FLASHBACK

CHAPTER THREE

Elena's POV

'But I believe he'll be better than Logan's’ Ivana said, defending the stranger.

'Now you're just being selfish Ivana, don't you even care about how I'm feeling?. I haven't fully recovered from Logan and Lisa's betrayal and now you want me to get tied to someone else?' I retorted.

'He's our mate Elena'

'And I don't care. And I won't act like I can feel the bond, so you better behave Ivana' I retorted.

She huffed loudly in my mind and placed a mental barrier between us. It was better than way. .

"And who are you please?" I asked, feigning an innocent look.

"Elena, meet my son and the Alpha to the Red Knight pack, Alpha Liam," Beatrice introduced from behind.

 The man kept staring at me eerily. Surely he must be feeling the mate bond, but I'll do my best to ignore it forever. I should save myself from another rejection in this life.

With feeble efforts, I tried to sit upright. With a scared look, I stuttered out, "Good day, sir."

"Oh, don't be afraid. He won't hurt you," Beatrice reassured me as she took a few steps closer.

But seriously, why is their Alpha here? Was it necessary for her to inform him about my presence, even though I'm not a member of their pack?

And just as if she had read my mind, she replied, "I know you're worried about why he's here, but don't worry. He just wanted to see you and ensure you mean no harm. Also, you're free to stay with me for as long as you want. Right?" She turned to look at Alpha Liam.

He nodded. "Yes, feel free to make the Red Knight pack your home," he finally spoke. Goddess, his voice! It sounded so deep and dominating, it managed to make my heart skip just at the sound of it.

A low titer came from Beatrice, and she squeezed my hand in an assuring manner.

"Thank you, Liam," she said to him, and my gaze snapped to hers. She called the Alpha by his name. No one had the right to call Logan by his name except me and his beta. Anyone else would be punished for disrespect. This made me wonder, who is she to him?

"Anytime, Beatrice. Well, I'll leave you and your guest. Do well to inform her of the rules and also... enjoy your stay, Elena." His deep blue electrifying gaze settled on mine as my name rolled smoothly off his lips.

I gave a faint smile, and with that, he turned and exited the room.

"Yes, so get ready. We'll be going out today. I'd like to show you some places in the pack, and I'm certain you'll love them. Also, I brought some clothes for you. I couldn't pick a cloth that would meet your taste, so I bought these. Try them on and wear the one you like, okay? I'll leave you to change," Beatrice said in a cheerful tone, a sweet smile stretching across her lips.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Here's your coffee," Beatrice placed a coffee mug on a table beside me. A smile graced my lips; oh, how I missed drinking coffee. I moaned as the taste exploded on my tongue. She chuckled and shook her head at me.

"Hmm, I knew you'd love it. Well, let me leave you to clean up. I'll be back in a few minutes," she patted my shoulder. I smiled and nodded. Staring at me for a few seconds, she heaved a sigh and exited the room.

Somehow, I viewed her as more than a friend. With her, I felt more of a motherly care, considering where I'm coming from. I was born and bred in the Silver River pack. My father was the Beta of the Silver River pack, and my mom was of Alpha blood from a different pack. But somehow, I was stripped of my right in the pack as I was considered wolfless by everyone.

On the night of my 16th birthday party, everyone expected me to shift and get my wolf, but I didn't get anything, and for two years, I was considered wolfless. Some even thought I had a defect. Some said I must have committed a secret crime and the moon Goddess decided to punish me by not giving me a wolf. My father said I was a shame to him, and my mother said nothing to the contrary. They even preferred my cousin Fina to me.

Sometimes, my father would beat and abuse me when he got irritated by me or when I did something wrong. So did everyone in the pack. They all made fun of me, and some had sympathy for my misfortune. It became so much to bear that I even thought of rejecting my pack to be free from their tribulation. But fortunately for me, on an unexpected night, my wolf came. It started with excruciating pain in my head and ribs, and slowly it felt like something wanted to come out of me until I lost control of myself, and she came.

I was so surprised to see that I wasn't wolfless after all. She was very beautiful with white fur and black paws. Her fur was so shiny and iridescent. Her eyes were stunning, holding a stormy grey color. What surprised me most was her size. I always considered myself to be an omega, but Ivana looked nothing like an omega. Her limbs were agile and strong, like she could run a thousand miles without feeling any pain.

Exactly when I turned 22, she arrived. I thought she was late, but she assured me she came at the right time. Having her was the best thing that happened to me. Not only was I satisfied that I wasn't wolfless, but I also had someone I could confide in. Someone who didn't look down on me and believed in me.

Even after I received my wolf, I kept it a secret. I didn't let anyone know. I didn't want them to know forever. Although Lisa was the only one who made me feel good, I still didn't tell her. Well, my secret wasn't kept for long as my mom caught me in my wolf form while I was staring at myself in the mirror. The shock on her face said it all—that she never believed I'd have one. And so did everyone.

She revealed it to my father, and soon the whole pack was aware. That helped matters a bit as my father's attitude towards me changed, and everyone began showing me respect and a bit of care, even though it didn't seem genuine.

And when Alpha Logan and other Alphas from different packs were invited over for a treaty celebration, my father made sure I was dressed in the best attire and had the best facial makeup. He also allowed me to sit with the royals, and that was the day I considered the worst day of my life—the day I found my first mate.

I could recall his scent; it was magnificent and called out my name. The joy on my father's face when Logan approached me and declared me his mate was profound. He didn't even think twice to hand me over to Logan, considering Logan is an Alpha.

And now that I no longer have a mate, I can never consider returning to my pack. I'm certain of what would befall me if I set foot there, and they all get to know what happened. By now, Logan must have informed them that he has rejected me, and I'm sure they're not bothered about my wellbeing.

They don't care about me.

No one does.