FIVE | THE INITIATION

CHAPTER FIVE | THE INITIATION

ALENA

We are on our way back to the pack house, I'm currently sitting as far away from Nathan as I can.

The waves of anger rolling off him right now can make the bravest of men go crying home to their mommy. He hasn't said a word since we got into the car.

I'm extremely scared right now. I feel like he's too busy cooking something evil up to scold me. I guess it's the calm before the storm.

I try to distract myself by looking at things around me. I notice that a few slick cars are in our front and at our back. They seem to be Nathan's bodyguards. Gosh! This dude is extremely rich.

I notice it the moment I regained consciousness. Anyone who has ever been into the pack house would know that the pack is a wealthy one. The clothes he wears alone basically scream wealth. I guess he couldn't have climbed up the ladder of Fame without wealth, he must have used his riches to win the hearts of a lot of Alphas and to become the most powerful Alpha in the world.

I snap out of my thoughts when the car stops directly in front of the pack house entrance. Nathan gets down and starts walking off. I sit still in the car, not wanting to go inside and face the punishment that I know is inevitable.

Nathan takes a few steps before he notices that I'm not following him. He immediately turns and comes back to the car to get me. He forcefully grips my hands and drags me out of the car like a rag doll.

I've never ever felt as miserable as I feel right now in all twenty-two years of my existence.

Together with his bodyguards, we all go into the pack house.

The pack house is bustling as people move from up and down. It seems like there is an event going on. As we pass by, everyone stops and bows to the Alpha while bending their necks a little as a show of respect.

In our world, it's mandatory for all wolves, young or old to bow down and show the Alphas their neck as a sign of respect and submission. Any wolf that doesn't bow is considered rebellious and would be severally punished for it.

We keep walking until we reach the entrance of a room that I've never been to and one of the guards pushes the doors open. I'm shocked to see women with lots of makeup items and a lot of ball dresses on display.

Nathan pushes me to the hands of a female who looks like she's in her early 40s. She takes me and sits me down in front of a mirror. She immediately starts doing weird things to my hair. It feels like I'm being prepared for a pageant. When she's done a young female proceeds to apply makeup on my face.

The process continues for almost an hour before it's finally complete. I try taking a look at myself in the mirror but I am not allowed to.

I'm really lost right now. I don't know why I'm here right now or for what reason I'm being dressed up for. I'm scared of asking Nathan cause I don't know what his reaction will be.

After the very unnecessary makeover, Nathan takes me back into his arms gently. He looks at me as if I'm meat and he's a he is a wolf that has been starved for days.

Looking up at him, I expect him to compliment me, the way normal wolfs will probably do to their mates, but to my utter surprise, his face is back to his impassive look. He links his muscular arms with mine and we walk out of the makeup room and down the hall.

We walk through a corridor and stop at huge two huge doors. Nathan takes hold of my shoulders and turns me around until I'm facing him.

“Whatever you do, do not embarrass me. Do whatever you are asked to do and don't talk to anyone without my permission. Don't leave my side for anything." I stare at him like he has two heads.

Is he being serious right now, he doesn't even have the decency to tell me what is going on right now or where he is taking me too. Does he think that I am a puppet? Does he think that he gets to treat me however he likes just because I'm his mate? I am not going to let him treat me less than I am worth, even if I am scared shitless of him.

With this resolution in mind, I forcefully brush his hands off my shoulders.

“What the hell is going on?" I asked while taking two steps away from him.

“You are going to be initiated into the pack today."

“What the hell do you mean by initiation? I never signed up for any initiation." I yelled in anger.

Usually, when a werewolf wants to join a new pack or is trying to exchange packs, he or she applies for it and the Beta of the pack checks if they are worthy enough to join the pack. Then, they get an official invitation from the Beta. After, they take an exam and if they pass, they take a physical test. If they pass all, they are officially initiated through the initiation ceremony.

“You are my mate, which automatically makes you the Luna of this pack. Usually, when a female is mated to someone in our pack, the initiation is skipped and they automatically become pack members. Since you were a rogue, you have to be initiated before you take the position of the Luna." he explains to me like I'm a child who doesn't understand English.

“I don't want to be a member of your pack and I sure as hell don't want to become the Luna of your pack. Just reject me and let me go" I say pleadingly.

If I get initiated right now, It won't be easy for me to ever leave the pack again. I don't want that, I want to leave and never return.

Instead of replying, my mate rolls his eyes and pulls me close until I feel his breath on my face.

“You will go in there and do whatever you are asked to do by the Beta. You will swear an oat, become my Luna and stay by my side for the rest of your life...or should I say our lives." He says with finality.

To scared to refuse, I nod my head furiously.

It's funny how a minute ago, I was saying that I will stand up to him and now I am shaking like a leaf on water. I guess I'm all bark and no bite.

“I expect verbal answers from you, cause the last I checked you weren't dumb"

“ Y...yess Sir" I replied like a dog scared of its master.

Goddess! I am really pathetic.

He takes my hand gently again and pushes the gigantic doors open.

My breath is knocked out of me when I take in the huge number of werewolves in the hall. We are at the top of the stairs that lead to a grand ballroom. The room is already filled with different types of wolves, new and old.

