Chapter 2 2.
Alyna’s POV
Asher is looking towards me from the crowd. Just as my mate bond is screaming inside, he must’ve felt the same way, too. I felt anxious. The golden in his eyes glowed faintly beneath the warm lights of the hall.
Every thought is asking me to run, but my body refuses to move. I felt weak when he came and stood before me.
And then he was standing right before me.s
He looked down at me, his gaze was over my mismatched eyes. For a long moment, he said nothing. I don’t know what’s going on in his head and it kind of makes me even more anxious. This is the first time, I saw him close to me in person. In my vision, I have seen much more which I never tried to explore further. The connection sparking between us, wrapping around us like an invisible chain.
His expression shifted. Curiosity. Confusion. Maybe even… disappointment.
That last one hurt more than I wanted to admit.
He exhaled quietly, “It’s you.”
“You’re the one, who’s avoiding me all these days and yet pulling me closer,”
I wanted to look away, to vanish, to pretend I hadn’t heard, but his eyes, those sharp, golden eyes, wouldn’t let me.
Then he said the words I had dreaded most. “You’re my mate? Right?”
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head, “you must be mistaken.”
“You feel it, I can see it in your eyes,” he said in a commanding way.
I tried to deny it. I really did. But the truth burned in my chest. When did I become so bad at pretending.
The pull between us was like gravity, and that made me more week. I closed my eyes briefly, defeated, and nodded once.
“Yes,” I breathed. “I feel it.”
Vivi stirred inside me, her voice low and uncertain. “He’s real, Alyna. It’s true.”
“I know,” I whispered back silently. “But I wish it wasn’t.”
I took a small step back, forcing the words out before he could say more. “I’m an omega. I’m nothing compared to you. Whatever this bond is, we can break it if you want. I want that too.”
“You want to break the mate bond?”
“Yes.” My voice came out sharper than I intended. “It’s better for both of us.”
He didn’t move for a moment. Then, unexpectedly, his hand shot out and caught mine — warm, firm, and certain. My heart stuttered in my chest. The contact sent a jolt through me, my wolf howling quietly at the connection.
“Let go,” I whispered, panic rising.
“You’re my mate.”
His words were calm, steady — and for the first time, a small, almost boyish smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. It was the first time I had seen him smile.
“This is a mistake,” I murmured, “We shouldn’t be mates.”
“Why are you saying that?”
I hesitated. The words felt heavy, even stupid, but they were true. “Because I’m powerless, I’m of a lower rank, and I’m not… I’m not that beautiful. You deserve someone stronger, someone who can stand beside you without dragging you down.”
He softly said, “Well, I have everything already.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “What?”
He smiled again, faintly, his voice lowering. “I have power. I have strength. I don’t need anything else.” He paused, his gaze flickering between my eyes. “So why would I want anything from you?”
I stared at him, stunned. I hadn’t expected that. Not from him.
“You don’t hate this bond?” I asked quietly, my voice almost trembling.
He shook his head. “No.” Then, leaning in slightly, his tone dropped into something gentler, almost warm. “I’ve been searching for you the whole time. I didn’t know who you were. But I felt you. And now that you’re here…” His golden eyes softened. “I’m glad.”
The words tangled in my chest, too heavy and too sweet at the same time.
This man I feared to face, the man my visions had painted in blood is a complete opposite to the man standing here, his small smile, the calmness of his eyes, I couldn’t reconcile that image with the one before me.
Maybe I was wrong, maybe the visions were twisted reflections of my fear.
“You don’t even know me,” I said softly.
“Not yet,” he said, and the faint smile didn’t fade. “But I will.”
There was no arrogance in his tone, just quiet certainty. And that somehow frightened me more than any threat could.
Vivi whispered, “He doesn’t seem cruel.”
“I guess so,” I admitted.
“Maybe you’ve misread the visions, Alyna.”
“Maybe,” I said quietly, though my stomach twisted. “Or maybe this is how it begins.”
Asher’s gaze lingered on me, wondering what I’m thinking. Then, unexpectedly, he said, “You should eat. You look pale.”
I blinked, startled by the casual concern. “I’m fine.”
He frowned slightly, his Alpha tone slipping through. “You’re not. You’re trembling.”
I straightened instinctively. “I said I’m fine.”
He studied me for a heartbeat longer before nodding, almost reluctantly. “You’re stubborn.”
“And you’re too used to giving orders.”
“Get some air,” he said finally. “But don’t run. You can’t run from this, Alyna.”
As I slipped through the crowd, Vivi whispered, “He smiled at us.”
“I noticed,” I murmured.
“And he didn’t reject us.”
“I noticed that too.”
I stepped out into the cold night air, my heart still pounding, the memory of his touch burning faintly against my skin.
Maybe my visions were wrong. Or maybe, they just hadn’t shown me everything yet.
