Chapter 4

*Alyssa*

I couldn't believe it. Of course, it explained why he seemed unfamiliar to me. I couldn't believe that I had already met with the Alpha of The Blue Moon pack, a man known for his cruelty and coldness. As I thought back to when we met I realized that I should have figured it out sooner, I could sense his domineering aura and something in him attracted my wolf for a reason.

My wolf could sense he had a strong presence and the essence of a cold and domineering leader but I had neglected that feeling and only focused on beating him in the run, due to my competitiveness.

I sat quietly across from my soon-to-be mate, I was asked to exchange pleasantries which I did obediently.

I could sense his gaze on me as my father spoke to him about matters that I decided were none of my concern and only sat quietly in hopes that it all would come to an end soon. I made sure to keep an indifferent look on my face when we exchanged glances so he wouldn't get any ideas that I would be a meek mate.

I unintentionally scoffed out loud at the thought of that and got all looks on me.

I sensed hostility in his voice as he asked my father why I was here in my sister’s place, but I truly didn't care about his words or in what tone he spoke. I let my mind wander off to whom had just broken my trust. My sister, Jenny.

I couldn't believe she could be such a coward. Running away? When has running away from problems been the best solution for her? I once saw her as high and mighty and believed she would stand for what's right for not just me and my parents; but also for the pack. I guess I was wrong, and I hated being wrong.

"Alyssa," Father called, pulling me out of my trail of thoughts. "Anything you want to say to Alpha Rurac?" He asked and gave me a look as though ordering me to behave meekly. He must've sensed the hostility between me and Rurac.

"No father" I replied formally with a tinge of sarcasm etched in my voice. I truly wasn't happy, I was about to get mated to Rurac, but I truly can't stand the thought of becoming his mate; and I could only wonder what his pack members could act like. There was a saying; ~An Alpha best represents his pack's true nature~ in this situation; I could only hope that it wasn't the case.

Rurac and the elders of The Blue Moon pack were going to be sleeping here in the mansion for the night as our guests and tomorrow; the mating ritual will commence. After that, I will be leaving my beloved pack forever to be part of Rurac's pack. How much I dreaded the thought of being with Rurac but I couldn't help it, I am completely helpless in this situation.

After the meeting, I went straight into my room and laid back on the bed feeling mentally exhausted, I wondered what exactly my life would be like now, Rurac was most definitely expectant on me being his meek and obedient mate but I would never be able to meet up with his expectations even if I wanted to. My wolf was also not in favor of what was going on and I knew instantly that I needed to go somewhere far away from everyone else right now. Somewhere I could burst out my emotions without a care in the world.

With that thought; I left the mansion and let my wolf out. I channeled my anger into running as fast as I could, it seemed the farther I run, the more anger I'm able to channel. I was headed up a tall mountain and once I got to the top; I immediately stopped and howled loudly at the moon. A part of me was calling for Jenny while the other part only wanted liberty from all the emotional stress.

I kept howling louder and louder at the moon until I lost strength and collapsed to the ground below me. I sensed someone coming closer and closer towards me but remained unbothered, I had already sensed his presence since I had begun running. His presence couldn't be ignored or unnoticed due to the immense aura he carried around him.

"Is this really what you do to blow off steam?" I heard Rurac say behind me, his tone had sarcasm and mockery etched on it and I wished to let out a scoff at that, but I had already used up my energy howling.

My reply to his question would have been 'Not that it matters to you though' but I couldn't even bring myself to say it as my breath was shaky and weak. I couldn't believe how weak I was and all from howling at the moon, I concluded within me that it was probably because I hadn't howled this loud and this long at the moon before.

"What truly happened to your sister? I refuse to believe what your parents had said earlier on" I realized that I didn't quite catch on to what my father had said to his parents at the meeting and wondered what exactly my father had told them was the reason for Jenny's absence. I rose to my feet and walked past him, I slowly climbed down the mountain and got to a small pond.

My wolf was rather calm at the moment, maybe due to being tired from earlier or maybe the feel of the cold night water as it made contact with its skin. I switched to my human form and completely submerged myself in the water. I sensed someone coming in after me but didn't come back up, I wanted to drown my consciousness.

I slowly came up to the surface with my eyes closed. I felt the ripples of the water as it flowed back to rest in respect to the law of gravity. I could feel my hair soaked and sticking onto my face and I slowly opened my eyes to be greeted by a darker one staring deep into mine. I had never been this close to a man before and it wasn't as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. I felt an invisible force pulling me closer to him and I could tell he felt it too and I instantly knew....... I'm screwed.

