Chapter 12 Mate
AUDREY
Everything finally made sense. The sensations, the electric pull, the tingles, why my mind would just go blank whenever he touched me or came close to me. Why my body responded so well to him.
"Mate" he growled, his arms tightening all the more, if that was even possible. "Mine, all mine. Mate will not leave Darius" he grunted incoherently.
I could tell he was trying to fight off his wolf. Males found it very hard to control their wolves near their mates, especially when it had to do with their mate's safety.
In this case his wolf was fighting for control, wanting to revert to its primal instinct to protect, care and provide for its mate. 𝐌𝐞.
No, no, no. There must be a mistake. Something must be wrong somewhere.
"No" I burst, shoving at his chest hard enough to startle him into submitting to my force.
He stared at me shocked, pain and hurt flashing in his dilating pupils. My chest rose and fell with my unsteady breathing. "No" I repeated louder, shaking my head.
This can't be!
"Y-you're mistaken!" I yelled. I brought out my hand, restricting him access to me as he stepped closer. "No. Please stay back" my voice broke as tears blurred my eyes. "I-i can't be your mate" I whispered, staring at the snow-clad ground.
"Mate" he whimpered, his sad eyes penetrating my haze. His urge to touch me, to hold me, to protect his mate, to have her in his arms was so strong it was coming off in waves and I could feel it, hitting me like a wave, assaulting all my senses.
I turned sharply and bolted, running into the castle and pushing past Faye on my way. She looked confused before realization struck and her face morphed into one of fear and sadness. I didn't know where I was running to but I didn't care, I had to get out, anyhow.
I pushed past doors, running through the castle halls as tears blurred my vision. This could not be happening. I needed to get out, now!
I heard echoes of my name but I kept going. A hand grabbed my wrist, pulling me into a hard surface. I landed face flat on the surface. Hissing I shut my eyes tight, spluttering apologies to whatever I bumped into.
Tingles shot up my arm making me snap my eyes open to stare widely into a pair of dark onyx eyes.
Hurt flashed through them, a contradicting anxiousness hidden in their depths. Calloused hands held me firmly to his chest, leaving little to no room between us. My insides churned, my body getting hotter by the second.
"No" I refused, fighting against his hold
"Audrey please" he begged tenderly, the pain in his voice bleeding through.
"I am not your mate your highness"
He growls, his pupils dilating as they flashed dangerously. No, I wasn't supposed to be doing this. He could kill me if I angered me or worse, lock me up in a dungeon somewhere. He had the power to rip my life apart even before it had the chance to start.
"You are mine Audrey" he said, his once velvet rich voice breaking. "Please don't deny our bond Audrey. You can't deny what you feel when we touch"
I shook my head, "I don't feel anything" I lied. "You must be mistaken" I tried to ignore the rippling sensations that kept shooting up my arm.
There must be a misunderstanding, I'm just an omega and he's the Alpha king. The moon goddess must have made some kind of grave mistake.
"I am not mistaken Audrey" he shook his head, dark tendrils swaying with his movements. "From the moment you fell at my feet the sweetest scent I'd ever smelt wafted into my nostrils. I can't let you go my gift. You will stay here with me like it was meant to be"
He grabbed my hands, holding them in his calloused ones. He stared deeply into my eyes as if pleading for my approval. I snatched my hands away, tears burning my eyes.
"I-i can't stay here" I gasped, looking at him incredulously. "I'm supposed to leave for the Crescent Springs pack. I won't stay here!"
Tears free fell down my cheeks as my chest constricted. All the hope I had was just shattered into little shards in his big hands. He could make me stay here if he wished to, there was little to nothing I could do about it. Males decided this kind of thing for their mates. I was left with no other choice, once the mate bond had been acknowledged it would be close to impossible to live without each other.
We would both suffer the physical, emotional and mental trauma being away from your mate brings. It would most likely be worse for me because Darius was an Alpha and the king for that matter. A very powerful man.
No, no, no.
"Audrey please" he reached out for me but I snatched my hands away like he was hot poison.
I felt my world crumbling beneath my feet. Grief, sadness and hopelessness hit me all at once and my knees buckled underneath me, bringing my body to the ground, pair of hands winding around me.
Everything I had dreamt of had evaporated, leaving the stinging feeling of loss and shattered hopes in its wake. I was supposed to leave, start new and finally be free. He trapped me, he refused my freedom. He truly was a monster. My mate. The moon goddess was never kind to me, she always put me through hardship. First my parents were murdered in cold blood when I was just a little girl, they were killed right infront of my eyes by her mate.
I spent 11 years of my life being treated like less than the dirt they stumbled upon, there was no difference between us. I was subjected to torture every single time I cried for mom. It was like I was never meant to be happy, all my hopes and dreams went down the drain.
Pain shot through my chest, leaving a hole where my heart used to be. Nothing would be the same again. I would be trapped here all because I am unfortunate and was given a mate by the moon, what many believed to be a gift was nothing more than a curse for me.