Chapter 5

Nyra’s POV

My brows furrowed slightly, first at the sight of how fast the maids scurried away and then at the man who had been sweet and loving seconds ago.

“What?” I say, peering into his eyes, but he suddenly grabbed my arm roughly and shook me, causing me to wince in pain.

“Did you not hear me or are you just deaf to begin with?” he growled at me.

"Rowan, are you okay?” I started to ask, feeling like if I showed some concern, he would calm down, but he cut in.

"I said do not call me Rowan!"

He snapped at me, letting his fingers dig deep into my flesh as he lowered his face down to square them to mine. “You thought we were mates?” He scoffed in my face. "You're this pathetic scum."

His eyes read something different from what I saw seconds ago and for a split second I came back to my senses.

Back to the maid, I was back to the reality I had and away from this madness.

A tear threatened to trickle down, but I had better save it for when I would crawl back to Luna Hilda. I knew it was all good to be true.

I backed away from him slowly, but he wasn't done talking.

“I would never have chosen you; you are not fit to be the Luna and now that you've known that. I suggest you leave without a sound.”

With that, he let go of me slowly and signaled the guards to take me away. I swallowed the pain I felt climbing up my throat.

And allowed the guards to drag me out like I was some trespasser.

Outside the walls were trees and wild birds. My ears picked up the sound of everything, and it made my knees weak to the state where I could not stand straight.

Allowing myself to sink to the ground, my skin hit the soil and I could feel the rough leaves and smell the dirt. I was humiliated and it was my fault. I couldn't have been more stupid and on sudden instinct my eyes became watery, tears welled up in my eyes like I had been holding back.

I cried till my eyes hurt and till I felt my brain pounding in my head, even in such a state.

Suddenly, my ears picked up another noise, rustling sounds like someone had stepped on dry leaves, like twigs snapping in half.

I rose immediately, looking around for any form of life.

I should have stayed behind; I should never have allowed the image of a better life to cloud my head.

“Who's there?” I say in a whisper.

My hands rubbed against my eyes to dry up the tears and I turned around to catch the figure of a huge wolf.

My eyes widened at the sight of the lot of them as I drew my legs backwards.

I could feel the dark aura they brought along and how hungry they looked.

They were wolves, but I could not tell which kind. Suddenly, my back crashed against them. I scurried away like I had been stung. That was it. I had been cornered and there was no escape.

Slowly they parted ways for something.

No one.

Obsidian hair and an aura so cold. His figure towered over mine, huge and intimidating.

“Well, what do we have here?”

His voice was deep and husky and as I stared into dark wolfish eyes, they drew me in, but I knew better than to let myself stare longer than usual.

This was no regular wolf.

His fingers brushed against my cheeks and I could struggle and resist him, but I was out numbered and I knew it.

“Please, let me go,” my voice came out softly because I wanted him to listen. I did want to die, not this way.

His fingers were still on my cheeks as he said again.

“Porcelain skin, adorable eyes…”

Smirking with his thin lips, I controlled my breath, letting out a shudder as he brought out a slim dagger which he pressed against my neck. I winced as I could smell my own blood.

He drew a dagger and placed it on his tongue, relishing the melantic taste of my blood and that was when I realized there was a large scar across his.

“She looks like an outcast,” one of the men who stood beside him said aloud.

“Please spare me,” I say, ignoring the cut on the side of my neck.

“Spare you?” He scoffed, "If I like the taste of your blood, honey, then I'm keeping you.” He paused, "and besides, I do not see anyone here to claim you."

With that, he waved his hands to signal his guards and, without hesitation, they came for both my arms,

“You're mine now," he said.

“Please, no, I have a mate," I screamed subconsciously, and he turned to me again.

“And you are out here?” In a mocking tone, I swallowed bile rising in my throat along with my words.

“Do I guess that he rejected the bond?” He guessed, but I still said nothing, but my silence confirmed everything.

I watched as a small smile formed on his face as though he felt satisfied,

“Consider yourself lucky little one, that I, for who I am, is known not to care about such unreal theory.”

Signaling his guards again, I was pulled up, and before he turned to leave, he glanced at me.

"Do you have any idea of who I am?"

Probably a cannibal of the forest? I say to myself but shaking my head at him.

“Well little one, I am Alpha Thorne, leader of rogued wolves.”

Rogued wolves.

It made sense.

I did know some time ago wolves went rogue. What I never knew was that they had a king, but now that I did, I needed a way to escape. Rogues were truly never normal wolves.

Now here I was, under the mercy of their ruthless Alpha.

Could my life not get any worse? Or was this only the beginning of a fate far darker than rejection, one that even the Moon Goddess herself might not save me from?