2. Calla

As soon as the car lurched forward, a few silent tears trailed down my cheeks. I couldn't stop myself from feeling so sad. Mourning, for being ripped away like I was from my family. My home. My pack.

I hated him so much already—my future husband. I hated him for doing this to me. For ruining my relationship with my family. My pack. For making them loathe me. For choosing to go through the mating ritual with me instead of my sister. For torturing me like he was, even now with the ominous promise of his claws on my body. His fangs in my throat.

Why me? Why had he chosen me? He knew that I was human, from the very first whiff of my scent. He knew that I was weak, and that I wouldn't be able to carry his pups. I was nothing but a mistake. An error in the Goddess's calculations. Why hadn't he rejected me, and chosen another instead? There were plenty of unmated females in our pack, much more beautiful and definitely much stronger than me. Able. Trained. Made to survive his beast.

"Athos,"

I startled at the unexpected sound, looking around with confusion for a second, before my gaze darted to the front part of the car. Noticing that the tinted glass separating the back from the driver's side was pulled down. My cheeks started to heat up, squirming with embarrassment once I noticed the Supreme Beta's gaze on me through the rearview mirror.

"My name is Athos," he repeated, making me realize that he was actually talking to me, and that he had just uttered his name. Presenting himself to me.

I quickly wiped the remnants of my tears off my cheeks, clearing out my throat.

"N-nice to meet you, A-I mean Supreme Beta Athos," I blurted out, cringing at my own mistake. I had almost disrespected him for a second time in a row. Goddess. What was wrong with me today? Oh. Yeah.

"Just Athos is fine, Luna," he replied after a mild chuckle, surprising me a little. He was...asking me to call him by his name only? That's weird.

"Okay," I answered nevertheless, lowering my gaze to my lap. I didn't like the way that sounded. Luna. I was anything but. I was nothing but a fraud and soon, they were all going to see that.

He didn't talk to me again after that. We drove in silence for the rest of the ride, and I didn't dare shed another tear out of fear of disrespecting them again. Their Alpha. They could choose to punish me for that. It was well within their rights.

So I sat there and waited, keeping my mouth shut and my head down until the car slowed down to a halt. Struggling to keep myself in check as anxiety slowly rose inside of me. Making me feel so restless.

The car door opened, revealing an aisle. Another white carpet, stretching between two rows of seats. Decorated with lots and lots of pinkish flowers, white sashes of silk in between, and a trail of petals littering all over the floor.

My stomach lurched as soon as I noticed the flowered archway standing at the end of the aisle.

"Future Luna," I startled again as soon as I heard that title, staring at the Supreme Beta's outstretched hand. Waiting for me to emerge from that car and accept his awaiting support.

I scooted closer and placed my hand in his, holding onto the skirt of my dress with the other as I placed my heeled foot on the carpet, and with a little bit of help I was soon standing on my own two feet. Noticing the large crowd of powerful shifters gathered around.

My head started to swim, and I felt so sick to my stomach. But I forced myself to ignore that sensation and keep my back ramrod straight. I was representing my pack now. The Everglade Pack. I couldn't afford to embarrass my father like that. I had already done enough by taking a position that was evidently meant for my sister. The only thing that I could do right now, was to try and do right by them. Represent my pack with pride, and honour. Even though I was actually scared shitless.

The Supreme Beta let go of my hand, taking a step backward. Letting me stand there all by myself, feeling those multiple pairs of golden eyes directed at me. Trailing over my figure, judging the way that I looked. My stance. My body language. Of course. I already knew why. I was human. Weak. Soft. Slow. Wolfless. And I was just about to occupy a position in their pack that evidently didn't belong to me.

Oh Goddess, please give me strength. Never in my entire life have I ever wanted to throw up more than I did right then. I wanted to hurl my guts out. Expel what I ate three days prior.

I thickly swallowed, willing myself to move. Put one foot in front of the other, and walk all the way to that flowered archway. Where there was no one waiting for me. I didn't even care enough to find that weird. The fact that my future husband was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he was getting cold feet about this. Maybe he was actually reconsidering. Goddess, I could only hope so.

