Zara's POV.

"That's right, nobody wants you, not even our parents," Haylee's next words tore the tiny string of control I had left.

My hands quivered uncontrollably and my claws scooted out, with a loud growl, I leaped into the air and landing back to the floor, I had shifted into my form.

I was about to dash towards her when I suddenly felt a pair of strong hands grab me by the neck and forced me to the floor. I tried to struggle out of the grip but I was no match for whoever it was.

Unable to breathe, I transformed back, only to land my gaze on Father. It was him who had fought me.

He roughly pushed me to the floor and held me down. "You dare try to hurt Haylee?"

"She took what belonged to me,"

"Merlin is her mate, you are going to give them your blessing," and he thundered.

He was doing it again, choosing Haylee over me even when she was wrong, it's always going to be like this.

"I'd rather leave the pack," I stared back at him dead in the eyes as I spoke.

"You won't do that either," he chuckled dryly.

"Hyde is hosting a search for a bride, you shall be in attendance," his next words hit me hard access the ear.

Hyde?

The name resounded horrifically through my head.

He was the wolf king but most people called him the Demon King.

He was wildly known for his cruelty and ruthlessness. He was fright itself. his eyes held coldness that no heat can melt. Everything you'd hear in a mystical horror story as described by people that have encountered him.

Suddenly, finding out about Haylee and Merlin felt like a lightweight compared to the bomb that had just been dropped on me.

I had only one question running through my head. What if he picked me to be his wife?

Father has always wanted me out, this was his perfect opportunity.

"Hyde is a nightmare, Alpha! I can't marry him!" I managed to protest but the mocking laughter that fled his mouth was enough to tell that I had no choice.

"Funny how you think you have a choice," I swallowed hard, tears beginning to well up in my eyes as his harsh words filtered into my ears. "Do you think anyone want you Zara? not even your supposed lover, that's because you are cursed, and as such, useless, Hyde is your only ticket out of shame," that is if he chooses you.

"Please Father, I will do anything," my voice trembled as the tears finally escaped my eyes, streaming freely down my cheeks

"There's nothing left for you here except humiliations and disgrace, Zara, and it's only going to rub off on my reputation."

**

I exhaled deeply for the umpteenth time, rolling all over my tiny bed as the events of the previous day flashed through my head.

I was no longer concerned about Haylee and Merlin's betrayal, rather I was consumed with thoughts of the wolf king's bride selection and my mandatory to be in attendance.

There's no way I'll risk getting married to him, I needed to do something.

A wide smile suddenly broke out on my face as an idea struck me.

Abruptly, I stood from the bed and headed out.

I didn't find it surprising seeing the guards standing at my doorstep. Of course Father was prepared to hand me directly over to the wolf king.

"Go back in, you're not allowed to step out," one of them blurted.

"I don't intend to go anywhere, I just want to speak to Father," I replied.

I watched as they glanced at each other, exchanging knowing looks before turning back to me.

"We'll have to take you to his chamber ourselves," one of them replied and I nodded frantically.

Luckily, he was already on his way out together with mother when we arrived at his doorstep.

"Why did you let her leave the room?" He turned to the guard with a huge scowl on his face.

"Alpha," I quickly knelt before him.

"Forgive me for throwing a tantrum about Haylee and Merlin's relationship, truly, she deserve him more than I do,"

"What's going on?" His voice was calm and uncertain indicating that I was doing great.

"I have accepted my fate and I'll be in attendance for the wolf king's bride selection, but I only have one request,"

"Speak." He blurted curtly.

"I would love to take a walk around the pack, because it might be my last days here before the wolf king takes me away," this time, I tried to sound as pitiful as I could.

"Is this some sort of trick?" Mother raised her brows at me.

"She's right, it's her last days here, the wolf king will definitely chose someone with the same trait of plague as him," father spoke.

"Take a walk as you request but the guards will go with you everywhere,"

It was taking everything to hold myself back from smiling widely. My plan was perfectly falling in place.

Without sparing me a second glance, they walked away.

**

For close to an hour, I walked around the pack with the guards closely marking behind while I plotted out the best time to swing into action.

Mindfully, I took a lane that led towards the pack boundary.

"I need to urinate, wait here," I suddenly turned around to face them. "Or do you want to watch me do that too?"

"You have less than five minutes," the lead guard replied.

Nodding frantically, I dashed into the bush and never stopped until I had crossed the pack boundary.

As I continued running through the woods with no particular destination in mind, it suddenly dawned on me that I was alone in the world now and would be responsible for myself hence forward.

For the first time in my life, not minding all the hurt I had gone through, a strange word escaped from my mouth.

"I want to live." I cried sadly in pain.

Zara's POV.

I dragged my legs heavily down the street, I had successfully found my way out of the woods.

