03 - When Fate Strikes

*** Naomi's POV ***

My immediate reaction was to run and hide.

I ran down the steps towards the greenhouse and came to a halt at a crossing. My whole body is shaking, and my chest feels like it's ripping apart as Artemis lets out a painful cry.

-"No! Our mate already has a mate, a Luna!"  Artemis howls with agony in my head. "And a pup." Another howl follows. The pain was so intense that tears ran down my face like the monsoon's rain. It was like a surgeon decided to operate on my chest without giving me anesthesia and proceeded with the surgery.  My mate is the King of all Alphas, Matthew Stevens, and he did not wait for us, his real mate.

I drop to the floor on my knees and brace myself. The temperature around me drops to a freezing point, and the floor underneath me becomes ice as I let out a painful cry and feel a burst of energy leave my body. Ice spikes form from the ground as the energy wave makes its way to the edges of the greenhouse, freezing everything in its path as if an ice bomb had gone off and I was in the epicenter.

Once you mate and mark, a bond is formed. This bond will only cease to exist if one of the mates dies. The bond is also like an anti-cheat mechanism. If a werewolf is intimate with anyone else other than his marked mate, it will cause extreme pain to their other half.

Not only is my mate married, mated, and marked, he also has a pup. Being with him meant I would cause him and his Luna physical pain. I would become a mistress, a destroyer of homes.

-"Why would the Moon Goddess do this to us, Artemis?" I ask, but she doesn't answer. The link between us is closed. My heart is in a million pieces, and this pain is unbearable. I feel cold and broken.

A wave of warmth engulfs me. Lee had taken off his blazer and placed it over me. I could smell his familiar minty scent. He kneels and holds me close to his chest as he rests his chin on my head, cooing me to try and calm me down.

-"Shhh, babe, I gotcha. I am right here."

- "Lee-ee-e... the-e Alpha Ki-ing... m-my mate." I attempt to tell him between sobs.

- "I know, I know. I saw. I was behind you."

I hold on tight to his chest while the rest of our crew approaches us.

- "Did she do this?" Gabe points at the frozen surroundings in shock. "Lee, I have mind-linked the warriors; they will have a car ready for you to take Naomi back home," Gabe informs Lee.

-"You have to reject him, Naomi." My father urged as he neared us. "I know it will hurt you like hell, but you MUST, you hear me! It would be best if you rejected him. He has a Luna and, for Goddess' sake, a Son too!" My father is now pacing back and forth in front of us as tears still run down my face.

-"I can't believe it! First, my son disappoints me. Now my dau- "

My father was interrupted by Gabriel's fist to his face. Gabe punches him so hard that he falls into the nearby frozen plants. Gabriel is overwhelmed with anger; his canines are out, and his eyes are black.

-"I won't let you treat her like that!" He growls, "You can treat me like shit, but not Naomi! How can you tell your daughter to reject her mate? Do you know how painful that is? She could die for Goddess' sake!"

Gabriel attempts to hit our father again, but Martin shows up trying to stop him. His efforts are in vain, as Gabe is too strong for him. Gabe hovers over our father, who is still on the floor.   I watch in horror, despite my blurry vision, my brother and father hitting each other. Gabe secures him by his collar while he lifts his right first, ready to strike. Thankfully, an unknown man pulls Gabe off my dad. He drags him to the side and holds Gabe in a tight hug. It was then I realized that he was my brother's fated one.

- "Mate, you have to stop! He is coming. If he sees this icy destruction, he will think you planned an attack." He moves his hands to cup Gabe's face. "There is an exit through the back of the greenhouse that will lead you to the driveway." The unknown figure embraces Gabe once again, calming him somehow. That's what the mate bond does to you. It makes you calm and relaxed when you are stressed or upset; it makes you feel content when unhappy. That is something I won't have a chance to experience.

-"Lee! You have to take her out of here. NOW!" Gabe used his Alpha voice this time.

Lee stands up, gathers me into his arms like a bride, and runs towards the back exit. The pain in my chest is so unbearable that it makes it difficult to breathe. This is the first time I can't reach her - Artemis. I know she is as broken as I am. We have always been there for each other, but now I feel empty.

The ice blast and the pain depleted my energy as Lee carried me through to the exit towards the driveway. I feel my consciousness fade in and out as my father's words echo through my mind. I must reject him. I can't be the source of his pain or the one who breaks his marriage and jeopardizes his son's future. I just can't. I lift my right hand, just above my chest with my palm facing outward, readying myself to make the most heart-breaking decision.

-"I, Naomi Owens..." cough, cough "of the Silverfalls Pack..." cough cough cough"... reject Alpha King Matt-"

Suddenly, a pain sharp as a knife penetrates my heart, submerging in complete darkness, before I could finish the rejection.