Five

Thane's POV

The low rumbling in a throat seemed to scare her and I watched as she staggered back, almost slipping on the puddle behind her.

I could feel the mate bond between us, pulling me towards her like a nail to a magnet. Her scent, despite the heavy rain infiltrated my nostrils and played with my nostrils; It was almost intoxicating.

I've barely gotten a reaction all weak from my wolf, but right now, he was thrashing im the confinement pf my body, urging me to claim her at once.

I had to fight for a few seconds to take full control, lest I was going to have to mark her. Without a doubt I knew who she was. Who didn't know Alpha Liam's beloved wife.

What I didn't know was why she was out here in the rain, looking battered and tired and walking under the rain. I couldn't even think of what could have happened to her had I not come in time to save her from almost being ripped apart.

“Don't be scared, I won't hurt you.” I tried to sound reassuring as I approached her, my large boots causing large ripples in the puddles of water forming quickly under our feet.

She stepped back, and the horror and fear in her eyes told me she would rather freeze in the cold than go with me.

“Look, I know what you are and I know your intentions are not any where as near as good. So if you'll just leave me be, I'd find my way home.”

I snorted. Little kids in Rhinestone pack knew me as the Shadow devil, the blood sucking, skull crushing monster than ruled his pack with an iron fist. The blood thirsty man beast that sat on the skull of his enemies and whipped his people till they bled to death. For an Alpha, I was feared greatly by even some Lycans.

Alpha Liam was one of my many enemies, so he was bound to ensure his woman got the worst perception of me as well.

But something wasn't right. My wolf seemingly wanted her, and so did every inch of my being. Even under the rain and in the cold, the smell of her ignited a burning, raging fire inside of me, pushing me to want to touch her and have her underneath me in seconds.

But how was it so. The moon goddess would never make a mistake. Which meant her husband had rejected her… or possibly driven her out of the pack. Alpha Liam was one person I knew that loved and cherished his wife. Even before they got married, he was always quite fond of her.

And she was a beauty to look upon. As the daughter of the Last Shaman that every existed, it seemed the moon goddess had personally bestowed upon her her beauty

So what was she doing out here. She said she was on her way home, but she looked more lost to me.

Still I thought, she had already turned away from me and was quickly walking away. She couldn't even hide the way her shoulders violently shuddered from the cold of the rain.

“I'm sorry, but it's either this or I leave you out here to die. And believe me, I can go for the latter If I could.” With that, I March up to her and in two moves, I had her scooped up and thrown over my shoulders.

She gasped from the shock of having her feet off the ground, but just as I began speeding away with my inhumane speed, careful not to drop her, she began screaming. Her voice was loud enough to tear through her own vocal cords and her fists rained down on my back, but I ignored her completely.

“Are you even trying?” I smirked tauntily upon feeling her fists land harder on my back as the seconds went by.

“Let me down right now. I order you on the name of my husband…. “

“Do you think I cared who your husband is. If he could leave you out in the wild and Under the rain at this time of the night, then he certainly wouldn't mind visiting me to take you back.”

We finally arrive at my pack and the moment the guards opened the gates for me, their eyes immediately fell on the damsel on my shoulder.

At this moment, Astella had gone completely silent and her tantrum had stopped. I could smell her fear as I marched right into my mansion. The guards had all eyes on me. After all the woman I had with me tonight was quite odd and different from the women I usually brought with me to spend the night.

They were neither looking like they had been lost for days, nor drenched, not slung over my shoulders like a bag of rice, and they definitely didn't NOT have a scent.

So they were bound to be curious. But the look on my face promised them of the reprecuations of their curiosity.

As I entered the mansion the Omegas approached me ready to take my wet boots and welcome me in to a menu of what dinner was If I hadn't already eaten out during hunting.

However they all froze upon seeing me and the woman over my shoulders.

“Your Alpha… is that not Lady Astella? Alpha Liam's Luna?” One of the maids blurted, breaking the silence.

All the others stared at her in anger and horror to which she immediately bowed her head upon realizing what she had just done.

“Forgive this silly Omega, Your Alpha. My curiosity got the better of me.”

“The identity of the woman should be kept only between us in this mansion. If I hear of her anywhere else in this pack, you'll have your head to pay with.” I said calmly with a hint of coldness to my voice to let her know how serious I was about her loosing her life.

I was still trying to figure out how I met her, and how she was my mate, and didn't need the elders knowing about her, neither did I want Liam knowing she was here.

That is .. if he didn't already did.

“Prepare a room for her and a hot water bath to soak in as well. You can bring dinner for her up in her room. I'm not hungry.” I began heading up, when I paused in my movements.

“Where is she?” I turn to them with narrowed eyes.

“She's been gone since you left hunting and hasn't been back then.”

“And Yuvone?”

“She's asleep.” One of them replied.

With a nod, I finally went up to my room, by the time, I arrived, I threw her back first onto the bed before leaning back, already undoing the buttons of my shirt.

