VIOLET’S POV
My heart began to race so fast I thought I was going to pass out from it. I didn’t know if I was ready to meet my mate just yet, and fear gripped me. It was as exciting as it was scary.
What if he rejected me? What if he turned out to be nothing like I had imagined him to be?
“Mate wouldn’t reject us, Violet. Be hopeful and think positively.” Aria said in a now calm voice. She must have sensed my panic and decided to calm me down.
I nodded in agreement, seeing as she could be right, and I wanted to stay positive, still holding the late Luna’s words to heart.
I felt my lips curl into a smile, small at first before it widened. I had gotten my wolf, just like everyone else.
I’m not a freak anymore.
I was engrossed in my thoughts that I didn’t even realize that someone had made their way down to where my cell was until their voice snapped at me, startling me awake from the daydream I was having about my life.
“A good morning to you too Violet,” she stood by the bars, allowing the guard who let her in work on the locks. The door was pried open, and she walked inside standing a few steps away but in front of me. “You need to get busy. Sam is going for training, and he wants you to get cleaned up for the day. Come on, up!”
I nodded, noticing that the bite marks from last night had healed completely. I was ecstatic, but since no one knew I had my wolf, I wasn’t sure I wanted anyone to know.
“Morning Sussy, did you sleep okay?”
I pushed myself off the ground and faced her with a small smile.
Out of everyone in this pack, Sussy was the only person I considered a friend. She was the only one who didn’t treat me like I wasn’t worth living.
While I would be given chores an entire army was meant to do, she would often sneak around at night just so she could help me finish on time.
I had no way to repay her except the gratitude in my heart. But that didn’t mean I was ready to tell her about this morning though. I was afraid it could make things change between us.
“I could help you clean up, you know. Ooh, I know, we could also get your hair washed and braided.” She voiced excitedly and I couldn’t help but beam at her.
“Goddess no, Sussy. Thank you for the kind offer, but don’t worry about me. I’ll simply wash up and head up for my duties. Worry not your young, silly heart.” I joked, lacing her arm with mine as we made our way out of the cell.
As we walked, she rambled on and on about different things I wasn’t paying attention to, even though I was looking at her.
Two things had kept me going over the years. The first being that I was desperate to find my mate. I wasn’t certain he was going to be from this pack, but I stayed nonetheless, hoping that if he wasn’t, he would find his way to me.
The second was Sussy, my only dear friend. Her kindness reminded me of the late Luna, and I needed the warmth she brought about her.
Once we made it out, Sussy gave me a brief yet big hug before skittering off to finish up her own chore.
As ordered by Sam, I got myself cleaned up in the Omega Slaves’ washroom.
While I wasn’t always allowed to wash up, on the day that I was, I made sure to enjoy every second of it.
Once I was done and dressed in clean clothes, I headed over to the Drilling Grounds, feeling excited because it was one of my favorite places to work in.
Every time I had to work there, I was fascinated about the trainings going on. There was this need for me to want to learn all that there was available about the pack’s Military training.
I wanted to learn to defend myself against all that bullied and hurt me. I wanted to protect those I cared about, Sussy and my mate in this case. Just the thought of losing her was enough to get my blood boiling, and I wasn’t ready to lose another loved one simply because I was too weak to protect them.
So, what if I was only twelve when the rogue attack happened and the late Luna felt the need to save me? I should have been able to do something in return for her, but what did I do instead?
I watched her die for me even though she wasn’t my mother. She stood in as the parent I needed, protecting me like I was her own when I couldn’t even protect myself.
I wanted to be strong like other wolves. Strong enough to not only keep myself safe but also to keep others safe.
I don’t want to weak and pathetic anymore, I said internally to myself, only to hear Aria clear her throat, as if announcing her presence to me.
“You were never weak, Violet, neither were you pathetic.” She said to me, making me stop in my tracks.
How would she know whether or not I was weak? It’s not like she was here to have known.
I couldn’t help but feel irritated at her words.
“I get that you’re trying to make me feel better, Aria and I appreciate you, I really do but you have no idea how much I have been beaten simply because they knew I couldn’t fight, I wouldn’t dare to.”
I may have spoken in my mind but the manner in which I did made her go quiet, so much I feared she had disappeared again.
I felt panic start to rise. “I’m sorry Violet. I understand what you went through and I apologize for not being there with you.”
I nodded, probably looking like a clown if anyone saw. I continued walking; noticing that I was starting to stand for too long, and that could get suspicious.
