Chapter 3 MATE

Chapter 3

SERAFINA

I didn't stop running until I arrived back at the grand hall. Only then did I slow down, my heart still racing with fear.

I quickly merged with the crowd, hoping to escape detection. I palmed my mouth to keep people from noticing how heavy my breaths were.

All of this is Luna Camila's doing. Alpha Robert has no idea she is laundering such a large sum of money for herself, but that is just pure evil.

Now, more than ever, I had to find Alpha Robert and expose Luna Camila's deeds. I knew he would not believe me without evidence, but he would surely listen to Grandma Flora if he gave us the chance.

The orphanage is too important to me. Grandma Flora and the kids have been my savior since I left the orphanage to explore my life, to find out about my origin, and who my parents were. Even when I failed to do all of these, they stood by me, Grandma Flora allowed me to work at the Night Walkers Elementary school. This is the least I can do for all of them.

Suddenly, the crowd started to assemble, turning in one direction; I turned around, focusing my gaze on what everyone was staring at.

Majestically making their way into the room were Alpha Robert, Luna Camil, and their son, Lucas.

"Welcome, everyone! To the grand summit. I am grateful for your presence and want to especially thank you all for gracing this occasion. Please enjoy yourselves to the fullest, make merry, and be less worried." Alpha Robert declared, and the crowd went wild in loud cheers, their enthusiasm infectious.

But I was distracted, my senses hijacked by an unfamiliar musk scent that wafted through the air, calming my racing heart and stirring something deep within me. I wondered where it came from, this scent that seemed to speak directly to my soul, amidst the throng of people.

And then, like a whispered secret, my wolf squealed.

Mate.

The word echoed in my mind, leaving me stunned and disbelieving. My mate? Here? In the Night Walker pack house. It couldn't be. This was the last thing I had in mind coming here.

Surrounded by almost a thousand people? It seemed impossible, yet the pull intensified, the scent growing stronger, drawing me in with an otherworldly force.

My heart skipped a beat as I scanned the crowd, my senses on high alert, my wolf's emotions taking over.

Finding Alpha, Robert was no longer my priority; finding my supposed mate had become an all-consuming quest.

I followed the scent, my wolf urging me, my emotions heightened as I navigated through the crowd, looking for no one that I knew in particular.

I felt lost in the sea of faces surrounding me, yet I didn't stop trusting my instincts; I kept going left, right, anywhere in particular.

But then I stopped, as a hand gently grabbed my shoulder. I immediately spun, and to my shock and disappointment, I saw Lucas.

"Mate," he said, but something flashed in his eyes: disdain, disgust, and anger. My blood ran dry at the sight of this. I stepped back on impulse, but he was quick to grab me.

"Who are you?" he asked almost quietly.

I shook my head, lost for words. My tongue felt too heavy for me to speak. "Who are you? Are you a prominent figure?" Lucas grabbed my chin and raised it as he bored his gaze into my face.

"Peasant, that's what you are."

I shook my head, opening my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it.

"What did you do to me?" He asked, his eyes turning red, his nails dug into my skin, and I winced. I wish I didn't, or did it even matter? All eyes turned towards me, towards us.

"What did you do to me?!" Lucas yelled and pushed me, I fell hard on my butt, my arms bleeding from his intense grip.

"I did nothing, I swear." I whimpered, tears gathering in my eyes.

"You are a witch! This woman is a witch, she planned this. She planned to ruin me; she has cast a false spell against me, claiming I am her mate." Lucas threw accusations at me, and I shook my head, too scared to stare at anyone else. I wouldn't be able to bear their judgmental gaze.

"I didn't do anything; please, you have to believe me." Tears were now streaming down my face, and I felt like hitting myself.

"Lucas! What's going on here?" Alpha Robert thundered, stepping in.

"Father, this witch has charmed me; she's forcing me to feel a false bond between us. Nobody can be my mate, it is impossible. The Goddess will not play such a cruel joke on me. Never! It's all her!" He ranted nonstop. I didn't know what to do, so I remained on the floor, crying like a weakling.

"Enough, Lucas! We are amid esteemed guests, and you dare throw tantrums. This is disrespectful to both this young lady and to my name. Help her up and exit this room now." Alpha Robert said, his voice laced with authority.

"But, father, she's a nobody, a piece of trash, a peasant..."

"Now!" A thunderous growl swept across the room.

Lucas took my hand, roughly pulling me up. I tried to snatch my hand away from him and just silently leave, but Lucas refused to let go. His grip on my hand tightened, and he pulled me close as if hugging me.

"I will not succumb to your spell, witch. What is your name?"

I clamped my mouth shut; something dug into my flesh, and I trembled as more tears filled my eyes. "Serafina Athena," I replied, so he could stop tearing into my flesh.

