STUMBLING ON MY MATE
CHLOE'S POV
I made my way through the crowd of people that filled the banquet hall, my eyes searching for the slightest sight of brown curly hair and broad shoulders.
Alpha George had already promised to be here. I believed him, of course I did. Not like I had too much of a choice.
My heart bruised against my chest as tension gripped my very core.
He was nowhere to be found.
"Are you sure he's going to come?" Emily, my best friend who's equally my only friend, asked.
I shrugged and searched around with my eyes. "He said he was going to come," I responded, trying so hard to sound confident.
She groaned and rolled her eyes. Emily had never really supported I and George's relationship, even though he was the Alpha of a neighboring pack.
In her defense, he frolicked with other ladies and rumors had it that he was having a secret relationship with my step sister Anna.
By the goddess, I'd never even believe that. George wouldn't hurt me that way.
I leaned closer to Emily and whispered over the blaring music, "I have to go out for some fresh air,"
"Are you sure? The party just started and I'm sure the Alpha—"
I cut in, "...would want me to stick around in case I find my destined mate?" quipped and she nodded in affirmative. "I have to go now…I feel so suffocated here," I said and started making my way out of the pavilion.
A cold shiver wracked through my skin as I stepped out of the booming banquet into the cold night breeze.
Alpha George still wasn't… I squinted my eyes as my eyes fixed on a black Maybach parked at the far end in the parking lot.
I recognize that car wherever I see it. That was Alpha George's car.
I inched closer out of curiosity when I heard muffled moans of a woman coming from the nearby woods. The smell of George's scent lingered around.
My wolf couldn't miss his scent for anything on earth. I followed the scent and nothing, absolutely nothing on earth prepared me for what I saw.
"Harder…George, harder. Ummm…Yeah, I want more," the moans of a lady that was being pleasured filled the air.
My eyes went blind with tears that stung directly to my heart. What the hell was going on here?
I wanted to scream, speak, do anything…anything at all. But I couldn't, all my cowardly self could do was just allow the tears flow freely.
George turned around with a devilish smirk etched on his face. "Oh, who do we have here?" He stood to his full length. That was when my heart broke completely.
Anna, my stepsister, was having an affair with my chosen mate.
Anna giggled, not feeling guilty in the slightest. "If it isn't the ugly daughter of the Alpha. My sister," she said.
"Why not come and join us for a threesome?" He offered.
Anna stood up and slapped the back of his shoulders playfully. "Nahhh, my sister…oops. My stepsister is too decent for this sorta thing,"
"Anna how could you—"
She cuts in angrily, "Don't even try to patronize me," she snapped, "What were you expecting? Huh? That I would give up George for you? You've got to be kidding me,"
I wiped my eyes with the back of my hands. My throat felt parched. I couldn't even get a hold on myself. My wolf was equally inclined to the farthest part of my mind, away from my reach.
Anna spoke again, inching closer to me. "I hate you so much Chloe. I hate you," she spat as she crossed her hands over her chest, "And for your information, I and George are exclusively dating. Do your worse!"
I didn't know if I was the one, all I heard was echoes of "No, no. You can't do this to me,"
I knew well enough that my stepsister hated me so much.
Of course, she was my father's, Alpha Martin's favorite after she moved into the Packhouse with her mother, Luna Lucy who hated me with every iota of her being.
Both Anna and her mother Lucy loathed me to a fault. I was treated like every other part of the pack, even worse than an Omega. That didn't hurt as much as when my father— Alpha Matins, drifted away from me.
He turned into a total stranger and would believe whatever lies Luna Lucy and her daughter cooked up.
Gosh! I was shattered and heartbroken. All I wanted was to plunge myself in the lake and drown. I was useless,to myself and to the man I thought I loved.
Well, I should have known better, after I clocked eighteen and didn't get a destined mate by the goddess, my father had to give me up for a mate to Alpha George, because he desperately wanted an alliance with him.
"At least, you'd be useful at something," my father had snickered that night over dinner.
