…AND I MET HIM

Aria's POV

I moved tirelessly as the entire day went in a blur of orders, of snapping voices and of aching muscles. I moved from one end to the other, decorating the packhouse and its gate.

The streets of the city were decorated by pack members but I was left with the task of decorating the city central where the main festival would be taking place. There was a little help but I couldn't really call it help because they just barked orders and pointed out what I should do while they did the easy task involved.

If I didn't do a good job, they would tear it down and ask me to do it again. They scrutinized everything I did, even when I was polishing the floors. They were either barking orders or throwing insults in my way or shoving me out of the way to look like they were the one doing most of the work.

“Hey, Omega! You need to be careful with those clumsy hands of yours," one of the older maids suddenly barked, almost startling me as I carefully set a row of crystal glasses on the table. Just her voice could have gotten me to break the glasses.

“Just know that if one breaks, it would be used to draw the map of this city on your hideous face. Just maybe, you would be attractive a little bit!" She added as others laughed.

I just quietly rolled my eyes then proceeded to adjust the floral garlands that I had hung earlier around the grand archway, they had intentionally shifted it.

"Oh that reminds me, Omega! When the real wolves show up tonight, be wise and don't get in our way. You are only here to keep things in place and your head down," one of the newest maids uttered.

She had been nice to me when she first came but it was for a greater end and I still curled in humiliation and fear whenever I remember that day. People could just be deceptively cruel and wicked.

I nodded with sparing her a glance then carried on with the rest of my task. Of what good was the reminder when it had already been ingrained into my head, mind, body and soul that I didn't belong here and would never do.

I was just here to make them look good and perfect, capable of doing anything. I was to be invisible when I wasn't needed or when they were celebrating. I was to only show up when there was a pile of work to be done.

It was finally time, as the sun sunk low in the horizon and the packhouse, the city central, the streets and houses in the city gleamed with lights and vibrant colors and that unmistakable, undeniable energy of the full moon that testified to the festival.

The air thrummed with excitement and laughter that echoed the large hall and its surroundings as invited important pack members slowly made their way for the event. They were dressed in the best of their attires and their eyes held bright anticipation for the event.

Celebrities and officials, and important guests slowly trooped in. Other parts of the city would definitely be celebrating and could also connect to the event as it is streamed live.

I watched them in admiration and longing as I quietly put finishing touches to what I had worked all day for. As I finished, I knew what to do next but the maids who had also changed into clean festive attires, glared at me to immediately evacuate the promises of the event.

I went and sat by the scrubs and ornate bush in the courtyard of the city central, hidden perfectly away. Hopefully they won't be needed for me tonight, I might finally get some sleep here before I can head home.

“Happy birthday, Aria Stonemore!” I whispered to myself as I looked to the sky that was slowly darkening. I had almost forgotten about my birthday again.

I looked down at myself, still in the thin threadbare sweater that had lost the right to be called that. I wrapped my arms around myself as I thought about my life again. No friends, no companions, no clothes, no… I tried ignoring the pang of pain and longing in my chest as I felt lonely, watching others walk with someone, speak with someone, laugh with someone, smile with someone…

I suddenly felt… different. I was cold just now and there was this strange warmth that spread through my chest to my skin, leaving a tingling sensation with an energy I couldn't explain. What is going on?

My vision sharpened and likewise my other senses, I could perceive the bunch of delicate preparation which is at the other end of the city central, I could hear the faint music and laughter more louder than necessary. Then I felt this powerful pull, this force tugging at me from within, there was an urge to move away from where I was as I didn't understand what was going on.

I looked around before moving further into the courtyard of the large hall at the city center. It was empty. I fell to the ground as my knees became weak and the tingling sensation grew stronger and hotter and more painful. I struggled and moved myself to a tree where I stumbled forward and leaned against as I felt the tingling sensation morphing into something quite deeper than I thought and primal.

The strange force inside me intensified and that pulsing like a heartbeat then without a warning, I began to shift. For the first time. I wanted to scream as the pain surged through me but I remembered when I was and tried bearing it but it was harder than I thought. I had never felt like this before.

My bones shifted, my senses heightened further than I had thought, then my vision blurred into colors so beautiful and unknown to me. And within seconds, I was no longer myself, I felt bigger and stronger. I looked down at myself to see a shimmering, silvery white fur that easily caught the moonlight and glowed against the darkness in the midst of the trees. I lifted my left paw then the right, I was covered in fur, it's so beautiful and rare. My paws also look powerful, I jumped around in my wolf form in excitement and even ran around.

“And is this really me?” I whispered to myself, though it came out in a low quiet growl.

"Yeah, it's you and it's me, your wolf! We are one and you will always feel me from now on. I am Amy!” I heard a tiny sweet voice in my head.

Wow, I finally have someone of my own.

"Thanks for coming, Amy! I have…" I whispered back to her when I heard my name.

Oh no! Are they looking for me? What went wrong? I couldn't bask in the feeling of being able to see the world from this angle, or enjoy my senses that felt alive and wild. I was sure I was hearing every heartbeat in the city central, I was perceiving everything and anything. And for once and the first time, I felt whole, like I finally belonged to someone. I belonged to Amy and she to me.

I heard my name again.

“You have to go!" Amy said as the shift faded and I was back in my weak and frail human form. I was disoriented for a while before gathering myself, I held onto the euphoria of my transformation as I raced back to the festival at human speed. My heart was racing in fear and in the wonder of what I had just experienced. No one had taken the liberty of telling me about it but I believe my experience was sweet and smooth.

Who could have called me? A little pain in my excitement but I made my way through the crowd and I was just going further into the hall like I was being pulled, I couldn't get myself to stop. It felt like my body and mind knew where it was going to, I searched the crowd for who had called me then my eyes landed on him.

