Chapter 2: Are You My Mate?

Damian's POV

I had been frustrated, angry and almost out of control. My father's call had come in as I had expected, he never failed to make me feel like a failure everyday. And while I should have gotten used to his insults by now, they never failed to spoil my day.

"Find your mate soon, or your brother will be the one to succeed me! You're already bringing a bad name to this family, find a mate quickly or you'll be disowned!" Those had been his words, and although I had heard those same sentences countless of times, they never failed to make me feel less of myself. It couldn't be helped though, my younger brother had already found his mate, and his wife was pregnant with an heir. Meanwhile, I had yet to find anybody who I could remotely call a girlfriend.

It wasn't helping that the villagers had begun to spread rumors about me being cursed by the moon goddess to never find love. It was a ridiculous rumor, but as the years passed, and I failed to find a mate, it had become believable.

My father, Alpha Alexander, was a kind man, and that was why I didn't hate him even after he had said those harsh words to me. Every member of the royal council urged him to transfer all his assets to my younger brother, Stefan, but he insisted on giving me another year to find my mate. Now I had just one month remaining.

Lost in rage and frustration, I had been oblivious to the figure in front of me. Desperately, I slammed on the brakes, but it had been too late. My car had slammed into her, and although my speed had reduced considerably, I still rushed out of the vehicle to attend to her.

She had a few bruises on her, and from the look of things, she seemed to be married, or at least on the way to get married. Her wedding dress was torn now, and it seemed like she couldn't move on her own. Quickly, I scooped her up from the ground and hurried back to my car. There was a hospital down the road, and that had been my next target until a strange sensation hit me.

There was a pull, a strong one that was undeniable. It was unlike anything I had felt before, and that was how I was able to immediately tell that this was something different, this woman before me was my mate.

"You're my mate?!" I asked rhetorically, completely blown away by the fact that I had found my mate in such a random place. She seemed to have sensed the connection as well, but the surprise on her face didn't last long before she passed out. Gently, I lowered her onto the backseat before driving off towards my house, my personal doctor would attend to her once I got home.

I glanced at her unconscious face, and there was no denying the beauty beneath that her messed up makeup. From her swollen eyes, and the smeared mascara on her face, it was easy to tell that she had been crying. But why? I wondered. She was dressed in a wedding gown, could it be tears of joy? Or had her husband left her at the altar?

"Husband!" I said out loud without even realizing it. This lady could be married, and I could be taking someone's wife to my house. But then again, she was my mate, that pull was undeniable. It had been real, and there was no mistake about it.

Now I was confused. I didn't want trouble with anybody, but at the same time I didn't want to lose sight of her one bit, so taking her to the hospital was a no. I had spent the last four years searching for my mate, and now that I have found her, I wanted to make sure she was close to me at all times.

I lifted my phone from my pocket and immediately put a call through to my personal doctor. I needed him home already waiting for me before I arrived. I had found my mate, and I was not about to let anything happen to her.

It took another twenty minutes before I finally got home. She was still unconscious, but it seemed like her wounds had slowly begun to heal. I carried her out of the car and hurried towards the living room. Dr Harrington was already waiting, and he wasted no time in attending to her.

"So who is she, and how did she get injured?" Dr Harrington inquired as he gently applied first aid to her wounds. They weren't serious, but I didn't want them to leave any scars.

"I ran into her with my car." I replied, and the doctor turned to get a better look at me. I wasn't the type to drive recklessly, but my father's call had just come in at the worst time. I had lost myself for a moment, and right now I didn't know if I should feel bad or grateful that I had lost my emotions at that moment. If I hadn't, I might never have run into her.

"That's unlike you." Doctor Harrington commented before returning to his work. "You still haven't told me who she is? Is she your bride? Or did you decide to bring someone's wife home instead of taking them to the hospital?"

I hesitated, unsure if I should tell him what I had felt or not. He might think I'm insane, but it didn't matter. "She's my mate."

As expected, Dr Harrington turned towards me, his eyes filled with confusion. He glared at the lady in a wedding dress for a moment before returning his focus to me one more time. "Were you two getting married today?"

"No, that's not it." I answered. "Just let it be, attend to her—"

I hadn't finished when her eyes flickered open. She was conscious, and confused as well. She still seemed to be in pain, and I immediately intervened by walking towards her. Once again, I felt the pull, and so did she.

"Y.. you're the stranger from earlier? Are you my mate?”