Chapter 3 : what is with this pain

Marietta Halls, as the alpha I. Silas William Laufey the III reject you as my chosen mate.”

Marietta watched with wide eyes, she sank to her knees, her hand around her chest as

Silasʼ words repeated in her mind. She let out a blood, curling scream of agony. Blood

dripped from her mouth, ears and eyes as the consequences of the mate bond being

severed hit her.

She fell forward into a pool of blood her eyes stared at Silas and Lolla who were laughing

at her, her body went cold and slowly her eyelids closed.

*

Dream end

*

Marietta jumped from her bed with a scream. Beads of sweat dripped from her forehead

making her hair stick to it and the nape of her neck.

“it was all a dream.” She glanced at the clock on the bedside, it was 1 am in the morning.

Sighing knowing that she was never going to return to sleep, Marietta got out of bed

and got herself ready.

Ever since she awakened her wolf two weeks ago, she had constantly had the same

nightmare. Silasʼ breaking their mate bond and subjecting her to pain. Each day, the

dream got further and further as when she first started having the nightmare it was only

up to the part where she sank to her knees.

Coming from the bathroom with her sweat shirt, cargo shorts and blue sandals.

Marietta left her house.

She stood on the varanda and looked at the moon reflecting in the river just a few

meters away from her. A sigh of content escaped her lips, she was grateful to Reed

because he gave her, her own house outside of the pack grounds when she turned 18.

Want to go on a run? Stretch out legs a bit. Monica suggested intruding on Marietta's

silence.

Marietta nodded, over the course of two weeks, she had gotten closer to Monica and

their midnight runs around the forest hunting bunnies and small critters became a

hobby for them.

She stretched and loosened her clothing, her eyes bled crimson as her joints distorted

till she was on all fours. Fur grew from the pores of her skin and she became Monica

The two tear drops underneath her eyes gleamed under the moonlight as she dashed

forward.

She ran across the lake, her paws light as a feather leaving ripples on the surface of the

lake. Marietta howled, the pitch of her howl exponentially higher than normal

expressing her excitement.

She always found running and being in tune with nature relaxing, her paws against the

dirt, the wind in her fur showed her that life was worth every breath. She was a free

shewoldf when she ran, she was not tied by any law. The outdoors allowed her to attain

solace and peace.

Marietta came to a clearing and a snap of a twig behind her caught her attention. She

stopped running and looked behind her, with her peripheral vision acuity, she could see

through the dark fine but she couldn't see what had snapped the twig only a shadowy

blur.

“Whose there?” She asked moving in circles looking around her.

Two golden eyes appeared through the treeline, and the silhouette of a wolf a bit bigger

than Marietta became visible..

The wolf walked forward into the light, his fiery red mane wild like a forest fire, his

golden eyes dimmed in brightness.

Marietta turned around to the sound of breathing behind her. She gasped seeing

another wolf in front of her.

“Who are you?”

The red wolf slowly closed the distance between him and Marietta, he circled around

her sniffing her randomly then moved back a bit.

Marietta was startled by the wolf, it didn't seem like it could talk. Perhaps it was one of

the normal wolves, not those cursed with Lycanthrope like her. But she never saw a red

wolf before, she had seen brown, black and white wolves. The eye color too stood out,

normally a shifter's eye color comes from their inner wolf and there was no record of

wolf with golden eyes.

“I found you,” The red wolf said and turned around, it disappeared into the forest.

Marietta followed after it, there was another shifter in the woods. She had to find out where they came from and what he meant about found her.

Found her for what?

What had she done that she was being searched for?

Marietta had many questions and no answers, she twisted and dodged around the trees.

The shifter she was after was agile on his feet, distancing himself from Marietta swiftly.

Stop chasing him, he will come back. Monica said.

Marietta nodded and stopped, she got on her hind legs and the transformation receded

into her body. .

“Who do you think that wolf was?” She asked Monica as she made her way back home.

I don't know, his scent was different from any of the shifters we know.

“That's troubling, should I inform the Alpha? Afterall the wounds from the war 20 years

ago are still fresh.”