He pulled away from me and stepped back, finally letting go of my hand. I held my bleeding hand to my chest, trembling.

"I, Lucas Matteo..."

"Lucas!" Alpha Robert yelled.

Dread filled my soul as I realised what he planned to do. " Under the watchful gaze of a thousand, Rejects Serafina Athena as my mate."

A sharp burn spread through my bones as soon as he completed his declaration; I screamed, falling to my knees.

"LUCAS!!!"

"Ahh!" I gasped, trying to suppress the pain. I couldn't spend a second here. I stood to my feet and ran off, despite the pang I felt.

Blinded by tears, I failed to see who was approaching, and I bumped into a wall. No, I bumped into someone, a manly figure, and I palmed my face to shield my wet face from whoever the stranger was.

Out of the blue, my wolf squealed in my head, and like a dream, the words resounded in my head.

Mate.

What?!

It couldn't be; there was no way I was having another mate or finding him on the same night. To my disagreement, A rich Amber and pine wood scent filled my nostrils.

I couldn't believe this; no, this was my imagination. I was simply traumatised by what just happened; I simply could not have another mate.

I stepped back, my heart beating loudly against my chest, and I feared he would hear it.

"Mate." I heard, but this didn't come from me, confirming every utter doubt I had left.

"She's my mate." I heard again, my brows raised in confusion. Did he just indirectly refer to me like I wasn't standing in his midst?

Was I invisible?

I slowly took my hand off my face, my breath hitched as my vision came in contact with a masterpiece.

His dark brown hair was like a rich, velvety canvas, framing his face with a stylishly messy texture that added to his rugged charm. His bright blue eyes were like radiant sapphires, shining with a sharp, intelligent glint that seemed to pierce through the air.

His face, a masterfully crafted sculpture, with sharp lines and defined features. His jawline, strong and square, like a finely chiselled granite cliff, and his cheekbones were high and prominent, like finely etched ridges. His lips are pink, full, and well-defined, like a work of art.

Overall, he exudes a sense of confident, masculine energy, like a powerful storm brewing on the horizon.

How could one man be this handsome?

"Is there something on my face? Why is she staring so much?" I gasped as those words braced my ears, but the man's lips never made a move.

"Is she alright? Why is she gasping?"

I shook my head, stepping back; I had to be hearing things; this was impossible. I seriously can't hear his thoughts.

"Why is she acting like this? So weird."

"You are weird!" I retorted, frowning.

The man's brow raised in utter shock, "Did she hear me? No. That's impossible."

"Impossible indeed, how is this happening? Are you faking this?" I asked, pointing my bruised finger at his face.

"Faking what? What is she talking about? Why is her hand bleeding? She has tears on her face."

"Can you just stop and speak with your mouth already? Yeah, great trick, but I am so poor that I can't pay you for your show." I yelled and brushed past him, walking away.

"Alpha Fenrir!" I heard behind me, and I stopped. Were my ears playing tricks with me? I swerved and found a neatly dressed man approaching the magician.

"I can take care of myself. When will they get it?" the voice resounded in my head. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a jotter and pen, dabbling on it.

"I am fine, stay back." Even from where I stood, I heard him speak, yet his mouth made no move. He shoved the paper in the man's face, who bowed, turned around, and left.

I couldn't believe my eyes, my ears, my state of mind. Everything felt foreign, like they didn't belong to me.

What exactly was going on? I possibly could not be in the presence of the mute Ruler, the cursed Alpha, Fenrir Generics. He barely shows himself to the world; his Father, Alpha Mano,s, is said to be the active ruler to keep the peace in their pack. Alpha Fenrir is so rare that no one knows what he looks like; rumours had once spread that he only ruled in his study because he couldn't speak like a normal leader.

What would that same Alpha be doing out in the open? In Night Walker, a pack further from his.

"She's not leaving again, maybe she can finally give me a chance to communicate with her." He walked towards me.

He took out the same jotter and pen, quickly scribbling something down. "Please, let's talk."

I shook my head, I heard him before he wrote that down. It can't possibly be true that I can hear his thoughts.

"Who are you?" I asked; despite my knowledge, I wasn't sure, so I needed confirmation.

"Fenrir." He jotted something down and showed me. It was his name.

"Stop writing; I can hear you perfectly," I said, and his eyes widened.

"She can hear me? Wai, if she can hear me, she probably hears me now. Can you hear me, miss? Answer this question, who are you?" he asked.

"For someone who is mute, you talk too much. And who I am is not of your concern. Look, I don't know how any of this came about, and I really don't care, just stay away from me." I said and turned to leave.

He grabbed my hand, and I snatched it from his grip, the pain from earlier resurfacing. "Stay away from me."

I ran off this time, making sure he didn't come after me.