Still, I reminded myself that I had to remain dutiful and do my part. So I drew in a generous gulp of air and started to walk. I ignored the way that my knees were already shaking. Or the way that my heart was pounding inside my chest.

I trailed down the aisle, struggling to appear as gracious as possible. Keeping my poised stance. My expression neutral.

"Weakling,"

"Wolfless creature,"

"You will never belong here," Those were the words that were hissed in my wake. Confirming what I had suspected long before my arrival. That I wouldn't be welcomed here either. That they would loathe me for what I was. A mistake. An intruder. A weak and unsuitable mate for their Alpha.

Still, I forced myself to ignore them and continue my journey to that damned altar, my gaze fixed straight ahead. Hearing myself breathing so loudly, with every step taken in that direction. I sounded like I was out of breath, and my heart pumped so fast now.

I finally reached that wooden pedestal, taking a single step to climb onto it. Smelling a repulsive and overpowering scent of lilies. My nausea increased tenfold, my body shaking and my head swimming as I turned around and clashed with the multiple pairs of eyes directed at me. Sensing their disdainful glowers. There was no sight of my future husband, the aisle remaining empty as I stood there for what felt like forever. Feeling those beads of perspiration lick at my skin. My desperate heartbeats.

My vision blurred for a moment, unfocusing as I stared long and hard at the treeline. Waiting for the monster to emerge. I couldn't help but wonder if he'd choose to appear in his lycan form again, so that he could succeed in tearing into my throat this time. Since there wasn't going to be anyone to stop him this time around.

My throat swelled at the graphic image that thought gave me, feeling my eyes burn with unshed tears. Threatening to spill, and expose how I was actually feeling on the inside. How terrified I was, of all of this. Of him. My instincts were screaming at me to run. Run away and don't look back. Throw those shoes away and break into a mad dash through the woods. I knew that I wouldn't get far. I didn't the first time round, five years ago. And it was only him chasing me. Now, I will surely have an entire clan of lycans on my tail. Demanding my head for such shame brought to their pack. For the lack of respect towards their Alpha. I knew better. Not to mention that the thought of disappointing my Alpha even more than I already did, my family, and my pack was more terrifying than anything.

So I stood there and waited, with my body frozen by the crippling fear and those hot tears pooling into my eyes, tormented by the pack's unwanted stares at me and my future husband's impending arrival. Staring into the distance, with my eyes still and unblinking. Scanning those trees over and over again. Until I finally spotted something moving in there. A figure. A silhouette. Tall. Dark, and completely terrifying. And it was slowly approaching.

I stopped breathing. Time seemed to have also come to a standstill. Holding me hostage there, in that moment, with no means to escape. No possible way out of it. I was prey, offered on a fancy altar. Ready for sacrificing.

Never in my entire life have I ever felt more helpless than I did at that moment. More lonely and scared. I felt a tear spill down my cheek, so I hastily turned my back to the crowd and the oncoming silhouette. Hiding my face away from their prying eyes.

I quickly wiped it away, forcing myself not to start crying now. I had to be strong and endure what was to come. For my pack. My Alpha. My mother. I willed myself to breathe again. Nice and slow. But my breaths were still coming out so shaky and wheezing. Keeping that lump stuck in my throat.

And then I felt him. His scorching presence. He was right behind me. Swift. Fast as lightning, as I remembered him to be.

I blinked away those tears, my back straightening. Monumental silence fell all around us, making the sounds of my trembling breaths resound so loudly. My cheeks flared with heat, feeling exposed.

No. I had to do this. I had to be strong. Control myself. My hands balled into tight fists at my sides, closing my eyes as I prepared myself to turn around and face him. My tormentor. The monster starring in all my night terrors. My future husband.

"Callanthea..." My eyes suddenly went wide at the sound of that sensuous whisper, breath hitching in my throat.

