Alpha Asher’s POV.

I went back to my seat since Daniel mind linked me that the rouge that crossed our border was a female wolf and she looked dirty and bruised. I guessed that maybe she escaped from an abusive alpha or maybe an evil mate. I have a lot of them here in my pack, starting their life afresh because their mate decided to move mad. Most times when we get female rouges, that’s always the case. I mind-linked another female wolf to prepare a room for her and help her feel comfortable till I’m done working then I would come to see her.

I wonder why some males would hit their mates and maltreat them to the point of running away? I guess some people have things and they don’t value them. This was my tenth year of being the Alpha King of the werewolf realm and for once I’ve never gotten a mate. Some are lucky to get another mate after their previous ones died. I’ve never gotten anyone before, not even one that has had a mate before. It was sad for me because I wanted more. To be loved unconditionally by one person and to be able to return the love without fear.

Something felt unusual and for the first time, since I’ve been able to contact my wolf and have a relationship with it, I can’t decipher what this feeling is. I couldn’t concentrate on the work I was trying to finish so I decided I’d had enough work to do for the day. Maybe a run on the tracks and ending it with a visit to the new addition to our pack. I needed to confirm that she wasn’t a spy or anything whatsoever. I couldn’t deal with that right now.

Stepping out of the pack office, I had a change of mind. The heat was somehow unbearable and I decided to go swimming instead. The water didn’t sound like a bad idea and I took the shortcut passing in front of the orphanage, I decided to go in. Those children haven’t seen me since last week and I promised them that I would take them for something fun this week. I needed to remind them that the deal was still on if I don’t have more paperwork to fill.

I walked in and those children attacked me with hugs. They didn’t give me a chance to breathe and I laughed when they successfully pulled me to the floor and they started tickling me. They wanted to hear me laugh and I made sure to frown for them to give up but they weren’t having any of it. I finally let go of my facade and I started laughing. Giving a home to these children was some kind of feeling I couldn’t get rid of that fast, It was like making sure they didn’t end up like me. I kind of like the whole thing, making sure their parent’s choices didn’t affect their living.

I didn't wake up one morning and decide to be the Alpha king, in fact, I didn't get a pack passed on to me. I built everything from scratch and together with my friends, we built the most formidable pack in the werewolf realm. Daniel, Edna, Shalom, and Tommy were the first set of friends I ever had in my life and the war brought us together.

For over a hundred years, The faeries wanted to take over the werewolf realm and rule over the entire supernatural realm. We were quite young then and soon the effect of the war started to get to the grassroots. Most packs started tossing out their extra members because the food was dwindling and they need to survive, I was the black sheep of my family then and it didn't come as a shock when I got tossed out. Daniel grew up in the monastery and everyone there got tossed out too.

Edna's father had too many children and he tossed out his female children, her sister died before we could finalize our dreams. Together with other rouges who needed a place to call home, we started this pack. We slowly built ourselves and we ended the war, we defeated the faeries. We earned our place in the werewolf realm and since then, the royal pack is open to every harmless rogue who wants a place to call home.

“Is the Alpha in here?” Someone asked from the door and I sat upright, The kids left me alone gradually when they discovered the person looking for me had some serious business for

me. I watched him bow mildly before I waved him off. He cleared his throat before he started speaking.

“Beta Daniel said he has tried mind-linking you several times but you’ve been distracted and there’s a blockage on the pack’s link. He said to meet him at the pack clinic because the rogue just fainted and all efforts to revive her are proving difficult.” When he finished talking, I sat upright in shock. The last thing I wanted was a dead woman’s case in my hands. It could be worse than anyone would think and it could even be a trap to make trouble for the royal pack. He bowed slightly before running in a different direction. My thought became jumbled because what if she was a trap by one of my too many enemies and they wanted to destabilize me. The odds of a bruised woman showing up in this pack is almost sixty percent but a bruised and sick one falls by ten percent.

I walked out of the orphanage and I walked extremely fast. The pack doctor should be able to do something, she is one of our very best. She came from a long generation of healers and she has been taught how to deal with cases like this by her predecessor, they should have. I hastened my footsteps when I felt how worried Daniel sounded in my head. I felt like there was more to this whole thing Like there were a lot of things that were about to change. I could feel it in my guts and my guts don't lie.