While Aria and I were in a good place after our conversation, there was this sense of restlessness she tried not to give off, but I could sense it.
Every now and then, I felt my heart skip a beat while she got excited for a reason.
“It’s mate. He’s close. I can sense him.” She informed me. For a moment, I thought about running back to my cell but I refrained from doing so. This was going to be a life-changing moment, and even though I was scared to my bones, I wanted to know just who this mate was and if he wanted us.
I took deep breaths when I got to the door and placed my hand on it, urging myself to push it open.
I pushed the door open and walked in, then came face to face with Sam, who had just spun around to face me.
“Sam is my mate?” I screamed in my mind from shock. Aria stayed quiet, but I could sense her joy and guilt. She was excited to meet her mate but hurt that the same person who had hurt me for years turned out to be my Fated Mate.
Like my life wasn’t bad enough.
While he stood in the distance, I knew not to expect anything from him, but I hoped that he would at least not embarrass me in front of the people training.
His eyes had turned red, and he looked just about ready to shift and pounce on me.
Aria then thought it was a smart move to wave at him. Next thing I knew, from saying hi to my mate, he had his hand around my neck, choking me.
“You cannot be my mate, Mamba!” he sneered baring his teeth at me. “I refuse to have filth like you as my mate just because the moon goddess wills it so. I refuse to harbor any bond with my mother’s killer.”
I couldn’t take his insults much longer. So, I spoke, it was out of turn but I had waited this long for my mate and I wasn’t ready to lose him, even if he was Sam.
“I did not kill the Luna, Sam. You know that.” I tried to sound confident, but my words only came out as a squeak.
His hand around my neck tightened as he cut off my access to air.
“Do you have a fucking death wish? How dare you speak to me like that, you filthy whore? You think I care? She died because of you, and my father had to live without his mate and it’s your entire fault.” Another squeeze and he had me wheezing from it. “I don’t even know why he kept you alive, left to me; you should have died a long time ago. But maybe my father was right to keep you alive. Because then, death is too easy a punishment for you.”
By this time, he was practically screaming in my face. His nose flared, and soon my eyes started to water, blurring my vision. He towered over me, and while I tried to get him to release me, I was no match for his strength.
“I don’t want you as my mate!” he said once again, turning his face to spit on the side. “I, Sam Knight, Alpha of the Dark Moon Pack, reject you, Violet Windsor, as my mate and future Luna!”
The pain that tugged on my heart forced me into an unconscious state. But even that didn’t last long because I woke up to being thrown into a room.
I groaned, feeling my body ache as I tried to take in my surroundings. This was a room unlike mine. It was warm, with a scent that smelled manly and minty, almost like Sam.
Where the dungeon was covered with dampness, insects and darkness, the floors of this room were covered with fragrant pine planks, with woolen carpet that was white and fluffy, the warmth making my skin tingle.
What am I doing here?
Aria was nowhere to be found, her mate rejecting her must have forced her back into hiding and I was worried I’d never hear from her again.
I was too caught up in my thoughts to have noticed that this was Sam’s room. There were pictures of his mother in different picture frames. On the side table that was by his bed were candles dimly lit.
Nothing had changed much about the room from what I remembered; it used to be our hideout spot on game nights.
But why was I here when he had rejected me? Did he regret it?
My heart raced for a moment as another thought dropped in. Was he going to force me to bond with him only to reject me after?
“I don’t think that’s what it is Violet.” Aria said in a voice that broke my heart a little more.
Maybe if I spoke with him, I could get him to understand that our bond was important.
But I thought too soon, because then I heard sounds that made my blood run cold.
Sam’s bed always had a veil tied by its frame, and today it was loose, concealing whatever was going on, on the bed.
My breathing became unstable as I made my way to towards the bed, hoping it was not what I was thinking.
The sounds got louder, a woman moaning Sam’s name as he made love to her, and when I lifted a part of the veil, I came face to face with Sussy?
I staggered backwards, falling to the ground, and my hand flew to my mouth to cover up my scream.
How could she? She was my friend, how could she do this to me?
“Why, Sam? Why are you doing this to me? Just, why?” I sobbed.
Sam lifted the veil, further exposing them before my eyes. He held onto Sussy, not even thinking to stop moving inside her as he sneered at me.
“Why? How can you ask me why when you know that traitors deserve the worst?”
