Chapter 5: Memories

I shook my head to forget it. After taking a bath and closing the shower, I reached for my towel and dried myself. I walked out of the bathroom and stood in front of the full-length mirror, staring at my naked body and my scar there.

I remember how I got this.

I was eighteen back then. I was so excited to reach our packhouse because I was accepted to join the women's basketball team at the school the king owned. It was my long dream to be one of them. I accelerated my big bike to reach our packhouse.

When I stopped at the door of our territory, I had an ominous feeling.

Something is off!

There must be a warrior guarding the entrance, but I didn't see any. I pondered and thought that maybe they had a meeting. But this is impossible. Even if they have a meeting, there's still someone guarding here.

I didn't lower my guard, and my direful feeling skyrocketed when many children were playing outside, and female wolves were cleaning or telling stories, but no one was present this time. It was so quiet, and I was not used to it.

I park my big bike. I ran as fast as I could to enter our house.

"Pa! Ma!" I called. "Where are you?"

No one answered me, which was very odd. I went to the kitchen, but they were not there, so I entered my father's office, but it was still empty.

I went to my room and threw my bag on the bed before walking out. I will find our pack members outside. But I was so shocked when I saw a man standing outside my room with his hand in his pocket, head downcast.

He slowly lifted his head. I saw his red eyes. My eyes widened, and I shuddered when he smirked at me.

H-How could this be?

When he slowly approached me, fear instantly filled my heart.

"P-Please don't!!" I was so frightened that I stepped backward, although I was starting to smell something from this man—something sweet, something making my wolf howls in happiness and excitement.

The fear I felt was so evident that the smirk on his face became more and more radiant.

"It's been a long time, Raven," he muttered and suddenly leaped on his feet. He slammed me at the wall. He put his hand at the sides of my head, trapping me between his frame and the wall. He's taller than me, so he bows his head to look into my eyes.

"P-Please, I'm begging you!!" I pleaded.

"Beg me?" he asked. "You don't know how much I wanted to see you, darling. When I finally met you, I realized you were my mate. Life sucks, right?"

"M-Mate!" I parroted. That makes sense. Was the sweet-smelling emitting from him the smell of a mate? But I was too afraid to think about it.

And to my horror, he leaned down and captured my lips. At this moment, I felt something. It was just like mama Violet told me. When I met my mate one day, we felt a tingling sensation run down and cross each other's bodies. This means we are meant for each other—a mate.

The feeling I felt was undeniable happiness that I thought I could die. I subconsciously snaked my arms on his nape.

And then I heard him moan.

I didn't know what happened, but I found ourselves inside the bathroom, standing beneath the shower with no clothes and still kissing.

Everything that his hand touched was so hot.

I clung unto him when he carried me to my room and put me on the bed. He didn't immediately move when he entered me, but I could feel Claw's excitement. She likes what our mates are doing to us.

When he started moving, the pain I felt earlier was long gone. It was replaced by pleasure.

I held unto his broad shoulders while staring at his red eyes. All I could think about was the 'exercise' we were doing right now. The ecstasy succumbed to us when finally we reached our peak at the same time.

I can't count how many times we did it, but all I know is I'm so happy while I'm beside him. I felt him kiss my forehead before I close my eyes to sleep.

I don't know how many hours had passed, but I realized I was already tied to the chair in front of my dead pack mates when I woke up.

I was so stunned, and my eyes widened.

"Do you like the view?" a man at my back asked.

I averted my eyes, and tears gushed out my eyes.

"Look at them. Aren't they beautiful?" He held my head to let me face those dead bodies again. "Mate's bond isn't enough to stop me, baby. So don't worry, you will also follow them." He leaned close to my ear and ruthlessly declared, "I rejected you, Raven Grimheart, as my mate."

This was the last thing I heard before I felt the unbearable pain I'd never felt before.

The events that followed, I could hardly handle. Even my breathing was so difficult, and I was on the verge of fainting. He lifted me and laid me on the dirty, cold ground. I saw him holding a silver dagger, and then suddenly, he plunged the blade into my navel.

My scream pierced the silent night when he pulled the dagger to my body and then cut my back until he reached my neck before removing it—a mischievous grin on his face when he felt satisfied with what he did to me.

"Goodbye, Raven. I enjoyed our intercourse, but I'm not existed to love you. I was created to destroy you," he said while laughing like a maniac.

I didn't know how many days I tried to fight for my life. I can remember that someone found me and tended to my wounds immediately.