My wolf started pacing aggressively in my head, I was trying to communicate but he keeps wanting to jump out of my head. I wasn’t going to let him out because one Language Cypher understood was violence. I’m the nicer one out of the two of us and if I was being honest, Cypher makes a lot of rash decisions on his own. I let him out on rare occasions and at wars, Cypher is always unstoppable, many feared him more than they feared me. Something huge was about to happen to us and I could feel it too. I’m sure he could too, there was this rush of adrenaline pumping through me.

I broke into a jog towards the pack clinic because I can’t keep calm and keep walking again. I wanted to do something more. Arriving at the pack clinic, Daniel was standing outside already waiting for me. He waved his hands and I turned to walk towards him. Cypher’s pacing became more aggressive and the adrenalin pump was so high. I literally want to break into a run and run for hours along the borders of my pack but something was keeping me rooted here. I was being energy high and I wanted to do a lot of things while finding what to do too.

That was when it hit me, the enchanting lavender smell. Walking closer to Daniel he had it splattered all over his body. I could smell it so well. Daniel can’t even be my mate, the goddess dare not play a trick on us. Cypher was almost growling in my head but I couldn’t pick up what he was saying. My whole body was on fire and my thought scattered all over the place. Did Daniel come in contact with my mate before me? I had no doubt about this and Cypher didn't like it one bit that Daniel had touched our mate before us and her scent was scattered all over his body.

“My Alpha, is there something wrong? You look a little unsettled. Scratch that, you look restless.” Daniel said and I took another breath. I was an adult and I can definitely deal with this in a proper manner. I took short deep breaths in quick succession before I turned to look at him. The scent had reduced and I sighed in relief. Daniel wasn’t my mate but he had come in contact with my mate. Cypher kept up with the pacing and he wasn’t pleased one but that Daniel came in contact with our mate before us.

“There’s a weird scent coming from you. It’s not there before. Did you touch anyone else?” I asked with a low voice and he nodded slowly. He was lost at first and when everything started to come back to him, his mouth rounded in an "O" and he beckoned me to follow him.

He walked hastily into the pack clinic and I followed him. The scent was becoming stronger and as I walked closer to the roll of rooms, the smell became stronger. The adrenalin rush was still there and I was close to tears, I was finally getting a mate. After so many years, The moon goddess finally took pity on my lonely self.

I was finally going to have a mate to call mine, I was finally going to see someone to call mine and spend the rest of my life with. We were going to start our own little family and we would be happy forever. I couldn’t wait but for some reason, I started having cold feet. What if she doesn’t want me as her mate? What if she has fallen in love with someone else, or what if she has a thing against her chosen mates? I don’t even want to go down that lane at all.

As if Daniel could read my mind, he slowed down a bit before he grabbed my hand, it was some kind of reassurance, and I’m thankful that I have this man in my corner. He’s always so understanding and in moments when I can say what’s going on; it’s as if he can read my thoughts. I’m happy to have him as a friend and as my beta.

When we got to the entrance of the room, the scent intensified and it was clouding my senses. I pushed the door open gently and I walked in with hope. I hope whoever the Moon Goddess picked for me, would be perfect for me in my own way. She would complete me in ways no one else had. I couldn’t wait to meet her. I never had any expectations for my mate because I wanted to love her as she is, I only prayed she was perfect for me.

When I got into the room, nothing prepared me for what I saw next. I saw my mate on the bed, with a tube connected to her body. No doubt bringing fluids to her body. I wanted to cry or worse do something to whoever made her like this. No human deserves to look this frail and malnourished. No human deserves whatever my mate has been through. Her whole body looked like she hasn’t had a meal in days. While I wasn’t comfortable with the fact that she was wearing Daniel’s outfit, her exposed legs showed marks and marks. Some looked older than the rest but whatever the case is, I'm glad she is out of there. She was here with me now, she is mine now. I wanted to find whoever did this to her, find them one after the other, and make their lives hell.

She turned in her sleep and a soft sigh escaped her lips. I was enthralled by her whole features, even with the scars, she looked like she wasn't made for this realm. Each time people say that be calm, your mate would be perfect. I never believed it till now. She was perfect and the scars didn't make her any less than perfect.

