Chapter 2

Aylin moved around the crowd looking for her mate. She knew that roar; someone had gotten Bane mad, which should even be called a suicide attempt.

Because Bane was always present.

Unlike other males whose wolves were absent and only present within themselves, giving the human more rein and more authority over who was in charge. It was different for Maddox and Bane, as Bane—his wolf counterpart—was always present.

He was always aware, seeing and feeling. 

This was why Maddox looked physically different from others… His eyes were bi-colored. One for him and one for Bane. He had his fangs and claws out; also, he was very hairy. In addition to him also being huge compared to men his age. 

This was the difference.

Maddox comes from a very long and diluted line of upper werewolves… Lycans. 

Holding her skirt, she increased her step and went towards the elders' section. It didn’t take long for her to find the tower height of her mate. People slowly parted way for her. Once she got to him, she wrapped her arms around him from behind. Pressing her forehead against his spine.

“Please calm down.” She murmured. Maddox clenched her wrist ready to pull her away from him. But she held onto him. 

“We can talk through this, whatever it is.”

“TALK?!! TALK!?” He was fuming, raging even.

Aylin walked around him to see what exactly caused his rage. 

“Connie?”

Connie stood in front, proud and confident, with one hand on her hip and the other flat on her tummy.

“Connie? What’s going on?”

Chills. 

She felt a cold shudder run down her spine. Looking around, she felt caged. Surrounded. Stepping back lightly, she made sure she still felt Maddox's heat. 

Eyes were on her, elder and pack members alike. And those eyes—she was familiar with those eyes. Mediocre.

Useless

Worthless

Human.

"Connie, what—”

“I believe the Luna position is mine, Aylin.”

Aylin blinked, taken aback. “W-what? I-I don’t understand.” She looked back at Maddox, who was glaring at Coonie and the elders of the pack that crowded behind. 

“I am pregnant with Alpha Maddox's child.”

The room went silent. The world went like it was spinning and slowing down at the same time. Her friend Connie was beaming brightly, like she had just announced great news.

No, it was. It was great news; after all, that was what the pack had been asking for. She had even heard rumors claiming she had gone to a warlock to spell the alpha into becoming her mate.

Because it didn’t just make sense for a wolfless female to mate with a strong alpha, not just any alpha but a Lycan alpha. Everyone knew it was her; it could never be the alpha’s fault. His gene was strong compared to a weak wolf's? Human? She didn’t even know where to categorize herself.

But to cheat on her just because of that? She didn’t know which was better or worse: if Maddox had broken their mate bond or if he had cheated on her and gotten her own friend pregnant.

Slowly, turning to Maddox, she didn’t even notice the tears that were already pooling in her eyes.

“Maddox… is that true?” 

“Of course not, darling.” He tried to reach her, and she slapped his hands away. His eyes whipped to her, angry and enraged.

“Don’t avoid my touch.” He growled at her.

“That is not important, Maddox. Connie says she is pregnant and—”

“And I was able to do something you were never able to do in like what? Four years?” She chuckled and pack members laughed.

Murmurs of the pack grew increasingly loud. All included mockery, insults, and rude remarks.

Before she could have taken it, she was used to it. 

Having no wolf, ugly scarring on her neck to shoulder that she mostly wears turtle-neck tops or ties a scarf around just to hide, being a complete orphan who was named after the forest.

All she had was Maddox, her mate, who she believed would stand by her forever till the end of their lives… but now even he made a fool of her.

Clenching the sides of her skirt, she kept her head low, ready to run. 

Running was always what she did. 

The only time she ever spoke back was when Maddox was there, and now he… 

Pushing her away out of the hall, she used her elbow to cover her eyes as she ran as fast as her legs could take her. 

“Darling!! Wait!!” Maddox called out, ready to chase after her, but Connie held him back. 

“But Alpha, I—” 

He shoved her hard and painfully, not caring if she was truly carrying his child. In fact, he hoped the shove was hard enough to cause damage to her body or the baby or something.

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Aylin sat on the floor, head clutching Maddox's pillow as her nose was filled with his scent. She was breaking. She could feel the panic and worry from Maddox through their mate bond. Closing the bond, she didn’t want to feel it.

“Darling, open the door.”

Ignoring him, he tried again, both through the door and the mating bond. 

“Please let's talk.” He pleaded through the door, but she didn’t let up. Why would she? Amongst the crowd was the pack healer. Connie wasn’t dumb; making an accusation like that without proof would have her fur removed from her skin. 

Dragging her body to the door, she pulled it open, coming face to face with Maddox.

“Darling, I—” She lifted her palm up to stop his words.

Backing away from him, she crossed her arms on her chest as she heard the door shut. 

“Did you do it?" She turned to him with tears streaming down her face. “Did you do it?”

The second time, she didn’t know if she truly wanted an answer. But, alas, she needed one. Her heart was beating wildly behind her chest. Insecurity had always been within her. She always worried if she was really his mate. There was no wolf in her; she didn’t feel anything. She had no fangs for her to pierce him and give him her mating mark. 

Only she had it.

Maddox didn’t bear her mark. The only things that she had to claim him with were a ring and necklace. They both had mixed their blood with the accessories. 

So, if he laid with Connie, did that mean she was his real mate? 

Aylin had seen Coonie’s wolf before. It was big, strong, and fast. Connie was part of the few females who would follow the males during the weekend to hunt. So when did they do it? Was that when they found out about each other?

Was she in heat? Was Madox in Rut?

She didn’t know; her head was spinning really bad. She wanted closure; even a lie would suffice because if Maddox left her, she—she—she didn’t know what she would do. Having the power and title of being the Luna was something she wasn’t to hold onto.

“Why?”

“I swear! I didn’t. I wouldn’t!!”

“Then what? Are you telling me Connie got tired of life and wanted to die, so she thought to accuse the alpha—a lycan, mind you—of sleeping with her? I think not.”

“Let me in and you would feel I tell no lie.” He reached for her hand again, and she slapped it out.

Bane growled. “Stop preventing my touch, dammit!!!”

“I said I didn’t do any and—”

Knock, knock.

“Alpha, Luna, the elders have called for your presence." Dread filled her veins as she heard those words.