3. His To Own.

EUDORA

What exactly were the odds that your childhood best friend and crush was your mate? What were the odds that this minute, he was joking about it and the next, it became real?  So real that no matter how many times I blinked, we were still standing here like this. Nothing changed. 

It was as if he was waiting for something so he could head over to me. He looked like he was about to snap at that very second. I don't know what gave him the signal that it was now okay to come to me as Conan now bounded towards me while I was rooted to the spot. His body called for mine in a way that I couldn't understand. I have heard stories about the mate bond and how it affects mates including newly found ones and I think I was experiencing all of that and more. 

Inside my head, I was screaming really loud. 

Conan IS MY MATE! Conan IS MY MATE! 

I was screaming so loud inside of my head because my mouth had run dry and not even a word was able to slip out of it. When I looked into Conan’s eyes, I saw the difference in them. The difference from when he was faking it back at the school. I felt like those red eyes bored into my soul, making holes in my skin and seeing through me. 

“Mine!”he growled even louder as he reached for me, eyes menacing and teeth bared. He was in all his animalistic and primal glory.  

I was going to let him grab me because I burned for his touch. It felt like I needed it to cool down the fire brewing from my insides. Like he was the only one who could quench it. The feeling was just as surreal as it was described many times by others who have felt it but it was still excruciating. It was like a thirst that was unquenchable unless we reached for each other. 

Conan grabbed me and I went limp in his arms. I couldn't move a muscle as my legs turned to jelly and I felt my eyes dilate over and over again. His scent invaded my nostrils and made me want to claw at him so he can get closer and I can have that smell all to myself. 

“Mine!” he growled again, this time, it didn't sound like just his voice. It was mixed thickly with that of his wolf.

I was lost in time and in the space we were in. Nothing else mattered. Not my surprise birthday. Not the surrealness of an Alpha really being mated to a weak omega and definitely not the presence of the Alpha and Luna. I wasn't even sure if they were still in the same room with us. 

Conan found the right spot on the side of my neck. The sweet sensitive spot that had a moan tearing out of my lips and a shudder rocking my spine as she sniffed around me primarily. When he licked the spot he had chosen for me to carry his mark, my legs shook and another moan tore my lips apart. 

He was going to mark me and this time, my body anticipated it. 

I felt his bared canines slowly begin to latch onto the spot in my neck. We were so close to sharing an everlasting bond. I was so close to being his forever. His chosen one by the Moon goddess who never seizes to amaze me. 

Just as he was about to sink his teeth all the way into the spot on my neck, something lifted Conan off of me and I opened my eyes just in time to hear him growl and get thrown off across the room, falling over vases and other things in the process.

My legs gave way and I fell to the ground like a rag doll since I had no one to hold me up anymore. I was lightheaded and weak. I tried to keep my unfocused eyes trained on what just happened. How was Conan all over me one minute and the next he was flying across the room? I willed my lazy and tired eyes to look beside me as someone stepped forward. 

It was Conan’s father, Alpha Oslo who I called uncle and who had raised me. The well-built Alpha who looked exactly like his son, just a little older, had his eyes trained on Conan where he was across the room. Conan was now back on his feet and the silent yet loaded stare off between two men with the equal level of Alpha aura could bring the roof down. I could see the energy that oozed out of the both of them–dark and dangerous. It made me crawl backward even in my state. 

It took a second for me to understand what just happened. Why the Alpha and his son looked like they were ready to rip their heads off. 

It was because of me and Alpha Oslo was the one who threw Conan off me like he was nothing but a rag doll, proving how strong and domineering he was as the Alpha of our Pack. Many stories have been told about mating and its perks. 

There was a saying that goes; Let mating wolves mate. 

They say when two mates find each other and are about to complete the mate bond, it is suicide for anyone to try to come in between them. They could lose their lives or most likely get a part of their body ripped off. Even worse if it was an Alpha. The only breed who could tear two new found mates apart and live to tell the tale is none other than an Alpha. One who controls the pack and has links to every single wolf that lives within his territory as long. 

That was why it was easy for Alpha Oslo to throw his son off me. My head has now gotten clearer. The unexplainable feelings from earlier died down and I could now think properly. Enough to understand what was going on , the body language of the Alphas– who seemed like they were mindlinking each other–and why he was thrown off me like it.

It’s all because of me. 

It’s who I am. 

They would never accept me. Why didn't I think of that before? 

“Stay back, Conan. Stay away from her or I’m going to hurt you.”  Alpha Oslo said. It seemed like communing through the mindlink wasn't working so well anymore. 

“No dad, you stay away from her! She is my mate. What makes you think you can change that?” 

Conan took a step towards me but his father pinned him to the wall in a flash and grabbed his neck, his claws tearing out and elongating. They turned Conan’s bronze skin purple within seconds. He was really going to hurt him. 

There was a loud gasp beside me. It came from Luna Eleanor.  I’d almost forgotten she was even in the room with us. 

“Oslo, you’re going to hurt him! Let’s talk about this properly. Please…”  Se pleaded. 

I got up on my feet too despite how dizzy I felt. I wanted to help Conan. Seeing him in pain made my gut twist and my stomach unsettled.It pricked my heart and caused it to constrict in my chest. I could blame it on our new found bond that makes me wanton, needy and connected to my mate and now seeing him hurt set fire on my insides but I was really worried for Conan past the bond. I was worried he could really get hurt. There was nothing I could do to help. If the Alpha throws me the way he threw his son, I'd be dead in a matter of seconds. 