I've never been exactly great with crowds. Back then, when my old pack still existed, I was always expected to attend any gatherings since I was the daughter of an Alpha. My parents knew how uncomfortable I get in crowds but still forced me to go anyway. When I became a rogue, I thought that I was finally free from having to deal with shit like this only to be thrown into a much worse situation.

Bloodmoon make is a much larger pack than my former pack. In comparison with the Bloodmoon pack, my former pack was like a bunch of ants. Not only are the pack members muscular and huge, but they also look extremely strong and vicious.

I wish the ground would open up and swallow me when a very attractive but muscular man starts coming our way. It looks like he is heading straight to me and Alpha Nathan. The power that radiates from him makes me conclude that he is the Beta of the pack. He looks like he would brake me into two with his fingers alone.

I try hiding at Nathan's back only for him to push me forward and hold my hands more tightly. I guess there's no running away or hiding for me.

On reaching us, the Beta bows down to Nathan and I am transferred from Nathan's hand to his Beta's. No words are spoken as I am taken directly to the middle of the ballroom. On getting there, I notice that other pack members are beginning to form a huge circle around me and the Beta. The invitation ceremony starts and I have no choice but to swear an oath of loyalty to the Bloodmoon pack.

I'm officially a member of the Bloodmoon pack.

After the oat, I'm immediately connected to the pack link. I can now communicate with any pack member of my choice through the link. Rogue's don't have any connections to other wolves so it's kind of weird to feel the ability to mind-link others.

Alpha Nathan takes my hand and starts introducing me to other important members of the pack. He officially Introduces me to his Beta, Caleb, his Gamma, Ralph, and the pack's chief warrior, Lucinda.

I am shocked to find out that the head of their pack warriors is a female. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with it, but it's very rear to see a female in a high position in our world. Usually, females are considered pup-making machines and nothing else. Unlike the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma positions, the position of the head warrior is not based on inheritance. Lucinda must have earned that position with determination and hard work.

I wish I am like her.

I guess one of the reasons the Bloodmoon pack is the best is that it gives equal opportunities to both males and females.

When the ceremony is officially over, Nathan and I walk hand in hand out of the ballroom. A lot of people greet me, wondering who the strange lady beside their Alpha is.

Since he hasn't marked me yet, I can't take over the position of the Luna of the pack.

We walk through the mansion and to my surprise, walk past the room I was kept in before. Thinking that Nathan wants to change my room because of the stunt I pulled earlier, I say nothing. I notice we are walking outside the pack house and towards a house adjacent to the pack house.

At first, I think nothing of it until I see some guards carrying a bloody and unconscious man into the house. Upon entering, it's brought to my notice that it's more like a prison cell than a house.

As we walked further into the place, I see a lot of people there, ranging from women to children and lots of men. I'm dumbfounded when I see a girl no other than 5 years inside a cell with an older woman. My heart aches at the sight.

“Nathan, what are these people doing here?" I finally asked the words that has been stuck in my throat since our arrival.

“These men and women are here for the same reason you are here right now" he replies without spearing me a glance.

“What exactly am I here for?" I inquire with a confused expression on my face.

“What kind of memory do you have? I won't be surprised if it's you have a goldfish memory, I won't fucking put it past you."

I ignore his insults and look in the opposite direction.

I search my brain trying to see if I had done anything to annoy him during the mating ceremony but came back blank.

We get to the end of the cell's corridor where an empty cell is facing us directly. Nathan digs into his pockets and brings out a bunch of keys. He unlocks the cell but stops me from getting inside.

To my shock, Nathan bends down and picks me up bridal style. I'm so startled that I let out a shriek.

He carries me and lays me down on a straw bed that feels like it was specially made for a very small animal.

“Nathan! Who the fuck permitted you to touch me and why the hell did you bring me here?" I yelled in absolute fury.

Instead of answering my questions like a sane and normal person would do, Nathan fully ignores me and instead, decide to stare at me like I am a really expensive painting of himself. He continues to stare at me for a few minutes as he stretches his hands forward and strokes my face. He sure loves doing that.

“Oh, babe! You really didn't think you could defy me and get away with it did you?"

Oh shit, I was so caught up in the initiation ceremony that I totally forget about my earlier failed attempt at escaping. He really meant it when he said I was going to regret it didn't he?

“Oh come on Nathan, you should get over it. It is in the past now as I'm now officially a member of your pack. We both know it won't be easy for me to leave your pack now?" I say while laughing nervously.

Nathan really freaks me out, one moment he is nice and the next, he is acting like a crazed man.

“You will stay here until I feel like letting you out. You should count yourself lucky, the only reason you are here and not back in the dungeons is because you are now a member of my pack."

Saying this, he stands up and try's leaving, but I hold unto his legs.

“Nathan, you can't do this, I'm your mate. Whatever I feel is what you feel." I'm using the ‘i'm your mate card' because it's the only reason he may let me go.

“Exactly, what you feel is what I feel, being in pain will strengthen our bond. As they say, no pain, no gain." Saying this, he gets up and leaves without sparing me another glance. I hear the “Click" sound that signifies that the door had been locked.

“No food for her until I say so." I hear Nathan order a guard outside before everything becomes silent.

What kind of psychopath did the moon goddess mate me with? He is willing to feel pain just to teach me a lesson.

I'm starting to think he is a masochist.