Her soft breaths filled the room and she looked like she had no care in the world. She looked like she was finally at peace. That alone brought me peace, looking at her sleeping peacefully and without a care in the world. This was how she was going to be sleeping forever, he was going to protect her at all cost.

Alpha Asher’s POV

“What’s your name?” I asked in a soft voice, and her eyes darted all over the place as if she was looking for an escape route. I don’t want my mate to stare at me like she was scared of me; I don’t want my mate to be scared of me. I want her to love me and me to love her back in return. This wasn’t what I planned at all. I have been trying to get her to talk for the past ten minutes, but she wasn’t budging. I don’t know how to do this, but for her, I wanted to put in every possible effort. This was the person I’ve been waiting for all my life and I wasn’t going to let things get messed up.

I kind of understand considering that she woke up from a terrible nightmare hours ago and she has been too scared to even blink talk-less of sleeping. I watched her close her eyes for a bit before snapping them open again. After she had her bath, I had Edna, my Zeta get a few clothes for her till she was ready to shop for herself. I wished she didn’t go through all of these before she met me, I wish I left my region more often. Maybe we would have met and I would have saved her from whatever was tormenting her even in the dreams. I watched her go through her last nightmare and I really felt helpless.

“Okay, Let’s do this. My name is Asher. What’s yours?” I asked with a whisper and she finally raised her eyes to look at me. At last, I was making progress, her eyes were fixed on her hand as if it was the most interesting thing in the room all day. I was close to giving up but her looking at me definitely means I was making good progress.

“Maya, my name is Maya. The nuns from the monastery said it means a good soul.” She whispered back and I tested the name on my lips. I loved the way it sounded and pronouncing it brought a smile to her face. This was real progress. I didn’t know what to ask next, I was selecting my questions carefully so I don’t trigger her into silence. It took a whole lot of effort after she woke up to get her to talk.

I picked her hand from the bed and I watched her jolt back in shock, she could feel it too, she could feel the mate bond too. I was glad that I’m not the only person feeling this way, explaining it to her would be easier this way. I wondered if she ever knew what a mate was or how the bond worked.

“We are mated. Wow, I don’t want a mate. I want to walk around the whole world free from everyone.” She added a few minutes later and my whole body dropped in disappointment. She was giving up on us before we even had a chance to explore our mate bond. I feared this would happen that was why I wanted to take my time and explain things to her. Unfortunately, someone already messed up an idea of how mate should be for her and now have to beat a soiled record.

“Maya, you’re really going to reject me before you get to know me?’ I asked and she nodded almost immediately. I don’t know which was more disappointing, the fact that she didn’t want me, the fact that she made her decision quickly and as fast as possible, or the fact that she seemed so sure that rejecting was the best option for her. She wasn’t even giving me an opportunity to prove that our mate bond was going to be the best thing that happened to us both.

“Maya, do you know the moon goddess paired us for a reason, she makes the best decision. She knows we would be perfect for each other, that’s why.” I added softly and I wished I didn’t because Maya started throwing things and screaming at me to get out. It happened too fast, one minute she was being calm with me, and the next she was acting enraged. I should have known that most people from the monastery rarely like the moon goddess, same with Daniel too.

“You sit there and tell me crap about the moon goddess and what she wants. I don’t fucking care about whatever she wants and I do not want you as a mate. She fucking sat on her throne like a princess and watched them fucked my life up and leave my body as a museum of scars. She watched while my parents dumped me in hell, she fucking watched when everyone in the monastery got tossed out and we were turned to omegas. We were treated as slaves and we saw hell, now I took an action by myself and you’re telling me crap about a stupid goddess who couldn’t even save Alpha Liam. Don’t feed me the crap. I don’t need the goddess and I for one, don’t care about her at all. Don’t blame you, you probably grew up with a silver spoon and you don’t know what life as an omega entails. It’s easier for you to say stuff about how a goddess makes the best decision. Maybe my parents dumping me was a great decision she helped them make too. In fact, I’m getting out of here and this pack. I fucking want to see the Alpha and he should let me go. I’d rather die as a rogue than spend the rest of my life with y0u” She screamed in my face and for the first time, I felt like a failure. All of these could have been prevented if I had gone in search of her instead of waiting for her to come to me.

