4: Mate

Aurora

It’s almost noon by the time I left my quarters. The evening air breeze was warm and cozy, sending a slight chill down my spine.

I stood alongside the other omegas that had assembled to welcome Alpha Lucas’s first son, Damian.

Rumor had it that he had been out of the pack for almost five years. They said he was cruel, ruthless, and hardened, but also calmly good-looking. They also whispered how the two brothers were like opposite sides of a coin and never ever associated openly. I didn’t know much about the history because all my life I had been secluded from social life and hardly left the house except on errands.

The rumors also had it that the chaos between the two brothers took a cruel turn four years ago, and ever since, Damian had vowed not to return home, up until now.

I hadn’t gotten to see him, nor was I familiar with how he looked, other than the fact that it was compulsory for every omega to assemble and welcome the first heir of the pack.

As I stood with head bowed, that citrus and mint scent wrapped around me. I swallowed hard, forcing myself not to notice someone was watching me intensely, relentlessly.

I could feel his eyes the entire time on me, and it was making me uncomfortable in a certain kind of way I still didn’t understand.

Do rejected mates still feel that pull between them?

The loud cheers of the omegas snapped me out of my reverie as I lifted my eyes nonchalantly to the most amazing set of blue eyes I had ever met stepping out of the SUV, with eyes suddenly fixed on mine.

He had messy dark hair styled to the back, a sharp jawline, strong muscles that stretched out beneath the tailored suit he wore. His shoes shone, a glistening dark blend that fit the dark color of his suit.

As if on cue, the evening air blew, sending a few strands of hair brushing against his face as well as mine, but like me, he didn’t bother taking it off as our eyes entangled with each other.

Overall, he was breathtaking, the kind that any lady would drool over without a second thought.

No wonder they said he was carved from the finest of beauty herself. I smiled unknowingly when he looked away from me for only a brief second, but what unsettled me more was the sudden purr of Kiara in my head.

For the first time in a week, she was alive, but not fully back, and that excitement would have been short-lived when she muttered in my head,

“Mate.”

My breath shattered, and my body shook violently.

“Mate."

Keira howled again in my head. The world seemed to be at a standstill, and my breath no longer did me any good.

I couldn't have been more blown away when I lifted my gaze one more time to his sharp glare. His eyes turned into something smug, something dangerously close to disappointment, disgust, and something else I couldn't yet place, when they met mine, causing me to look away quickly.

My heart was more shattered than ever, more prone in ways I never thought imaginable.

‘No, this couldn't be true.’

‘It's never happening.’

I managed to stand through the entire welcome assembly. I could feel his cold, disappointed eyes wandering over me at intervals, like they could cave holes of their own through my body.

Somewhere in the same hall, another pair of eyes sized me up as well.

Liam.

I hated what his eyes were doing to me right where I stood and could only have wished this entire gathering was a wrap so I could flee from the suffocating atmosphere. Or still, the floor would have opened and swallowed me up. That way I could escape this cruelty.

Back in my room after the entire event, I dropped onto the floor as it all crashed down on me. Those dark, cold stares all came back like fresh wounds.

How cruel can fate ever turn?

I had never thought I would ever have a second chance mate this soon, after what I suffered with Liam's rejection. Not to mention one who was rudely and undeniably connected to my ex—the same whose gaze burned holes into my skin without warning.

Doubt and sorrow twisted in my mind, and my skin tingled as if cold hands were running over me. I had convinced myself he would reject me without hesitation. He looked at me as though being mated to a lowly, plus-size omega like me was the greatest disappointment imaginable. Every line of his face screamed it.

What terrified me most was that this time… I wasn’t sure I could survive the rejection.

I had barely begun to recover from Liam’s rejection, how could the moon curse me again, forcing such cruel twists of fate?

“It's okay, Aurora.” Keira encouraged, her voice low and still picking up. “I believe the moon has something great in store for us; that's why she has given us a second chance this soon.”

