Aria's POV
Everywhere instantly went silent as the Lycan King grabbed my hand. A frown formed in my face as I heard the words that slipped out of his mouth. There was no way he had just called me... his mate.
I turned to the crowd behind me and felt my knees begin to shake as I saw that all eyes were now turned to him. I caught sight of Amanda whispering to her minions and the look she had on her face showed that she was much more surprised at the sudden turn of events than I was. I turned to Elsa and saw that she had the same look on her face too.
I was about to turn to the Lycan king whose hold on my hand had now tightened to know if he was being serious when I saw London at a corner, glaring at us. He held in his hands a glass of wine and I watched it crack under his grip.
He brought the damaged glass down on the table beside him and licked his lips, putting on a smile that I knew was nothing more than a facade before slowly striding towards where we stood.
'What is he doing?' I heard Ava say. 'Why is he coming our way?' I felt Avas presence continuously nudge at my consciousness but I was too focused on London and too distracted by the questions in my head to pay her any attention.
What was the Lycan King doing? Was he serious with what he said? And why was London heading our way? All these questions and many more crossed my mind and watching London slowly close in on us worsened it.
"The great Ryder Nixon," London said with a light chuckle as he clasped his hands together loudly. "The mighty Lycan King, Alpha of Startling Pack," he grinned, "I hate to burst your happy bubble but you're mistaken."
All eyes turned to Ryder as everyone awaited his reply. The Lycan King, who seemed to be unbothered by the attention everyone was giving, gave me a small glance before returning his attention to the awaiting London.
Giving him a small shrug, Ryder answered, "I don't think I made any mistake, Alpha London. I know what I said and I am sure of it." I saw the look on his face change for about half a second and during that split second, I saw a look of doubt in his eyes. He looked at me and immediately covered it up.
I turned to London and watched as his smile faltered for a few seconds. The look he had on his face showed that he had not been ready for the Lycan King's answer. He quickly adjusted his composure before slowly turning to the crowd behind him.
"You all know the truth, don't you?" he said with a somewhat nervous chuckle as he raised his hands in the air. Confused murmurs erupted from the crowd after London said this as none knew how to respond to his question.
Elsa, who was watching this whole scene from the sideline, suddenly shouted, "we all know the truth, honey. We all do."
I felt a stab at my chest as I understood what she was referring to; me being nothing more than a worthless piece of dirt. That was the truth she thought London was referring to.
Was this what they wanted to do to me, make me a ridicule in front of everyone? Like the humiliation that they did to me at the mating ceremony wasn't enough.
"Yes, Elsa," London replied as he nodded in Elsa's direction. "We all do." I frowned a little at the reply he gave Elsa and I saw from the look she had on her face that she too was a little bit shocked.
He hardly called her by her name when they were in the presence of other wolves ever since he marked her as his mate. Why was he doing so now?
"And what is the truth, if I may ask, Alpha London?" Ryder said as he drew my closer to himself. I turned to the Lycan King as I felt mixed emotions brewing towards him. Worst part was that I couldn't tell why?
"You ask for the truth, Alpha Ryder?" London asked with a small chuckle as he turned to face us. Turning his gaze on me, London stretched his hands towards my direction and said, "I and Aria are mated."
I felt my breath suddenly get caught up in my throat and my heart skip a beat as I heard this. My lips quivered, more emotions stirring up inside of me as I glanced back and forth between London and Alpha Ryder.
What did I just hear?
"Isn't that true?" London asked as he turned back to the crowd behind him. "Is it not true that Aria and I were mated by the moon goddess, that we are destined for each other?"
Murmurs of disarray rose from within the crowd as everyone began thinking over what their alpha had just said. I could see the mixed expression of surprise and confusion on the faces of everyone as they began glared at I and Alpha Ryder.
London, upon seeing the hesitation of his followers, let out a small growl that caused the murmurs to instantly die down. When everything was quiet again, he repeated, "is it not true that Aria and I were mated by the moon goddess during the mating ceremony?"
There was a small pause at first, everyone in the crowd contemplating their response, before a single voice shouted, "yes, Alpha London."
"And is it not true that we love each other and no one else?" London continued, a smile forming on his face.
