Chapter four

Vaughan

‘She is mine!’. I could already feel the tips of my sharp claws digging into my palms. All logical thoughts evade me, until something nicked my mind. I halted my steps instantly. I tried everything within me not to go after them.

‘No, we won’t do anything’. I said calmly after the few longest seconds I had ever experienced. It seems he had forgotten about our rule. I wouldn’t fight over her. That would be my last fight, if I ever did.

‘I don’t give a fuck about our damn rules! I want her! She is mine’. I could feel his jealousy, and I wouldn’t deny it, I felt the same.

I had rejected two mates in the past, on my own terms, and it would be the same with hers, but wouldn’t be necessary with her.

‘Let me out! I must get out!’. I resisted against Zane. Just as I was about to turn around, I saw the men after her earlier had already surrounded them.

Four against two, they had no chance against them. I turned around ready to leave, but heard a gut wrenching scream.

I turned around my eyes searching for her. Her lover was lying almost lifeless on the ground, while she stuck close to him. The sight made me want to rip him apart. Limb to limb.

“Don’t hurt him! I beg you”. I heard her screams, and my chest tightened up in envy.

“Riev! Riev! Get up!”. She yelled. Riev was the bastard name. I could hear the agony in her voice, and I realized I would never win against someone, who she would die for.

Just as another wolf wanted to take a swipe at her, he lunged forward pushing her away, as he took the blow. My heart suddenly felt heavy.

I tore my eyes away for a second, unable to withstand any of the scene. When I returned my gaze towards them, I saw one of the unshifted men aiming an arrow at her. With speed I ran to shield her. The arrow barely grazed my arm, as it stuck into the trunk of a tree. For a moment I forgot I wasn’t even supposed to have anything to do with her.

I turned my head, and looked down at her. White skin, gray eyes, what a weird combination, but it fits perfectly. Her eyes were like portals that could see through me.

She looked too gaunt, although her frame wasn’t visible, due to her oversized gown. My hands itched to touch her, for even a second. I knew it was the matebond that made me feel things, but what I couldn’t understand was why she wasn’t feeling anything.

I saw her body stiffened as realization passed across her face. She knew who I was. Her unconscious lover hissed in pain, and it broke our gaze. I lost it. Without thinking twice, I pulled her up to the length of my body. I was right. She was indeed emaciated. Her face contorted in agony, as she tried to pull away, avoiding my eyes.

“Why are you being so indifferent?!“. I seethed, sounding desperate. I detest these emotions running through my head. I wanted to tell her that I didn’t give a fuck about her or her damned lover, but the words just couldn’t find it way out.

Her eyes bore into mine, confused at my question, but it didn’t last long as the bastard said something to her. I took a deep breath controlling myself from snuffing the remaining life out of him.

“Let…let me go. He needs me..”. She stuttered as she continued to wriggle away from me. The remaining men surrounded her lover, thinking I was on their side, because of the way I held her.

“Raven run! Leave here!”. He screamed. Then they began to drag him away.

“She can‘t even if she wants to”. One of the men said, giving me a knowing smile.

“He is innocent! Let him go! Riev!”. She sobbed, becoming more frantic as she tried to free herself from me.

“RunI will be fine!”. He yelled again, but was completely knocked out by one of them. I watched them fade into the trees. Her scornful teary eyes met mine, as I eventually released her. Good. I hate her as much as she did.

She stood for a while, and began to limp away, weeping. Her hair swayed side to side as she went farther. How did someone, who was fragile and weak, incite me without much effort?. The Moon godness was always testing me, but I would definitely prove her wrong again.

‘Where are you? Did you find anything?’. I mind linked Hank, watching her from my peripheral view as she fades from my eyesight, but focused on her, when I sensed something was wrong.

‘Nothing’. He replied, but my attention was somewhere else.

She crouched down, on all fours, then in a flash her clothes began to rip into pieces. Her hands were the first to become furry, followed by her legs, her head was the last to change.

A fucking white wolf!.

The wolf stood wobbly on its four feet, as if it wasn’t used to that form, then she dropped languidly to the ground.

I rushed to her, and quickly checked for her heartbeat. Thankfully, she was still breathing.

‘What happened to her? Is she okay?’. Zane queried.

‘What do you think?!. I snapped, my eyes focused on her. The whiteness of her fur made everything around me look brighter. I had never seen a white before. It was rare, like a blue moon. The sight of her shifting was so eye-catching.

In one go I scooped her up, and it was just then I realized how bony she was. She weighed so light even in her wolf form. She whimpered as I held her closer to myself. Blood tainted one of her front right legs.

Hank's shocked gaze met mine, as he rushed over when I entered the packhouse, his attention on the white wolf in my arms.

“A white wolf?”. I saw the surprise on Dorian’s face, as his eyes landed on my mate, but he masked it instantly. So they had no idea about her?

“Is she dead?”. His mate who was beside him asked. I had already forgotten her name.

“No”. I replied, a part of me annoyed by his question. They all wanted her dead.

“Put her down! She’s a filth, and would stain you”.

My eyes shifted to the girl who made that statement. I could now notice the resemblance between her and Dorian. I could see where her guts came from. She got to me, and tried to grab my mate away from me, but my left hand held her wrist tightly, as I looked straight into her face that was shrouded in heavy makeup.

“I don’t care”. I gritted out, in a low voice, before letting her go.

‘What do you plan to do? You don’t care about things like this’. Hank linked me. It took everything in me not to punch his mouth for uttering such nonsense, but at the same time it hit me. My reasoning returned.

What the hell was I doing?!

He was right. I didn't care about my previous mates nor ever went close to them like I did with her. Rejecting them was like discarding a piece of trash for me.

“I’m sorry she caused you so much trouble, if you would hand her over, we will make sure she dies a befitting death”. Dorian continued, and my arms tightened around her.

Death? She did deserve death, but not so easily.

“There would be no need for that”. I said, surprising them all.

‘Good, we are taking our mate from here’. Zane applauded me.

“Why?”.

“Death will be an easy route for her, when there are so many ways to punish her”.

“Then what do you think?”. Dorian asked.

“She becomes my slave as of today”.

‘Damn you!’. Zane growled.