*Rurac*

I watched her slowly submerge in the water and waited for her to come back up. After a while, I realized that she might be trying to drown on purpose. It seems she'd rather die than be mated with me tomorrow. Too bad for her, because I won't be letting her end her life this way.

I let out a suppressed sigh before taking off my clothing and slowly walking into the water, after her. I was about to move in to pull her up when she suddenly came up; she was a few inches away from me. I felt my body freeze up into a statue as I watched her slowly open up her eyes and hypnotized me with those green orbs. Her gaze held mine and I couldn't pull away, she seemed to be having trouble looking away just as I was and I felt her getting closer and closer to me.

Her beautiful lips were so close to mine and I couldn't help the desire to ravage it. I let my gaze travel down to her collarbone and then to her chest. I hoped I could get the chance to see her bud this time but as fate may have it; they were submerged in the water and I could only see her cleavage. I let my gaze travel back slowly from her lips to her enchantingly beautiful orbs. Her breath was shaky and her scent filled my senses with a new desire, my hands moved underwater and were slowly encircling her by the waist. Just when I thought she would cave in and lock lips with me; she went underwater once more and came back out 10 feet away from me.

I breathed out a sigh of relief and discomfort as she stayed at a safe distance. She had her back facing me, but I could still hear her fast-beating heart and shaky breath. She seemed to be trying to pull her thoughts together and took in a lung full of air before letting it out.

"What had my father told your parents about my sister," her small sweet voice asked. This time, it was void of any emotions, only seriousness and indifference. It reminded me of earlier at the meeting when she only looked at me with indifference.

I had concluded that her emotions were a privilege I had gotten to see earlier when she didn't realize that I was the big bad wolf in her nightmares."Weren't you listening to the conversation?" I asked.

"I wasn't. " She replied simply, the simplicity in her voice as she spoke made a part of me uninterested in our conversation, it was obvious that it would be nothing but disappointment.

"Sigh..... Alpha Kayden had told my parents and I about your sister's sudden illness and that is why she was sent to her mother's pack for treatment." I heard her breath hitch as I said that and confirmed my suspicions.

"Yes. What they had said earlier on is true.......She fell ill." Her voice got smaller as she said the last three words. I felt intrigued by this girl from the first time I had locked gazes with her; my wolf had this unquenchable desire to know more about her than anyone else does. She seemed to be one who would act high and mighty on the outside but is weak and emotionally unstable on the inside.

My wolf's desire to know more about her was the reason its first act was to search for a male scent on her. I felt relief when I found that she was unmated and that only fueled the desire I had inside me to have her as mine and mine only. But that desire was set ablaze as I realized that she was my to-be-mated's younger sister. A girl with the reputation of being a stubborn head.

I had a little amount of time to dig into Alpha Kayden's family and I had promised my wolf to avoid any form of contact with the second daughter, after finding out about her reckless behavior. I developed an interest in the first daughter after hearing about her submissiveness, obedience, and her extremely soft heart. I saw her befitting of becoming my mate and Luna of the pack. I believed a mate of that nature would forever hold the interest of the pack at Heart.

But now I am left with someone who was the exact opposite of whom I wanted, and I do not know how to handle the changes in this situation. It had already been finalized between her parents and mine that the mating ritual would be held tomorrow and neither of us had the chance to object anymore.

We both would have to try and adjust to the situation fate had put us in, and I truly hoped that she would be able to do what was right for my pack and soon learn to accept them as her pack too.

"If that's all you came to ask then... I'd love to be left alone" she spoke with sadness and seemed to be having a hard time. I wondered if it was because she loathed the thought of being my mate or if it had something to do with her sister's sudden disappearance.

"I'll take my leave now," I say and turn to leave when I hear a sudden whistling sound in the air and caught sight of an arrow headed towards her. I knew if I didn't do anything fast; it was surely going to pierce through her shoulder and even if she survived, she'd have a scar on her that would last her entire lifetime. In haste, I grabbed onto her arm and pulled her closer to me. She came crashing down and I lost balance; we both were submerged in the water.

I had my eyes open the whole time but she seemed to be having some issues with her sight in water. I looked at her twin peaks and suddenly felt a familiar heat envelope me, I was finally able to see all of her, something I craved a lot. But now as I could see it all to my satisfaction, I realized it was a big mistake. And now, my wolf craved her body more.