2: MATE FROM HELL

I wasn't always this unhappy. I was a happy child who grew up in a happy home. Memories of my childhood were what kept my belief that happiness existed. Because now, at 32, happiness is nothing but a distant memory.

My father, Adam, was a wise man. He taught me we are humans first and beasts last. Our compassion and understanding made us stronger than the average werewolf. My mother, Rachel, was a nurse in the human world. Saving beings was her calling. It didn't matter if they were wolves, vampires, or a weak little human.

A tear slipped from my eye when I remembered that they were gone. Killed a day after I left to go live with my mate. I still couldn't believe that the whole Redclaw pack was just wiped out like that. It still baffled me. But I was proud to have come from that pack. I still lived by their teachings and worship the Moon Goddess.

The Drexel Forest pack was an ungodly set of demons. They disobeyed the way of the Moon Goddess, and they curse her name. If only she'd struck them dead for their disrespect and constant blasphemy, then the world would be a better place.

The teaching of the mate bond in our pack was that it's an irresistible pull, designed by the Moon Goddess herself to ensure that we kept our species going. So, Selene made that one person, in very rare cases individuals got two or more soulmates, but I never understood that concept. Maybe the Moon Goddess was drunk when she designed that rule. I could never see myself with more than one mate.

I still remember that wretched night when I met Alastor. It was my 19th birthday and my father was hosting the Moonbeam Ball, where we honour an Alpha for their outstanding achievements in the werewolf community. That was when I sensed him, my mate.

Wrapped in the skin of a God. His blonde hair was so golden you thought he was the sun. His eyes were a striking blue, almost like how I pictured the depths of the ocean.

My wolf rustled in my head when his musky aroma of green grass and wet earth wafted up my nose.

His eyes flashed golden, and he paused for a moment, scrutinizing me from head to toe. I cocked my head and stared at him, showing him I was a strong and elegant she-wolf. I didn't fawn; I didn't swoon, and I most certainly didn't drool. He seemed to have been disappointed. Was it the way I looked? I peered down at my white ruffled dress with my silver heels. I thought I looked good. He snarled at me before he walked up to greet my dad.

His back was to me now and his muscular frame seemed to be immobile as he stood there unmoving, talking to my father. It was getting too difficult to breathe, so I went out into the gardens for some fresh air where I found something just as sinful. I shuddered at the memory.

“Hey, Ava.” I felt a warm hand on my shoulder, shaking me slightly. I blinked my way back to the present. My eyes landed on brown spheres, observing me. Trenton stood there waiting for me to answer.

“I'm sorry, Trenton. I zoned out a bit," I spoke, clearing my throat before neatly shaking my shoulder from his palm.

“I see that. You've been zoning out a lot lately," he sighed, inhaling deeply while he tilted his head. “Fuck!” He cursed, kicking the grass in anger. “You smell like him," he huffed.

“Yes, well, we just fucked in front of the entire dining hall. It would be surprising if I didn't smell like my mate," I snickered.

“I'm your mate!” He growled, gripping my shoulders, and sinking his claws into my skin.

I hissed, shaking my head in frustration. “No, you're not. I rejected you."

“But I didn't reject you. Can't you feel the tingles still?” He grabbed my palm, placing it up to his lips. His blond hair was in messy spikes on top of his head. His brown eyes lingered on my face with need and longing. It had been two years since I ended the secret affair that I'd been having with him. I would be a liar if I said I didn't long for his touch, too. I loved him, but a part of me hated the fact he never defended me against his brother. His obedience and honour belonged to his Alpha, so that was the reason I ended things, and why I could not let Trenton learn of my plan to escape.

“I," I cleared my throat, pulling my hand from his grasp. “We cannot do this.”

“If you didn't reject me, then we could —" he spoke, but I interjected.

“But I did, and I mated with Alastor instead.”

“But my brother doesn't deserve you!” he howled, pacing in anger, his wolf clawing at the surface as his breathing became laboured. He always did this. Show his Alpha dominance and the frustration he had towards his brother when he was in my presence. But when he was around Alastor he became his bitch, doing anything his Alpha ordered.

My heart ached when memories of my 19th birthday flashed back to me again. I thought my dreams were about to come through when I detected Alastor was my mate. I was ready to leave my pack and go off with him to start our new life. My wolf could tell he was strong, plus he was sinfully handsome. We needed to collect our thoughts, so we headed outside to the gardens when another intense smell hit us, sandalwood and cinnamon. Before we could register what was going on, Trenton ran up to me, kissing me fiercely, running his palm under my dress, and squeezing me so delicately, my juices soaked through my underwear and wet his palm.

Dazed and hazy from our mate bond, plus my heart was pounding away in my chest. I didn't know how to feel. The Moon Goddess had given me two mates. Equally attractive, equally strong, and equally sinful.

We didn't even get to exchange names before Alastor made his presence. His aura was so bitter and poisonous. My wolf and I felt no warmth from him as he circled his talons around my wrist, pulling me so hard away from Trenton, my arm broke.

“Brother?” Trenton raised a question with confusion dancing behind his eyes.

“She is mine," Alastor thundered. His voice was so heavy, it rumbled against my eardrum.

“She is my mate," Trenton corrected.

“No little brother, she is my mate," Alastor shoved me away as he rolled his dress shirt to his elbows and crouched, ready to fight.

“Gentlemen, we could just talk about the situation in a civilized manner. There is no need for unnecessary violence." I spoke through the discomfort of my healing hand. I was the daughter of an Alpha, so I knew how to act in the presence of high-ranked wolves. My mother taught me how to be a lady, but also how to withstand pain. My mother had a very high pain tolerance. My father always said he had seen nothing like it before.

