Chapter 3

ALIA

The Claiming already started.

I sat quietly beside my brother, Alpha Caspian at the spectators´ area in front of the Claiming Arena with a heavy heart. Today, I would witness my fated mate claim another Alpha Female. I had no idea how I was able to compose myself and masked my emotion with a poker face when deep inside, I was beyond shattered.

"Finally, Alpha Argon´s son had chosen a Luna for himself. About time he takes over the Alpha post for Blood Moon Pack." My brother whispered to the man beside him, and if it were not for my werewolf ears I would not be able to catch it.

"But what´s taking them so long to get out here?" The man beside him asked, which if I remembered correctly was Alpha Al. He grabbed his binoculars to take a closer look at them.

"This is turning to be boring. No challenges yet." My brother chuckled.

I kept my eyes closed. There were already 6 or 7 Alpha Females that walked out from the Arena with their Alphas or Betas. All were beaming with happiness except for one. That Alpha female might have been forced on this Claiming.

Not that it was unusual. I´ve heard of it where the females were used as bargaining chips to build alliances and favors in between packs. And for once, I was glad I was not born on those packs. My father and now, my brother would never force me into this kind of fate. Unless I wanted to. But maybe I would one day because I no longer have a mate.

I took a deep sigh, knowing any moment he would come out from the forest ground into the Arena and would walk away with his Chosen Alpha Female.

He chose her over me.

I wanted to know who she was. She has taken what was mine and though I wasn´t doing anything right now, I wasn´t sure I could hold my composure once they step out together.

"Isn´t that Alpha Jakob´s Beta? Look at that. Now here goes what I´ve been waiting for." Alpha Al exclaimed. 

My eyes snapped open out of curiosity. And the moment I did, pain erupted in my chest at the sight of the man confronting the Alpha whom they said named Aeon.

I grabbed the binocular provided and took a closer look, my eyes focused on the tears-stricken face of the Alpha Female in question and hate started to rise from my aura. I never hated anyone my whole life. Until her. 

I asked the Goddess to let my mate lose this challenge. There´s no way I could bear seeing him take this female.

My hand coiled into a fist as my heart thudded that I could not hear anything except my heartbeat. My brother snapped his eyes on me. He must have heard my thudding heart.

"Alia, are you okay?" His forehead creased, worry written all over his face.

I swallowed hard, and put the binocular down but did not take my eyes off the arena. I nodded.

I saw my brother smile from my side peripheral view before he reached out to tap my hand. "I know you feel bad for her, she won´t have a choice who she will end up with. It´s up to the men fighting for her. Challenges like this happen on the Claiming."

Feel bad my ass! I cursed under my breath. I would snap her neck in an instant if I could get a chance to be near her.

What does she have that I don´t? 

*****

I took all the strength I had to stay grounded in my seat the moment my mate´s wolf was thrown and landed on the ground. My wolf, Sky wanted to force her way out and claimed our mate and it took so much of my energy to restrain her.

And then I saw him shift back to his human form. My eyes focused on his broken body full of blood that I don´t care anymore that the Alpha Female was cradling him. He was beyond hurt and my pain doubled.

I didn´t notice that tears started to trickle down my cheeks.

I´m so sorry Moon Goddess. Please! Please don´t take him yet. It´s okay! I´m okay if I couldn´t have him. Just don´t do this. Let him live. Please.

I sent a silent prayer to the Goddess and begged her, without taking my eyes off him. I don´t even know if he was breathing. He was too far.

Soon, two men assisted and lifted him to a stretcher as they head off out of the arena.

"Hey! You´re crying. I shouldn´t have brought you here. You´re too emotional." He chuckled, shaking his head.

I smiled at my brother before rising to my feet. "I'll go to the washroom and fix myself."

He nodded and I turned around, out of the spectators' area. I had no idea where I should go but I wanted to see him and make sure he was okay.

Once I reached the bottom of the stage, I let my nose follow his scent.

His intoxicating scent was mixed with sweat and too much blood that I cringed at the thought of him losing his life.

I hid behind the pillar as I saw the men holding his stretcher as they entered what I guessed was the Crescent Moon Infirmary. While I waited, I heard a booming voice from the Arena.

"I dare you to touch what´s MINE!!!" A voice bellowed all over the area.

I winced from the Alpha aura rolling off from the arena before I was able to gather my thoughts, sighing deeply. Another pair of Alphas or Betas fighting for a female again.

I stepped away from the pillar and saw one of the men that carried him leaning on the baluster on the second floor of the building. That might be where his room was. But I couldn´t go there yet, without being questioned.

