Chapter 4

The tense silence was abruptly broken by a harsh curse from Chase as he drove a fist into the wall. I flinched at the large hole his punch left, once again reminded of the power that flowed in the veins of this formidable Alpha.

“Wh-what’s wrong?” I stuttered, torn between drawing nearer and hiding away from his gaze. The amber eyes that had just stared at me so passionately now help frigid rage.

Alpha Chase ran a hand through his messy brown hair, frown lines marred his handsome face and I felt an urge to smoothen them away with a caress.

“Just my horrible fucking luck.” He spat out. Dismay drips into blood at his venomous words.

Wary of his reaction, I mumbled. “You’re my mate.” I didn’t know if I was reminding him or myself.

Chase swivelled and stalked my way. I stepped back in fear when I met his cold gaze but came to a halt as my back hit the wall.

His face was a hairbreadth from mine as he spoke.

“Mate?” he scoffed. “I do not need a mate. What you were meant to be, darling, was Kylan Greene’s lover but all you are to me right now is one huge problem.” Every cold word he uttered stung worse than the last, hurt more than the last. Within me, the hope and happiness that had begun to bloom died and withered away.

He scanned my face and swore again.

“Why?” the desperate question left my lips before I could think. I wanted to scream.

Why did you kiss me so lovingly, so maddeningly?

I’m your mate, why don’t you want me?

Instead, I repeated, ”Why?” My voice breaking with hurt.

For some reason, being unwanted by Chase made me feel the most broken. I needed to know his reason for not accepting our sacred bond.

Instead of replying, Chase turned to go but I caught his wrist.

“You’re bleeding.” I whispered. Blood dripped from the fist he had driven into the wall.

My mate tore his hand from me as though it burned.

“Don’t. Don’t ever touch me.” He vehemently ordered before leaving.

Dismayed, I stood there staring at the hole in the wall long after he left. Once again, I felt shattered.

So much had happened in my life that I had learned to force down my emotions but after Chase left me there confused and hurting, the first tear in years slipped out. After that, a cascade of tears came. I slid and hugged my knees tightly as sobs racked through me.

All I felt was despair at the wretched state of my life. My family, Kylan, now Chase, no one ever seemed to want me, maybe that was just my fate.

Eventually my, tears dried up and all that remained was bitterness. I got to my feet and swung the door open, anxious to leave this goddess-forsaken pack and never come back. I could do without a mate, I would survive and live for myself only.

Voices from different rooms finally made me aware of the activities going on in the pack house. I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a mirror and drew back.

Puffy red eyes, hair in disarray and a bandage wrapped precariously around my head–I looked horrible. The last few days had been a roller-coaster. I missed the monotony of my life when all I had to worry about was mixing drinks and saving up money to move away while doing my best to avoid my family.

I moved past several rooms and went down the stairs. I was almost at the door when Henry popped out from nowhere to block my much-needed escape

“Where do you think you’re off to, little miss?” He asked as he leaned back against the front door.

Too drained to offer a snarky reply, I demanded weakly, “Get out of my way, Henry.”

He gave me a shit-eating grin which I wanted to rip off his pretty face. “No can do babe! Alpha gave us strict orders; you are not to step one foot out of here.”

My anger boiled at the mention of this. How dare he?

“First, I’m kidnapped now I’m being fucking held prisoner? Is this what you guys do in this sick pack of yours?” I yelled furiously.

Henry’s smile dropped and his expression turned sober. I was so hurt, that any sense of caution that I still had was thrown to the wind.

Angry tears filled my eyes as I continued, wishing he would just let me leave.

“Your Alpha has no reason to keep me here and I have no stupid obligation to obey him. ‘Strict orders’? Tell him to take his strict orders and shove them up his ass. I’m fucking leaving before one of you psychopaths actually kill me this time!”

Summoning all my strength, I grabbed the doorknob and yanked it open. Henry hadn’t expected this and crashed into the wall.

I had a foot out the door when Ron’s words stopped me cold.

“Maya,” He said calmly from behind me. “if you leave this house right now...if you leave this territory. Consider yourself dead.”