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Chapter Two

Delaine

After Freya gave us our instructions to be at Alpha’s house an hour early so we could set up for an inspection. Instead of going home to tackle my hair, I went to the river.

I stripped out of my dress and stepped out of it. I left it on the edge of the river bank and dove in. The river was shallow where it met my home. I liked to swim further down to where it got deeper.

This was the only thing I could do to clear my head. I couldn’t swim far or wide but this was enough. I came to my favourite spot on a large rock. I climbed on top of it and tucked my body against the bushes.

The rock was on a low land below a hill. The betas like to train up there. Sometimes I caught them training and watched them spar. Prince Blaise joined today. He should have been getting ready for his coronation.

Instead, he was shirtless dodging blows from his betas. Blaise was a specimen. He was over six feet tall like his Father. He had honey-brown eyes like his Mother. I caught glimpses of him several times in the pack. He had a beautiful smile it was only fitting he had a gorgeous mate like Emilia.

“Blaise, you’ve got to go, man,” a guy told him.

“Fine. Can’t wait to get this over this,” Blaise said.

“Hey, you’ve got a nice piece waiting for you after.”

The guys laughed.

“Yeah,” Blaise said, “Emilia’s hot. Couldn’t have made a better choice.”

I watched him leave. They hadn’t announced his engagement to Emilia I assumed they would use tonight as an opportunity to announce it. Which meant the party would last longer than expected.

I raced back home. Grandma was asleep on the couch. The sun was already dwindling in the orange sky. I was dressed in a black uniform dress. It was the most beautiful dress I had even though it was a uniform.

It hugged my curves and slender frame like a second skin. I smiled at myself in the mirror. A little red lipstick and mascara I felt good to go.

“You’re a vision, Delanie,” Grandma said from my doorway.

I turned and smiled. “Thanks.”

“You know they’re only hard on you because they’re envious of your beauty.”

I sighed. I don’t think that but I smiled in return.

“I’ll be back as soon as it’s over.”

Grandma waved me off. “Take your time, dance and flirt with those nice boys I talked about.”

I giggled. “I’ll try.”

I thought Grandma worried about me being alone if anything happened to her. She thought I needed someone to shield me because I had no rights in this pack. I didn’t need anyone to fight for me. I needed to fight for myself and find my freedom.


“There you are, Delanie. The guests have already started to arrive,” Freya said.

“I’m sorry I—“

“No time for that. Take this tray and pass the alcohol around.”

Madam Freya pulled her hair into a tight bun. She wore a purple velvet dress with sleeves and a short slit. She shooed me away.

The Alpha’s house was a palace. They had a pool on the east side of the property and a massive garden on the west side. The backyard was a massive field that stretched outwards and connected with the pack forest. I’d been here a few times for special occasions.

The party moved outside to the backyard because the living room wasn’t large enough anymore. All the servers went around making sure no one had an empty hand. I came to a group with empty glasses. I only realized Emilia was among the group when I arrived. She eyed me up and down like she did this morning but she frowned this time.

“Wine?” I asked.

Emilia was the first to snatch a drink.

“You can go,” she said with a smile.

I nodded and turned,

“Wait.”

I turned and met Alpha Prince Blaise. I sucked in a breath. He reached out for a wine glass and stopped. I’d never been this close to him before. He was taller and larger than I imagined. My heart beat faster and my insides tingled.

He tilted his head to the right and grinned.

“You’re from my pack?” he asked.

I nodded gingerly and swallowed.

“Blaise? Let’s go, we have to greet the guests,” Emilia said.

“We do? Yeah, we do. Thank you… your name?”

“Delanie, my name is Delanie.”

He smiled. “I’ll see you soon, Delanie.”

Blaise and his group moved away. I was flustered. Geez, Delanie he’s just a man. A gorgeous man with sun-kissed skin and he spoke to me without malice or disgust.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” I muttered.

But butterflies floated in my stomach, and moisture formed between my legs. I couldn’t believe this all formed from a simple interaction.

Freya worked us extra hard when our Alpha and Luna arrived. Blaise would be declared the official Alpha Heir after dinner was served. The field had round tables spread out on it. Alpha Tristan and Luna Hazel had one son and a sixteen-year-old daughter.

Blaise joined his parents and sister as they addressed and welcomed the foreign wolves. Everyone grabbed a glass of wine even me and made a toast to a successful evening. The wine was sweet and bitter at the same time.

I set the wine glass down on the table and searched for a place to sit and hide until Freya found me and flipped her lid. I’d been on my feet for hours. I wandered into the forest I stopped when the music grew faint. I slid down a tree and exhaled deeply.

“Can’t wait to go home,” I groaned. Thank goodness I didn’t wear heels.