My eyes were heavy and my head throbbed painfully but then I had no choice but to keep moving, straining my eyes to see through the dark alley.

I was extremely tired following the miles I've covered but I couldn't stop for a second as I was making sure to go as far away from the Blue Moon pack as possible.

Though I had no destination in mind, I felt a lot better than where I ran off from, the ugly ordeal that no one deserved. It's behind me now, and I'm glad to call it my past.

Suddenly, I halted on my spot as my ears instinctively caught a roaring noise.

I couldn't help the deep smirk that washed through my face as I realized where my legs had dragged me to, I was standing right in front of a buzzing bar.

It suddenly hit me, this was exactly what I needed right now. I needed something to vent my pain on and alcohol isn't far from being the great solution.

I suckled in a deep breath and staggered in.

***

Dragging my feet frustratedly into the club, I went straight to the bar section

"A shot please," I said to the waiter.

I grabbed the tiny glass like a desperate predator clutching onto it's prey and gulped down the shot of liquor down my throat in a flash, dropping the empty glass with a loud thud on the counter. "More!" I howled.

He filled it up and I gobbled it all the way in again.

The burning sensation right from my tongue, then throat and right down to my stomach was all I needed to keep me as miserable as I needed to be at that moment.

"Are you okay miss?" I heard the waiter ask.

"Just continue refilling the glass and I'll be okay," I mumbled passing the empty glass towards him.

Suddenly, I sighted someone walk into the club quietly, I definitely wouldn't have noticed if he had managed to look a bit less hotter than he is.

I was strongly resisting the urge to wipe my eyes with my hands to be sure it was a human walking right in, clad mysteriously in an all black outfit, his hair deep black and slightly ruffled, amazing hazel eyes and perfectly structured jawline, his height and muscular arms were second to none.

He had the looks of a complete Greek God. I was lost staring for several seconds,

I seemed not to be the only one caught up with his sudden appearance into the club.

Surprisingly, he walked towards the space beside me and leaned on the counter. His head snapped towards me almost immediately and I looked away quickly.

Snapping back to my business, I grabbed my filled cup, pouring it down my throat in a flash.

I could also hear the mysterious stranger demanding for bottles after bottles of liquor as well.

With each gulp of the drink, their faces flashed before my eyes. Father, Mother, Merlin, Haylee, and everyone who contributed immensely to my misery.

My breath was becoming heavy with each passing second and the walls of the club spun in different directions setting my head in a hassle, I felt my stomach contrast, and next thing, I was throwing up heavily.

Staggering to climb down the seat, I lost balance of my foot on the floor, which had me spiraling towards the ground.

I was almost reaching the floor when I felt a pair of strong hands grab my wrist pulling me back up, surprisingly, I never landed on my feet instead I crashed into a warm body.

I suckled in a deep breath, grateful that I hadn't fallen and broken my bones but suddenly a strange but adorable fragrance hit my nostrils hard. It was nothing like I've ever scented before.

It meant only one thing.

"Mate!" Narla, my wolf rumbled in excitement.

Slowly, I raised my face to get a glimpse of who or whatever I had crashed into, and surprisingly, it was him. The handsome stranger that had walked into the bar few minutes ago.

I felt the breath in my lungs dry up as his gaze lingered on me.

Then he did the unexpected.

He grabbed my waist, lifting me off the floor and headed out of the club.

I couldn't make out where he was taking me following how drunk I was, not until I felt a door shut behind. He dropped me to the floor and slammed me gently against the door.

In a swift movement, he raised his hands to rest on the door beside the both sides of my head, pinning me in-between, as his hot gaze peered into my face.

"Look at me," his cold voice sounded through my head.

I slowly raised my face to meet his heated gaze.

I felt my wolf squeal in excitement as our gazes met, all I felt at that moment was a strong force pushing me towards him. The fright coupled with excitement was unlike nothing I had felt before, a feeling I knew I would never feel for someone else.

"It's you," he muttered.

"Your scent is different," his voice sent cold shivers down my spine.

"So strong, so delicious, it can never be mistaken," he breathed out, his gaze fixed intently on me.

I mopped at him, my lips too heavy to utter a word.

Surprisingly, all I could see in his eyes was admiration and yearning.

I parted my mouth to mutter a word but it was hooked up in my throat as he claimed my lips in a sloppy heart melting kiss, our tongues battling for dominance, his hands roamed my body igniting fire underneath my skin as I burn and craved more of his touch.

After a short while, he pulled away, trailing soft kissed down my neck, he was extremely gentle as he claimed my body, my wolf howled in pleasure and excitement as our body became one.

"You are mine, those were his next words as he scooped me into his arms, heading towards the bed.

Zara's POV.