I don’t what broke my heart more, the fact that she had to go through all of these alone. I felt for her I wish I could take away all of her hurt. I couldn’t and I hated the fact that she canceled me without getting to know me. She didn’t stop throwing things at me and I stepped out for a moment. This was beyond my control already. I told the nurse on duty to sedate her till she was calm again and we would have another decent conversation. I walked back to the pack office feeling dejected, I couldn’t get the fact that my mate didn’t want me and she probably won’t want me out of my head. It hurts too much to even think of it. I wanted to be there for her every step but she wasn’t letting me. Daniel walked past me to go on patrol duties before he squeezed my shoulder in reassurance, this was way more than we thought.

I came back later to watch her sleep, I wished it was this easy for all of us. In less than twenty-four hours, she has made a dent in my life already. She had a nightmare earlier and watching the CCTV footage of how she pleaded for a certain Alpha not to kill her shredded me into pieces. She didn’t deserve any of this, no human deserves to go through things like this but this life was unfair to everyone. I wanted to hold her in her sleep and watch her take each breath like they were precious but I was scared of her reaction. I didn’t want to scare her off, I wanted to take things slowly with her. We are going to be together forever and there’s no need to rush things.

She tossed around and when she finally opened her eyes, my breath hitched. I was supposed to go out of there so I don’t trigger another of her episodes but I couldn’t bring myself to walk out. I wanted to be there for her during every stage. She wasn’t letting me do this for her, she wasn’t allowing me to be there for her. It hurts more than anything else and I don’t know what to do. I hated my helplessness more than I hated the fact that I could only stare at my mate after years of waiting for her.

I took the seat close to the bed and I watched her shift uncomfortably, I didn’t like the feeling one bit. I was going to do this with her slowly and I really hoped it worked out. I tried to take her hand and this time she didn’t flinch away from me. She stared at me emotionless, as if she couldn’t care what else would happen. When I touched her, she didn’t react like she did the first time and my heart clenched. I proceeded without getting discouraged. Not even this neutral facade would stop me from being with my mate.

__________

We already established the fact that I was the Alpha here and she wasn’t going anywhere until she understood we were mated and we would be forever. The way she stared emotionless scared the crap out of me, almost like I was dealing with a robot. I didn’t want this for her or myself, every of her acts hurt me deeper than I wanted. Never for once have I thought we would reduce to this. I didn’t know a single action of a person would turn me into a dunce. I hated this feeling of being powerless.

“You have to be present for Luna training every morning after breakfast…” Edna was speaking and Maya stood up before walking out of her sitting area and she proceed to walk towards the door. She has been acting aloof since we told her everything and everyone was hanging barely on a thin thread.

“Don’t you dare walk out on me this instant? What the hell is wrong with you? Do you think you’re the only one affected by all of this? Stop acting like a coward and get your life together.” Edna screamed and I recoiled at the way she sounded. No one deserved to be shouted at like that but Maya had been getting on everyone’s nerves. I low-key waited for Maya’s reaction because one minute, you could tell what she would do and the next moment, she was practically unpredictable.

“How about you lead the way by getting some damn manners bitch. Don’t fucking yell at me” She replied before she walked out of the building, Edna stood up in a flash and I placed my hand over hers. She didn’t need to go after her or do anything to her. Maya was still healing and we all knew that. It was a huge change in her life and she wasn’t taking it the right way. Maybe we needed to try another routine without her getting jumbled up.

“What if Y’all are actually doing it the wrong way. This lady is new to all of these, she has known nothing but pains all her life. She lashed out at you because you thought she would be comfortable with that emotional manipulation of the goddess knew what she was doing. Guess what? Not everyone is a fan of the goddess and a bonus point is that she grew up in a monastery and those nuns rarely believed in the goddess. I was raised in a monastery too. Let her breathe and take things to step by step and You’d see how much of a great result it will yield,” Daniel said and Edna turned to look at him sharply. She looked like she wanted to rip him to shreds with her claws and the only thing he did was shrug his shoulders. Daniel wasn’t scared of anyone.

“How do I take things slowly when she’s not even giving me a chance to be with her?” I found myself asking and Daniel clicked his tongue again, he was about to give me an earful when he finishes. I know that too well. Teacher Daniel mode activated.