"My mate,"

My body jolted with pure fright and horror as soon as he touched me, failing so miserably to control myself. I could feel the rough and repulsive texture of his hot skin on mine, his calloused and freakishly big hands wrapping around my upper arms. A small whimper evaded me, tormented by the impulse to try to escape his claws. Just like the first time we met. The day when he robbed me of my peace. My freedom.

He continued to touch me, unhindered, tracing the back of his fingers over my shoulder into a gentle caress. Human fingers. Not lycan claws. I shivered, not with awakening interest but with growing panic and terror. Fear of what was to follow. They said that the touch of your mate would be soothing, titillating even. But I was feeling anything but.

He pressed himself even closer into me, hearing his deep inhale as his nose skimmed my hair. Letting out a quiet groan of satisfaction. I shivered again, all those tiny hairs on my body raising on end. I hated this. I hated this moment so much already. I just wanted it to be over. Hide myself in a dark corner after all of this. That is, if I were going to survive his mark.

He slowly turned us around, making me face the heavy crowd once again. His pack. And with my gaze trained on them, I felt his hand wrap around my neck. Gentle. Tenderly rubbing his thumb against my carotid artery, as if trying to tease me. Soothe me. I numbly stared into the crowd. Passing my gaze over their generally disapproving and scowling expressions as I stood there, trapped between my mate's caging arms. Waiting for the feel of his canines sinking into my flesh. His mating mark, destined to shackle me to him forever. And then, our mating night would follow. The night when we would offer ourselves to each other, under the moon's holy light, body and spirit. Where he was going to take me for the first time, in the presence of the entire pack. The lycan way.

His hand gathered my hair and then wrapped it around his knuckles. Firm but not enough to actually cause me any pain. And then he tugged at it. Gently. Just enough to make me tilt my head to the side. Bare my neck to him. That dizzying sensation returned full-force, making my head swim again. All those faces in the crowd blurring for a few moments.

"With this mark I place upon you, Callanthea Winters of the Everglade Pack, I claim you as my mate and queen. My Luna,"

The grave timbre of his voice reverberated through me as he spoke out loud, for the first time.

"Our Luna," the pack agreed monotonously. I swallowed that bile that threatened to climb up my throat.

He wrapped his other hand around my waist. Keeping me in place. Holding me still. I was shaking so hard, losing any ounce of control I've ever had. I wished that my mother were there, somewhere in the crowd so that I could gaze upon her gentle features, for one last time. So that I could say goodbye at least. I knew that he was going to kill me. I was so sure of it, because I knew that I wasn't strong enough to bear his mark. A lycan's mark. I was weak. Wolfless. A mistake.

I'd rather that he did. Because, to be completely honest, I didn't want any of this. I didn't want to be a Luna. Much less his Luna. I didn't want to be shackled to a ruthless beast like him. I did not want to share his bed for the rest of my life. I knew what he was. What he did. He was a monster. A ruthless killer. And maybe that was why the Moon Goddess had chosen me to be his mate after all. So that I could slip from his grasp after the very first touch. The very first taste of me. Maybe I was his punishment. His penance.

I could feel something tickling that sensitive spot between my neck and shoulder, followed by his hot breath. I closed my eyes, letting those tears pooling in them fall down my cheeks. A small reprieve. It did not matter anyway, for I was to be dead before they could even think about punishing me.

His lips skimmed over my skin, placing a soft and lingering kiss there, where his mark was going to be. I didn't bother hiding that repulsed shudder. And then, his bite followed.

I let out a pained mewl, seized by a desperate will to escape as soon as those canines plunged into my skin. It hurt. It hurt like a bitch, and I just couldn't stand still. I started to thrash and cry, squirming in his iron grip like dying prey in his fangs. I wanted it to be over. It hurt so damn much. It felt like he was tearing my flesh apart, muscles, tendons, everything. I could even feel the blood trailing down my skin. But I didn't stop. I kept thrashing and squirming, futilely trying to escape until the world finally disappeared from before my eyes, leaving behind a peaceful and mute darkness.