Saira~2

Idris Raed watched me from the bed as I stood before the mirror and brushed my hair. Then braided the sides and coiled it in a swooping ponytail. The ember strands naturally swayed to my butt, showcasing their lustrous shine and thick volume.

Withdrawing a white-blue skirt that swept the floor and a long-sleeved blouse from my suitcase, I changed in the bathroom, and applied a cherry lip gloss and smoky eyeliner before checking myself out in the mirror.

I always knew. The heated gazes of the males in the Evergreen Pack said it too. But at this moment, probably because I put in the effort and had the intent to seduce, I looked better than I've ever looked before. 

Hot wasn't even the word. Breathtakingly stunning, but with a hint of innocent charm just about described it. I was glowing, oozing with confidence and grace that would put the most beautiful she-wolf to shame.

Exactly as I wanted. At this moment, I was out to win my mate, and any female with a brain should know to step out of my way.

Sauntering out of the bathroom, I heard an intake of breath as the bastard I hate rose from the bed with a dazed expression.

"Saira, you look...stunning." He audibly swallowed, his gaze shifting up and down as he checked me out.

I smirked and crossed the room. "Yeah, well. It's not for you." His face stiffened, a low growl rumbling from his throat as he glared at me. I didn't give a whit. Picking out a pair of boots, I finished my get-up with a white shawl and headed out the room.

The Lycan Clan were a little different from werewolves in terms of their ranking system. Unlike a pack where the Alpha held the highest authority of power, they had two decision-making leaders, namely the Commander and the Lycan Leader. 

The Commander, as the name suggested, was the leader of the military force. He trained the Lycans and led them to battle, and handled the security of the Clan. His force were the young and strong warriors. As for the Lycan Leader, he made the decisions concerning the Clan affairs. Inclusive in his range of duties were the finances, division of labor, and distribution of provisions for the regular clan members, among other miscellaneous affairs. His force...were the hateful elders responsible for my current situation.

As Lycan Heir in line to succeed his father's authority, Idris Raed lived in the mansion closest to the Lycan Leader's residence. Even then, it still proved to be a lengthy walk to the mansion of Commander Einas, which was on the other side of the Lycan Leader's residence. 

The chilly wind ruffled my hair. Fortunately, it was in a braid, so my hard work wasn't wasted. 

Idris Raed walked beside me, his eyes consciously or unconsciously flickering to me every few seconds as we entered the Commander's mansion.

"Saira, you...watch your actions. Commander Einas has chosen his mate. If you come on too strong, others might spread rumors about you." 

I rolled my eyes. "I don't care about rumors; I care about my mate. You, of all people, should know this by now." 

"I just..." 

He began, but I didn't wait to hear him finish. Leaving him at the door, I walked to an Omega who seemed to be waiting for us. 

"Please, lead the way." I politely commanded. She glanced behind me, an obscure gleam in her eyes as her gaze shifted between Idris Raed and me, before dipping into a bow. I knew what she was thinking.

It's what they had all been thinking since the Bonding Ceremony a week ago. After fainting from the shock of the deception, I didn't step a foot out of the Lycan Heir's Mansion. They wanted to know my thoughts, my feelings and my take on the bonding that was forged without my consent.

But really, what could I possibly feel when the cause of my downfall was my own father? When I thought of the man I called father, I recalled the conversation we had on the phone.

"Dad, the Lycans betrayed me! They forced a Bonding Mate between me and Idris Raed without my consent."

A long silence stretched on the other side of the line, before I heard him sigh.

"Saira, listen to me. This Bonding Mate happened with my consent."

"Fa...Father, this isn't the time for jokes. You can't, you won't do that to me. Not when you know how long I've been waiting for my soulmate." I adamantly stressed, the strain in my voice speaking volumes of my mental state.

"Sweety, listen to me. The Lycan Leader informed me, your mate, Einas Raed, has already chosen a Luna. He wanted to make you, his mistress. But I told him they either give you an honorable position, or respectably send you back home. So, they suggested making you the wife and future Luna of the Lycan Heir, Idris Raed. I couldn't find any fault with this arrangement. After all, you spent the best years of your life waiting for your mate, only for him to suggest you become his mistress. So I...accepted it."

I pulled back the phone, and stared at the screen name to make sure I was still speaking to my Father, before putting it back to my ear.

