Forced to mark me

Benita’s POV

“Mate…?” I shuttered in disbelief as I stared at the cord which was intertwined with Nathan’s wrist. Stunned, I moved my gaze away from the cord and looked up at Nathan, who seemed shocked and in disbelief. His eyes moved from the cord and were fixed on me as he glared at me.

“No! This can't be possible!” he yelled, frantically shaking his head and trying to break the cord from his wrist, but it remained intact.

Loud gasps echoed around the field as murmuring filled the air. Everyone present couldn’t believe it. They couldn’t believe I was the one mated to Nathan instead of my sister.

“This is some kind of joke!” Nathan spat, moving closer to me, his eyes blazing with anger. “What did you do? What witch did you visit to make this happen?” he yelled, gripping my arms so hard that I winced in pain. “Tell me! Tell me!” he demanded in an outburst, his eyes filled with disgust, as if he had just realized he was mated to something vile.

“Speak! Speak!” Nathan urged, his grip on me tightening.

“Let go of me!” I pleaded, trying to pull away from his grasp, but Nathan’s hold only tightened. His fingers dug into my skin, the pain sharp enough to bring tears to my eyes. He was losing control, and I could feel it in the way his body trembled with rage.

“I didn’t do anything!” I shot back, my voice shaking with both fear and anger. “You think I wanted this? You think I wanted to be mated to you?” I spat bitterly. I would never have wanted to be mated to Nathan, of all people. He was practically in love with my sister and saw me as nothing more than a shadow of her. Why would I want a man like that as my mate?

His eyes flared with anger, my words only fueling the rage inside him. “Liar!” he hissed, shoving me back so hard that I stumbled, barely catching myself before I fell, but the magical cord still held firm. It would only vanish if Nathan accepts or rejects me.

“I will never accept you as my mate. Never!” Nathan spat with hatred, his voice echoing through the stunned silence.

“Nathan, stop!” a voice cried out. I turned to see his father, Alpha Richardson, stepping forward, his face a mix of confusion and concern. “This isn’t the way. You need to calm down.”

Nathan’s eyes flicked to his father, “I won’t accept this!” His voice cracked with desperation. “She’s not my mate. She can’t be.”

I swallowed hard, blinking away the tears that threatened to spill. I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

“Get up, don’t show weakness,” my wolf urged, and slowly, I got to my feet.

Nathan stared at me, his chest heaving with heavy breaths. For a moment, just a fleeting second, I saw the vulnerability behind the anger. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced with the same disgust he had worn since the cord first appeared.

“I reject you…”

“You can’t reject her,” Alpha Richardson interrupted, his voice authoritative, and my eyes widened as the murmurs of disbelief spread through the crowd.

Nathan looked away from me and narrowed his eyes at his father. “What are you saying, Father? You don’t expect me to be mated to her? No way!” Nathan yelled, but Alpha Richardson’s expression remained blank.

“You can’t reject your mate, Nathan. You’re going to be an Alpha. What example would that set for your followers? That it’s acceptable to reject their mates too?” Alpha Richardson asked, and Nathan shook his head in disapproval.

“No, Father, please, I can’t accept her. She can’t be my mate…” Nathan paused and moved to where Nina stood, her face streaked with tears. “I love Nina. I want to be with her, and besides, she has no mate. Please, Father,” Nathan begged, on the brink of tears, and my heart clenched. It hurt so much to see my mate so desperate not to be with me, but with someone else.

Silence hung in the air as everyone waited for Alpha Richardson’s response. My heart raced, and a knot formed in my stomach.

“No,” Alpha Richardson declared, and my eyes widened, as did everyone else’s. “Nathan, you are going to accept Benita as your mate, and you are going to mark her right this minute. That’s what a responsible leader should do.”

Nathan’s eyes widened in shock, his body stiffening. For a moment, he looked like a child lost in a storm, torn between duty and desire.

“No…” he whispered, his voice barely audible, his voice cracking with emotion. His gaze darted between me and Nina, who was sobbing uncontrollably, her hands covering her face. Every part of me wanted to run, to escape this nightmare. Being mated to someone who despised me was not the future I had imagined.

“I can’t do this,” Nathan said louder, shaking his head again, his voice trembling. “This is wrong, Father! I love Nina! How can you ask me to do this?”

Alpha Richardson’s expression hardened, his eyes cold and stern. “As an Alpha, Nathan, your duty comes first. Love is a luxury. You must accept your mate, or you risk losing everything you’ve worked for.”

Nathan’s face twisted in pain, and his fists clenched at his sides. “I don’t care!” he shouted. “I’d rather give up my title than be forced into this!”

The crowd gasped, murmurs rising once more.

“Nathan!” Alpha Richardson barked, his voice booming with authority. “Do not speak such foolishness. You are going to be an Alpha. You do not get to choose love over duty.”

The pain in my chest was unbearable, but I kept my face composed, refusing to let anyone see how deeply his rejection was affecting me.

“I won’t do it,” Nathan finally whispered, his voice broken. He turned to Nina, who had stopped crying and was now staring at him with wide, hopeful eyes. “I can’t… I can’t lose her.”

Alpha Richardson’s eyes narrowed, and a dangerous silence settled over the field. “Then you leave me no choice, Nathan. If you refuse to accept your mate, you will no longer be the future Alpha of this pack. I will strip you of your title.”

Nathan’s head snapped toward his father, his eyes wide with disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am,” Alpha Richardson replied coldly. “A leader who cannot put the pack’s needs above his desires is unfit to lead. You are no exception.”

Nathan’s chest heaved as the reality of his father’s words sank in. His eyes locked with mine for the briefest of moments, and I saw the anguish in them, but also the hatred, the disgust. He blamed me for all of this, for ruining his perfect life with Nina.

I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. I didn’t ask for this, either. I never wanted to be the reason his world fell apart. Why would the Moon Goddess do this?

“I will never forgive you for this,” Nathan spat at me, his words filled with hate. “You’ve ruined my life.”

Before I could respond, Alpha Richardson stepped forward. “Enough, Nathan. You will mark your mate now, or you will leave this pack as nothing more than a rogue.”

I gasped and glanced around, meeting the eyes of some pack members. Most of them stared at me with disapproval and hate. It was clear I was never their choice for a future Luna.

I looked back at Nathan and saw he was on the verge of breaking down, his body trembling with suppressed rage. His eyes flickered between Nina, me, and finally, his father.

“Fine,” he said through gritted teeth, his voice filled with hatred. “I’ll do it, but you, Benita, will regret this.” The threat in his voice sent chills down my spine, and I knew he meant every word.

A tear slipped down my cheek despite my best efforts to hold it back. I knew what was coming next. Nathan stepped toward me, his expression cold and lifeless as he reached out to grab my wrist. The magical cord glowed faintly as he pulled me toward him, his grip harsh.

I closed my eyes, trying to steel myself for what was about to happen. This wasn’t how a mating was supposed to be. It wasn’t supposed to be filled with hate and resentment. But this was my reality now, and there was no way I could escape it.

Nathan leaned in, his breath hot against my neck, and I braced myself for the mark. The crowd was silent, everyone holding their breath, waiting for the inevitable.

“Forgive me, Benita,” my wolf whispered, her voice soft and sad. “I never wanted this for us.”

And then, with a sharp pain, Nathan’s fangs sank into my skin, and our fate was sealed.