I'd advise not to. Keep it to yourself, he didn't seem hostile but he was after you it seems

and beside let's not worry Reed. He's stepping down as Alpha today remember?

“Right, I almost forgot.”.

By the time Marietta got home, the sun was already out. She went inside, took her

backpack and wore her hat then went out..

Marietta walked down the dirt path on the opposite side of the highway as she made her

way to the college. She hummed to herself a tune and would occasionally kick stones

away from her.

She stopped and turned to look behind her as she heard tyres grinding against the dirt

path. She squinted her eyes just as a blue Chevrolet stopped beside her and the window

rolled down.

“For a friend, you sure are closed off.” The girl with short pink hair behind the driver

seat said looking up at Marietta.

Marietta rolled her eyes and opened the door. “You know I've been busy Sylvie.” She got in the car and closed the door.

Sylvie hit the throttle and the car blazed down the road. 

Too busy for me? I'm hurt Marie, I'm hurt.”

Marietta rolled her eyes again, Sylvie was being dramatic again.

“I'm sorry Mistress Sylvie the manipulator, would you forgive this pitiful soul?”

Slyvie laughed as she nudged Marietta with one hand, the other holding onto the

steering wheel keeping the car on the road. “Enough with the satire.”

“Fine fine. You got me.”

“Congratulations by the way, even though you were a rather late bloomer, you awakened

must be nice isn't it.”

Marietta glanced out of the window. “Yeah it kinda is nice,”

“Kinda?” Slyvie asked with a raised eyebrow. “What do you mean kinda I thought this

was what you wanted. To awaken your wolf and be gone from the pack.”

“That was what I thought I wanted as well but things happened.”

“I wasn't there to attend the ceremony, mind sharing?”

“Your dad didn't tell you?”

Slyvie shook her head. “Nope, he said I should ask you directly.”

“I see. Well you see, after Monica awakened, I got into a bit of a scene.”

“Scene?”

“Yeah… Silas kissed me and from what Monica tells me, he is my mate.”

Slyvie slammed on the brakes causing the car to abruptly stop. She turned to look at

Marietta. “You are joking right?”

“Nope I am not.”

“You mean the hottest guy in school and the next Alpha is your mate? How did his self-proclaimed girlfriend take it?"

Marietta shrugged her shoulders, she didn't pay attention to Lolla. It all happened too

fast for her to look at everyone. “I don't know, but I think she must be angry at me.”

“That's to be expected.”

“Also… he kinda…”

Slyvie let go of the brakes and the car moved again. She threw a glance at the stuttering

girl. “He kinda what?”

“He kinda took my first kiss.” Marietta blurted out and clasped her mouth with her

hands, a crimson hue covered her face and she looked away in embarrassment.

Slyvie stared at Marietta with wide eyes. “You kissed him? Or did he kiss you?”

“He kissed me, not the other way around.”

“you never cease to amaze me Marie truly.”

The two friends chatted until the car made it to the college packing lot. They both got

out and Slyvie locked the car before heading inside with Marietta.

“So are you coming to the coronation tonight?” Slyvie asked as she stopped in front of

her locker.

Marietta opened hers and a neatly folded paper fell out. She bent down to pick it up. She

got up and looked at Slyvie. “Do you know who could…” She stopped speaking and

turned around.

Silas was behind them, his charcoal eyes glowing. He growled and closed the gap

between him and Marietta, his hand touched the locker behind Marietta closing every

possible escape route with his body.

“Why are you avoiding me?” Silas asked, his voice deep like that of Silver.

Marietta blushed at the proximity, she looked at Sylvie with pleading eyes, pleading to

her friend to save her from her predicament. Sylvie shook her head and excused herself

silently.

Marietta looked at Silas, the feeling from two weeks ago returning making her weak. She held her breath as her back hit the wall.

"I wasn't avoiding you".

Then what were you doing?” Silas questioned, his eyes glared at Marietta and the glow

in them intensified. He stepped forward yet again closing the distance between them.

“I was busy,” Marietta placed her hands on Silasʼ chest trying to distance herself from

him.

“Busy? You telling me, you were so busy that you didn't take the time to visit your

Mate!!?” Silas emphasized on the mate part.