“Shut up and let the men handle this," Alastor flashed me his red eyes, and I almost swallowed the entire atmosphere as I gasped. Red eyes only meant two things, one, that you're a vampire, or two, you are a werewolf that partook in the killing of humans.

My wolf refused to back down, and with her courage and mine, I spoke again, walking in between the heated wolves. “This is my father's land, and you will not disrespect him and our pack by fighting at an event that he is throwing for you. So, both of you, stop it now!" I growled, showing them my dark eyes, so they knew how serious I was. But before I could say another word, Alastor strode up to me and clutched me by my throat, restricting my airway.

“Very unsubmissive," he rumbled, sticking his tongue out and licking the side of my face. With my feet dangling off the ground, my hands flailed, as my fingers tried to pry his tight grip loose from around my neck. Suddenly, a familiar wind was felt as my father swooped in and Alastor was thrown to the ground dropping me to my knees. Through grainy visions, I worked to catch my breath and steadied my racing heart.

Trenton ran to my side. “Are you OK?” he asked, and I nodded my head. Moon Goddess knew at that moment that I was going to reject Alastor and choose Trenton. But then Trenton asked. “Is he your mate also?” And again I nodded my head. “Then you must not reject him. Give us a chance. He is my brother, and he is not that bad."

Really? Was this guy for real? Or was he just dumb? I'd only known his brother for five minutes, and I knew he wouldn't share his mate.

My father hurried over to me. His wolf was in control. “Daughter, are you alright?” Drum, my father's wolf, asked.

“Yes, I am fine,” I told him as my father helped me to my feet.

Alastor stood. “How dare you put your filthy paws on me?” He boomed at my father.

“How dare you treat my daughter like that? This is our land,” my father growled. “You and your pack should leave now. You're not welcome here anymore.”

Alastor stuck his palms into his pockets. “Very well then, but your daughter comes with me.”

“The fuck she won't,” my father growled.

“Don't you wolves do everything the Moon Goddess' way?” Alastor cackled. “Isn't honouring your fated mates the ultimate commandment around these parts.”

My father huffed, wondering where he was going with this. “Yes, what's your point?”

“Me plus your delicious virgin daughter equals fated mates,” he wolf-sped over to me, and in a quick second he seized my lips with his, shoving his wicked tongue down my throat and kissing me in front of my father.

“No,” my father barely let out. “Ava, is this true?”

Shoving Alastor's face off mine with my hands, I managed to answer my father. “Yes, father, it is true.” I saw the blood drain from his face. Speechless, my father held back his tears and his wrath. He wouldn't dare disrespect the Moon Goddess.

“What will it be, Alpha Redclaw? Your daughter or your pack?” Alastor asked.

“That's enough, brother,” Trenton tried to intervene. “You've had your fun. Let's just take our mate and get outta here.”

“Wait! Ava, they're both your mates?” my father inquired, hoping that my answer would be in his favour, but when I tilted my head and looked him dead in the eye, his face went pale again, and he saw the answer in my eyes.

“Don't worry, Alpha Adam, your daughter will be in excellent hands,” Alastor stated.

“Ava, you don't have to go.”

“Oh no, she doesn't have to go if she doesn't value your life.”

“What?” I grunted.

“If you don't come with me, then I will declare war upon the Redclaw pack, and let's be honest, I have 10,000 wolves and Alpha Adam seems like he can scrape up a thousand, maybe fifteen hundred if he's lucky.”

“You're as evil as they come,” I spat.

“I know, Hun. And I will take great pleasure in breaking you,” he squeezed my ass, then shoved me to his brother.“Trenton, take her to the car.”

“Wait, you are taking her now? Won't you allow her a day to say goodbye to her people?” Trenton argued.

“No mate of mine will have time for such frivolities. We leave immediately.”

“Please, I beg you. My mother is sick. Just let me say goodbye to her. Please!” I wailed. But Alastor barked his orders at Trenton once more.

My father held back tears as he tried to hug me, but Alastor pushed him away. “She is no longer the daughter of an Alpha. She is a Luna now.”

With teary eyes, my father fell to his knees, shouting profanities at the Moon Goddess, screaming for her to answer him. He wanted to know why she had been so cruel to his daughter. Even I wanted to know why the Moon Goddess paired me with the Mate From Hell. I kicked and screamed when Trenton dragged me to the car. I was thrown in the backseat, my palms banging against the back glass, yelling for my father. My dad's eyes connected with mine for a second before the car drove off down the cobbled road.

“I love you, my Rose-bud." He spoke through the mind-link. I kept my eyes strained on my father crying on his knees.

“I love you too, father. Tell mother I am sorry I did not come to say goodbye." I replied to my dad through the link. Before I could hear my father's voice again, I felt my hair being pulled and the most excruciating pain I'd ever felt in my life gnawed at my neck. Alastor sunk his long, sharp canines into my neck, biting out a chunk of my flesh, marking me, and leaving a hideous scar for the world to see. Immediately the pack-link with my home pack shattered and I no longer was able to communicate with them telepathically.

“You are mine now," Alastor whispered evilly as my world got dark and I passed out.

It wasn't until I felt Trenton's fingers wiping away my tears that I noticed I had gotten lost in my memories once more. “Don't cry, my love, it will all get better.”

Honestly, I was so sick and tired of his words. This time, I slapped his hand away from me. “You've been saying that for 13 fucking years now.”

I walked off, deciding to go to my room.

“Is she mine?”

That question seemed to have yanked me to a halt, cementing me to the spot. The cool air seemed to have dropped a couple of degrees as the wind got icier. Gripping the front of my dress, I turned my head slightly, the moonlight giving my face a serious tone. “No,” I answered before I hurried off to my chambers, leaving Trenton behind in the cold, hoping and praying to the Moon Goddess that he bought my lie.