"Yes, Alpha London," about half the crowd shouted in response, a small tone of indecision in their voice.
"And is it not true that what we feel for each other is real and untainted?" London shouted, this time with more vigor.
"Yes, Alpha London!" everyone shouted in response.
"You see," London said with a sinister smile. "I and Aria are mated. Besides, I'm sure the great Lycan King wouldn't want to be with a lowlife omega like her." He scoffed. "If not for the fact that we needed more omegas for the party, she wouldn't have come out of her little cage. You deserve someone befitting, Alpha Ryder."
I stood speechless by the sudden turn of events. My eyes darted back and forth between Amanda's confused face to Elsa's shocked expression and back to London's smile as Ryder's grip on my hand tightened. The smirking alpha gave me a nod as if we had both planned the sudden scene.
When the commotion in the crowd finally died down, everyone's attention moved to Ryder as they all awaited his response.
Ryder, who seemed to be unmoved by London's words and his people's chants, his face void of emotions, gave London a curt smile, one that I knew sent shivers down his spine.
Suddenly, he turned to me and asked, "is this true?" At that instance, all attention moved to me. The wine bottle which I still held in my hands began to shake, it's content spilling over the top and staining the waxed tiles.
One of Amanda's minions, Jara, shouted from within the crowd, "she can't even hold a wine bottle right." She chuckled, expecting everyone to laugh along with her to her joke but none responded. All that she got as a reply was a small growl from London that instantly shut her up.
Mustering every confidence that I had left in my demolished body, I grunted, pulling back everyone's attention. Licking my lips, I answered, "yes, I was mated to Alpha London."
Aria's POV "Was?" Ryder asked as he raised one of his brows. "What do you mean by 'was'?" I turned to London and saw that he now wore a frown on his face. A smile formed on my face and the moment he saw that, he shook his head. I guessed he knew exactly what I was about saying. "I was mated to Alpha London," I said with a small nod as I turned to Ryder. "But he rejected me as his mate so we are not together anymore." "Hmm," Ryder grunted as he brought his eyes to the ground. He kept his gaze there for some time, as if brooding over what I had said before raising his head in London's direction. "You heard what she said, Alpha London." "Yes, I did," London replied with a small chuckle as he brought his hands behind his back. I could see the dark look beneath the fake smile that he wore on his face as he slowly strode towards where I stood. He continued, "but Aria must know that I was only playing when I said so." Playing? The slap that he struck showed his intentions and it definite
London's POVThe snickers from the omegas behind me ate at me and the low chuckle the Alphas gave only tore my ego the more. I knew that I didn't love her, I never did, but I wasn't just going to let him take what belonged to me in the first place. It was only going to be seen by the other pack alphas as an insult. I knew that my statement of Aria not accepting my rejection was the only thing that could turn things in my favor but Elsa just had to open her mouth and speak. I clenched my fist as I saw the stupid omega throw a smile at me.I gritted my teeth as anger flooded me. She didn't just know that I had lost but she was mocking my defeat too. They all were.I made to rush at Aria but Ryder was faster than I was, pulling Aria back and stepping in her place. I stopped short after seeing him suddenly begin protecting her."Go back Alpha London, she is no longer your mate," Alpha Ryder said to me as he gave me a low growl. Seeing the sudden turn of events, I backed away from the lyc
Aria's POVAll eyes were pinned on me as I walked across the dining hall to the door that led out of the mansion. I could feel the gaze of the other omegas pierce me and hear their little murmurs but I didn't mind. They could do whatever they wanted. I wasn't part of the anymore.I brought my head high, smile forming on the face as I strode towards the door. I pushed it open gently and sighted Alpha Ryder standing in front of a black sleek car with tinted windows. He had his hands crossed behind his back and I could feel this majestic aura come off him. His eyes landed on me and I gave him a small smile, one that he returned with a stoic expression. My smile faded upon seeing his response and I felt down. I pulled my bag close to my chest as my pace towards his car slowed down."You took longer than I expected," Alpha Ryder said as he raised one of his brow. I felt my cheeks plush under his gaze and I only buried my face in my bag. Alpha Ryder upon seeing my reaction gave me a small
