Chapter Three

Ariel Brent

My eyes found his face as I awaited his response. I understood that I was rushing the process, acting desperate and too forward but I didn't expect a man like Xavier to react the way he did to my request.

He blushed.

His toned skin couldn't hide the redness of his cheeks when he blushed and he appeared even more attractive to me. The proximity was messing with my mind and I forget about my fear when he blushed and just stared at me…

I wondered what he must be thinking. Perhaps he thought I was a  wayward female. I felt the need to explain to him and did dese the dominating emotions swiveling around us both. I wasn't used to being this close to a male.

“I need the mark to tell my family that I have a mate. They will need evidence.”

I uttered shyly yet nervously. The marking process was supposed to be sacred if it was happening between true mates or lovers but in my case, it was more of a necessity.

“It might seem to you like I am in a rush but I have explanations and I don’t want-”

“Okay. I will mark you.”

Xavier interrupted. Although he gave me a favorable answer, my eyebrows furrowed. it was obvious that he was also reluctant. I was desperate for a man but I was terrified of what would happen if I push things too much. What would happen if I forced him to mark me?

I will have to cross that bridge when I get there.

“You can place the mark here.” I didn't ask Xavier where he would want the mark of mates to be before stretching out my hand to him.

Every male wolf can mark a female male and claim her as a mate by biting her frost. After the marking process, a moon shape mark would appear on the bite. The moon shape is usually designed naturally to show the characteristic of the mates.

Some females have dark moon shapes as their marks. Others have a blue moon. It coils be called a natural tattoo. The rarest shape is that of the crescent moon. According to werewolf history, only five sets of mates had been able to get the crescent shape mating marks.

I wasn't expecting much from my mark because there was nothing special between Xavier and me. We were just getting g married to help each other…. Wait a sec, I still didn't know why he was getting married to me and not waiting for his mate.

Regardless of our individual reasons and perspectives, Xavier moved even closer to me and stretched his hand to take mine but he stopped all of a sudden after making me believe that he was about to mark me and save me from Alpha Cole’s selfish plans.

“I will mark you but on one condition.” He announced and his hazel eyes held his seriousness.

“Do tell.” I urged. What was the worse he could come up with?

“You have to accept that this relationship will be fake even after I mark you.”

I honestly didn't know how to feel about that. Xavier was confusing me. One minute he was asking me if I would still want to marry him because once he marked me there would be no turning back and now, he was talking about faking the relationship.

Yes, the bond we were trying to create was fake and would always be fake but why… who was I kidding? He was clearly mating with me because he wanted to please Regina. What was I expecting?

After witnessing the failed marriage between my sister and her fated mate, Alpha Clavin, I wasn't expecting a beautiful relationship with a stranger. I wasn’t expecting marriage at all s we might as well fake it and help each other escape external pressure.

“That is a term I can agree with, Xavier. It wouldn't be a problem.”

I affirmed. We weren't mates after all. Before returning my gaze to that of Xavier, I quickly added another condition that would favor us both.

“Also, I am willing to have the mark removed when you find your true mate and want to be with her. I know that our fake bond will be a hindrance and I will agree to break it when that time comes in the future.”

As I finished saying that, my eyes met with Xavier's hazel ones. They became clouded with an emotion I couldn't pinpoint since it was only there momentarily. Xavier didn't say anything to what I had said. He simply nodded and approached me… as if we weren't close enough for him to bite the back of my hand.  

To my surprise, Xavier didn't take my hand. His face moved to my neck confidently and I didn't stop him.

“Placing a mark on your neck would make this whole charade more believable, don't you think, Ariel?”

Xavier whispered to me, his breath fanning the naked and sensitive skin of my neck as he placed his hands on the wall, holding me in place and invading me completely. That was when my nostrils finally picked Xavier’s masculine scent.

I withered due to the dominating scent he was releasing as he brushed my dirty blond hair to the side, giving himself free access to my neck.

“Answer me, Ariel.”

He pressed, calling my name again. The tone and his actions had made me forget the question he asked me but I murmured “Yes”. that simple word was drawled just as my fingers clenched the material of my dress.