So I waited.

After an eternity, both men that helped him passed by where I stood. One of them throw a glance my way and offered a weak smile. I smiled back before dropping my gaze at the ground and headed for the stairs.

I needed to see him before they came back.

I treaded easily in the hallway, not making any noise. I stopped when I reached the outside of the room where his scent was the strongest and contemplated if I should open the door and peeked at him. But then I saw the window beside the door, the curtains were not fully drawn.

I took my chance and leaned my forehead at the window glass.

The room was slightly dimmed but the lampshade above his bed made it possible for me to see his face and his upper body.

He was laying down with his eyes closed and his naked torso was covered with a bandage. He must have hurt his shoulder badly.

My breathing normalize when I saw his chest going up and down. He was alive. That´s all that matters.

I saw his chest heaved and my gaze snapped back to his face, his forehead creased and his lashes started to flutter. He was waking up.

I took a deep breath and tried to take all of him again, his features and his perfectness before I rushed out of the hallway, not caring anymore of the sound my footsteps made.

All I knew was I needed to get away from here.

Even if this mean that this would be the last time I would see the Beta who never wanted me.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

GAVIN

I was in this damn infirmary bed for the last 30 minutes but my mind was drifting somewhere. Matteo mind linked earlier that the Alpha came just in time before Alpha Aeon was able to claim and mark Clair. And by the silence in my head, I would assume that Jake won over him. At least all my effort and sacrifice did not go down the drain.

Sacrifice. My little lamb.

I closed my eyes for the nth time and pictured the female I saw at the ballroom today. I would want her memory to linger longer, so I memorized her features and the way she looked at me. And then as if by memory, I started to smell her scent.

I snapped my eyes open and scanned the room I was in. I was alone but I heard retrieving footsteps from the hallway and her scent suddenly faded. I tried to sit and raise from laying down but the pain in my shoulder and my torso made it unbearable.

I hissed in pain and laid back on my bed, cursing Aeon for my damage.

Did she come to see me? Wasn´t she claimed? I had many questions but it seemed these would never find answers.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when the door opened and revealed Clair, she let go of Jake´s hand and rushed forward flinging her arms around me.

"Aaargh!" I hissed in pain and she backed away abruptly from me.

Jake growled and glared at me as he held Clair´s shoulders to stop her from falling backward.

"I´m sorry. I forgot. I was just happy to see you awake." She spoke softly, her arms wrapped around her mate as she peeked behind him.

I smiled and Jake started to relax, pushing his mate forward beside my bed. "Don´t touch him. It´s either I hurt him more because he scared you or because..." He then leaned to whisper in her ear. "... you think the Beta fancies you."

Her face started to turn scarlet red from his teasing. She shrugged off Jake´s hold and rolled her eyes on him before moving to sit at the side of my bed.

"How are you?" Her gaze shifted to my bandaged torso, and tears started to pool in her eyes.

I chuckled. "Stop crying, you cry all the time. Need to be tough, Luna." I joked at her.

She smiled weakly. "I just want to say Thank you. And... don´t do that again."

And before I could say anything, she pressed her lips into my forehead and I felt her tears drop into my face. She then moved back and headed out of the room, Jake followed but after a moment he went back inside my room.

"You´re supposed to not let her out of your sight." I reminded him.

He chuckled before his face turned serious. "She´s just outside with Matteo and Harrold. She doesn´t want to see you like that."

I just nodded. No words to say.

"Thanks, man. I don´t know how I could ever repay you. Just say it and I´ll do my best." The Alpha looked at me, and even without saying anything, I knew he meant it.

I knew that if the same thing happened again, I would do it for him and his Luna.

But maybe, this time it was my turn to ask for his help.

"I found my mate today at the Claiming Ball," I told him in a low voice.

"Fuck!" His jaw tightened as his eyes dilated into the full black. He knew what my revelation meant.

"I think she was claimed today after I refused to acknowledge our bond." My voice came out hoarsely. "I just wanted to know who she is. And who claimed her."

I saw the Alpha coiled fists and blood started to trickle down the floor, he was clutching his fists too hard.

"Gavin! I´m sorry. My fucking fault you have to..." He was controlling himself. He must´ve known by now the pain of losing a mate.

I shook my head. "Not your fault, man. It was my choice. I just needed to know her Alpha is a good man."

"And if not?" He asked.

I let out a deep sigh before I answered. "I would do everything to take her back. Raise hell if I needed to." 

"We would do everything to take her back." He said firmly, his strong gaze directed on mine.