Chapter 3

Nora's POV

I walked down the stairs slowly, taking my steps one at a time. My heart was shattered beyond pieces at the words Alina had spoken to me. They pierced my heart, every single one of those words. They reminded me of how big of a mistake I had made, how I'd let everyone down simply by existing.

I reached the foot of the staircase, lifting the white dress I had on. The entire hall was silent; no fanfare or people waiting to wish me a happy married life.

This was what I deserved. To be wedded off in the most shady, unimpressive way ever.

There wasn't any cake, nor did any decorations hang from the walls. In fact, the hall was as bland as it could be.

I turned to the maid behind me, moving to ask her where the wedding would hold, when a voice shut me up immediately.

"You're ready." The voice called, sending shivers down my spine. Alpha Chester emerged from the shadows to my left, walking towards me. He was decked out in an impressive white suit, his long locks held up in a slick ponytail. 

His eyes were stone-hard and offered no comfort for me. He stopped beside me, then extended his arm. "Let's go." He murmured.

Silently I slipped my hand into the crook of his elbow, and he led me to the very end of the hall. I hadn't noticed earlier, but a wolf priest was waiting for us on the other end of the hall, also dressed in white robes, complete with a purple sash around his neck.

"Alpha," the wolf priest bowed to Alpha Chester, then gave me an almost imperceptible nod of greeting. "If you two would kindly face each other."

I let go of Alpha Chester's arm and turned to him. I couldn't bear to look up and into his eyes, couldn't bear to see the grim, unforgiving gaze in those eyes. So I focused on a point below his chin, and prayed for all of this to be over soon.

"Place a hand on the other's chest. Right on the heart." The priest ordered.

Simultaneously, we raised our hands and placed it on the other's chest. I could feel the hard thumping of his heart below my fingers, his heat flowing into my skin.

"Repeat these vows after me," the priest murmured. "Beneath the Moon Goddess's glow,"

"Beneath the Moon Goddess' glow," I murmured, and Alpha Chester did the same.

"We unite as werewolf mates." The priest continued, and we echoed after him. Line after line we repeated, as the priest joined us together forever. My heart was beating heavily, so heavily that I could hear it in my ears. Slowly Alpha Chester's heartbeats began to match mine, until our hearts became one in sync.

"That's all." The priest concluded, and our hands slipped from the other's breast. 

We stood facing each other, his eyes grim and cold, mine sullen and sad. His jaw tightened as I regarded him, and then he spoke. 

"I'll meet you in the Luna's bedroom in five minutes." He growled. Then he walked away before I could utter a response.

*****

I waited for him in the Luna's bedroom, pacing the room's length and gathering my courage. I knew what would come next after our mating ceremony was the consummation, but I would rather die than let him take me.

He had taken my freedom already, and this was the last shred of dignity I had left.

It would never be his.

I halted in my steps as the door of the room swung open. Alpha Chester walked in, still dressed in his wedding garb minus the jacket. Swiftly he closed the door behind him, then began to unbutton his shirt.

"Take off your dress," he commanded.

I stood on the spot, unresponsive.

Alpha Chester stopped unbuttoning his shirt and glared at me, eyebrows raised. "Take off your dress, Nora." He repeated the order, his voice laced with danger.

"No." I said simply.

"Excuse me?"

"No." I repeated, my heart hammering away. "I will never, ever release my body to you. I will never be yours."

I watched as the rock-solid green of his eyes blaze with anger, and my confidence dropped a notch. "I own you," he growled. "I am your mate now!"

"Not if I reject you first!" I said, my voice trembling. "I, Nora Farkas reject you, Alpha Chester as my mate!"

There, I thought. That was easier than I had thought.

Alpha Chester burst out laughing, the sound startling me. I took several steps backward as he approached me, shirt half unbuttoned, green eyes smoldering.

"In your dreams, Nora." He whispered into my face, his breath fanning my cheeks. Then he reached up and grabbed my neck in his hand, forcing my head up.

I gasped as his fingers wound round my neck. Before I could utter any more words, Alpha Chester reached down and pressed a hot kiss against my lips, forcing them open.

His mouth tasted of blood and grapes, a strange, warm taste that forced a whimper of longing from my mouth. His lips were forceful, prodding, trying to push inwards. But I kept my lips firmly shut, unwilling to betray my desire to him.

My hands stayed firmly by my side, even though they ached to reach up and rake through his thick, dark hair. I didn't want him to stop, and yet I didn't want him to know that I wanted him.

He pulled his mouth away, his green eyes darkened with desire. "Now, take off your clothes," he ordered again.

He didn't need to do so twice. I unzipped my wedding dress and let it fall to the ground, pooling around my legs. I stepped out of the dress and slipped into the bed, watching him tower over me.

Quickly he slipped out of his clothes until he stood naked before me, all muscles and hard edges. His long hair had slipped from the ponytail, and was billowing around his shoulders now.

He was so beautiful it made my heart sing.

He slipped into the bed with me, his large frame hovering above me. Quickly he forced my knees up, and before I could say a word, he pushed one finger into my folds.

I was already dripping wet for him.

The result was a gasp from my lips. He withdrew that one finger, then dipped in again, taking me inch after inch. My body grew warmer as he continued to finger me, driving me closer and closer to my orgasm.

"You are mine, Nora." He growled, voice thick with desire. "Mine forever."

Then he withdrew his finger and pushed into me, taking my virtue in one clean thrust.

A groan slipped from my mouth as he filled me up with his warm, hard dick. The feeling was alien—as I'd never done this before—but surprisingly welcome.

He had made me his forever, claimed my body as he had taken my freedom at that marketplace.

He pinned my hands up and drove into me with an animal-like growl, as we made love with a raw intensity. Each time I kept reminding myself that I didn't want this, and yet, with each stroke of his dick, the sensation of hot pleasure increased.

I felt the pleasure spiraling inside me, tightening until it exploded. I let out a loud groan of pleasure as he also jerked into me in release, despite a tiny part of my mind reminding me that this would be my ugly future forever. With him.

Afterward, he collapsed on top of me, his breathing every bit as ragged as my own. "You're my mate. Forever." He murmured finally.

Everything inside me clenched in rejection of the words, but I knew it was far too late. Alpha Chester had claimed me, and there was no getting out of this.