A sharp, pounding ache creaked at the back of my head as I stirred awake. My body felt strangely heavy, my limbs tangled in soft, luxurious sheets that were far too comfortable to be mine. The scent surrounding me was intoxicating... musky, and laced with something dark and deeply masculine. It sent a shiver down my spine before my eyes even fluttered open.

As soon as they did, I froze.

The ceiling above me was unfamiliar, smooth and painted a deep shade of gray. the kind of decor that screamed wealth and power. The dim morning light streamed through thick curtains. Everything was wrong. This wasn’t my bed. This wasn’t my home.

Panic shot through my veins like lightning, my heartbeat accelerated as flashes of last night slammed into me all at once. The bar. The alcohol. The strong arms catching me before I fell. The molten gold eyes that had burned through me, igniting something I had never felt before.

And then...

My heart dropped to my stomach.

I turned my head slowly, dreading what I would see.

there laid his muscular body, still deep asleep.

A scream clawed at my throat, but I swallowed it down as horror and disbelief stirred within me. My body was bare beneath the sheets, and the soreness between my thighs confirmed what my heart refused to accept.

I had slept with a stranger.

No. Not just a stranger.

My mate.

The word sent another wave of panic surging through me, making my breathing shallow. No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening. I hadn’t planned for this. I hadn’t wanted this. I wasn’t supposed to find my mate.. not when I was running away, not when I had nothing to offer.

I clenched the sheets around me, squeezing my eyes shut. Think, Zara. Think.

The events of last night replayed themselves mercilessly. The moment our eyes had locked, the pull had been undeniable. Even through the haze of alcohol and heartbreak, my wolf had screamed at me... Mate!

Could he have known too?

I had felt it in the way his fingers had tightened around my wrist when I stumbled into his arms, in the way his golden eyes darkened with something deep and possessive.

I hadn’t fought it.

My body had responded before my mind could, and the moment his lips crashed against mine, I knew there was no turning back. One moment we had been in the club, the next, I had found myself pressed against soft mattress, pinned beneath his weight as his mouth claimed me.

I felt heat crawl up my neck. I couldn’t remember every detail, but I remembered enough. His hands, his lips, the way he had growled in my ears as he thrusted into me.

And now, I was waking up in his bed.

Shame burned through me like fire.

"This can’t be happening," I whispered to myself, my fingers digging into my scalp.

I couldn’t stay.

My mate.. whoever this man is. Isn't someone I could afford to be around. I didn’t know his name, didn’t know anything about him except that he was powerful. Too powerful. The way he had commanded attention... he wasn’t an ordinary wolf.

I needed to get out before he woke up.

Heart hammering, I forced myself to move, ignoring the soreness in my legs as I slipped out of bed. My dress lay discarded on the floor, wrinkled and twisted. My shoes were nearby, one lying near the foot of the bed, the other tossed halfway across the room. I cringed at the sight before gathering them quickly.

As I reached for my dress, my gaze landed on the bedside table... and on the black leather wallet sitting there.

My movements stilled, and I swallowed hard, my mind racing.

I was about to flee with nothing but the clothes on my body. No money. No food. No plan. I had only managed to escape last night with the clothes I wore. I needed something to hold onto, just in case I need a change of cloth or food, even.

A dangerous idea suddenly crept into my mind, and my pulse quickened.

It was wrong. But was it? This was survival. I was on the run, with nowhere to go. If I took just a little.. enough to get me far from here... would it really be that bad?

I hesitated for only a second before my fingers closed around the wallet. My breath hitched as I flipped it open.

Thick stacks of crisp bills greeted me. Large, significant amount.

I didn’t think twice before snatching a handful of cash, I shoved it into my dress pocket before placing the wallet back down.

Guilt clawed at my stomach, but I pushed it away. I had no choice. I would disappear after this. He would never see me again.

I tiptoed toward the door, my bare feet moving as quickly and silently as possible.

My hand was on the doorknob when a low, sleepy growl rumbled from the bed.

I froze.

My breath caught in my throat as I turned my head slightly, just enough to see him shifting in his sleep. The sheets had fallen low on his waist, revealing his sculpted torso. My heart clenched painfully.

He’s beautiful.

I sucked in a sharp breath, shaking my head. No. Don’t be weak now.

I twisted the knob and slipped out, shutting the door behind me without a sound.

The hallway was just as lavish as the bedroom, lined with expensive paintings and gleaming marble floors. I moved swiftly, searching for an exit.

A maid spotted me from the end of the corridor, her brows furrowing in confusion.

"Miss? Are you..

I bolted.

I didn’t give her a chance to finish. My feet carried me down the stairs, my heart slamming against my ribs as I burst through the front doors and into the morning light.

The cold air hit me like a slap, but I didn’t stop running.

I had no idea where I was, but one thing was certain.

I had to disappear before he found out I was gone.

And before he realized I had stolen from him.