RAIN
Mate.
The beautiful man who is gentle in action and voice is looking at me expectantly.
"How can I be your mate with a past like mine?" I ask looking away. I will bring shame to his pack, and his family will never accept me. For my past and all the dirt that coats me, I will never be perfect nor a match for him.
He gently touches my chin making me look at him. "Yes, you can. I know you are an omega, I can scent you have been living in another pack. I don't care about your past, all that matters to me is that I have found you, after thinking I will never have a mate. But you are here now."
Hearing such declarations makes my chest hurt. "I am also wolfless. There is no way an alpha can be mated to a wolfless omega."
He is silent and I don't dare look at him to see the disappointment and disgust on his face. When I am pulled in a hug, I yelp as my body falls on a hard, muscled one, with strong arms around me.
"You don't get to tell me what I can't accept or not, rain. You are mine now and I am never letting you go."
I can't breathe, as I squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for the close contact to be over. I have identified physical touch with pain and when I don't feel pain, I start to get anxious. My mind is so broken that I keep waiting to be hit, and when it doesn't come it tells me it will come later on.
Liam notices it immediately and lets me go, but he seems to be struggling.
I feel shame as my face reddens. I have a mate, yet I can't feel the bond nor detect it. That's how messed up I am. When I was shown kindness, I thought he had bought me and I was here to serve him.
That's how broken I am.
A knock on the door breaks the silence and Liam looks like he is going to kill whoever is on the other side.
"What? I said not to be disturbed."
"Alpha Kingsley, we have visitors and it's an urgent matter. I fear that you are needed," a voice responds and Liam is on his feet immediately.
I don't want to leave you but, I have to see who came into my territory. Stay here, I will be back soon.
I nod and he leaves.
Alpha Kingsley. I have heard that name. Alpha Dante wanted an alliance with him but he turned him down and that made him so angry. I remember he called the alpha a snob. But he couldn't do much, because Alpha Kingsley is untouchable, the alpha of the strongest pack in our continent and beyond.
And it turns out, I am his mate.
I walk towards the floor-to-ceiling windows and draw the curtains. The view that greets me knocks my breath away. I appear to be on a tall building because I see the city below me in all its glory. It's so beautiful and surreal that I touch the glass, pressing my palm on it, to make sure it's real.
The door opens and I whirl around, immediately getting away from the window and I see it Liam.
No, alpha Kingsley.
He looks grim and on edge and I wonder if I have made him angry for moving around, or even looking at him. So I look down and await his command.
"Rain, it appears that your pack has come to find you. I don't know how they knew you were here but they want you back. I have told them no, and that you are my mate, but they have insisted that they see you first before leaving."
Dante is here!
I know nothing is going to be the same, the moment I cross that threshold and see him again. Because I won't be back here, and I will be sent away with alpha Dante because it was all good to be true anyway. I feign understanding and start to follow Alpha Kingsley but he stops me.
"No one is going to take you away from me. The only reason they are still alive is because they have made it diplomatic, so that makes me obey the fucking rules. But if any of them touches you or even dares threaten you, I will gift you their heads."
His words and tone should scare me but it only makes me feel at ease. When he takes my hand, I let him and we start walking hand in hand.
We go down a hall, and I realize just how massive this place is. Reaching an elevator, we go down and seem to stop at one of the lower level floors.
He doesn't let go of my hand, not even when the double doors open and I see my pack all seated in what appears to be a huge office. Alpha Dante, his beta Dean, and Oliver the gamma are all here. Dante's eyes go to our hands and then look at me and I immediately look away.
I try tugging my arm away, but Liam doesn't let me. Others are in the room, and they look dangerous and imposing. They are pack members of Liam.
"I do not allow other packs in my territory without prior notice, Hawthorne," Liam doesn't bother addressing Dante officially as he clearly shows his annoyance.
"I would have given the notice if it weren't for you stealing a pack member from my territory. It appears that you too don't follow the protocol so why would I?" alpha Dante smirks, and I cower behind Liam.
"I didn't steal any pack member and Rain is no longer your pack member," Liam goes to sit at his chair, pulling me with him and making me sit on his lap.
Murmurs break into the office and I fidget feeling uneasy and queasy. I think I am going to throw up.
"A wolfless omega is your mate? That's ridiculous. I know you might be buying whatever crap this trash has said to you, but he is not telling you the truth," Dante starts speaking but Liam growls so loud that everyone cowers, even Dante.
"What did you just call my mate?!"
"Listen, he is not good for you. He is broken and messed up. I have tried fixing him but he is a lost cause. It is best to "
He doesn't finish what he says because Liam plunges his hand and claws through his chest.
"I am holding your pumping heart right now. It's only for a short period because I want you to apologize to my mate if you want to live."
Chaos breaks out as Dean and Oliver all stand, up and get their claws and teeth out, ready to fight. Liam's pack is still, but aware, ready to jump and finish the tow if need be.
"I – would never-"
Liam withdraws his hand from alpha Dante's chest and on his palm is his still beating heart.
"I know I promised you a head, but will you accept a heart?"
I fell myself falling, darkness embracing me.