“Didn't you see the way he sized me up? Didn't you notice the hurt and disappointment in his eyes when he sensed I was his mate?”

“I know all that. I saw it too. But why not hold on and see how it turns?” she said softly. “I'm sure the moon couldn't be wrong this time.” She encouraged, finally curling back up inside my head.

I felt pity for her, even as I felt for myself. Trying to assure oneself that there was light beneath the darkness was one cruel line to hold onto. It wasn't any different in our case.

****

Morning came. All omegas, along with the rest of the pack, were called to the grand hall. Alpha Lucas would finally reveal what had long been awaited, following his speech about patiently waiting for his first son to return from long training sessions.

Everyone feared the inevitable, but not me. All that filled my mind was the rejection that would follow. Truth be told, I had made up my mind to beg him to give us time to heal properly before he could reject us. At least that way, my wolf would have regained strength to withstand the pain of rejection and pick herself up one more time.

And it could also buy me more time to figure out how my life had turned and what next options lay in store for me, because I doubted I had any plans outside the ones the one who claimed me had.

“Looking for me?” I almost startled, as I held onto the hem of my uniform, gasping out breath.

I had arrived at the hall through the back door to inspect if the omegas were through with the decorations so we, the kitchen omegas, could proceed with the dishes.

“Why are you that way? Aren't you supposed to go help the other omegas in the kitchen instead of wasting idle time?”

I turned on my feet and hurried out of the hall through the back door I had slipped in from, but as I took two steps outside, I was held back and suspended by his strong grip. Heat immediately curled up my spine, and I jerked.

“Or…” his lips curled into a knowing smirk, “you finally learned your place and figured out how worthless it could turn out to be, rejected by your mate, and still watch them screw up in front of you?”

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat tightening as the sudden tremors that came with his close proximity slowly dissipated, replayed by years of agony, suffering, and secret hurts.

“What do you want from me… Alpha Liam?”

He burst into a fist of laughter, glaring into my eyes smugly. “It should be, what other hurting things can I do to you to make up for your past sins?”

My brows knitted in confusion. “Past sins?” The words left me before I could stop them.

“I did nothing to you in the past, Alpha Liam. And with all due respect, I never asked my parents to get indebted to you in any way, nor did I ask them to use me as a price commodity to sort out whatsoever difference you had.” Reminding myself of this fact was one big knot to untangle.

“Yet you allowed whatever spirit possessed you to act like you don't know what I'm talking about?”

“Well, I don't have the luxury of time to waste on you.” His eyes rolled from my head down to my toes. “You are never worth the peace, and the moment you start doubling up your efforts in the packhouse, the better it turns for you, that's if you ever have a chance at peace again.”

With that being said, Liam turned out through the door and disappeared into the hall. I couldn't even begin to count the series of pains that shot through me. He accused me of hurting him in the past, yet I had no knowledge of what he meant.

I wasn't the type my family paraded as their chosen daughter; it was so hard to leave the house unless assigned with activities. Then how could I have past sins or a record, as he had so outrightly stated?

I had barely processed the thoughts when it hit me that Mia was waiting and the party would start in a pretty short time without the dishes served and ready.

I had barely stepped three feet ahead when that intoxicating, rich wooden scent hit me hard. It couldn't have been the right time to reject me? was the only line my broken heart could mutter.

I turned just in time. Due to how terrified I was, I didn't even realize he was walking straight toward me and was standing just two steps away until I stumbled into a strong chest that buzzed heavily.

My eyes widened and my body shook violently when that intoxicating, rich scent swept through every nerve ending, both pulsating, mesmerizing, and to mention the least.

My brain cells went into an automatic standstill as my body stilled under his suffocating and commanding presence.

Alpha Damian.

His gaze burned intensely into mine, with something far more intense I couldn't yet place, maybe due to the panic state of my chest.

It couldn't have been the right time to reject me, right?