chapter two

Nathaniel’s POV

"I didn't mean to, Mama, I'm sorry!" a little Nate cried out, his voice trembling, as his mother dragged him by the hair. He had accidentally broken a plate while washing dishes, and his mother's wrath was unleashed upon him. "You worthless piece of shit!" she hissed, her malice palpable.

She grabbed her cane and began hitting the seven-year-old Nate, who screamed desperately for help. His cries were met with a drunken father staggering towards them, bottle in hand. "Rose, leave the kid alone!" he slurred, his voice a mix of anger and desperation.

His mother's grip on the cane loosened as she turned to face her husband. "Oh, shut up, you stupid fool!" she screamed, her rage redirected at the man who had fathered her children. The air was thick with tension as the father's voice boomed in response, his hand raised in a threatening gesture.

The mother's eyes flashed with anger, and she retreated, her cane still clutched in her hand. The five-year-old sister, sensing an opportunity, ran to comfort her crying brother, her small arms wrapping tightly around him.

"It's okay, Naomi, I'm here," little Nate whispered, clutching his one-year-old sister tightly. They tried to flee to the safety of their old closet, but their father intercepted them, snatching the baby from his arms. "No!!!!"

I jolted awake, my heart racing, still trapped in the horror of my recurring nightmare. It had been ages since I last had it, and I was completely disoriented.

Just then, my cousin Kilo burst into my room without knocking. "Hey, Nate, get up! Today's your wedding day, and you don't want to be late!" I groggily sat up, remembering that today was the day I would marry Emilia, the beta's daughter, in an arranged union. While I didn't love her, she was the closest to me among all the female pack members, and I respected her strength and potential as a future Luna.

As I got out of bed to take a bath, I noticed my brother had left my suit on the bed. It was evening already, and I had slept since morning. As the alpha of our pack, I had a pressing matter to attend to - dealing with the rogue wolves I had spotted earlier. To outsiders, it might seem absurd to prioritize this on my wedding day, but my pack mates understood the importance of our safety and security. At least, I hoped they did.

“Please the guests are arriving, Emilia is there, we are running late!” My cousin shouted as he dragged me out of the shower.

"Come down Kilo, don't be shy!" I teased, sporting a playful smirk. Kilo's face turned beet red as he playfully hit my shoulder. It was no secret that he had a crush on Emilia's cousin, and I loved watching him squirm.

"Come on, Kilo, try to talk to her!" I encouraged, chuckling at his nervousness. He shook his head vigorously, and I laughed at his antics as I quickly put on my shoes.

Just then, my uncle burst into the room, looking frazzled. "Nate, what's taking you so long? The priest is here!" I replied, "I'm done," as we rushed to the garden, where the wedding was being held.

The decorations were stunning, and I would have been flattered if I had any romantic feelings for Emilia. I smirked to myself as I made my way to the altar.

My aunt shot me a disapproving look. "Way to go, alpha," she said, her tone laced with annoyance. I apologized, "Sorry for being late," and she simply waved me off.

As I stood at the altar, Emilia made a grand entrance, and the soft music filled the air. She looked lovely, and I gave her a charming smile as her father handed her over to me.

We both smiled at each other as we turned to the officiating priest. “We are gathered here today to witness the beautiful mating of our Alpha and his Luna”. The priest announced as the audience cheered on.

More ritual rites were performed under the witness of the moon goddess. “Anything I say you respond with yes I do,” the priest told us both.

"Do you, Emilia Danvers, take Nathaniel Hawthorne as your lawful wedded husband, in sickness, in health, for poorer, for richer?" the priest asked Emilia, who glanced at me with a beautiful smile. "I do," she replied.

"Do you, Nathaniel Hawthorne, take Emilia as your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness, in health, for richer, for poorer?" the priest asked me. Just then, the door burst open, and a feminine scent of flowers and peaches hit my nose, making my wolf restless.

My eyes shone bright as our wolves screamed in unison, "mate." My eyes widened in realization as my breathing quickened.

A mate on my wedding day? I couldn't believe it. "Alpha Nathaniel, we are waiting on you," the priest said, looking at me with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. Emilia glanced at me, equally perplexed.

