your name?

I growl in annoyance as the last batch of the eligible unmated she wolves is presented to me.

Despite going around all the paraded ladies, I could not sniff out my mate. Danger was not helping with all the restlessness.

" Your Highness," Valeria calls softly and Danger growls again. We have a tacit understanding between Valeria and I and she could tell that my mate wasn't among the ladies in the hall.

" Are you sure all the ladies are here?" Valeria turned to ask the Alpha boy and he nodded.

" I have arranged for all unmated females who have turned eighteen to be here and I believe nobody is missing." The Alpha boy replied.

Lies!

I could sense something special, a scent that was intoxicating coming from somewhere. The scent was faint, it was as if it was masked.

"What about the mated and not marked?" This time, my Beta, Leo, asked the question. I could see a glint pass through the Alpha boy's eyes before he concealed it immediately.

I narrowed my eyes at him but he looked away, unable to meet my gaze.

Looking at the woman by his side, I felt nothing for her, only disgust but I was also convinced that the boy knew something and was hiding it.

The thought of him hiding my mate stirred something dark and sinister deep inside me.

My mate is mine alone and I am not going to let anybody lay their filthy hands on her.

I was about to match to him when my beast said, " I want to take control." Danger demanded and I listened to him, allowing him to take control once again.

Then it hit me, the sweet scent of Jasmine mixed with lemons.

Danger growled before taking off to the direction from where the scent was coming from.

The more we raced, the stronger the scent got until we approached a house standing in isolation.

The lights were turned off with the exception of a room which was dimly lit.

Taking a deep breath, her intoxicating scent filled my ears and Danger confirmed it.

" Mate." He growled.

Impatient to meet her, I made my way to the window before slowly climbing up.

I had just jumped into her room when I sensed a blow coming my way.

Using my left hand to block it, I pulled her in my arms, caging her with my powerful arms.

I could feel the tingles and sparks from where our body made contact .

The lady attempted to wriggle her way out of my embrace but I pulled her even closer, loving how the Sparks flew from our contact.

I could feel her body stiffen before she relaxed.

"Calm down, I won't hurt you." I murmured into her ears, drinking in her sweet and intoxicating scent.

Danger purred in appreciation, loving the feeling of our mate in our arms.

" Let me go!" She ordered but her words came out more like a plea. Her voice was so soft and tender, sending waves of excitement straight to my member.

" Who are you?" She asked, her body leaning against mine in surrender.

" I am your mate." I replied before twirling her around to face me.

I watched as her eyes widened and a look of horror flashed her face before she backed away, shaking her head.

" Impossible! It's impossible!" She murmured.

Her reaction took me by surprise. It was like she knew me from somewhere.

I could swear that it was my first time meeting me so how could she know me?

Danger whimpered in pain, taking her refusal to acknowledge us as her mate as rejection.

I could sense her confusion and disbelief?

" Did you find her?" Valeria's voice sounds through the mindlink and I nod, suddenly realising that she wasn't around.

" I did." I replied, gloomily.

This was not the reaction I expected from my mate. I had thought that she would at least be scared of me given that my reputation wasn't that magnificent but having her show signs of rejection wasn't something I pictured.

Either way, she was coming with me. After waiting for her for a hundred years, I was not going to let her escape my clutches.

She is mine and the sooner she realises that, the better for us.

" What happened? You don't sound happy." Valeria probed.

She knew me all too well to not trace my sadness.

" It's nothing. We will be there soon." With that, I blocked her through the mindlink.

The last thing I wanted was to have her bombard me with questions I didn't know the answer to.

Taking a step to my mate, I stretched my hand to touch her only to have her move further. She avoided my touch, as if I was disgusting or was it fear I saw in her eyes?

" Don't come any closer." She said and it's then I realised that she was crying.

I felt like someone was squeezing my heart seeing her cry. With the bond and the closeness,I could feel her emotions. They were all over the place.

" You have to reject me, please!" Lifting her teary face, she pleaded.

My heart constricted painfully from her words.

Reject her?

Not a chance!

" Reject you? Why should I reject you? You are my mate!" I half shouted, frustrated with the turn of events.

All my life,I have never been a soft person but with this situation, I had to tread carefully.

I can't force her to accept me or apply my shrewdness in this situation and that alone was rendering me helpless of the situation.

" You don't understand," she murmured, her crystal clear eyes which were now glistening with tears pleading with me.

" What is it that I don't understand? Make me understand!" I said gently, trying as much as possible not to scare her.

Raising my voice at her might worsen the situation so I figured out that I had to exercise all the self control I have ever mastered all my life. I needed it.

" I will bring disaster to your life. You'll die if I agree to this bond." She whispered in a defeated tone.

Her words made me freeze for a moment before I smiled bitterly.

Yes, how could I forget what the Oracle said.

" She can be a blessing to you and the people or be a disaster that will wipe us all out."

" I can't let that happen." She added before a glint flickered through her eyes.

" I , Belinda Mathews, reject you…" she halted before looking at me with embarrassed eyes.

" What's your name?" She asked.