“Be her friend first, pretend as if you’re not mates at all. Act as if you don’t know you are going to spend the rest of your lives together and try to get to know her properly. Allow her to trust you and let her feel the mate bond without pressure from you or anyone. If possible suspend the Luna lessons and watch her slowly warm up to you. Tell her random things you don’t tell anyone and You’d see her trusting you gradually.” Daniel replied and I was elated, everything he listed sounded easy but it was going to take a lot of time. If pretending as if we weren’t mated would make her trust me then I’m willing to try it out.

Jason’s POV

I lay on the shards of glass in disbelief. That little brat had pushed me down and made her escape. I wanted to burst into a scream, calling the guards to alert them but the shame overpowered me and I stayed silent.

What would they think of me! What would father say! Melissa wouldn't let me hear the end of this story!

All these thoughts ran through my head. It made me angrier. Angrier that I couldn’t do what I wanted how I wanted and all because my wolf need more training cause it was born weak! I just lay in the shards thinking of how my whole life would be better if I wasn’t weak and how perfect it would have been. The thought turned to anger. Anger towards myself; for being born weak. Anger towards Melissa; for being so strong and the perfect child and a threat to my position as alpha. Anger towards Maya for doing this to me!

The angrier I got, the more I needed to crush something and get all the pain out. So I clawed at the shards beside me and rolling my hands into fists, crushing the shards to tiny pieces, drawing blood from my palms. It didn’t hurt like it was supposed to. It just felt right and gave the satisfaction I needed. The anger slowly dissipated and I began to wonder where Melissa was.

She would normally have barged into the room, brooding or screaming cause father would let out his anger on her. She hadn't come yet. I looked at my wall clock and it had been an hour since she had called me.

“ I’ll just give her five more minutes.” I said to myself. Still siting on the shards.

Melissa pulled my door off its hinges as she walked in, stopping just a few paces from the doorway with a pissed glare on her face. She had obviously been cautioned by father and now, it was time for us to argue.

“ Did you or did you not understand when I said father requests your presence in the training room ? and that you could tend to your little omega later! I’ve been screamed at and threatened to be killed! Why do you do theses things to me Jason?” Melissa said with her death glare. She had the most beautiful looks in our pack but her eyes were full of death and rage. She was simply a psychopath.

Melissa stood in the door way, glaring around the room, obviously looking for me when her death glare turned to a confused stare.

“Where is the bitch?” Melissa asked, referring to Maya. “ And why are you on the floor?”

“Maya isn’t in the room. She made for the borders, if you send the guards to get her, they can catch up still.” I pushed myself off the shards, while avoiding eye contact with Melissa.

“So you let the omega escape?” Melissa tilted her head at a disturbing angle as she glared at me.

“ I didn’t let her escape, she just managed to slip pass through me.” I growled at Melissa as I pulled the shards of glass from my hands and clothes.

“ I love you brother but this baffles even me. How in heaven’s name did a little omega get past you! She’s just an omega!” Melissa raised her tone from her usual proud low tone.

“ I don’t know Mel! She took me by surprise! So please, if you’re done, get the guards and let them go after her!” I barked at Melissa but she didn’t flinch. She just rolled her eyes and gave me her signature death look and returned to her deadly low tone.

“ I love you Jason and I would do anything for you but, this is your mess. You fix it.” Melissa smiled at me. She was enjoying this.

“Get out of my room Melissa.” I growled , my head bent, trying to control my anger and not start a fight.

“ You’re gonna have to speak louder than that dear brother. I can’t hear you if you’re busy sulking with your head bent. “ Melissa said a chirpy, nice voice like a princess fairy.

“Get out! Melissa!” I barked even louder. The smile on Melissa’s face vanished and she had her death glare on.

“Father still demands your presence in the training room.” Melissa said before she turned on her heels and walked away. Leaving me to my silence and frustration.

“ I would kill Maya, even if its the last thing I do.” I said under my breath and headed to the training room.

Melissa’s POV

Jason was angry, I could tell by the way he bent his head and folded his fists till he drew more blood from his hands. I wasn’t in the mood for a fight and father was awaiting my return with productive answers. I walked out of Jason’s room to avoid another fight but I waited in the halls. If I didn’t return with Jason, I would be returned to the moon goddess. Jason seemed to be taking his sweet, sweet time.