The scent of my mate grew stronger as she approached, and I couldn't help but shake my head as I turned away. "What the hell are you doing?" my uncle thundered in his alpha tone, making me feel a surge of fear. My heart went numb, and I pushed him out of my way as I ran out of the garden.

I transformed into my wolf form, ripping my suit to shreds. My black wolf with brown stripes was massive, and my alpha wolf towered over the others. I ran into the forest, my legs pumping furiously until they gave out, and I collapsed to the ground.

I ran into the forest, fleeing from the pack house and the memories that haunted me. My mother's voice rang in my head like a warning bell, its icy tone seeping into my very bones. I kept running, faster and faster, until my legs gave out and I collapsed to the forest floor.

"You're weak, pathetic," her voice echoed, its sharp edges carving into my soul like a knife. "You'll never amount to anything.”

"Weakness means death, Nate!" My mother's voice rang out like a shrill siren, the malicious symphony of her sadism deafening to my child's ears. Blood seeped through my clothes, staining them red as her fists hammered against my fragile body. My pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears.

I watched in terror as she dragged Naomi towards her, Naomi's wails echoing through the air like cries for help. "Mommy, no!" I begged, my young heart racing. But my words did nothing to stop the cycle of violence.

I grasped the broken chair and hit my mother on her head, she screamed in pain and dropped Naomi, we ran away. I cuddled her in my arms, I ran till I collapsed in tiredness.

I shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs, reminding myself that she - my mother - was dead. The pain and fear still lingered, and I felt like I was drowning in my past. I lay down on the ground, my body and mind exhausted.

As I caught my breath, I thought about the mate who had just appeared in my life. I didn't want a mate, I didn't need one. I would reject her as soon as I returned to the pack. The thought gave me a sense of resolve, but my wolf whispered otherwise, reminding me of the primal connection we shared with our mate.

Katherine's POV

My eyes widened in confusion and shock as the Alpha, my mate, suddenly ran out of the garden, leaving me stunned and bewildered. I couldn't believe that my sister's husband-to-be was my mate! The irony was almost laughable, but the situation was far from humorous.

Just then, my mother stormed towards me, her face red with anger. "How dare you!" she screamed, slapping me hard across the face. The sting was intense, and I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

"Please, Mom, stop! You're causing a scene!" Emilia rushed towards us, her eyes brimming with unshed tears and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She tried to intervene, but our mother's anger was unrelenting.

"I'm so sorry, everyone. The wedding is off. You can all go home now," Mr. Tristian, Nathaniel's father, announced, his voice laced with disappointment and embarrassment. He instructed the servants to distribute the gifts among the guests, a gesture of goodwill to ease the awkwardness.

I wanted to sink into the ground as the pack members glared at me with disgust and disapproval. Emilia sat with our mother, trying to compose herself, while our father attempted to reason with her. "I'm fine, just embarrassed on my wedding day," she said with a nervous laugh, biting her finger. Her smile was unconvincing, and I knew no one believed her.

Mr. Tristian turned to me, his eyes blazing with an emotion I couldn't quite decipher. "What's your name?" he asked gruffly.

"I... I'm Katherine," I stammered, my voice trembling with nervousness.

Mr. Tristian's expression turned stern. "Can you explain what the hell just happened?" he demanded, struggling to maintain his composure.

I opened my mouth to speak, but my words came out in a jumbled mess. "I just... I didn't... I know..." I stammered, trembling in his presence.

Mr. Tristian's face turned red with anger, and he raised his hand as if to strike me. Emilia rushed to my side, her voice calm and soothing. "Please, Uncle, be calm. They are mates. The Moon Goddess has recognized their pairing." Her words seemed to have a calming effect on Mr. Tristian, and he slowly lowered his hand, his expression still stern but slightly less menacing..

Just then we saw the Alpha walk in, he looked so exhausted and wore out, our eyes connected. I could feel the empty in his soul, he looked void and no emotion showed on his face.

As Nathaniel walked towards me, my heartbeat grew louder, and his scent enveloped me, causing my wolf to purr in satisfaction. He released pheromones that stirred my wolf, making her more restless. I could feel his eyes roam my body, and I knew it was the mate bond taking hold.

"I, Nathaniel Hawthorne, rej..." he started to say, but a voice shouted "Stop!" before he could finish.