At first, I wanted to fight it. I never loved George because of his extravagant lifestyle but that came as the only option to proving myself to my father so I did it and along the line I fell in love with him. At least, that was what I told myself.
"Yes, Chloe. We can't hide it any longer," he paused, and looked at me without any streak of feelings, "I'm in love with Anna and I intend to brand her as my mate tonight,"
I inched closer to him by reflex and punched him hard on the jaw. He didn't see it coming. He staggered and lost his balance as I spun around and took to my heels.
I ran faster and faster out of the woods, making my way back to an empty room when I bumped into a big tree and fell flat on my heels.
Tears blinded my eyes as I let out a string of curse words before I lost my balance and collided into a wall of rigid hardness that sent me falling on my knees.
I winced in pain as my knees hit hard onto the marbled floor.
"Tsk, tsk. I'm used to people falling at my feet but not quite as undignified as this," said a deep velvety thick voice.
Wow, just perfect! A talking wall.
His voice was cold as ice with a hint of amusem*nt laced around its edges.
Stoic and out of place. My eyes drank in a shiny pair of brown shoes, perfectly tailored three piece suits that his well built muscles filled in. And sh*t! A rare pair of green eyes was staring down on me.
I struggled to my feet, suddenly feeling my wolf alive, his scent was the first to hit my nose. He smelled of camwood and expensive oud.
My goodness!
This was by far the most handsome man I'd set eyes on. Under the golden rays of the chandelier, he was like an ancient Greek god.
I took in more of his features— luxurious well pampered blonde hair, well carved out jawline, and plump lips that scratched at my carnal side.
He raised a glass of tequila to my face. "You look so distorted you could make do with a shot,"
f*ck! It took me a few minutes to know I was staring at the Lycan King. How on earth did he get here in the first place?
He seemed to read my mind because he said. "Yes, I honored your father's invitation and decided to come for the banquet," the rasp of his voice sent warmth skipping all over my body and I felt a butterfly loose from its cage in my stomach. He continued, scratching the side of his head slightly. "Turned out to be my worst decision in decades. Boring pretty much,"
Mate! My wolf cried. Oh no! I pushed the thoughts out of my mind.
He held out a glass of malt scotch whiskey to my face and I recoiled as the strong smell of liquor hit my nose.
"Ah! I guess you're in the league of girls that don't take—"
"I'll take it," I cut in rapidly and immediately regretted my actions.
He was right, I don't take alcohol and definitely not as strong as whisky. Somehow, the way his eyes dilated a little when I made the statement made my wolf excited.
Another butterfly fluttered in my stomach.
He handed me a glass and his skin grazed mine slightly sending me tingles all over my body. King Clayton inched closer to me and sniffed me.
My heart skipped a beat. Heck! Two beats. Did he feel the mate bond already?
A cold smirk appeared at the corner of his lips, "You're my destined mate," he snickered.
My mouth slowly parted open and with a shaky hand, I brought the glass of whiskey to my lips and downed the content. I went fuzzy a bit but his hands snaked around my waist, tight enough to show his superiority but loose enough so my body doesn't hurt.
I never knew I'd find him, my destined mate. And on the same night I was heartbroken.
King Clayton lifted my chin and I stared deep into his sea green eyes. I wanted him…and I wanted him badly. It was only right that he imprinted on me after waiting for so long.
Instead, he peeled his gaze away from me and said, "Do you want more?" I knew he was talking about the tequila which somehow ached my heart, but I nodded my head.
He poured me another glass…and another and another, till everything became fuzzy and I couldn't feel my legs on the floor.
King Clayton leaned closer to me and grazed his lips over mine. Heck! My wolf went loose inside of me. I wrapped my arms around his neck. Standing at a good six foot two or more, I stood on my toes to accommodate his height.
The kiss started slowly at first, before it became so rigourous our tongues desperately searched for each other. I want my mate badly that I forgot he was the ruthless Lycan King who didn't give a flip about anything and anyone.
