Chapter 3

The word YES was stuck in my throat.

While I was desperate for help, I was only hesitant as I did not like the idea of being owned. I was my own person and my own wolf. If the men can be on their own, why can’t we she-wolves be?

Time ticked and the blood in my veins began to rush through and fill my cheeks red. Was I ready to receive Dimitri’s mark?

If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have chosen to rely on someone else. But it wasn’t.

In order to escape this, I’d need the right allies and Dimitri fit the bill.

“What’s with the hesitation?” He asked calmly, “Do you, perhaps, still love Alonso?” I was struck by his question.

“No,” I immediately answered—quicker than lightning. “Alonso has no regard for us she-wolves. All he cares about is his position as Alpha and not really about the pack. He’s impossible to love,”

Dimitri’s dark eyes slightly circled and then softened.

“Very well then, answer this—” a beat passed, “are you ready to give yourself up to me completely, Maliyah?”

I gulped as I looked into his eyes.

“Yes,” I muttered under my breath. Dimitri stepped closer, his velvety scent starting to take residence underneath my nose. The room suddenly felt like its walls were closing in.

I swallowed. Hard. He continued to close the distance between us until he was towering over me.

His breath was hot against the crown of my head as I continued to look at his chest. Dimitri’s height made me feel small and helpless. He lifted an arm and pressed it against the wall on the side of my head, caging me.

“Maliyah,” he called softly as he tilted my chin up, ever so lightly. My eyes found their way to his.

How can he not have a mate when his eyes looked like they could shelter so much love?

Focus, Maliyah. I reprimanded myself.

Dimitri’s jaw tensed and inhaled sharply before he dipped his head in between my jaw and shoulder. The heat of his skin immediately radiated toward me.

“You sure about this?” He prompted.

“Mhm,” I hummed shakily. “Do it,”

A huff of breath touched my skin before the warmth of his lips traced a path on my neck. I bit my lower lip at the soft contact. I felt him inhale another breath before I felt the tip of his nose trace up until my ears.

“After this, you’re all mine. Remember that,” he whispered.

I sucked in a breath. “Yes,”

And then I felt cold teeth sink into my skin. The brief connection was a lot stronger than I’d anticipated.

Dimitri laced an arm around my waist, pulling me closer as I felt his entire face fill the gap between my shoulder and jaw. And he fits perfectly. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel like he was some sort of missing puzzle piece my body didn’t know it needed.

Something raced through my veins, all over my insides, and then shifted the chaos in my stomach to something tranquil.

It was like he bit off the hurricane that had been lingering all over the insides of my body. Dimitri’s bite had put a stop to it.

Something alien had wrapped my fears and caged them hostage. Lightness brushed over my entire body, it was like an invisible safety net had been thrown over me.

A small spark, a brief electrocution, had made itself known.

I bit my lip, not letting out a gasp or a whimper, not to distract him from mating me. The way a part of his skin was connected to mine was enough to make me feel a bit more wanted than I’d ever been.

Did this make Dimitri my Alpha then?

Before I could decide, the alpha pulled away, slowly. His chest heaved a little and his fangs pushed back in. Dimitri’s eyes didn’t meet mine and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed.

He lifted a finger and traced his bite mark where it stung a bit.

“Does it hurt?” Was a rare question I’d ever been asked.

I fumbled, “Uh- yes, I can manage,”

He nodded once. “My mark should be able to hide your smell. For now,” for now. A bitter realization dawned on me. Dimitri was never meant to have a mate, yet here I was. And I was his mate. For now.

“Let’s go,” Dimitri said as he stepped back and gestured for me to move along first.

When we left the room, Dimitri placed a firm grip on my waist.

Like on cue, pairs of intrigued eyes landed on us. Maliyah Lovegood standing next to an Alpha of a different pack. If that didn’t make wolf headlines immediately.

Whispers and collective gasps emanated in the room. I gulped, nervous. Dimitri kept his arm around me as I struggled to get myself accustomed to the protection he was already giving me.

Still, I couldn’t help but feel nervous about someone from my pack coming for his neck because of this. The realization that this may be a half-thought plan was making me anxious.

Alonso walked through the crowd and found his way toward Dimitri and me.

I’d never seen Alonso up close before. His eyes were darker in comparison to Dimitri’s and I started to wonder if my vision even gave his darkness justice.

Alonso’s brows furrowed as he stood across Dimitri and me. He sniffed and the crease on his forehead deepened. A part of me was already scared. I had to trust Dimitri’s word about the effect of his mark, but I had just realized that there was a possibility this wouldn’t work.

Maliyah, you weren’t thinking. I told myself. I sometimes hated myself for lack of foundation in logic whenever I was planning something. But I had to remind myself that I didn’t have time which was a luxury. I had to escape Alonso immediately.

My bones shivered under my skin at the trace of Alonso’s breath on my skin after he’d sniffed.

His dark eyes bore into mine. We’d know if Dimitri’s mark worked if Alonso wouldn’t give me any reaction from making eye contact.

My scalp prickled, waiting…

Alonso examined my face like he was searching for something. I could already feel my heart trembling inside my ribs. It was thumping so heavily like it wanted out of there.

“What’s going on?” Alonso’s low and husky voice asked.

He must’ve noticed that I smelled different now. “And why are you with Dimitri?”

I swallowed hard. When I opened my mouth to answer, I was cut off by a light tug on the waist.

A small gasp escaped my lips.

“Show him,” Dimitri ordered. And normally, I didn’t like being told what to do. But for some reason, my body followed his soft words.

I tilted my head to the side, showing the mark that Dimitri had made.

Collective louder gasps echoed into the room. Those from the Midmoon pack didn’t seem too impressed and neither did Alonso. They positioned themselves behind Alonso.

One of the most disrespectful gestures between packs is mating with a wolf who belonged elsewhere. It seemed like pirating a member who was supposed to be loyal to the group.

And so, right now, they were looking at me as if I’d just struck them with the biggest knife behind their backs.

“Maliyah, what’s wrong with you? How dare you go to Dimitri’s pack without my permission?” Alonso asked, growling lowly. “You stupid, stupid girl,” he added.

Dimitri tugged me closer if that was even possible. His jaw tensed as he faced Alonso.

“I’d be careful with my words if I were you. Maliyah’s mine now.”