced the width of his study, his hands buried in his pockets as he stopped to stare out the window.It was still early in the morning. The sun was just making its way to the middle of the sky, making everything warm and overshadowing the fog of dawn.His eyes scanned the grounds outside his window, his thoughts far beyond them.Damon's mind was still very much occupied with thoughts of her. He needed answers, most of which only she could give him.“Ava Mitchell Smith of mist wood,” Damon muttered under his breath.She was gorgeous. He could still remember her standing there in the crowd while he struggled to keep his head straight and give the freaking speech.Her scent, he could still remember vividly the strong mix of cinnamon, clove, and vanilla.The silky black hair that looked like they had known no bad days, the tender-looking skin of her cleavage.Slim long legs that were perfectly accentuated in those black heels and the dress that did justice to her curves.Hers
The next three days had passed in a heart-wrenching blur for Ava. Having to contain the pain and heartbreak from the rejection.She knew exactly what she was getting into when she had rejected him as her mate, Consoled by the thought of and knowing that he was affected even more than she was.Trying to keep herself busy and active had not worked either, she was still in pain, and worse of all, the thought of that night was constantly in her mind.He had to accept the rejection to make this work, but from all indications, he had not done that, and Ava doubted he would.The way he had kissed her and held her that night, the look on his face after she rejected him.He did not look like a man that would accept such rejection so easily. Ava lay down, resting her back on the lounge chair, crossing her feet lazily, and smiling at the soft evening sun that kissed her skin on the balcony.Her right hand snaked under her head to support it, while her left hand rested on her naked belly.Closin
It had been almost twenty-four hours since his talk with Will and his brother, and while he wanted to keep still and be patient, he also wished they would bring answers to him quickly.From all he had gathered about Will's brother in the past few hours, it showed he was not just capable but reliable, and Damon hoped he would deliver accordingly.A knock from the door got his attention and he sat upright, before answering a curt come-in.The door swung open and a maid walked in with her head bowed, and her hands clasped in front of her meekly.Damon acknowledged her with a nod, and she proceeded to speak.“You have guests, sir.” She said, waiting for his answer, her eyes still fixed on the floor. “Let them in,” Alpha Damon replied.His eyes fixed on the maid as she walked out.Soon the door opened again, and he sighed in relief when Will and his brother walked in, he nodded to dismiss the maid while he gestured to the men to sit.“Gentlemen, welcome.” He greeted, “Any news?” He asked
Ava sat on the edge of the bed, impatiently waiting for Alpha Jude. She had to know what business they had together for him to come here.She did not like the look in Alpha Damon's eyes. Sighing in relief when she heard the door creak open and alpha Jude walked in.“What was he doing here?” Ava asked as she stood up slowly to stand before him.“Calm down, I need you to calm down.” Alpha Jude said, helping her back onto the bed.Ava could tell she would not like the other next word that would leave his mouth, she had a gut feeling about it “I am calm.” Ava lied, she was far from calm, “I just need to know what he was doing here.” She added, trying to keep her voice as calm and collected as she could.“We are business partners now.” Alpha Jude said simply, Ava could see that there was more, and he seemed not to want to tell her.“What do you mean business partner?” Ava asked confused.“How? Since when? And what business are we talking about.” It all did not make sense to her.“You mig
Ava stared at herself in the mirror as she stepped out of the bathroom. She had spent all weekend trying to convince Jude not to agree with Damon, but it felt like all her pleas fell on deaf ears.Even after explaining her reasons to Jude, he reminded her of how it would benefit his pack and told her to put the past behind her and that she should forward and see the possibilities of the future. It pissed her off. She hated that Jude could not see how cunning Damon and his proposal were.She took out her blow-dryer to dry her hair and then proceeded to straighten it. She decided to tie it up in a high ponytail. She proceeded into her closet to pick out an outfit. Today was the beginning of her working with Damon. Although Jude didn't see the problem with it, she was fully against it.She couldn't bear to stay in the same room as Damon, and now that was going to be her life for a long while.She tried to cajole Jude to pick another person, but he stood firm, emphasizing the fact that
Damon pulled away from the kiss,slowly taking a step back to gaze into her eyes,if he was going to do anything with ans to her,he needed her consent. He didn't want her to do anything she wouldn't want to do. Even though it seemed like it was too late for that, she was already tipsy, and they both were if he was being honest.Although Ava had the option of stopping it, all she had to do was say no and step away from him, but she wanted him badly, no matter how much she hated him.Ava’s pupils dilated, she gave him a slight nod, followed by a silent “yes” before he went back in to kiss her,gently this time.He wanted her to enjoy it as much as he would, even though she might regret it later on. He wanted to make it memorable for her.Alpha Damon leaned in closer to her face, kissing her deeply and intimately. His hands firmly steadied her waist, sliding lower to her ass.He pulled away, not because he wanted to stop, but because he wanted to kiss every inch of her, every nook and cr