CHAPTER FIVE: HOUSES

JASMINE

Beep beep beep.

The sound of the heart monitor was grating my ears. I open my eyes to see where I am, from the white walls and the smell of disinfectant and drugs, I was in the infirmary.

Memories of what had happened came crashing back to me with a powerful headache cradled in it's arms.

My wolf had over exerted herself when she came to the surface, and now is sleeping deeply. I look around and my eyes spot the last person I want to see right now.

My mate.

He is seated balanced on chair definitely made for comfort, reading a newspaper, maybe I was staring too much or he heard me move in the hospital bed, but he looks up, eyes meeting mine, then it hits me.

His scents coming in full force drowning out the smell of bleach and disinfectant. He smelled like dark chocolate, sweet but with a tang of smokey spice which seems to drown out the sweetness when he's moody.

And then there is this connection in my chest that draws me to him, luckily my wolf is asleep or else I would have jumped his bones already.

" Jasmine, it's good you are awake" He says dropping the newspaper on the table that I just noticed was besides him.

" How long was I out" I ask, trying to sit up but hissed in pain not only from the headache or the needles lodged in my arm, but from my whole body.

It seems like I am still healing slowly. I lay back down.

" Not much, just over a week, your friend keeps tearing into her mate, wondering when you will wake up"

" I've been out for a week?!" I blurted in shock.

" It's not surprising given you have been killing yourself with the sun-moon flower poison, drinking it as what?, Tea?"

surprisingly he got it right.

" we had to pump an unreasonable amount from your system, so until your wolf wakes up and accelerates your healing, you are stuck here" He continues, standing up straightening his suit as if it could get any more straight, his voice coming out more angry than cold.

" I meet my mate only to find out that she's my nemesis' daughter and has been slowly killing herself. Could life be anymore Ironic" He spat out with venom.

The little gittery bubble of happiness at the thought of finding my mate pops like a balloon and is replacement with heartaching sadness and disappointment.

" Like they say, beggers can't be choosers. But i would protect you and treat you as my mate" my mate Lucien says.

But it just increases my disappointment, he is only doing his duty as his mate.

" But if you are challenged by the law of our ancestors I cannot interfere, fortunately that old hag was wise enough to train you"

Old hag again.

My hackles rise at the derogatory term they use to call the kind old lady who practically raised me.

" Her name is Daisy" I hissed, glaring daggers at him.

Compared to the bond I have with him, the familiar bond I have with daisy is stronger since the mate bond just awakened.

Between this arrogant prick of a mate, I prefer the kind and sweet daisy.

" What an innocent name for the most feared assassin of the D'Arvenzi clan, not sure what impression you have of her, but that old lady you're thinking raised you was just doing her job" he replied mirroring my glare, but his was more intimidating.

" Let's forget about her, we have more pressing matters on our plate" he says sitting back down probably done trying to scare me.

" Your family clan are searching for you, they already know that you are alive and are trying to claim you back" he continues dropping the bomb on me.

The House of D'Arvenzi.

Although I am a lone wolf and didn't grow up around a lot of wolves, but at least I was taught and still understand the pillars of the werewolf community.

The wolf shifter society is made of countless lower clans around the world, over a thousand mid sized clans and thirty high level clans.

The five big houses are the rulers of the werewolf community.

The House of Morcarin, one of the neutral Houses that doesn't fight for power. they are unbiased towards clans and lone wolves.

The House of Tenebris. They are said to also believe in the god of darkness. they are power hungry wolves and cruel as their god. No wolf has ever left with his life after crossing them.

House of Zora. The most peaceful house in the shifter community. like the Morcarin house, they don't fight for power, but they should not be underestimated.

House of Malvore, my mates house. Rumored to be a ruthless clan and the largest of them all. Said to be protective of their own and very cruel in their vengeance. From the way I was taken, the rumors turns out to be true.

Lastly the House of D'Arvenzi. they used to be a neutral house, peaceful and not fighting for power and territory, but twenty years ago, they changed.

they are now cruel, domineering and ruthless, a pack of rabid wolves dressed in suit and dinner gowns.

The houses have hundreds of years of history since the Lycan, our ruler went to sleep.

Before The Lycan fell asleep, he blessed the five rulers of each houses with his bloodline, so if the House of D'Arvenzi really wants me, and if I am really the heir to the D'Arvenzi household, then they are actually after my bloodline.

In other words, if they get me, I would be a lamb. entering a den of wolves.

" They can't have me right?, they can't forcefully take me away, right?" I ask, my hand squeezing the bed coverings.

" No they can't, according the rules of the elders and our five hundred years old custom, A female must leave her clan after finding her mate, and must join her mate's clan". Lucien says and I sigh in relief.

" Unless they contest for a blood Claim."