Chapter 2~ I Found My Mate

My heart was beating so fast and my lungs began to beg for air as my dad’s hand continued to wrap tightly around my neck. “Dad, you’re hurting me,” I managed to say in a strained voice, but he ignored me. 

A small smirk grew on his lips and he looked like he was enjoying hurting me. 

“Dad, please.” Tears flowed from my eyes and I tried with everything in me to pry his hand off my neck but I was not strong enough. Speaking was now getting more challenging, and my lungs were pleading for more air. 

At that moment, I felt that that was it; I was going to die. Adrenaline rushed through my veins and my fight or flight mode kicked in in an instant. There was no way to run, so the only choice I was left with was to fight. 

I dug my nails into his hand but he barely flinched, he only squeezed my neck tighter and I could feel dizziness creeping up on me. There was no way that I was going to die like this. This was not it for me. 

If he continued choking me for a few more seconds, there was no doubt that I was going to blackout if not die. He was close to me so I took that to my advantage, I kicked him hard in the crotch and with a pained cry, he let go of my neck immediately. 

He fell to his knees and held his crotch as he groaned loudly in pain. He also released swear words in between his cries. 

My hands flew to my neck and I took in deep breaths, giving my lungs all the oxygen that they were begging for. I felt a burning sensation around my neck and my heart was thumping like crazy. 

“Iris! Dammit, Iris!! I swear I’m going to kill you!” He bellowed as he tried to get his composure. “I’m going give you the beating of a lifetime and bury you in the backyard before the sun rises!” His voice was like a demon. 

Fear shook my entire body and instead of waiting for him to catch his breath. I opened the front door and ran. I did not stop to look back, I just did. Tears flowed freely from my eyes as I ran. I was so scared that my body was shaking. 

I ran past so many houses and I did not know how I kept up. It must have been the fear and adrenaline. I ran until I reached royal street. That was when I stopped to catch my breath. I was breathing loudly and deeply as I took in the scene before me. 

The street was crowded. There were so many people and guards scattered along the road. I began to walk slowly toward where everyone was heading as I wiped the sweat off my face with the back of my hand. 

It was obvious that everyone was heading to the mansion of the Alpha and Luna of the pack; that was where the Moon Festival was held every year. I followed the crowd and with each minute, I became calmer. 

I was no longer worried about my dad. He was way too drunk to follow me out here. I was safe, but only for now. My neck was still burned from almost being choked to death and anxiety tickled my insides, but I tried my best to ignore them. 

My focus right now was on the festival. You have no idea how I had dreamed of being there. Since I was sound enough to fantasize about having a mate and a decent life, coming to the Moon Festival had been one of my greatest desires, if not the greatest. 

I walked through the crowd of people until I reached the fencing of the huge mansion. I then made my way to the gate and tried to get the attention of one of the guards. They all were very busy. 

Although the Moon Festival was held in the mansion of the Alpha and Luna of our pack every single year, and everyone above eighteen was welcome to join, they all had to be interviewed for a couple of minutes before entry was allowed. 

“Hey, excuse me,” I lifted my voice and one of the guards glanced at me. He pursed his lips and then walked in my direction. 

“You’re here for the Moon Festival?” He asked in a formal tone. 

“Yes. Yes, I am, sir,” I replied nervously. I was not a very confident person naturally so I was drunk with anxiety. 

“Name and age, please.” He took out a small camera and a notepad, along with a pen.

“My name is Iris Fairchild, and I’m eighteen years of age.” I smiled shyly. 

“Do you have an ID?” He wrote down on his notepad as he asked. 

“Well…I do. It’s a student ID but I–I didn’t bring it.” 

The guard lifted his eyes up from his notepad and scanned me from head to toe. “You know that I need an ID to be able to confirm your age and identity, right?” He had a bored look on his face. 

“But I’m not lying, I am who I said I am. And I’m eighteen,” I pleaded with him. 

“And I didn’t say that you were lying. All I’m saying is that it’s a procedure that you provide me your ID.” 

“Please,” I begged him, my voice breaking in the process. “I have waited for this moment my entire life. This has been my dream for as long as I can remember. Please don’t take it away from me.” I could feel the tears building in my eyes. 

The man clicked his tongue, took in a deep breath, and exhaled it. “Relax your shoulders and look into the camera.” He lifted his camera and when I did as he asked, he took my picture. “I’m going to make an exception for you only because I have a daughter about your age and you look almost like her.” He flashed me a small smile as he allowed me to get into the compound. 

I was so happy that I could not even express it well. “Oh my gosh, thank you so much, sir!” I squealed. “I swear I’m not lying and you won’t regret it!” I laughed happily. 

“Let’s hope that I don’t,” The guard replied in a soft tone. 

I headed to another checkpoint, and I was asked no questions. I was just searched by a female guard and then allowed to go. When I was done, I walked into the compound and my breath was taken away by the beauty and luxury. 

“Oh my god,” I whispered to myself. It was beautiful and so huge. The decorations and lights were amazing and there were so many people. The grand mansion was enough to make someone cry. 

It was like I was in heaven. I could not remember when last I was that happy. My lips could not stop forming a huge smile. It was a dream come true. 

There were so many waiters and I was offered champagne and finger food. Who was I to decline? This was an opportunity for me to eat something fancy and there was no way that I was going to turn it down. 

“Thank you,” I said to the waiter as I took the champagne glass from the tray. I then grabbed some small breadsticks and began to eat them. After eating the breadsticks, I washed them down with an entire glass of champagne. 

I felt so alive there, and very comfortable. No one saw me as the acne-faced omega that had a hard life, I was being treated equally. And it felt frigging good and refreshing. 

Some guys stared at me with lust in their eyes, and most of the girls glared at me with envy and disgust in theirs. But I did not care much. At least I was not being bullied. I preferred being ignored to being bullied. 

Suddenly, a loud bell rang, capturing everyone’s attention, including mine. The festival was officially starting now. My heart jumped in glee and I almost cried due to joy when I saw the Luna and Alpha emerge from the mansion and onto the terrace. 

They introduced themselves even though everyone knew who they were. Then the Luna took over. She had a mic pinned to her beautiful dress that looked like it alone could afford to give me a good life. 

She welcomed everyone and explained the history of the festival as the Alpha went back into the mansion and came out from the front door. He began to greet and shake hands with people as his Beta walked closely with him. 

I didn’t know who to pay attention to. I wanted to admire how beautiful and grand the place looked, but I also wanted to listen to every word that was spilling from the Luna’s mouth. And at the same time, I wanted to get the chance to maybe meet the Alpha and shake his hand. 

Shaking his hands would for sure give me the luck that I needed to find a good mate. Since the main reason I came here was to find a mate and change my life, I decided to focus on getting to the Alpha. 

I did not need much from him, only a handshake. I needed his luck and blessings to rub off on me. 

Everyone else must have bee thinking about the same thing because they were all trying to meet the Alpha too. Guards kept a lot of them back and his Beta kept watching his back. 

The Alpha continued to walk amongst the people, greeting them, until his eyes landed on me. My heart immediately skipped a beat as my eyes widened. I looked behind me to make sure that it me that he was looking at, and sure enough, it was!

Oh my frigging gosh!!!

He kept his eyes on me and began to purposely walk towards me. My breath hitched with I saw how close he was getting to me. Within half a minute, he was right in front of me. It was so surreal. 

He was incredicbly good-looking. I could not stop looking in his eyes. Something in me shifted as I stared into the green eyes. The wolf in me awakened and I knew almost as a fact in that particular moment that he was my mate. 

But how could he be my mate? He was married!