With a gasp, having not recovered from being dropped like a bag, she sat up, fuming as she glared at me.

I stared at her tauntingly, amused at how her soft brown eyes got dark like chocolate when she got angry. It was amusing to watch.

“You're making a big mistake, Thane.”

My smirk deepened as I approached her, leaning down beside the bed so we could be of the same height. I could see the fear encroaching in her eyes as they met mine but she didn't waver. Not even a breath was left out of her as she locked eyes with me.

“How so?”

“I am already mated and you have me on your matrimonial bed. It's disrespect to my mate and to yours?”

My brows furrowed as I finally confirmed another thing I had sensed wrong. She didn't know. She didn't know we were mates. It was ironic how she thought my mate was supposed to be in bed with me now whereas she was the mate she was referring to.

“Don't you think you've already received enough disrespect from your so called husband. After all, he left you all drenched and cold under the rain… is there something I should know.”

She sneered and pushed me away, already getting off the bed, leaving a wet patch where she had stayed, indicating her clothes was very wet.

Using the mind link, I instructed the maid to get a change of clothes from Michaela’s room. She wasn't around, and I didn't think she'd like the idea of coming back to see another woman in her clothes but she was the only one with clothes that could fit her at the moment.

And for her safety, I would rather she not wear my clothes.

“Where are you going?” I asked, observing her as she began fiddling with the door handle. I relaxed at the side of my bed, casually undoing the rest of my buttons.

“I'm leaving. What do you think?” She was about opening the door again when the maid pushed it from behind, startling her.

“Here is a change of clothes for you, Luna Astella… I mean… “ she quickly cleared her throat and turned to me apprehensively before she handed her the clothes and left the door, shutting the door.

Astella quickly moved, Letting the clothes drop to the floor as she fiddled with the door knob again, but this time it didn't open.

With a frustrated growl, she rushed towards me on the bed with inhumane speed and shoved her hand around my throat, her claws sinking hard into my flesh Instantly. Her eyes glowed crimson red as she barred her canniness at me.

“You have no rights to keep me here. What are you playing at Thane? Let me go.”

With two moves, I had her tight grip loosened from my throat and the hand behind her back and I cornered her with my height towering over her.

For a brief few seconds, our eyes locked, our breaths fanning each other's faces as we froze in what seemed to be a heated state.

“Let go of me this instant!” She reached out with her other hand, aiming to sleep me, but I was faster than she thought she was and had her other hand in my grip as well.

Her devilish angry stare, did no justice to just how angry she was, but a Cunning, cruel smile crept up my face, seemingly enjoying the show she was putting on.

I never felt this sort of adrenaline surging up Inside of me, leaving me excited ajf wanting more.

“How dare you?” She thundered with a deep growl rumbling from her throat. If she could shoot thunderbolts at me with her eyes, I was sure she would without missing a beat.

I casually moved away from her with the smirk deepening as I observed her as I would a prey and she moved back some paces upon my impending Alpha Aura.

“As long as you're in this pack, my pack, you will do as I say.”

“I was not asked to be brought here. You had a choice.”

I snorted with a bitter smirk. “Yeah, to leave you out there to die. Which I'm considering right now.”

“And how is that any of your business if I die. We only know but our identities. You know nothing of me to feel compassion towards me.” There was pain in her voice which she tried to suppress as she snapped at me, but she couldn't hide the tears that welled up in her eyes.

Instantly, she wiped them, avoiding having to look at me.

“So you mean to tell.me that Liam left you to die?” My brows furrowed as the pieces started putting in together but I grew further confused wondering why. Why would Liam do such a thing? What could she have done? What could have gone wrong?

“Thane, you let me go right now or… “

“Or what?” I taunt her and watched her swallow as I backed her into the wall with slow steps.

Realizing I had her between me and the wall, she searched my eyes with hers furiously. “I'll let your elders know that you have me locked up here. It's an abomination what you're doing… I'm a shaman's daughter. And I'm mated to… “

“Well, If your so called husband has a single atom of worry for his missing mate, he would come searching wouldn't he? Amr what's a better place to look for you than at his no. 1 enemy's territory.”

“Why?” Her breath was shaky as her voice turned to a hushed whisper. For someone who just heard that her husband was likely to come get her, she didn't look happy nor relieved, infact she looked even more scared than I would have imagined. “Why are you doing this… “

My eyes dropped to her lips upon feeling her warm breath against my face, realizing just how close we were. Her lips were the most sensual, captivating ones I've ever seen. They were plump, wet and seemed to be calling out to me. I've been in a room with countless naked woman at my neck and calling… yet I coukd barely react to any of them, even when they touched me.

Yet, just setting my eyes on my lips, it felt like a raging fire had been lit inside of me.

‘Why are you hesitating. Mark her and mate with her. She's your mate and yours to claim, so why are you holding back!” My wolf berated me in anger, grumbling.