CHAPTER 3: The Rogues Almost Destroyed Me

Ariana’s POV

Damien’s wolf roared violently inside him and the sound shook the entire ceremony hall.

Every wolf froze and for one second, hope rose inside me again. Maybe he regretted it, maybe he would stop them, maybe he would take the rejection back.

I then turned toward him with tears running down my face.

“Damien…”

His jaw tightened and pain flashed across his face for one dangerous second and then Selene grabbed his arm tighter.

“Don’t look at her.”

Damien looked away from me immediately, that tiny hope inside me died again and the guards dragged me harder toward the exit.

I stumbled badly and my knees hit the floor but nobody helped me.

The rejection pain kept tearing through my body like blades inside my chest and I screamed again as another wave hit me.

The guards threw me outside the pack gates carelessly and rain poured heavily from the sky and tnen one of the guards spit near me.

“Stay away from this pack forever.”

Then the gates slammed shut and I stared at the giant black gates while rain soaked my body completely.

My home. Gone. My mate. Gone. Everything was gone.

I slowly stood up, but another sharp pain cut through my chest and I gasped and grabbed a tree for support.

My wolf kept crying inside me. Rejected. Rejected. Rejected.

“I know,” I whispered brokenly. Rain fell harder as I started walking blindly into the dark forest. I did not know where I was going. I just kept walking. One step and then another.

Branches cut against my skin, mud stuck to my feet and my dress tore against thorns but none of it hurt more than Damien’s words.

“You were good enough for my bed. Nothing more.”

A sob escaped my lips, because even now… even after everything… I still loved him.

Moon Goddess help me, I still loved him.

I remembered the nights Damien held me after storms.

The way he buried his face against my neck while sleeping, the way he growled whenever another Alpha looked at me too long and the way he whispered my name after sex like it meant something.

“Ariana…”

I heard his voice inside my head so clearly that I stopped walking suddenly but nobody was there.

Only rain, only darkness.

I started crying harder.

Hours passed and the forest changed slowly.

The air smelt worse here. Blood. Rot. Death.

My wolf whimpered fearfully. Rogue territory.

I froze immediately. No.No no no.

I turned the wrong way and panic rose inside me fast and then I quickly turned around to leave and then a twig snapped behind me and I stopped breathing.

Slow laughter then filled the forest.

“Well well…”

Another voice joined.

“Look what wandered into rogue land.”

Three rogues stepped out from the darkness, dirty clothes, bloodshot eyes and cruel smiles.

Fear crawled through my body instantly and one of them sniffed the air deeply and then his eyes widened.

“The rejected Luna.”

The others laughed loudly.

“She smells amazing.”

“And weak.”

My wolf growled weakly inside me and I forced myself to stand straight.

“Stay away from me.”

One rogue grabbed my arm roughly and I punched him immediately but it was a wrong move.

The slap he gave me sent me crashing into the mud and pain exploded across my face and then the rogues laughed harder.

“She still has claws.”

Another one grabbed my torn dress and ripped it lower and cold air hit my skin.

“Please,” I whispered shakily and they dragged me deeper into the mud and one gripped my throat.

Another forced my legs apart and terror took over my body completely.

“She’ll sell for good money.”

“Nah. Let’s have fun first.”

I fought desperately, scratch, kick, bite but rejection pain already weakened me badly.

One rogue punched my stomach hard and I screamed.

Then another gripped my hair painfully.

“Hold still!”

Tears poured down my face.

“Damien!” I screamed instinctively but silence answered me.

No mate bond, no Alpha, nobody came.

Then the rogue above me grinned cruelly.

“Your Alpha already threw you away.”

Something inside me broke completely hearing those words and the rogue suddenly lifted a knife toward my throat.

“Let’s end this.”

Then suddenly… A terrifying growl shook the entire forest and every rogue froze instantly.

The sound did not even sound humans, it sounded deadly and acient and power crashed through the forest so violently that my wolf hid inside me immediately and the rogues stepped back fearfully.

“What the hell was that?”

Then another growl exploded through the darkness and it a was loser this time.

The trees shook violently and one rogue whispered in horror.

“No…”

A massive black wolf burst out from the darkness and everything happened too fast after that, blood sprayed across the forest instantly.

The huge wolf tore through the first rogue’s throat violently and the second rogue screamed before claws ripped through his chest.

The third tried to run and the wolf caught him easily.

Bones cracked loudly and I stared in horror from the mud while blood covered the rain-soaked ground.

The black wolf stood over the bodies breathing heavily.

It was huge, terrifyingnand beautiful and then his glowing eyes slowly turned toward me and fear locked my body completely.

The wolf walked closer slowly and rain dripped from his black fur.

Blood stained his claws and I tried crawling backward weakly but the wolf suddenly shifted and my breath caught instantly.

A man rose from the darkness slowly, he was tall, muscular and covered in blood.

His face looked dangerously beautiful, dark eyes locked onto me immediately and the air changed around him completely.

Power, authority and death.

My wolf trembled violently. Lycan.

The Lycan King. I panicked immediately and tried standing up but my legs gave out and before I hit the ground, his hand caught my waist firmly and my breath shook.

His grip burned against my skin.

The Lycan King stared down at me silently and then his nose brushed against my neck slowly.

His expression changed instantly and his eyes darkened dangerously.

“Pregnancy.”

Confusion flashed through my mind immediately.

What?

The Lycan King knelt in front of me carefully.

Then he said darkly:

“Which Alpha was stupid enough to throw away a pregnant mate?”

I froze completely. Pregnant? No. No way.

That could not be possible.

I then stared at him in horror.

“What did you say?”

He did not answer but instead, he suddenly lifted me into his arms possessively and then growled:

“From today onward… nobody touches you again.”