Alpha Talon! There was this nervous thrill and excitement I felt as I watched him talking to the seated guest in such a commanding aura and ease that left me in awe.

My heart skipped and jumped a few beats as he suddenly stopped mid sentence and turned his gaze at me. His cold blue eyes locked on me as this unfamiliar intensity burned around me, pulling me to him, my breath hitched. He was looking at me like he was just seeing me for the first time which prompted me to take a hesitant step forward towards him. As the realization dawned on me and I felt Amy's excitement then she whispered.

“Mate! Alpha Talon Greyson is our mate!"

Now, all eyes were on us and from the corner of my eyes, I could see some people whispering and murmuring. He hadn't broken eye contact with me, I felt my heart soar high with a spark of joy and excitement in my chest.

Hopefully the stories I have heard about mate bonds and the connection that two souls felt and shared which pulled and tied them together for eternity would be true. Even though I hadn't really dreamt it, I have always longed and wanted to have someone who would cherish me, love me, truly see me for who I was and always see and listen to me. And I think I can see and feel that hope from Alpha Talon blossom.

“No!" He spat in disgust, shattering that hope as his eyes darkened and his expression twisted into disgust and irritation.

What!

“No, this can't be happening! This has to be a joke!" He spat out again in deep scorn dripping from his voice. He looked away in frustration as he ran his hand through his hair.

Please, can someone tell me what's going on? He is surprised and happy, right? Just like I am, right? He is just surprised right? What the heck is going on? I felt my heart sink further as his reaction worsened.

He looked at me again, then started striding towards me with great steps and a cold and unyielding gaze. The entire congregation was in silence and watching us with bated breath.

“So, you… are my mate?” He asked in pure disgust.

I painfully managed to give him a shaky nod as I didn't understand him. I braced myself and tried meeting his gaze, was he feeling the bond that was pulling us? His eyes were hardened with unmistakable hatred.

“If so, then I, Alpha Talon Greyson of GreyWater City pack, reject you, Omega, as my mate!” He announced loudly to the hearing of all and sundry.

What! Rejection? He just rejected me? The words hit me harder than the punches and blows I received as punishment. My legs felt weak and gave way, dropping me to the ground like sackcloth. I clutched my chest that felt like it was tearing into pieces as a wave of agony hit me. I could feel my wolf whimpering as the bond broke, taking pieces of me, my heart, soul with it. My vision blurred with tears streaming down my cheeks.

Rejection? Never heard of in the history of mates and bonds, according to all the stories I have heard. He just rejected me on national television, as I cried my eyes out, I tried covering my face from the stupid cameramen who tried getting a shot of me.

Isn't the humiliation and pain I was going through already good enough? They were still laughing and cheering as I weeped my eyes out, my wolf and I.

“I am sorry, Aria!" I heard her faintly before she withdrew into a hole or something. I managed to look up to see some of them sneering and pointing at me. The important guests were subtle and elegant about their mockery but the maids, manservants, guards and other omegas helping were open and cruel with their mockery. They kept yelling cruel words at me. My pain and heartbreak was just a spectacle to them.

I tried looking for Alpha Talon, he wasn't bothered about the ruckus going on as he drank and laughed with one of the most beautiful ladies in the hall, she was a very famous actress.

“I can't believe her, does she even have a wolf? I am glad he rejected her," one scoffed in my face.

“This rejection was justified and I am happy Alpha Talon took the right decision but the moon goddess must have been joking with this nonsense. She should have known better than this,” another replied to her as they laughed.

"Don't be blasphemous to the moon goddess, she intentionally wanted this for the omega!” Another chipped in.

I needed to get out of here. I couldn't breathe anymore as my heart kept shattering with each second that passed, the world was dark and tilted. I felt a cold numbness all over, I was so foolish to have thought I truly deserved love and acceptance. When has the moon goddess ever been fair to me? I must have been drunk and stupid to think she would actually give me a mate that would love and choose me.

There is no need to cry over spilled me! I wiped my face clean and was thinking of a way to slowly get out of this hall without drawing any unnecessary attention to myself. I just wanted to go home and nurse my bleeding heart.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the night is still young, don't let one unpleasant and misfortune incident spoil your night. We are here to merry and celebrate and so shall we. Please let's cheer for more celebration…” I heard Alpha Talon's voice over the speaker.

Wow! I laughed to myself. I am going home.

“Please we have a powerful Alpha in our midst, a neighboring Alpha, he just arrived and I would love him to take the toast!" He added as everyone's attention immediately shifted to the taller Alpha with a more imposing figure that walked with authority and commanding towards the grand stage. This was my cue.

As he got to the front, his gaze landed on mine and softened after a while, he made deliberate steps towards me then knelt before me so we were eye leveled. I was taken aback by this, but I looked away to see Alpha Talon confused and angry.

He slowly and gently lifted my chin to meet his eyes which were kind and warm or maybe they were just my imagination.

“Are you alright, Miss?" He asked in a gentle voice which was filled with concern, my chest aches in response. I must be hallucinating!

I was lost in his eyes that sparked something in me, a safe warmth I guess, I don't know what it was but it just soothed my bleeding heart. Just a little bit it was comforting.

He smiled, the most beautiful smile that hitched my breath and made my heart stumble in pain. Can't he see I am in pain?

“I am Caden and do you feel it? You are my mate!" He gently said, still smiling and holding my gaze.

There were gasps from those around us as they whispered and spread what had just happened. I felt weak and dizzy, as if sensing it, he didn't flinch or hesitate before holding me steadily.

“I accept you as my mate…” he added to my hearing.

"Amy, why didn't we wait for him?” I whispered in my head to my wolf who slowly pulled out of the hole she had buried herself in before.