I was nervous and he was making the process longer than necessary. If I didn't know better, I would think we were fated mates. My heart beat faster than normal and my face heated up unnaturally as I waited for the sting to come.

“Could he also feel this…”

I was thinking to myself but the anticipated sting happened at that moment. Xavier finally bit me, calming me and sharing a part of himself with me just like every other male wolf does with their mate. The pain that came with the sting soon faded and never had I ever felt this complete.

Xavier raised his head from the base of my neck and brought his face close to mine. The newly formed bond between us was more prominent than I thought it would be. Xavier tongue ran over his lips as he licked the smear of blood on them.

When my eyes met him again, I realized that he wasn't himself. His eyes were changing from his natural hazel colors to darker ones. He was struggling to control himself by=uet he was failing.

The mate bond was pushing him to me and his body pressed mine into the wall. I had to stop him by pushing him away. I did try to be gentle but a hard push was needed to move a strong male like Xavier. His arms were rock hard when I touched them and he hissed when my hands made contact with his skin.

The push git him back to his senses but he seemed to be in a bad mood after that and he put some distance between us. My body ached to be close to him again but I stayed put.

“I’m sorry for pushing you like that. I just thought it would be best for our arrangement if we stopped.”

I apologized for pushing him as he breathed in and out to get himself under control. To make things easier for him and me, I decided t change the topic even though all I felt like doing was screaming at the top of my lungs and celebrating escaping Alpha Cole’s plans.

“I will like to invite you to a banquet that would be held in my pack later in the evening, Xavier if that isn't too much for you.”

The plan was to rub my success on Alpha Cole’s face. Let's see how he would make me the Alpha King’s chosen whore when I already had a mate.

However, Xavier’s response didn't collate with my plan. “No. I can’t accept your invitation.”

He refused the invitation emotionlessly and he added, “Move into my home, later. We can talk more when you move in.”

Yes! Yes!

I would love to move in right now but before I could reply, Xavier turned his back to me and left my diner without another word. I watch his back disappear and when I couldn't see him anymore, my body, heart, and soul began to cry for his presence.

Newly marked female werewolves are usually dependent on their man but I couldn't enjoy that… obviously.

Aside from the emptiness that the mate bond had created within me and my fear of what the future held for this bond, I was sort of happy. I was relieved that I succeeded despite all odds. I had to thank Regina for bringing Xavier to me.

I felt lost in my heart after Xavier left and when I realized that I was all alone in the diner. The cleaner must have left after doing her job and Chloe, my best friend hasn't shown up today. My hand instinctively went to my neck and I touched the unhealed mark with mixed feelings.

I could leave Alpha Cole’s house but I wasn't delighted, just relieved.

I sighed but went about the day, working in my diner like always. Since Chloe had decided not to show up today, I had to work alone and when it was almost time for the banquet, I closed the diner and left for home. .. a place that would no longer be my home after I move in with Xavier.

When I arrived home and arrived at my room, I saw my sister’s frame, crouching over my bed. She must have sensed me come in but Esther kept her attention on something else.

“What could it be that stole my sister’s attention?”

I chimed and walk closer enough to peep at whatever was on my bed and when I caught a glimpse of it, I was stunned. Lying on my bed was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen within the walls of this house. Could it be?

“This beauty did, Zay. imagining how it will look on you is why I couldn't take my eyes off it.”

My sister responded, confirming my suspicion. It was indeed the dress she had bought for me to wear on to and for my mate. Esther had mentioned keeping a beautiful dress for me and she promised that she would bestow it to me on an auspicious day.

Although she opposed her mate throughout the previous night, she couldn't protect me. This was my sister doing the least she could do to make today special.

“You don’t want the Alpha King to arrive at the banquet before you, Zay. You should get ready. Here, take the dress and shine tonight.”

My sister handed me the white sparkling dress and when she thought I wasn't looking, she wiped her eyes, getting rid of the moisture in them. My heart ached for her and I decided it was the right time to ease her worries.

“I got marked, Ema.” I began and maintained eye contact with my sister, “my fated mate marked me.” I quickly added.

Esther’s reaction might have been uproarious if I wasn't feeling lost and if I didn't just lie to my sister. Would she buy my white lie? Maybe…