Destined Mates

Regina

Going to the party was a mistake! It didn't help me feel any better. Gwen tried her best to lift my spirits, but I just wanted to leave and think about my life.

I made an excuse and decided to take a walk. I must have wandered too far from the mansion where the party was held, and before I realized what was happening, Richie and his group of friends surrounded me.

"Richie, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing," Richie replied with a smirk. "Just out for a stroll in the forest with my friends, maybe hunt some rabbits, right, guys?" His friends laughed at his weak joke, their laughter making me feel uneasy.

I tried to head back to the mansion, but they blocked my way. "Excuse me, Richie, I want to go back."

"Come on, Regina, play with us a little before you go. We all came here to have some fun with you, and you're just going to leave?" Richie said as he grabbed my waist painfully and roughly pulled me toward him. I screamed and begged him to let go, but he wouldn’t.

What was I thinking, leaving the party alone? I should have at least brought one of the guards my father assigned to protect Gwen and me.

I struggled to free myself from Richie’s grip, but he held on tight as his friends cheered. Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted as a powerful aura filled the air.

A tall, muscular man with short, brown hair and intense, captivating eyes stepped out from the trees. He was incredibly handsome in his tuxedo, and I couldn’t help but feel drawn to him.

Richie must have sensed the man's aura too, but he arrogantly stood his ground and spoke rudely to the man.

The man’s expression darkened, and he shifted into the largest wolf I’d ever seen. He snarled at Richie and his friends, scaring them off. Then, slowly, he approached me.

I was terrified by the size of his wolf, but as he got closer, he gently nuzzled me. Ruby, my wolf, was already on edge, howling in my mind, eager to come out.

"Mate," Ruby declared excitedly and without delay, she took control.

This man was our mate? Ruby and his wolf began to nuzzle each other, their instincts driving them to instantly mate.

"Whoa, hold on, Ruby; let's get to know him first," I stopped her and tried to regain control.

The man shifted back to his human form, and I did the same. I couldn’t take my eyes off his deep blue gaze. When he touched me, I found myself instinctively leaning into him.

Was this how Marcy felt when she found her mate? No wonder she fled with him. Everything seemed so perfect as his fingers grazed my fingers and I just wanted to remain in his arms.

Our special moment was interrupted by Gwen who looked worried, probably because I left the party without telling her.

"Greetings, Alpha Lionel," Gwen said, bowing to him. "Gina, you should have told me you were going to see your betrothed. You got me worried."

Wait—did she just say Alpha Lionel? As in, the Alpha Lionel from the Silver Moon pack?

I hadn’t paid much attention when the arranged marriage was being discussed in the past. Hell, I didn’t even bother to find out what Alpha Lionel looked like.

I had only heard about him, but never cared about his appearance. Besides, it was supposed to be Marcy getting married, not me.

Alpha Lionel, the same man I desperately begged my father I didn't want to marry, was my mate!

"Are you Alpha Donovan's daughter from the Moon Jade Pack?" he asked coldly, his previous charming aura, long gone.

"Yes, I am. Are you Alpha Lionel from the Silver Moon Pack?" I asked timidly, but he didn’t answer.

Gwen glanced between us, clearly confused about what was going on. Then, without warning, his expression twisted in anger. His previous look of admiration turned to one of disgust and fury.

"Like hell would my mate come from the Moon Jade Pack!" he spat, his voice filled with rage. "Is this some kind of sick joke? How can you be my destined mate? The moon goddess must have made a terrible mistake!"

I was stunned, speechless. I watched as he paced back and forth, muttering words I couldn’t make out.

"This can’t be real! You can’t be my mate! Never!" he shouted at me furiously as if I was to be blamed.

The anger and bitterness in his voice made me shiver. What had I done to deserve this? I thought that being mates would make the whole marriage thing easier, but Alpha Lionel clearly hated the idea.

"Please, calm down, Alpha Lionel," Gwen said, trying to reason with him. "This is a blessing. You two being mates shows that your union is destined by the moon goddess."

"This isn’t a blessing; it’s a curse!" he snapped. "A curse to have a Donovan as a mate!"

His words made me gasp as I felt deeply hurt. If he hated my family so much, why did he then propose marriage?

I managed to control my emotions and said to him, "Please, we need to sit down and talk about this. I think-”

"Talk?” He cut in harshly. “I have nothing to say to a Donovan!" he growled. "Your family has no shame, accepting a marriage proposal from my grandfather. I thought you had some dignity, but it’s clear you’ve sold it all! Your father is a weak, pathetic man."

Without thinking, I slapped him hard across the face. How dare he insult my family? My own father! If not for my father’s insistence on this marriage, I would have preferred we remained rivals.

Gwen gasped in shock when I slapped Alpha Lionel. I didn’t even realize when I had raised my hand. I looked at him, and his eyes blazed with fury, ready to attack.

He grabbed my wrist and squeezed it painfully. I whimpered in pain, but couldn’t even scream because of the oppressive aura he was emitting at me.

"This will be the first and last time you ever raise your hand to me," he warned, his voice dangerously low. "I wouldn’t hesitate to cripple you the next time you do."

"I’m sorry, please let me go," I finally cried out as the pain became too much.

"Please, Alpha Lionel, she’s sorry. Let her go," Gwen pleaded, her voice trembling with fear.

Finally, he released my hand and did something I never expected.