Every student stopped upon hearing that, they turned around and crowded Marietta

and Silas.

Marietta blushed deeper as she saw the crowd, she wanted to shrink into her clothes.

She was screaming inside for the earth to open up and swallow her to save her from the

embarrassment.

Silas on the other hand was relishing in the publicity, he had intentionally put emphasis

on mate knowing it would catch the others attention. He looked at the crowd from the

corners of his eyes and he leaned down. His lips once more met Marietta's sealing them

in a kiss.

Marietta felt her legs become jelly like, her hands tightened around his shirt as she

unintentionally pulled him closer into the kiss.

“Silas?” A voice said as it snapped the two out of their moment.

Lolla's eyes were wide as saucers and had tears glistening in them threatening to spill.

Her voice snapped Silas out of Silver's control, he pushed away Marietta and rushed to

Lolla's side. “Are you okay?”

Lolla sniffed and buried her face into Silasʼ chest, a smirk married her facial features

Marietta hit the locker. She glanced at Silas and a pang of pain flashed through her

heart. The look he gave her when Lolla interrupted them sent chills down her back.

“That jerk!” Sylvie returned seething, she had her hand tightened into fists ready to hit

Silas for what he had done.

Marietta looked at her friend, tears brimming in her eyes. “Don't, it's not worth it".

“But Marie - -” Sylvie made an attempt to question her but Marietta smiled at her and

left to go to class.

*

* *

The day in school went by quickly, soon it was the afternoon and Marietta and Sylvia e

were preparing to go home when an uninvited someone made her presence known to

them.

“If it isn't the man stealer, you proud of yourself?” Lolla sneered as she glared at

Marietta, her two friends standing behind her.

“Man stealer? Last time I checked, Silas was an eligible bachelor till two weeks ago, now

he has a mate you harlot, are interrupting with fare.” Sylvie spat as she got to Marietta's

defense, her eyebrows knitted together and her lips formed a scowl.

Harlot?

Who was she calling a harlot

Lolla fumed, her eyes turned blue as her wolf side got in possession, she stepped closer

to the two girls her claws extended ready to tear them to shreds. “Who are you calling a

harlot?”

Sylvie watched the woman approach, she placed herself between Marietta and Lolla, her

eyes glowing silver and she grinned exposing her fang. “Try me, I dare you,”

Marietta remained quiet, she watched as Sylvie jump to her defense, that gesture made

her smile a bit; someone was ready to defend her honor but it wasn't necessary, Lolla

was wasting her time. Silas showed he did not want her, even if she had to suffer she

was going to honor his wish.

She placed her hand on Sylvie's shoulder and shook her head. Sylvie nodded and her

transformation receded back into her body.

Marietta looked at Lolla after calming her friend down. “I'm sorry if what you came out

as me stealing your boyfriend, that was not the case it was him who kissed me, I hope

you can forgive me.”

She turned around and entered the car; Sylvie did the same and the blue Chevrolet

pulled out from the packing lot, it drove away leaving a fuming Lolla and her friends.

You know you didn't have to apologize or give reason,” Sylvie broke the silence

lingering between them..

“I know, but if I didn't it would've made the situation worse”

“Enough about that harlot, you were so adorable together. His towering frame pressing

onto your small one, his lips on yours and the way you trembled. The way his eyes

gleamed when he kissed you, sooo adorable!”

Marietta blushed at the detailed recap and squeal from Sylvie. She wanted to forget the

kiss.

Howling laughter intruded into her thoughts as Monica woke up. You got an interesting

friend there..

Marietta facepalmed, she was not going to see the light of day with these two.

Their car journey was filled with Sylvie and Monica teasing the embarrassed Marietta.

The car stopped next to the offshoot road leading into the vast, Marietta got out if the

car. “Thanks for the ride Sylvie,”

“Don't mention it, we are friends and that's what friends do. By the way will you be

attending the coronation? Want me to fetch you?”

“I don't think that's necessary but I will try to attend the ceremony. See you,”

The Chevrolet left and Marietta walked down the narrow path leading to her house

within the pack lands.

She arrived at her home and gasped seeing Alpha Reed sitting on the staircase.

"Alpha Reed?"