Chapter 3: The Cursed Alpha

Olivia's POV

I wasn't exactly surprised by the fact that this stranger was my mate. I had never felt a bond between Michael and I, our relationship had an entirely forced one, and a part of me was grateful that I had caught the real him before our wedding. My heart still felt heavy, and no matter how much I tried to shake away the feeling, I just couldn't. I had been betrayed by the only person I trusted in the entire world, and I had no idea how I was going to move on from that.

"Are you alright? How are you feeling?" The stranger who had saved me inquired as his eyes carefully examined my body. I didn't reply to him, I was still confused, and my head wouldn't stop aching.

"Where am I?" I asked as my eyes failed to recognize my immediate environment.

"I brought you to my home. Since we're mates, I figured it's best we—" he paused, as though he didn't want to go through with the next words. I had an idea of what he had in mind, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear it either.

He probably wanted to start courtship immediately, but I was not in the right frame of mind for romance or any relationship at all. I had just been betrayed by my own fiance and sister, and even though he was my mate, I didn't think I'd be able to trust any man ever again.

"Take me home—" I stopped before I had the chance to finish my own sentence. No, I didn't have a home anymore. If I returned home, I'd only be forced to watch as Anna got married to Michael, and my parents would probably give me off to the next Alpha who wants a bride.

But then again, I didn't really have anywhere else to go, and the idea of staying in a stranger's house made my body run cold, regardless of whether he was my mate or not. I had no idea who this man was, and even though he had been kind to me, there was a possibility that all of this was a facade, a clever attempt to lure me into his net.

"There's no need to be cautious, I promise I won't bite." He said with a warm smile, one that melted the doubts in my mind a little. But then again, I didn't know this man. Who was he? And how could a total stranger be my mate?

"Who are you?" I inquired, desperate and curious at the same time.

"I'm Alpha Damian, but you can just refer to me as Damian." He answered calmly, but my heart was already running wild. Alpha Damian? Surely he didn't mean the cursed son of Alpha Alexander? It couldn't be, I didn't want to believe it, but his features matched the rumors I'd heard. A wickedly handsome face, a charming smile bright enough to deceive any lady, there was no denying it, the man before me was none other than the cursed Alpha.

"It seems you've heard about me." He read my mind again, but I immediately turned my face away, hiding my expression from his gaze.

"You're the cursed Alpha?" I inquired for clarification purposes. I needed to be sure of what I was getting into. I had no idea why people called him cursed, but it couldn't be for a good deed. Who was he, and what exactly had he done to earn the title of being cursed?

Even though I couldn't see his face, I could feel the change in the air around him. He didn't like being called cursed, but then again I needed to know who I was mated to.

"I'm not cursed, not anymore at least. People believed I'll remain mateless till I die, but since I've found you, that's no longer true, right?" He replied, and only then did I turn to meet his warm gaze. So far I had sensed no air of hostility around him, and for someone who had been referred to as cursed.

"So you're not actually cursed?" I inquired, and he shook his head to answer this time. I didn't want to believe him, I wanted him to distrust him with every fiber in me, but it was impossible to do. I wondered why; could it be because of the bond we shared? Or was it because I desperately needed somebody to cling onto at the moment.

There was a brief silence between us, before Damian finally decided to ask the question I had been waiting for him to ask.

"Did you get married?" He inquired, his brows raised in curiosity. I was still in my wedding gown, and I would have been shocked if he didn't bring it up.

"Almost." I replied with a sad smile. "Caught my fiance sleeping with my sister—" I paused and sniffled back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. I didn't want to cry because of them, they didn't deserve my tears.

"I'm sorry—"

"There's nothing to be sorry about." I interjected sharply. "You don't even know me, so there's nothing to be sorry about. I'm glad I saw them, I would have spent my life with a cheating man, and maybe you would have never found your mate."

My cheeks flushed red after hearing myself, but it was nothing compared to the brightness in Damian's eyes. He was grateful, grateful that he had found me, and he wasn't ashamed to show it. His feelings were pure, and unlike Michael he didn't look at me with disgust each time we locked eyes.

An idea clicked in my head, one that made my face light up. I was going to get back at them for what they had done to me, and I was going to make sure Michael and Anna would regret today. I might not know Damian, but I was sure he was an Alpha, and that I was mate, and those were the two things I needed for my plan of revenge.