"Father...you? How can you...do this to me? You know how devotedly I waited for him. But you...you ruined everything!" I choked, deeply hurt at what I perceived as an act of betrayal.

"Sweety, I only wanted the best for you. Being Idris Raed's Luna..."

"I don't want to be the Luna of some random Lycan. I want my destined mate! If I wanted to settle for anything less, I would've done so four years ago!"

"Now you listen to me very clearly, young lady. Mate or not, I won't permit my pride to become the mistress of some jackass. You're Idris Raed's respectable wife, and that's final!"

Since that day, I didn’t call home again. In fact, I should've realized something was off early on, when they kept me locked in that room. They must've been communicating with my father. I should've realized the Lycans wouldn't have taken such a step without the consent of Alpha Malivik. Though the Evergreen Pack was only made up of werewolves, it was by far one of the strongest packs in the Northwest. 

No leader in his right mind, Lycan or not, would dare to offend it without a viable reason.

So, as loathsome as they were, I could only curse the Lycans under my breath, as the fault lay with my own. For any daughter, having a father who fought tooth and nail for her self-respect was a matter of honor. Once, it had been for me as well.

However, all that faded to dust when I learned the father I adored engineered my impending doom. Because while I loved my self-respect, I cared about my future more.

The Omega led us into the dinner hall. Decorated in red and blue, the festive ambiance brought a sour taste to my mouth.

"Lycan Heir, Lady Malivik, please have a seat. The Commander and Lady Mirza will be with you shortly." 

"Hm. You can leave. Bring Lady Malivik something warm to drink." Idris Raed dismissed the Omega, whose eyes interestedly shifted between us again, before dipping into a bow, and obediently backing away from the hall.

"Here..."

He pulled out a chair. I sidestepped him and pulled one for myself, then sat and looked around the hall.

My hands were sweaty, anxiety pushing at my limbs as reality sunk in. I was in my mate's mansion, sitting in his dining hall. The mansion I would've become the Mistress of if things hadn't gone so wrong.

But it was fine. Not everything was lost. As long as I fought for my mate, I had hope everything would fall back into place. I would win him back, and when he accepted me...

"Idris, Lady Malivik, sorry to keep you waiting."

Right as I was brainwashing myself, the sweet and chirpy voice of a female sounded from the side. I turned towards the door, and saw my mate, arm in arm, with a model figure brunette in a strapless green dress. His right hand rested on her waist, his left stuffed in his pocket as he leaned over to whisper in her ear.

Her face reddened in a bashful giggle, and it was like the day of the Bonding Ceremony all over again. It was one thing to hear he liked, loved, and chose another. It was an entirely different matter to see him with his chosen woman.

Faster than I could react, the pain of betrayal hit me in the gut and twisted my insides. I tried to keep my face void of emotions, counting backwards in my head to stay calm and not lose control. I wasn't sure what my wolf was capable of. But if my human form was anything to go by, I didn't want her on the loose. 

"Saira, you look amazing!" The she-lycan enviously sighed as she sat across from me. Einas Raed claimed the seat beside her, and glanced my way, causing me to forget my pain and hold my breath in anticipation. 

But almost too soon, my heart shattered again.

"All sluts look the part. How else could they succeed in their seduction?" He sneered and placed a hand behind his chosen mate's chair. "A respectable woman wouldn't parade herself around looking like a whore. In my eyes, you're the most beautiful."

I stiffened. A slut. He called me a whore. Of all the things I expected to hear from his mouth, those two words never crossed my mind. So, in his eyes, I was only a whore.

A lump formed in my throat as my eyes burned. I bit the inside of my cheek to distract myself from the ache in my chest. I couldn't cry. Not before her. And not before the mate who didn't think twice before insulting me. I wasn't that weak.

A hand stretched from the side, placing a glass of water in front of me. I frowned and turned my head, wondering what the hell Idris Raed was up to now. I didn't need water. He placed me in this awkward situation by accepting the suggestion of his elders.

Flashing me a lazy smile, he rested his elbow on the table and sighed, "Traditionally, mates wait for their soulmates. Now it can't be helped that times have changed, and in the name of love, some of us forgot that the real sluts are those who spread their legs for males who aren't their destined mates."

I gaped. The hall fell in a stifling silence, as the atmosphere turned thick with tension.