Chapter 7

ALIA

My eyes scanned the ballroom, but I couldn't find him. I couldn't smell him either. Where was he?

I saw Alpha Jacob gracefully walk and ascend the stage. Caspian told me that any moment now, his Luna would come and the ceremony would start.

I couldn't care less. I just wanted to see where Gavin was. Wasn't he supposed to be standing beside his Alpha?

And then the room went into full silence. My gaze wandered and came to rest on the female who walked through the double doors. Everyone that stood by the door bowed their heads, and I could hear them acknowledging her as Luna.

And my heart stopped.

Luna? She's Alpha Jacob's Luna? She was the same female I saw at the arena. The same female my mate wanted to claim. 

What kind of sickening joke was this? How did she end up with Alpha Jacob and how could my mate stay in this pack knowing the female he wanted would be claimed by his Alpha?

No wonder he was nowhere in sight.

This was a big joke.

I rose from my seat. I needed to get out of here before the ceremony started.

"Alia? What are you doing?" My brother asked me in a hushed voice, confusion written on his face.

"I need air, Caspian. My head is getting heavy. I think the traveling made me sick."

"Can't you stay until the cerem..." I cut him off before he could finish his question.

There was no way I would be watching her ceremony. Damn her!

"No. I'm going to vomit soon. I'm sorry. I'm sure no one will notice if I go now." I didn't wait for his response before I walked away. I could feel my lungs constricting.

I went to the other exit and ended up in a dimmed hallway. I had no idea how I would get back to the pack house, knowing it was a few kilometers away.

But I could walk. I would rather walk than stay here.

And then I smelled him. I stopped in my tracks and looked around. My mate was here somewhere.

I shook my head and continued walking.

I should stop referring to him as my mate. I should stop caring if he was okay with all this. Who knows, maybe this was all a scheme. Maybe he and the Alpha were sharing the same woman.

Just the thought of it was making me gag. Sick! These people were sick!

So many things were running through my mind that I didn't hear the footsteps behind me.

It was too late when I realized that his scent had grown stronger, and the next thing I knew, I was being pushed into a small room.

I was about to scream when a hand covered my mouth to muffle my sound.

Sparks. Sparks everywhere.

What a great first touch! And damn this bond. His touch was making me weak and sending pleasure to my core.

"Ssshh..." He leaned into my ear from behind me.

I could smell his peppermint breath as my own breathing hitched.

Oh, Goddess! Why were you torturing me?

I wriggled away from his touch and when he wouldn't let go, I bit the hand covering my mouth, but he didn't even show any signs of pain and just kept holding my mouth.

"You can bite all you want, little mate, but I'm not letting go until you behave yourself." He warned me.

The nerve of this guy! He was the one who assaulted me. What does he expect? That I would open my arms and legs for him?

Maybe it wasn't a bad idea, after all, my wolf Sky purred.

I sighed in defeat. My wolf kept purring at his proximity, enjoying his warmth. And I knew, no matter how much I struggled, I was nothing compared to his strength. So I gave up and rested my back on his chest.

It felt good. Too good. I could get lost here.

I heard him take a deep breath before he loosened his hold on my mouth and before he completely let me go.

"Alia..." He called my name hoarsely.

And it sounded so good coming from his lips. I could feel my core dampening just by hearing him. I closed my legs together and tried to focus.

I hated him. Yes, I hated this guy.

"What do you want?" I turned around only to be captivated by his blue eyes that were fixed on me.

Piercing blue eyes. Oh Goddess, help me!

I could feel the walls I built starting to collapse with just a mere stare from him. 

"Can we talk?" 

"No. We have nothing to talk about. Now get out of my way and let me go." I glared at him. 

He reached out and tried to touch my arm, but I inched backward, although all I wanted was to wrap myself into his arms.

"We need to talk. I will not harm you. Do you trust me?" He asked me without taking his gorgeous deep blue eyes away from mine.

"No." I snapped at him. How dare he ask if I could trust him? I would rather trust a troll than him.

"Well, that's a good start. Come now." He grabbed my arm this time, and damn all this spark. The sparks left me fazed and I forgot that I didn't want him or anything to do with him. Instead, I let him lead me.

He opened the door and scanned the area. When he was certain that no one was around, he took me to one of the exits where a car was waiting.

"I'm not getting in that car with you!" I jerked my arm away from him, and since he wasn't expecting it, I was able to get out of his hold.

He turned around and combed his hair in frustration. "I will explain everything later, but get in the car now before anyone sees us."

"Not my problem." I crossed my arms over my chest and raised my brow. I was about to open my mouth and say that I didn't want to go anywhere with him when I felt my body being hoisted up and I landed on his shoulder, my face on his back.

"Aaahhh!" I gasped. My eyes widened when I felt his hand over my thigh as my dress slid and I could feel the air on my ass.

How could he? This was so humiliating! 

"Put me down or I swear I will make you pay for it!" I screamed at him while banging my fists on his back. "Put me down!"

He didn't say anything, instead, he walked fast towards the car, dropped me on the passenger seat, and buckled the seat belt around me. He slammed the door closed and locked it with his key before opening the lock again once he was ready to slide inside the car. He was making sure I would never get a chance to run away.

But I had no intention of running away. Why would I? I would rather sit in the car than walk. 

As much as I hated him, I wasn't scared of him. 

If he wanted to play this game with me, then let the games begin.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

GAVIN

The ride from the Pavillion to the pack house went more smoothly than I expected. If you consider that she ignored all my questions and didn't even once open her mouth to say something or scream anything, she didn't even attempt to run away. She just sat there, with her arms crossed on her chest, and her head held high, not glancing once in my direction.

But it was preferable to having to restrain her in her seat if she tried to flee.

But her scent, her fucking scent, kept getting stronger. Maybe because the only air I breathed was the air coming out of her own breath, or maybe because it was almost time for her heat. Nevertheless, it was making me and my wolf restless.

As soon as we arrived at the packhouse, she unbuckled her belt and jumped out of the car. I didn't stop her and just followed after her, but as soon as she was about to turn in the 2nd-floor hallway, I grabbed her waist and hoisted her up in the air again, straight onto my shoulder.

My mate weighed like a feather and her body was fucking soft. I had no idea how I would be able to control myself later, but if I could not, I would make sure that the hate she would have for me would be worth the fuck that I would give her.

Of course, I was joking.

I would never do that. I would never even dare cross the line.

She hated me. And the last thing I wanted was for her to hate me more.