Cynthia…

I was packing my luggage hurriedly when my parents arrived from their pack meeting. My father furiously witnessed me pack my luggage out of his house. He rushed boisterously to me and held my neck in a tight grip.

“Where do you think you’re going?” my father, Alpha Benneth, questioned ferociously.

“Get your hands off me you blood-sucking monster!” I yelled, trying to let go of his grip.

My mother stared at me ominously for making such an utterance against my father. I had gone against the alpha rule in my father’s pack: obedience and respect. Perhaps she didn’t realize the trauma they were passing me through.

My father’s expression dwindled as he let go of my neck and gazed at me wonderfully. I was not sorry about what I said; I packed my bag and began leaving unapologetically. My mother, Luna Selena, held me to stop.

“What are you doing?” she asked, as though she might slap me heavily.

“I’m leaving. Isn’t it obvious?” I replied bluntly.

I examined my father’s raging expression and figured that he was going to pick something up to strike me hard. However, he held himself and decided to use his words instead.

“You cannot leave,” he began. “You are already mated to Alpha Eddie. It’s an unbreakable bond,” he persuaded.

“No!” I yelled, rolling my eyes to catch a decent glimpse of the both of them, “No, I cannot be mated to Alpha Eddie. He’s very much older than me and a torturer. Do you want your only daughter to die in the hands of a ruthless Alpha?”

“It’s inevitable, Cynthia,” my mother said indifferently yet placatingly.

I gazed at my mother in expectation. She had been involved in such an evil deed all along.

“No, it’s not,” I said incredulously. “Whatever the both of you did, whatever deal you’ve had with anyone, I’m sorry but the deal’s off,” I said, shaking my head from side to side.

My father’s thoughts were unbearable. He had thoughts of running over me in his wolf form. Seemed like he forgot I was a mind infiltrator.

“It’s a spiritual bond,” my father broke out, rather mildly, “It’s the most powerful bond that can ever exist. If you leave for another mate, you might crash and everything would fall out on your path.”

“I cannot mate an enemy. You are not entitled to pick whoever you want as my mate. I have my wolf senses and it will guide me well. I’m not a baby. I’m a twenty-three-year-old woman,” I yelled with an increasing timbre with each statement I made.

My parents looked at each other in aghast, which made me quite terrified. I wondered what the problem might be because my father, who was enraged with bitterness, suddenly felt genuine pity for me.

“Baby,” my mother addressed, “You don’t understand what’s going on. You have been mated to Alpha Eddie since you were a baby. That cannot be broken.”

Realisation probably dawned on my expression, but my decision was untainted. Even though my parents had chosen a mate for me as a dubious act, my wolf senses were too sensitive to ignore. George was my fated mate and soon-to-be Alpha and nothing would stop that, including Alpha Maple, Eddie’s father.

“I understand what you’re talking about,” I said, a teardrop rolling down my cheek. The betrayal I received from my parents was so much to contain.

“You mated me with Alpha Maple’s son when I was a baby, expecting that he would be my fated mate. Unfortunately, you have failed. I have no interest in Eddie,” I said and carried my luggage to leave.

I sensed my father's rage as I strolled away. He had finalized that he would transform into his wolf form and chase after me. Sensing that, I transformed too and began running. I threw my luggage ahead into the bush, hoping he would not find it.

My heart pounded and tears streamed down my cheek in my wolf form as I fled from the horror of my father. His steps were more resounding, more ominous as he approached me speedily. I continued running without looking back, although my legs hurt painfully and my head ached.

After a few moments, I didn’t hear my father’s heavy footstamps. I sat beside a rock to cool off my pain. Having the thoughts that I had been betrayed by my parents, did nothing but add to my unease. I lay down on my back sentimentally, bearing in mind the thoughts of being let down by my parents.

Fortunately, George, my fated mate, sensed me and began approaching. He could recognize me perfectly in my wolf form. He was not putting on a shirt, which exposed his well-lined chest and rigid abdomen. I was already watering for him in my wolf form.

“What happened to you, Cynthia?” my mate asked curiously.

I could not give him a reply but he sensed that I was not alright. I licked his chest and his rigid abdomen. I wanted to do it all day because I had never had something this good, tasty and affectionate.

He patted my back and stroked my hair while I tasted heaven. But our peace was disrupted. Wolves started running in our direction, determined. I feared that they might have been sent by my father, or worse, Alpha Maple.

I saw the tremble of George’s expression when he sensed my feelings. He got me up and directed me to an underground cave he owned. I quickly ran along with him as he opened it in a hurry, while I hopped in.

I peeped through a tiny opening as the wolves approached George. One of them, probably the leader of the pack, transformed into his human form. It was Alpha Maple. I nearly went unconscious noticing him.

“We’re looking for someone. Her name is Cynthia Dash,” Alpha Maple said to George.

“She might not be here, my lord,” George said shakily.

“My wolves sense her strongly around here. Please, may we search the tunnel?” Alpha Maple requested deviously.

“It’s a sacred place. My family history is buried within and is unsafe as magical spells are cast there,” George said.

I felt a little relieved by George’s words but Alpha Maple still struck harder.

“You’re a sweet and innocent lad. I enjoy that,” he began, his voice sounding more resonant by every statement he made.

“What if I put forward a deal with you?” Alpha Maple asked George.

“I’m not letting you into the tunnel,” George said.

“You might let me in when I’m done,” he said, clicking his tongue, “I understand you share a luna bond with her, but can I reveal a little secret about her?”

George’s expression was dawned with approval. I feared he would believe Maple.

“Your mate is also mated to my son. How does that feel hearing such awful thing about her?” Maple said, holding up a smirk.

“I don’t believe you,” George said nervously.

Maple made a lingering look at George and tucked his hands into his pockets. He brought out a crystal orb. I did not understand where he was going with that.

“Son, Eddie, rise,” he ordered.

Another wolf transformed into his human form and it was Eddie, which created an air of intensity around me. My paws sweated profusely and my heart thumped speedily in fear.

“We shall hear a scream when my son touches the orb if he’s mated to her. But we shan’t if he isn’t,” Maple said, making deliberate emphasis on the ‘shall’ and ‘shan’t’.

A loud shriek escaped my throat. I didn’t know how it happened but it did. Perhaps Eddie had touched the orb and proven Maple true. An immediate sense of betrayal and disapproval dawned on George’s face. He was ready to give me away to them.

The light that travelled into the underground cave was so much. I tried to flee but it was too late. Maple and the other wolves grabbed me tightly, pulling me out of the cave from behind. I barked and howled as I couldn’t talk in human words.

I was held down by the other wolves while Maple had a final conversation with George.

“You’ve done so well, mate. I would not deprive you of your right. You can have her anytime you wish,” Maple said convincingly to George.

George nodded in agreement and threw at me a wicked smile.

“It’s a beautiful deal, isn’t it?” Eddie said with an alluring gaze at me.

“Very beautiful one,” George responded.

I could not believe that I had been betrayed for a second time in a day. I was navigated to Maple’s house to live in hell.

A new wicked chapter of my life had just begun.