Chapter 3

Willow’s POV

Dwane stumbled towards me too; I could see the struggle in his eyes, his painfully clenched jaw, fisted fists. Trying so hard to control the push of the newly formed mating bond.

Beside him, Denise shot lasers at me through her eyes before disappearing into the crowd.

This was not what I wanted. Dwane, who had seen me countless times get beaten and abused and never spoke or even looked at me with pity. But how can I question the goddess?

If she chose him for me, then he is meant for me. Who am I to question the goddess’s choice?

We kept walking towards each other till we were inches apart, our breaths in perfect synch, eyes locked on each other like the rest of the world didn't matter.

All I wanted in that moment was to bare my neck and let him mark me and claim me. As he should, my mate. Mine. 

I wasn't the only one affected; I saw his pupils darken as he watched my lips; for a moment I felt he wanted to kiss me. His eyes filled with urge and lust.

My father stepped forward, and I managed to break away my gaze from Dwane. I hadn't noticed before that the two packs had been staying close to each other. When I looked at his face, I noticed he was smiling… at me.

A proud look on his face, like I had finally done something worthwhile. The alliance he has been seeking has been dropped on his feet.

A man was suddenly behind Dwane, glaring dangerously at me; the uncanny resemblance was enough to tell he was his father. The former alpha of the Mystic pack. Bastian Ross.

My father smiled happily at him.

“Alpha Bastian, an alliance between our packs is fate; what we couldn't achieve, the goddess has decided for us.”

“Yes indeed, fate,” he replied, his eyes cold and calculated.

Looking towards me, father smiled warmly.

“You have done well, Willow.”

Hope bloomed inside me; for the first time, I am getting recognized by my father. My dream since I was a child, for him to look at me like a father. It felt good to be praised.

He took mine, and Dwane’s hands joined together.

“Just like the goddess, I give my blessings to this union. Congratulations to both of you.” 

I smiled shyly and looked at Dwane, but his eyes kept darting between his father and our hands, a strong expression on his face. That was my first hint that something was wrong.

Just then he yanked his hand away and stepped back. His eyes locked on my father.

“You dare insult my pack by blessing a union between this abomination and an Alpha.”

His eyes returned to mine. Want and  Lust now replaced with disgust.

“Did you really think I was going to accept filth like you as my mate? 

My heart bled at his words, my hope dashing into a million pieces, before I could protest, he continued.

“I Dwane Ross, reject you as my mate.”

He shoved me from him hard as an onslaughter of pain shook me to my core. My legs felt too wobbly to hold my weight, and I crunched low to the ground, trying hard not to scream out in pain. It felt like my heart was being torn out of my chest. I was frozen in a spot as my insides burned and gnawed at me. He stood there with a smile, watching me as I struggled for breath, unmoving, uncaring.

I couldn't help the tears that fell freely. Once again, I am reminded that I'm unacceptable.

The one wolf fated to love me sees me as filth; how could I blame the rest of the world?

“No!” I heard my father yell.

“Make him accept her. Who rejects a true bond?” he yelled at Bastian.

Bastian was face to face with my father in a blink of an eye.

“We don't want her; an abomination like that does not belong in my pack, and you do not tell me what to do.”

Movements around me made me look up. Members of the Mystic Park formed up behind our pack. Some in human form, some in wolf form. I suddenly recognized the brown-eyed male who pushed me when I got to the festival, standing behind Bastian and staring murderously at me. I hadn't known they were from the same pack.

The tension was shifting all around and becoming more dangerous. Visiting packs were beginning to leave the festival grounds as trouble was blooming in the air. Wolves from my pack responded, lining side by side facing the Mystic pack wolves that were behind them. Charles took his place beside my father as his beta.

As the two Alpha’s started yelling, angry growls resonated through the air from both packs. The remaining onlookers began shuffling back and running off, not wanting to be caught up in the power fight between the two packs.

“Your pack is weak." Bastian thundered

“You have no heir, few alliances. What could my pack possibly gain by getting entangled with yours?”

“How dare you?” My father retorted.

It happened in an instant. Bastian quickly turned into a giant gray wolf; without even giving my father an opportunity to shift, he leaped forward and, with a snarl, ripped my father’s throat out with his fangs. Blood sprayed everywhere, I sat paralyzed on the floor as he tore at him until it was just pieces of his flesh everywhere.

I let out the scream I have been holding in for far too long; my body shook violently in despair.

At the same time, both packs shifted and began tearing at each other. I watched helplessly as Beta Charles was mauled, trashed on, and pieces of him flying around just like my father.

I tried to move but kept falling; the world around me was in chaos. Pieces of flesh everywhere. I couldn't understand how things had turned so fast—how I started from getting a mate to becoming an orphan.

I searched around for Denise, but there was no sign of her. I could at least try to protect her. My only friend, I couldn't let anything happen to her; it was bad enough that I stole her mate. There is no way I could forgive myself if anything bad happened to her.

Even in the midst of chaos, it was easy to see that Mystic Pack were stronger and were tearing up my pack with ease. There shouldn't have been this much difference in strength. It's almost as though they had trained and prepared for this. I hated my pack, but not so much as to see everybody dead.

A heavy blow landed on my back, sending me back on the ground in pain.

I looked up to see Dwane standing over me with that disgusting smile on his face.

He crunched low till he was face-to-face with me.

Then he said it

“Did you know that all this was for you, dear sweet mate?”

A sick feeling crept up the back of my throat.

“What… what do you mean by that?” I replied, my voice barely a whisper. 

He reached out with his bloody hand, and I flinched at the contact. I couldn't believe that for a moment I had wanted a monster like him as a mate.

He spoke, his voice almost gentle.

“I wanted to set you free; your pack didn't deserve you; none of them did. They were holding you back, chaining you to a life you didn't deserve.”

My mind raced trying to comprehend his words.

“Is… this your idea of free? rejecting me and killing every member of my pack?

Where am I supposed to go?”

He sighed, as if dealing with a petulant child.

“But of course, I have given you a new purpose. A chance to start over without the burdens of your past as my own personal slave. I wanted to be the one to introduce you to a life of pain. To show just how great you can be after I break you, little by little till you become whole.”

I felt cold waves of horror wash over me as his words sank in. His eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction. 

And I did the only thing I could think of in that instant.

“I accept your rejection.”

As his pain gripped him.

I ran.