" I asked,what would you do if I kissed your lips right now, Emma?" he asked again. She opened her mouth and closed it again. There was a gentle, possessive glow in his eyes, and she found herself trying so hard to conquer any involuntary reaction stirred by her wolf.
"N...nothing," she sputtered, wondering if the words actually came out of her lips. He moved his face forward and his lips parted hers. His kiss was tender and light as a summer breeze, yet it carried the weight of a mating claim. However, she was busy restraining her emotions to avoid any response that would make him think she was desperate. She began to respond slowly when she could no longer endure his challenging kiss anymore.
The countdown to the pack gathering was in its final hours. Her happiness rose to an ecstatic peak. No one knew why she was so excited, and one of her reasons was so embarrassing that she couldn't tell her maids, who had become her gossip mates.
She hadn't stepped beyond the pack territory since she was born. All her movements were bound within Santorini, a famed island in the territory of Greece, where she lived under the roof of her adoptive parents. It didn't feel right to leave them and wander off since she was the adopted wolf and a mere servant. However, the main reason and greatest barrier to her not being able to travel in a skycraft was lack of silver, as flying across the skies was a luxury reserved for the wealthy.
Paige and Naomi, who were busy tending to her hair, did not stop talking, and she did not stop imagining what the inside of a flying beast looked like. Her heart skipped at the thought of stepping into a private flying beast for the first time. It was going to be one of the most unforgettable and rare experiences of her life. She felt all her painful puphood memories would be left far beneath her when they soared high into the clouds.
She looked at her reflection when the maids withdrew their hands from her hair, and she loved what she saw. Her long, silky strands cascaded past her shoulders in soft waves, giving her a breathtaking and intricate beauty.
"Alpha's mate," a he-wolf standing at the entrance called. She turned and saw one of the guards watching them.
"Bernard," she called, trying to imitate Brandon, who rarely spoke much to his guards.
"It's time, alpha's mate."
"Alright, I'm almost ready. Just a few more minutes."
The maids added finishing touches, and she rose to her feet happily. An unfamiliar yet powerful feeling filled her wolf and refused to fade. She was beginning to feel like a true Alpha's mate.
Paige led her to the elevator, and they stepped in after waiting for a few moments. When they reached the terrace roof, she was completely stunned.
About ten heavily armed warriors stood guard in formation. Brandon's personal guards, equally armed, surrounded the entire terrace.
Her gaze shifted from the warriors to a lone violinist entertaining Brandon and three elegant she-wolves seated beside him. None of them noticed her presence. Brandon knew she was there, yet he did not look her way. He remained focused on the violinist, drawing smoke from the royal courtesan cigar resting between his lips. The sight was humiliating, and she felt painfully out of place. An inferiority complex surged within her, clouding her thoughts. She tried to fight it, but she couldn't. The harder she resisted, the smaller she felt.
"Oh, Moon Goddess... I can't do this. This mating bond won't work," she whispered sadly.
"Is it the she-wolves?" Paige murmured.
"The she-wolves… the… their elegance, the… the…"
"Move forward, he is waiting for you," Paige interrupted.
She thought it would be better to return to her chamber and focus on improving her scrolls, chasing her dream of becoming a bestselling author. She couldn't wait to break free from the mating bond if that day ever came.
She turned and stepped back into the elevator. It felt like he was ashamed of her or punishing her for daring to raise her hand against him before.
"Paige, please go. I want to be alone," she said as they exited the elevator.
"Alright, Alpha's mate," Paige bowed and walked toward the staircase. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she returned to her chamber.
She stood by the window, wondering why Brandon had chosen her as his mate. He looked at her like he cared, yet ignored her whenever his refined she-wolves—his moonallies—were around.
"Alpha's mate," Bernard called.
"I'm not going again," she said without turning toward the doorway.
"What happened?"
"I changed my mind."
"The—"
"I don't want to go with you all," she cut in.
"Okay," he muttered before leaving.
She expected Brandon to come down and compelled her, but instead, she heard the sharp echo of blade slaps as they departed without her. He had only been pretending to care about her moon fall before. Regret flooded her chest—she hated that she had let him kiss her, even more that she had responded.
"From this moment, I will stop seeing Brandon as my mate and stop seeing myself as his. I will no longer use his feeding chamber or speak with him. I'll talk to Bernard... I need to return to the servant quarters. This bond between a mighty Alpha and a lowly she-wolf will never work," she muttered to herself. "He is clearly seeking revenge. If he truly saw me as his mate, he would have come for me. He wouldn't have left without me," she lamented.
She removed her shoes and changed into a simple gown. She needed to return to the Silver Coast Pack, retrieve her manuscripts, and continue working until she achieved success.
She picked up the credit card Brandon had given her and left the pack mansion. Her gaze fell on his fleet of luxurious wolf machines—they were far too sophisticated for someone of her standing, so she couldn't bring herself to use any.
"Are you heading out?"
"Yes," she replied to Bernard, who appeared suddenly.
"Then I will call the driver immediately."
"No. Just call a cab and inform me when it arrives. I'll wait in the lounge."
"You will go with Maxwell, Alpha's mate."
"Bernard, will you ever let me have freedom here? You make me feel like a prisoner."
"You are not a prisoner."
"Then why do you always oppose my decisions?"
"If anything happens to you, I lose my position."
"Well, Brandon doesn't care whether anything happens to me or not."
"Are you certain he doesn't?"
"I need a cab!" she snapped angrily, turning back toward the pack mansion.
"Alright, Alpha's mate."
She entered the lounge and sank into the sofa, her thoughts consumed with how to make her novel successful, earn enough silver, rent her own place, and stop Brandon from destroying the life he seemed determined to ruin.
Bernard returned shortly after, informing her that a cab was waiting outside. She picked up her clutch bag and walked out of the pack mansion without hesitation.