41: Encountering her
41: Encountering her
Pain erupted from my neck where his fang sank. I was more shocked than hurt because I never expected Alpha Ryven to do this to me. Although he was a lunatic, I just didn't peg him as the kind of person who would do such a thing.
I hit his chest but it was like he was made of brick. My attempts to free myself were feeble until I soon found the pain in my neck turned to pleasure and I felt the bastard lick off the blood that had trickled down my neck.
I couldn't even begin to list out the emotions that flowed through me, I felt used and betrayed. How could he do that to me? I was a person who had the right to choose whoever I wanted to. I wasn't an animal.
Alpha Ryven never realized that. And to my horror, I felt his part of the bond snap into place and I was able to feel his emotions. Damn the bastard!
He was happy.
But when I looked into his eyes, he realized I was able to feel him and did the only thing he could - he created a block between us.
"I hate you," I whispered with a shaky voice. My legs couldn't hold up my weight any longer and I fell to the floor.
The realization of what happened dawned on me and what could possibly go wrong. Even if Alexander came to request for me here, I wouldn't be able to go with him because I had been marked and belonged to someone already.
And the person stood in front of me with a satisfied smirk on his face. "It doesn't change that you belong to me now."
"Do you care so little about me? I know I don't have many rights in your pack, but I am still a person. Not a thing,"
"I know that. Exactly why I want you with me. I can't give you power just for you to return to Alexander," he purred from the table.
His voice was far off. I could barely register what he was saying as anger pounded in my veins and tears leaked from my eyes.
"Why don't you fucking say something?!" I yelled internally at my wolf. She didn't say a word. But I could feel her inside of me. I felt her emotions, she was sad but she still didn't say a word.
Why do people have to leave me when I need them the most? NôvelDrama.Org owns © this.
"I didn't leave you," she finally spoke and I still couldn't get used to her voice, it was rough and sounded ancient like she wasn't part of the world. It sounded like something out of a movie.
"Then, why didn't you do anything?"
She scoffed. "What do you want me to do? Fight him? He's an Alpha. And the last time I showed him what I was capable of, it didn't end well," she reminded me which made me boil.
"You don't have to recount the events. I remember everything. In case you don't notice, my brain still functions normally," I said as more tears leaked from my eyes and I clutched my dress in my hand and glared hard at Alpha Ryven.
What bothered me more wasn't that he bit me but how nonchalant he was about it all. He loved it because I couldn't go back to Alexander. Not only would I be a fool, I would be breaking the laws of the Werewolves.
And I had no idea how to come out of this. Anguish filled me as a share of glass on the floor cut my hand but that was nothing compared to the hurt in my heart. It was me and Alpha Ryven forever now. And the thought sent fear slithering down my spine.
"Don't act like I killed your wolf or something. This is actually something you'll thank me for in the future," Alpha Ryven's voice reached my ears. And I felt my wolf go back to the back of my mind.
I couldn't say I hated how nonchalant she was about this situation. But at that time, I didn't realize I had a growing feeling of doubt for her. I guessed she wanted me to grow myself without her help. But how could I when I was facing off against an Alpha?
I stood up, the shard digging into my hand painfully. "I will never thank you for this," I said and stormed out of the room with a resounding bang but not before hearing Alpha Ryven mutter something to himself.
I walked out of the office, my brain too clogged up to realize I was going in the wrong direction until I bumped into someone. Looking up, I found Ava looking at me.
I didn't have to think about what I looked like to know I looked like a mess in my nightwear and my hair looked like a bird's nest.
There wasn't a hint of surprise on her face like she had expected me there. Maybe I had gone there on my own accord because I desperately wanted someone's company. A little part of me feared what thoughts would run through my mind if I was left alone.
But the bigger part of me knew that was what was best for me. I needed to sort out my thoughts and think about the way forward. But that wasn't happening because of the look in Ava's eyes.
She smiled at me when I stared long enough at her to count the hair on her eyebrows.
"Come inside, you look like a mess. I know my brother would kill me if he found out I'm taking his mate from him. But that's if he hadn't killed the mate," she said and I paid no heed to her.
I was used to her talking in parables or words that sounded foreign to me. She spoke in puzzles. I don't even have the strength to ponder on them as I settled on a couch. The bite from Alpha Ryven still hurt but not as much as it did when he bit me.
The room was small, with three couches occupying the room, a small shelf of books, a center table, and some other things my mind couldn't remember. I was too caught up in my grief to give notice.
"Welcome to my house. It's small but cozy. Better than that big room of my brother's. The last time you were here, you left in haste. I still don't know why. But let me get you something to drink," she said finally when she saw I wasn't responding.
From my peripherals, she was resting at the door frame of s door that led somewhere; the hallway of the house or a bedroom. I couldn't tell because I didn't look long enough before the door was shut by Ava.
She returned much later with a glass of juice and I wondered if she spent her time squeezing the orange for me.
"I squeezed it freshly," she said, reading my thoughts. I wondered how she always did that. And the thought that she could read my thoughts made goosebumps break out on my skin.
I took the glass from her, my fingers brushing against hers and her hands were cold. Not the kind of cold I was used to, but it was cold like she had been out in the snow.
My head snapped to her and she smiled like she knew exactly what I was thinking and I shuddered. There was something about her that struck her as odd. Maybe it was the air of mystery that surrounded her.
"Thank you," I muttered as I placed the cup in my mouth. It gave me instant relief, calming my tensed muscles and relaxing the beating of my erratic heartbeat.
It slowed until it came to a normal heartbeat. I felt light and airy like a weight had been lifted off my chest. I looked at her and she smiled, her hands on her knees with her legs crossed over the other.
"What did you do?" I heard myself asking her. It couldn't be the juice. I knew that. And her smile made me remember the discussion I had with the man while I was in the dungeon. He spoke of Ava's mother being a witch. Maybe Ava was one too.
I tried reaching out my wolf's senses to her. But there was nothing odd. She smelt like a wolf only. And there were no traces of her being a witch and my brows furrowed further as I clutched the half- drunk drink in my hand.
She pushed her hair behind her, "I gave you a drink," she said with a shrug as if she didn't understand what I meant.
Opening my mouth to utter a word of protest, I closed it back. Arguing with her would get me nowhere. I looked down at the drink in my hand and looked up at her. She was waiting for me to say something because she knew I had a lot of questions.
Why didn't she look surprised when she saw the mate mark on my neck or the evidence of struggle? There was blood on my hand from the glass shard but she didn't comment about that. Why didn't she ask why I was in her house instead of my bed with Alpha Ryven, completing the mating process?
My eyes went to her baby bump that showed as she relaxed on the chair. It was small but visible under her light nightgown.
She found me watching and rubbed her stomach. "It's such a shame my little pumpkin won't be having a baby cousin. If only the baby in you were my brother's," she sighed dramatically and I stiffened.
"I'm not pregnant," I said because that was the only word I could say. I totally forgot about my discussion with her because of the mating ceremony. Now that it was over, it came back in full force.
"You are pregnant. And you know this," she stopped rubbing her belly and looked at me from under her lashes. "And Ryven would soon come to know of it too. If only he doesn't know already," she said so casually like she was speaking of the weather.
"How do you know…" I started with a dry mouth and a pounding pulse. I couldn't believe how right she was.
"Oh, speak of the devil," she smirked. It took me a while to realize what she meant. And that was until the door was pushed open with so much force, that I felt the small house rattle.
Behind the door, showed the face of Alpha Ryven which was red with rage and fisted hands.
"Whose baby is it? Alexander?" He growled menacingly.