CHAPTER 4- Undeniable Attraction

LARA

Alpha Magnus' announcement totally put me in a bad mood. It was obvious that he wasn't really attracted to me. It was just his male ego that pushed him to pursue the wedding, without even considering my feelings.

Conceited!

Too confident in himself that all women were attracted to him!

Damn, I hate him!

I muttered to myself as I made my way towards the forest. Alpha Callum was supposed to accompany me, but I insisted on being alone. Suddenly, I heard the menacing growls of the dire wolves which I believed were the rogues. The moon was still at its peak, so these rogues roamed the forest, searching for prey.

All of a sudden, three rogues in their human forms, appeared before my sight and I was trapped. Their faces were not familiar, so I was certain they were new members of the rogue community.

"What does a beautiful lady do in this place?" they asked, showing a silly smile as they drew nearer to me. 

"Don't come near me, or you will regret it," I said while preparing for my self-defense. 

They just chuckled loudly, without a hint of fear. "Oh, really? Do you think you are more powerful than us? You are just a beta of your pack but we are hybrid wolves. So it's better if you don't resist anymore and just surrender yourself to us."

"I am Alpha Magnus' destined Luna, so don't dare hurt me or you will die!" I shrieked, although deep inside I was trembling. 

The men just laughed sarcastically and just as they were about to grab me, Alpha Magnus came to my rescue and let out a piercing howl, causing the rogues to be frightened.

"Let go of her! She is my Luna and she belongs to me. Lay a finger on her and I will kill all of you." Alpha Magnus' voice carried authority as he emitted a harsh, growling tone.

"Alpha Magnus?" they all exclaimed together as they stepped back. I saw fear reflected in their faces. Who wouldn't be afraid of such a strong and powerful Alpha in the entire town of Tribiano?

"For now,  you win Alpha Magnus, but wait until Rider Storm and you, cross paths again." They said before they vanished from our sight.

I couldn't help but think about Rider. Of course, I knew him. He was an Alpha of the Yellow Stone Pack, but since he and his companions violated the rules stated in the Wolf Code, they were cast out of the pack and labeled as rogues.

"Are you okay?" Alpha Magnus asked, causing my heart to skip a bit as his gaze fixed on me. I quickly looked away and took a few steps back from him.

"I'm fine, thank you," I responded nonchalantly, attempting to hide the tingling sensation stirring within me.

"Next time, make sure you have someone to accompany you. Rogues and vampires are just around the corner." He spoke behind my back.

Without a word, I headed back to the villa with Magnus following me behind.

"Oh Magnus, here you are. I've been looking for you," Savana's irritating voice reached my ears. She looked at me with a frown and then shifted her eyes to Magnus. "Don't tell me, you started to like her?"

"Nonsense." Alpha Magnus scoffed.

I frowned at Savana's words, expressing my displeasure with what she had said. I gave her a wry smile as I entered the villa's doorway. 

I proceeded to the banquet hall and looked for Alpha Callum but couldn't find him. Maybe he was just somewhere, enjoying himself with a woman. I sat at a table while observing others still enjoying the celebration. After a while, my eyes caught Alpha Magnus and Savana entering the hall, linked arm in arm. Feeling irritated, I went over to the group of Gamma males and joined their table, engaging in drinking with them.

"Lara, Alpha Magnus might get angry with us," said a Gamma. "We don't want to have troubles with him."

"Why would he get angry? Even if he's my mate, he still doesn't have the right to stop me from doing what I want. I don't even interfere with him," I replied as I sipped wine from a glass. One glass led to another until I became slightly drunk.

The four Gammas gazed at me with evident desire, but they were a little hesitant, likely due to Magnus' announcement earlier.  However, when I invited them to dance, they couldn't resist and joined me on the dance floor.

I enjoyed dancing to the beat of music, while my hands were up in the air. I screamed and chuckled loudly while my companions were becoming a little touchy with me. I didn't mind as long as I was having fun. However, when everyone heard a loud and intimidating growl from Alpha Magnus, they quickly moved aside and let him pass through the middle. He came towards me with a frown, tight lips, and a clenched jaw. 

"That's enough!" he said as he carried me in his arms. I could sense the rapid beating of his heart as he walked on. Eventhough my eyes were closed, I was aware we crossed a threshold and I was certain it was his room.

"Who told you that you are allowed to flirt with men when you knew that you are my mate?" Magnus angrily shouted at me before roughly pushing me onto the bed. It jolted me awake, momentarily dispelling my tipsiness. "If before, you could do whatever you wanted, now you can't anymore, because you belong to me. You are mine, Lara. Do you understand?"

"Hey, Magnus. Do you hear yourself? Let me remind you that you don't own me. Yes, you're my mate, but you have no right to control my thoughts and feelings. And even if we get married, I am still free to do whatever I want and you can do yours as well. Do you think I don't know the reason why you wanted to marry me? It's your desire to lead the pack and strengthen your power. So, stop pretending like a jealous boyfriend because it doesn't suit you. Better go back to Savana and enjoy yourself together!"

The next thing happened so fast and I could not resist when he pinned me down and kissed me. The kiss became passionate until I felt his hand on my chest. "Magnus, let go of me!" But he grew more passionate and persisted in kissing me.

"Magnus, what are you doing?" I released a strong slap. "Do you really want to have your way with me? Before you do that then leave a red mark on my neck."

Magnus paused and angrily looked at me. "Damn!" he cursed before storming out of the room. I was left alone speechless. Putting a red mark on me, signified eternal commitment, and he had no intention of doing so because he only thought of me as one of his women.

This realization struck me, and before I could prevent it, I felt the warm liquid in the corner of my eyes.