Ryder's POV I gripped my steering wheel tight as I kept my eyes on the road. I could hear the slow and calm breathing of the omega behind me. I looked at her face through the rear view mirror and my heart softened as they landed on her frail body. They really did her badly back at her pack. 'Is that affection I see you having there, Ryder?' Otis said to me and I growled. 'It's not affection, Otis, and you know it,' I answered him as I turned my eyes from the rear view mirror and brought it down on the road in front of me. 'I only care for her as every normal person with a heart would. Do not mistake my kindheartedness for love and affection.' 'Okay?' Otis tsked. 'From my view though, that's not what I see. You do know that I cannot only see what you see but I can also read your mind. So, I know--' "Shut up," I said out loudly, my mind-linking slipping out of my lips. Aria grunted in her sleep and I stilled. I looked at her through the rear view mirror again and sighed after watchi
Aria's POVI felt a light tap on my shoulder and my eyes fluttered open. I looked around, dazed for a few seconds as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. I almost began to panic after seeing that I was in a car when a somewhat familiar voice said my name."We've arrived, Aria," the voice said and I turned towards it. I felt my heart almost beat out of my chest when I suddenly came face to face with my new mate, the Lycan King Ryder. "You should get your things and come with me," he added as he turned and began walking away. As I watched him retreat into the mansion that was behind him, all events that had just happened suddenly came rushing back. The ceremony, the arguments, Ryder finally choosing me as a mate; a smile tugged at my lips as I grabbed my small bag and crawled out of the car.My breath left my lips and my eyes widened in awe as they came upon the huge mansion in front of me. Huge pillars adorned the entrance of the building, holding up the three stories above it th
Aria's POVThe long hallway I and Ma Levine walked through expanded until they reached the end where it opened into a vast room, one that was filled with different doors that led to other rooms and more hallways. I presumed the large room that we had entered to be a dinner hall as stacks of seats and rows of tables lined each sides of the spacious hall. A large painting hung on the wall, one that had so much abstraction to it that I could not make heads or tails of what it meant. "It's a painting bought from an auction that Ryder attended last two years," Ma Levine said after noticing my constant squinching as I stared at the picture."I don't... I don't really understand it though," I muttered as I turned to face Ma Levine. "How does one take this to be... art?""Ryder's father loved art when he was alive and found in them what others couldn't," Ma Levine said with a sigh as she smiled. Her smile slowly faded to a saddened frown as her eyes stayed on the painting. "I guess Ryder pi
Aria's POVAs I stepped in the room, I couldn't help but awe at what was going to be my room. My breath caught at the sight before me and I couldn't help but laugh incredulously as I immediately became wonderstruck.The moonlight filtered through the draped window, casting a bright gleam on the big bed a few feet away from me. Huge chandeliers hung down from the ceiling like stalactites, a brilliant radiance that made the whole room feel alive. The walls of the room was adorned with different abstract paintings and pictures, all adding to the life that the room had. Different tapestries, all of colors matching the calm tone of the room, hung across the wall at different locations and velvet sheer curtains hung over the large bed. Two plush cushions say neatly at the foot of the bed and a study chair and table, a lit lamp on top, stood at the end of the room, right beside the window."This place is... it's really beautiful," I muttered, more to myself than to Ma Levine as I slowly wal
Aria's POVI shot my eyes open with a loud gasp. The maids that were bathing me were no longer there. "W-where am I?"Cold wind blew against my skin, causing my body to shudder and my lips to quiver. I managed to sit up on the ground, the small rocks beneath me stabbing at my skin as I moved. I felt one dig into my flesh and I winced in pain. I brought my left arm to my face and grunted as I sighted a bead of blood trickling down my elbow. My lips had suddenly become dry and withered and I licked it after feeling a stinging pain on it. It had become so dry that it was starting to break. The cold wind that whipped against me did nothing to soothe the pain and instead worsened it. I wiped the dust particles that had covered my face from the blowing wind. Some got into my eyes and I had to blink multiple times to get them off. When I felt better, I decided to make sense of my surrounding. My heart began to palpitate as I studied where I was. The more I did so, the more it dawned on m