It was clear no one saw this coming. 

The parents who raised me so I could be useful for them in the future never imagined this would happen. The thought probably never even crossed their minds else they would have done something before now. They would have kept us both apart and stopped us from being really close enough to have cuddles in bed. 

Although I suspected they only allowed that because as an Omega,  I was good at warming beds and what did it matter if the bed in question belonged to their son? He could always have another befitting wolf to make his Luna and I could always be on the side as a tool for pleasure, the kind of pleasure his Luna couldn't give him. I would be used thoroughly and thrown aside when I have served my purpose. That’s all I was worth. 

It sickened me to the stomach. I wanted to throw up all of the margaritas I had at prom in the faces of the Alpha and his Luna. 

They would never accept me as their son’s mate. They would be ridiculed among other Alphas if word got out. The whole pack would be against their soon to be Luna who was not only an Omega but an orphan who doesn’t even have memories of her past. 

Everything was too much for me. 

Alpha Oslo was still grabbing hard at his son’s neck and Conan struggled with him. Luna Eleanor couldn't do anything because she couldn't defy her Alpha and so she just cried and pleaded for him to stop. I wanted to help Conan. As weak as I was, I wanted to stop the pain his father was inflicting on him. 

“I–won’t–give…I won’t give up…up on her. She is my mate!”  He choked stubbornly. 

Tears pricked my eyes. All my life , I thought my mate wouldn't want me if we ever met. I didn't know that he has always been beside me as the only supportive person who cheered me on and believed in me.

Conan wanted me. He wanted me despite my flaws. 

“Over my dead body, you bastard! It is only over my dead body that I would let you get mated to a weakling and ruin my legacy.” 

I winced.

“She is mine! You have always called her mine before any of this happened? Why do you think I came home? I came here for her! I waited so long for her to finally turn eighteen and you want me to give her up now?” 

Waited? He waited? What was he talking about? I didn’t understand a single thing. 

Alpha Oslo growled angrily and threw Conan across the room again. Luna Eleanor And I cried out as he landed on the centre table of the living room and split it in two. 

“Yours to own, you fool! I let you hang out with her to boost your ego. She could have been tossed into the arms of other Alphas for alliance but I saw that you were fond of her and thought I could let you have her. An omega doesn't make a luna.  Are you insane?” 

Yet again, I was reminded of what I was. An object;even to the man who raised me. They were talking about me like I wasn't even there. It hurt. It hurt so bad. 

“Dad! Fuck, she is right there!” He coughed, “How is any of this her fault? Why do you have to talk about her that way?”

“Whether it’s her fault or not, I’m changing this ill-fate of yours.”

The Alpha turned to me, his eyes shooting all kinds of sharp things at me. I gulped loudly, scared to death by that one look. I have never seen that look on his face. Never. It made me want to sink into the ground so it could swallow me. 

Then he turned back to his son ; “ Follow me or I swear, it will be her splitting the chairs into two when I am finished with her.” he threatened and stormed off. I knew he would  follow through with his threat and the image of me flying across the room didn’t look like a pretty sight in my head.

As soon as he left, Luna Eleanor ran over to her son in tears. 

“Conan…Conan are you okay?” she asked. He turned down her help and got up on his own. Then his eyes fell on me. They were sad. Sad and terrified. 

Then he mindlinked me. 

“I will not reject you, Eudora. Never. You’rer mine and mine alone. You were made for me and I won’t reduce you to a plaything. I promise.”

I was close to tears. How could Conan want me enough to defy his parents? It was too surreal.Too wild to imagine. He knew very well that I couldn't be a Luna. He knew that all his father said was the truth yet he gave me hope. 

One I didn't know whether to hold onto or not. 

Then with a smile on his bursted and bloody lips, he followed in the direction his father went. Luna Eleanor looked at me in contempt. I cowered under that cold gaze of hers. 

As expected, everyone was showing how they really felt about me. I just didn't think it would happen this way. I avoided her eyes and crawled to a corner. There I crouched and waited for Conan to return. I prayed for a miracle. That things get sorted out and though an happily ever after was far-fetched, I hoped for it. 

It took more than an hour for Conan and his father to come back. The house had fallen into silence and my heartbeat every passing second was all that I heard as I waited. Every second that passed felt like it was taking a day out of the lifetime I had to live. 

“Eudora.” Conan’s voice called and I hurried to my feet. The aftershock and effect of knowing we were mates and almost getting marked by him still rocked through my entire body. His parents were behind him and they had hard expressions on their faces. Something was off about the way they stood like they were protecting him from me. It felt like I didn't even know them anymore. 

My heart hammered against my chest as I waited for him to say something. He had promised me and I knew him, I knew Conan never goes back on his promises. Never. 

Why does it feel like this would be the first time he would break a promise to me?I saw it in his eyes. I have never seen him look so vulnerable and it broke me into a million pieces. His shoulders were slouched and his head hung low like there was a heavy burden resting upon him. 

I knew it before he said it yet my heart broke when he did. Then his eyes grew hard with resolve. I knew that was the end. 

“I’m sorry, Eudora.”

Please…please don’t say it. 

“I, Conan Crawford, future Alpha of the Bluecoven pack, reject you, Eudora as my mate.”