Chapter 4

Catherine's POV:

‘Mate…’ That single word echoed through my mind. Did I hear him wrong? Maybe that was my mind playing tricks on me. I wanted to burst out laughing, raise my hand, or say something in protest but couldn’t.

My heart felt as if it was ready to jump out of my chest any second. I wasn't really ready with that bit of information, especially not from him.

I am his mate? How could that be? Why would the moon goddess pick me to be his mate? She must have known better than anyone that I was just a mere slave. A no one. Nothing but a freak who lost her memories as a little child. Too irrelevant and weak to be mated to an Alpha’s son.

I have been told by almost every single werewolf in this pack that my existence was never meant to be. That I wasn’t worthy of love from anyone. Let alone have a mate.

I accepted that with an open mind and heart. I knew no one would want a mate as broken as me. Even if I did have a mate, he was the last person I had expected to be with. Let alone being tied to him as his mate. And he knew this all along. He didn’t approach me and I knew the reason why.

He thinks of me as nothing more than just a slave. That’s fine by me though. I don’t expect much from someone like him.

“What did you say?” Alpha Norman said, his voice barely a whisper but I heard him well.

“Do I really need to say it twice? This slave right here,” He glanced at me over his shoulder.

“Is. My. Mate.” Not any one of us had missed the emphasis in his words.

It can't be. I can't be his mate. That would ruin all my plans and I will never ever have the chance to run free from this hell I have been caged in for far too long. Eight frickin' years I put up with all the beatings, all the mocking, all the ridicules. A single year of being stuck in this hell hole will surely push me to the brink of insanity!

I close my eyes, recalling the whole plan I waited so long for me to finally bring it into action. After I turn 18 this midnight, I planned to renounce the pack and become a rogue in the outside world. If I was lucky, I hoped to become part of another pack, not as a slave, but an equal werewolf. But if not, then I would settle living as a normal human being. I promised myself that I won't care being part of a pack after that.

The news was a big slap in the face for Jessica, on the other hand. She burst out in tears and looked at me with deep hatred evident in her eyes. I can tell how hurt she really was on the inside. And somehow, the tiniest piece of kindness that was left in me made me want to pity her. What is more, I overheard from the other werewolves that she rejected her fated mate to be with her chosen one, Easton.

On top of that, Easton doesn't even look like he was the type to care. I looked away from Jessica who was still obviously eye-murdering me in her own way. I can feel her seething anger from her aura alone.

"But even if she is, it won't mean anything because she is nothing more than a lowly slave. How can she possibly compare to me, born from the long line of Betas in our family which is clearly belonging to a much higher status than her?!” She ranted, shooting me a glare before looking at Easton in the eye.

“Easton, are you saying you would rather prefer a slave than me?" She rested her hand on her large breast, batting her eyelashes as she stares at him expectantly.

 Jessica's words echoed through the whole room. All heads turned towards Easton, as we waited for him to answer the insecurities of her own.

I saw how Easton frowned and stared Jessica down as if to exert his dominance. Though he was yet to be the Alpha, Jessica and I could feel it.

"Quit making useless assumptions like all the garbage you were just spewing. Let me just get one thing straight, Jessica. You don't get to order me around like you want me to." Easton warned her. Jessica's face turned pale.

I looked down and wished that the floor could just open up and swallow me whole. I can feel my heart throbbing under my shirt, and I loosened my shoulders as I try to get ahold of myself completely. No matter how hard I try, my hands continue to tremble and my body kept shaking without my permission.

"All I want you to do is reject her!" Jessica's voice snapped me back into reality.

Easton growled. Surprisingly, he grabbed her arm and pulled her in close. He leaned in closer to her face and glared at her eyes. Jessica was shocked when Easton yelled at her for the first time.

"YOU don't tell ME what to do!" Growling, his eyes went from amber to shimmering gold. That happens when a werewolf of a higher status shows his power along with that of his own wolf.

I can tell how Easton got easily annoyed at Jessica for bringing up the idea of rejection. Now that we think about it, that might just be my escape plan.

Hope gave fuel to my body with more strength and a little bit of confidence that I might actually just make my way out of here. All I have to do is accept his rejection then it will all be over sooner than I shall be anticipating it.

"Enough!" Alpha Norman intervened, reminding us of his presence by releasing an Alpha's powerful aura to the room, and that was enough to bring back the other part of Easton in him. The glow in his eyes faded to reveal his natural color, but instead of releasing Jessica's arm, he tightened his grip around it. Jessica whimpered in pain.

"Easton!" Alpha Norman called out loudly.

Seems like even the Alpha does not have complete control over his own son.

In the end, Easton let go of Jessica's arm and faced Alpha Norman who was glaring at him since he came here.

"Well, what a shocking surprise." Luna Grey took a small step forward as she opened her arms to break the silence with that unexpected remark. She glanced my way and clasped her hands together, taking in a quick breath.

"Catherine, why don't you start making breakfast for the pack? I'm pretty sure you are running a little late already." She spoke in a gentle manner but with strictness in her tone.

"Yes, Luna."

I immediately moved from my spot and headed towards the dirty kitchen. As soon as I was sure that I was no longer being watched by neither the Alpha, Easton, nor Jessica , I let out a heavy sigh. My lips were busted. I cursed in pain when I accidentally touched them as I covered my face, wanting to escape from this wicked world.

-----On the other side-------

"Let's talk in my office." Alpha Norman commanded and turned his back to go straight to the Alpha office.

Easton shrugged and simply followed his father without even looking back to Jessica. In her mind, she was cursing Catherine and imagining all sorts of ways possible to get rid of her. She was just a slave, but why does she get to have everything she’s ever wanted from the beginning? Because of her, Easton went from hot to ice cold overnight. She refused to accept the two together as mates. It was silent.

Luna Grey touched her arm softly and was looking concerned for the she-wolf who got dumped and disregarded by her step-son Easton.

The once-quiet Luna touched Jessica's face and faked a gentle comforting smile.

"Sweetie, you should rest. We'll call you when breakfast is ready."

Jessica just nodded and walked away, silently. Her mind never encouraged silence. As she huffed marching to her room in heavy footsteps, gnashing her teeth, Jessica decided to erase Catherine’s existence of this world.

“You will pay for this, bitch.”