“Mate,” came a voice.

I shot up quickly. I gripped the oak tree for support.

What did he call me?

Blaise walked up to me. His red suit was designed to dress his sculpted body. In an instant, he was a whisper away from me.

He chuckled. “Are you hiding?”

I blinked a couple of times and stammered. “Wha-what?”

“Are you hiding out mate?” He reached out and brushed a curl out of my face.

“I’m not hiding. Why did you call me that?” I asked gently.

I met his brown eyes. Why would he play a joke like this one on me? Make the slave think she could have a magical night and bring her back to gruelling reality? The idea of this being a cruel prank boiled my blood but Blaise cupped my cheeks and dragged me from the tree.

He pressed our foreheads together. “Because you are. The goddess gave me a fated mate. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Are you sure you’ve been in my pack this entire time?”

He leaned in to kiss me. I melted into him. I’d been kissed before but the sensual kiss from my mate was felt in every inch of my body. He was serious about this.

“Yes, I’ve lived here my entire life.”

Blaise, the Alpha prince, stroked my face and caressed my bottom lip.

“You’re the most beautiful she-wolf I’ve ever seen. I’ll be the envy of all the packs.”

I swallowed. Just one problem, I’m not a she-wolf. That’s why I doubted it earlier. I’ve been told all my life that humans can’t have mate bonds with wolves yet here Blaise was thrilled to have me.

“What’s wrong? Can’t you feel how beautiful our bond is?”

“I… it feels beautiful but—”

“Then what’s wrong mate? Are you worried about Emilia? There’s nothing she can do about a fated mate bond. You’re my destiny.”

Tears stung my eyes he spoke so beautifully that for a second I thought my life would change. I might not lose my home, I’ll actually have rights in this pack. It felt like a cruel hallucination but my days as a slave were over.

“Let’s get out of here. Where do you live?” Blaise asked.

“By the river with my Grandmother.”

Blaise paused. He wrinkled his nose before fully turning to me. In an instant, he had my face in his hands.

“What’s wrong?” I cried.

His eyes flashed with his silver wolf. “You’re not a wolf, are you?”

“Uh—”

“You’re the slave who takes care of the old witch.”

“Don’t call her that!”

Blaise shoved me against a tree.

“Curse the moon goddess for giving me a slave for a mate. This is a fucking joke!”

My blood boiled. I dug my nails into the tree and controlled my breathing. He’s such a jackass.

“There’s no way I’d mate a human. You don’t have a wolf.” He laughed suddenly. “That’s why you didn’t react when I saw you inside. You can’t feel how good this feels.”

“It isn’t my fault,” I snapped.

“It may not be but it’s a mistake. I can’t mate you.”

“Fine! I wouldn’t want you as a mate anyway.” I yelled even though my heart was breaking.

The fairy tale was crushed to dust.

Blaise glared at me. He closed the distance and grabbed my jaw. He pinned me against the tree with his body.

“Don’t forget who you’re talking to slave. I can make your life a nightmare or I can end it. I have that much power.”

I let out a shaky breath. “If it’s so beautiful then why it is a mistake?”

He frowned. “I’m an Alpha you’re a slave. In what world does this work? But…”

“You can’t leave me like this either.”

“What?” I asked, struggling against his hold.

He grabbed my hand off the tree and placed it on the front of his pants. He pressed my palm against his solid cock. Moisture dampened my underwear I’d have to change after this.

“I’ve been like this since I saw you. You’re going to fix this and then I’ll reject you.”

“You’re insane!” I shoved him hard and he stepped back.

I slipped through the small gap he created.

“Your job is to obey orders!” Blaise barked.

“That doesn’t mean I’ll spread my legs for you. Reject me and leave me alone.”

Blaise grabbed my arms. “No one says no to me.”

“You won’t ever touch me,” I spat. “Reject me!”

He shoved me against the tree. I winced as my skin made contact with the spikey wood.

“That’s where you’re wrong.”

Blaise crushed his lips against mine. I cried but his mouth muffled any sound. He bit down on my lip and drew blood.

“No one says no to me, ever!”

He grabbed the neckline of my dress and ripped it open. Cold wind passed through my exposed chest.

“Stop!”

His body covered me again, determined to take what he wanted. Before I lost the battle entirely. I raised my knee and slammed it into his inner thigh. Blaise buckled forward. I pushed with all my might and he fell like timber.

“I’ll kill you,” Blaise groaned, clutching his thigh.

I’d made a mistake but I wouldn’t let him take advantage of me.

“You’re an arrogant prick.”

I kicked his knee. Blaise bellowed. Before he got up and grabbed me again. I picked up my dress and ran.

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