Chapter One: Curse You!

Evelyn's POV

Their grip on my hand is tight, nails piercing through my skin, drawing blood. I keep on struggling, trying to loose myself from their grasp. I just wanted to cry in peace, man.

They are careful, remembering to hold my hands behind my back. Probably because I almost decapitated their friend when he tried to pick me up. He was stupid and they learnt fast.

“Let go of me.” I grit out in pain.

All they do is tighten their grip on my hand making me cry out in pain. I bet their ancestors would be angry at how they are manhandling a lady. A tiny one at that.

We continue down the dark hallway which suddenly opens into a large room. A fireplace burns at one side with couches scattered around. It is comfy, it is my doom.

I start struggling in their arms. I am not dying now and not here. “Let the fucking hell go off me!”

“Let her go.” A strong voice speaks out and immediately they let go of me and leave.

Arkan comes to my view. He seems to have lost the red velvet cloak he had worn during the ceremony and his crown as well. His curly hair was in disarray as if he had been running his hand through it. Good! I wish his hand had tangled in it and he pulled his brain out.

Bad Evelyn! But he did look so good. Stupid, stupid mate bond.

“You!” I sneer turning to leave.

He grabs my hand, sparks travelling up my arms, partially electrocuting me. “Evelyn….” He pleads.

I snatch my hand back “Never in your life touch me.”

My eyes are probably blazing by now. I am tired. Emotionally, I am drained. Physically, I just want to die.

He lets out a sigh, head dropping “I have a duty to my people, Evelyn. You of all people should know that.”

Is he kidding me?!

A delirious laughter bursts out of me as tears leak out of my eyes. “So, you decided to use me?!”

“I wished it could have been different, Evelyn. I really do.”

“Why, Arkan?!” a large lump forms in my throat “What did I do wrong?!”

He remains silent avoiding my eyes. This was the man given to me by the moon goddess. He was meant to love, to protect me, and yet, he has hurt me more than my father ever did.

“TELL ME!”

“People first, Pleasure next.” He mumbles like some kind of mantra that I catch thanks to my advanced hearing.

“But we are mates for goddess' sake!” I am becoming desperate “You said you were going to announce me as your queen.”

Your Luna.

A clap erupts from nowhere causing me to freeze. Heels clicking behind me alert a presence and I know who it is before I see her.

“Good show, cousin,” she keeps on clapping stopping before me.

Astrid.

Unlike Arkan, she is still in her ceremonial wear except for the long flowy velvet cloak. My eyes zero in on the crown that is still placed on her head. My crown.

“You are really delusional, little cousin.” She mocks “A Lycan without a beast. Hell! A simple omega werewolf is much better than you.”

Ouch! That hurts. My eyes start to water. My cousin never fails to remind me what I am. A freak.

“Astrid…. I..”

She holds her hand up with a sneer “You tried to take away my husband! My betrothed! My king. MINE!”

Anger bubbles up within me. He was mine, not hers. “I’m his mate. He’s Erasthai!”

A mock laughter erupts from her “You’re still as clueless as ever,” she begins to walk around me, disgust mars her face when she sees the splatter of blood on my gown from the first guard “It’s simple. If your mate doesn’t give you enough power, you get another who can."

She stops by Arkan who just stands there with hard eyes. She grips his face, trailing a finger down his cheek. “You are just a piece, a disposable one in the bigger picture.

My eyes move from her to Arkan. Confusion settles in me, anger dying down. “I don’t understand. Arkan, what does she mean?!"

He grinds his teeth together “A Lycan can’t have a child with anyone but his mate, my marriage with Astrid is for the benefit of both our kingdoms. When I found out that you were my mate, the Elders came up with a plan.”

Realisation dawns on me at this moment. I know where this was going and what hurts me is that he played along.

“Stop talking!” I cry out

“Get you to give me an heir,” he continues “Mate with Astrid.”

My knees buckle underneath me and I fall to the ground in disbelief. “So, I was just a pawn to you? A fucking breeder?!”

“Don’t be so down, cous,” Astrid chuckles “You get to be the bearer of the heir to the West King.” She gives me a pout leaning on his shoulder.

The walls are closing around me, I can feel the onset of a panic attack rising within me “But you… you said that you loved me.” I whisper tears, rolling down my eyes.

Cold eyes regard me coldly. Gone are those soft eyes that stirred up butterflies within me. This is a man I didn’t know.

“I have said a lot of things to a lot of people to get what I want, Evelyn. You are not any special.”

“But you are my mate, my forever,” I wail “Please, don’t do this to me. Please, Arkan.”

Astrid rolls her eyes, letting out a scoff “It’s King Arkan to you. It’s so sad that you thought you could find happiness after what you did to your mother.”

I flinch. My mother has always been a sore spot for me.

Arkan squats before me, his lips pulls into a tight line. “You would give birth to this child, Evelyn.”

“No! Please, I beg you!”

“He would be my heir.” He wipes my tears with his thumb.

“STOP!”

“After that, the council, my queen and I will decide what we’ll do with you.”

My Queen!

My chest constricts at his words. At this point, I am full-on hyperventilating, my breathing coming out in short erratic gasps. “Kill me. Please, just kill me.”

He traces his fingers down my cheek “You know I can’t do that, love.” He coos.

“KILL ME!”

“I, Arkan Reznor, King of the West, reject you, Evelyn Drayden, as my mate.”

Pain blossom in my chest, spreading around my body like molten lava. It is horrible. Like a thousand prickling needles being shoved into my body.

Is this what rejection feels like?

No!

This isn’t rejection.

It’s betrayal.

Curse you, Moon Goddess.