The tray of drinks in my hands felt heavier with each passing second. The voices in the hall blurred into background noise as my mind raced with the faint whisper from earlier: Mate.
Could it really be happening? After twenty-one years of rejection, ridicule and pain, was the Moon Goddess finally granting me a wolf and a mate? I dared not hope, yet the thought consumed me.
My distracted thoughts betrayed me. I didn't see the figure stepping into my path until it was too late.
The collision sent the tray tumbling, glasses shattering as liquid splashed everywhere. A shrill scream pierced the air, snapping me out of my daze.
I looked up to see Daisy standing before me, her gorgeous dress soaked in the drinks I had been carrying. The outrage in her green eyes was unmistakable and I knew I really fucked up.
"I… I'm so sorry, Daisy," I stammered, my voice trembling. "I didn't see you coming—"
Before I could finish, the sharp sting of her slap echoed through the hall, silencing the music and drawing every pair of eyes to us.
The force of it made my head whip to the side and for a moment I stood frozen, shocked, the heat radiating from my cheek matching the humiliation burning inside me. Whispers erupted around the room, mingling with the sound of glasses crunching beneath my feet as I stumbled back.
"Daisy, are you alright?" Father's voice was like a dagger to my chest. He rushed to her side, his face etched with concern, completely ignoring me.
Tears stung my eyes as I stood there, my hands trembling. I was the one who had been slapped, yet his care and attention were solely for her. It's like I didn't exist in father's eyes.
"I'm fine Father," Daisy said, her voice trembling slightly, though her expression was anything but fragile. Her lips curled into a smug smile as she glanced at me, knowing full well that I was about to bear the brunt of his wrath.
"Good, that's good that you're not hurt" Father said before turning to me with a look of utter disgust and anger "What the hell is wrong with you Arianne? Can't you ever do anything right." His voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a whip.
"I...." I tried to explain, my words catching in my throat.
"Didn't I tell you to behave yourself tonight?" he sneered, his tone dripping with contempt. "You just can't help embarrassing this family, can you?"
"Father it wasn't my fault!" I finally managed, my voice breaking. "Daisy walked in front of me. I didn't see her...."
"It doesn't matter!" he roared, cutting me off. "You're always causing problems, always making excuses. You're a disgrace to this family!"
The tears I had been holding back spilled over, streaming down my cheeks. The room spun slightly, but I forced myself to stand my ground. Same words I heard all my life yet my heart still aches. I couldn't take it anymore.
"For once can you just listen to me?" I said, my voice barely above a whisper but filled with years of pent-up pain. "It doesn't matter what I do or say. You'll always think I'm wrong, no matter what...Aahhhh."
Before I could finish, his hand struck me hard across the face, and a shrill scream came out of my mouth, the impact on my cheek sending me sprawling to the ground.
Gasps rippled through the crowd as I landed on the shattered glass, the sharp edges cutting into my palms and arms. The pain was immediate but it was nothing compared to the ache in my heart.
The room was deathly silent, save for the whispers that followed like a storm's warning.
"She deserved it," someone muttered.
"What else is new? She's always causing trouble," another voice chimed in.
I pushed myself up slightly, my vision blurred with tears. Blood trickled from my hands, staining the broken glass beneath me, but I didn't care. All I could see was Father standing over me, his face twisted with anger.
"You're nothing but a burden Arianne," he spat. "I should've sent you away years ago."
The crowd around us seemed to blur as the weight of his words crushed me. I wanted to scream, to defend myself but the lump in my throat made it impossible to speak.
...
Damien's POV
The cool night air did little to soothe my restless thoughts. The scent of vanilla and strawberries lingered, haunting me even as I stood outside the overcrowded pack house. I had been out here for hours, scared to go inside as I knew what awaited me. My wolf paced in my mind, its growls echoing with a singular word that made me irritated: Mate.
It couldn't be, could it? A second-chance mate? Such gifts from the Moon Goddess were rare, almost unheard of. Yet the undeniable tug in my chest and the intoxicating scent said otherwise.
I closed my eyes, trying to push the thought away. No mate could replace Alina. Her death had carved a void in my heart that I never thought could be filled. I had built walls around myself to ensure no one could ever get close enough to hurt me again.
"Damien?" Adrian's voice broke through my thoughts as he stepped beside me, concern etched into his features. "You've been acting strange since we arrived. What's going on?"
Before I could answer, a piercing scream from inside shattered the night making my heart more restless. I knew this feeling. MATE.
My wolf snarled, its fury blazing like fire in my veins. Without hesitation, I turned and sprinted back into the hall with Adrian close on my heels.
The scene before me sent rage coursing through my entire being.
The girl I had noticed earlier, the one who had caught my attention with her quiet demeanor and plain appearance was on the floor amidst broken glass. Her cheek was red and swollen, tears streaming down her face and blood trickled from her hands as she tried to lift herself from the ground. She looked so fragile and helpless as she sat there on the floor.
Alpha kieran's daughter stood over her, fury blazing in her eyes, while Alpha Kieran sneered at the girl, his hand raised as though ready to strike her again.
My wolf roared in my mind, its voice a deafening command - Protect Mate.
Mate.
The realization hit me like a thunderbolt.
That girl, the plain helpless and weak girl was my mate.
The truth was undeniable now. The pull in my chest, the way her scent wrapped around me like a warm embrace, and the possessive fury that filled me as I watched her be humiliated it all made sense.
"Enough!" I roared, my voice reverberating through the hall like a thunderclap.
The room fell silent as every head turned toward me. Even Alpha Kieran lowered his hand, his face pale as he registered my fury.
I strode forward, my eyes locked on the girl on the floor. Her wide, tear-filled eyes met mine, and for a moment, the chaos around us faded.
"Who is she?" I demanded, my voice cold and sharp as a blade.
Kieran stammered, clearly caught off guard. "That's… that's my oldest daughter Arianne," he said, though his tone carried no warmth or pride. "She's a disgrace to this family, an embarrassment...."
"Silence," I snapped, my tone brooking no argument. "Is this how you treat your own daughter"
The room seemed to shrink as my aura filled the space, suffocating anyone who dared defy me. I knelt beside Arianne, careful not to frighten her further, and gently took her hand in mine. Her injuries were minor, but the pain in her eyes ran far deeper.
"You're safe now," I said softly, my voice a stark contrast to the authority I had wielded moments before. "No one will hurt you again."
Adrian stepped closer, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Damien… what's going on?"
I stood, my gaze never leaving Arianne. "She's my mate," I said, the words solidifying the bond I had felt the moment I entered the hall.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.