“Any time this century would be good brother.” I said in the halls. Jason looked up at me and his eyes were angry. I raised a brow, asking if he wanted to go here and now.

Jason just looked away and made to the training room. Jason walked past me and I could feel the anger sway past as he walked past. He was literally emitting anger. I followed behind him with my proud look that everyone seemed to notice.

We got to the doors of the training room and Jason took a deep breath and exhaled. He shook his hands and stood in front of the doors, still getting ready to open them.

“Any time you’re ready.” My sarcasm dripped from my voice.

“Shut up Mel.” Jason said calmly.

“Father is the one at the other side of this door, he’s not your mate so no need to look perfect. Plus he ‘s really pissed so just get on with it.” I pushed the doors open from behind Jason and walked in.

“That took you a while Melissa.” Father’s deep voice boomed through the room.

“I’m sorry father. I’ll do better next time.” I gave father a low bow and stood by his side while Jason stood in front of father.

“Hello father.” Jason had his two hands at his back and acted like he wasn’t the guilty one here.

“Melissa was sent to get you twice. Did you not get her message the first time?” Father asked, his voice slightly louder as his veins popped. Father was mad.

“ I did get the message the first time father. Something happened and I couldn’t come on time . I’m sorry.” Ja son looked calm and collected as he stood there but we both knew that he was begging the moon goddess for this to go well.

“ Some whatever is more important than your training?” More veins bulged on father’s arm. He was getting angrier. “Do you know why we have your training sessions Jason?” Father asked Jason in a calmer tone.

“Yes father.”

“And you decided to deal with whatever you were dealing with at the expense of your training. Why?” father’s voice rose and the walls of the training room shook.

“Alpha! Control yourself!”Jason’s trainer held father’s shoulder and spoke with a firm voice and father’s wolf eyes disappeared and his human eyes were back.

“ What was this so called emergency you needed to attend to that demanded that you keep your training on hold for an hour plus?” Father looked down at Jason with a disgusted look.

“ One of the omega’s escaped and I wanted the guards to get her before she slipped past the borders?’’ Father looked at Jason’s fist, noticing the blood there.

“And was the omega captured?” Father asked with obvious disinterest in what Jason had to say.

“I didn’t. She should be gone past the borders by this time.” Jason kept his head down as he tried to explain himself to father.

“So in the end, you didn’t get the omega back and practically delayed me and your training for no tangible reason.” Father was using his low tone. He was getting ready tom pounce and Jason kept his distance.

The trainer looked at father and noticed his anger.

“ I don’t mind the child trying to sort out his issues. Even though he failed, it’s part of his training.” Jason’s trainer said.

He was the same person that trained father and all our warriors. The only difference is that he didn’t need to train them to grow their wolves or strength. He just needed to teach them how to grow the power that was already bestowed in them by the moon goddess.

Father looked from Jason to the trainer. He knew it was no use trying to take his anger out on Jason. That would only make matters worse.

“ If you insist Tyler. But we need to make sure that that omega is found and brought back. Which omega was that Jason?”

“It was Maya.” Father’s glare seemed to glare more, if that was possible.

“Training is on hold for today. Let the guards search the boundary and make sure that the omega is found. If she hasn’t reached the borders.” Father instructed.

“If that’s what you want done alpha then there’s no problem with that. I’ll get some guards to search the borders.” Tyler said as he took his weapon and put it back into it’s case. His weapon was a three feet long blade that had no particular shape. It just wasn’t normal. It looked sharp enough to split through stone and even bone.

Tyler took his sword and walked out the training room.

“We’re going to be waiting in the throne room for the report.” Father said and lead the way to the throne room.

I always loved the throne room. It reminded me of all the power and authority I had in the land as the alpha’s daughter. I loved the power. It gave me something to lord over these annoying omegas. They might have just been play toys but they were my subjects none the least. It was necessary to lord my authority over my subjects. No matter what other people thought.

We all sat in the throne room in silence for almost an hour before one of the guards walked in. I was more than relived to see him. I was getting tired of waiting and the silence was deadly and weird.

“We have a report from the search party sir.”