VIOLET’S POVFLASHBACK EIGHT YEARS AGOI stood in front of the mirror feeling excited about my new princess dress. The mirror was certainly bigger than I was, and it showed every part of the dress my eyes could catch. I twirled around, giggling at the gift Luna had gotten for me for my birthday.She had been my mother since I never had anyone to take care of me after mine died. My father said that my mother died from exhaustion, meaning she was too tired while giving birth to me and she passed away, and somehow it was my fault.I had seen her pictures in my father’s room and the living room, but I wished I had met her. Maybe I did, but I was only a few hours old to even know that.And ever since she passed away, my father hated me. He took any chance that he got reminded me that I was the reason he lost his mate and I was motherless. He never paid a single attention to me unless he wanted to rain his insults on me, and that went on until I got caught with a severe fever that almost to
VIOLET’S POVWhen my mother died, a part of me died with her, I think, even though I didn’t know her then. But then, I felt all kinds of emotions that were not positive or good for someone my age.Every part of it. Because of my father. He sure did his best to remind me that I was her killer.From anger, to brokenness, to pain down to neglect from the one and only person meant to protect my little heart, and love me regardless of their own pain.I mean, that is what adults do, right? They love their children regardless of the pain they are passing through.Not this one, not my father.And the worst part, it was that I understood to some extent why he was acting like that. And I didn’t want to blame him but I did.It couldn’t have been my fault she died, could it?And yet it was.Today was her death anniversary, as it was also my birthday, and he was supposed to go with me to her grave. We were supposed to see her together, but he pushed me away, refusing to take me with him.Understan
VIOLET’S POVIt was my fault, they said, and for a solid eight years, I couldn’t understand how that could be. I just couldn’t get it.I was twelve back then, and I believed the words of the woman who had raised me up until that age. I followed her lead, and when she didn’t make it out alive, I was forced to take the blame for the person who was actually responsible for it.I was scorned and punished. And now, here I am, staring at the person who caused all this pain with another woman.Sam smirked from where he was, taking his sweet time to finish before redirecting his attention back to me. Sussy rested her body on his, the moment he got off her, and to say I was disgusted would be an understatement. Above all, I wondered if this was the first time she had slept with him or it had happened more than a few times.Why would she do something like that to me, even after years of friendship? I could understand Sam turning away from me, but her? What was the reason behind it? It couldn’t
VIOLET’S POVMy throat tightened on its own as the rogues emerged, moving like a force I knew I couldn’t reckon with. The disdain they carried for anything but themselves was thick in the air, and I tried to swallow the fear that rose up.“Careful Vi or they’ll kill us.” Aria warned, already pushing herself forward so that she could take control anytime she wanted.“But they are here to kill us.” I snapped at her without meaning to.The stench of decay filled my lungs, and bile rose up from my stomach as they got closer. It was as if I could even see the putrid smell hanging in the air from how bad it was, and if I were to inhale more of it, I feared I would rot myself.I stood frozen in my place, unmoving, desperately wanting more than anything to be invisible to them. I was even too afraid to breathe, but my lungs needed air-Pure, clean air.Just when it looked like I might make it out alive by staying still, a rogue sprung out from my left side. I let out an ear-piercing scream upo
VIOLET’S POVI groaned stirring awake my head pounding like I had been hit by a giant rock. Confused for a moment, not knowing where I was, I tried to sit up but was forced back on whatever it was I was laying on. Pain shot up from my back in a way that seemed like I broke a cord.My breath quickened and as I tried to take deep ones to calm myself, I let my eyes roam the room. I was in a tent but I didn’t have any memory of how I got here.Images from the rogue attack flashed in my mind and my hand flew to the back of my head where I had been hit before I fell unconscious. Pain throbbed, letting me know it was not a dream at all.My body also seemed to be covered in some kind of herb that had been mashed into a paste. It smelled horrible and I couldn’t help but scrunch my nose.I stared at it, too engrossed staring at the wound marks on my body, trying to figure out the combination of herbs used to even notice that someone had entered the tent and he was looking at me surprised.Was I
VIOLET’S POV(Six Years Later)“You can do better!” my voice called out as I stood by the edge of the mat warriors under my command were fighting on.There were sets of them, engaging in hand to hand combat that could determine what strength level they had. Looking at Asher who was pressed onto the mat by his opponent, he sure had a long way to go.It wasn’t that he wasn’t good, he just needed to be better because that was what was expected of warriors. I had my eyes on him for some time because he joined the warriors squad with so much energy that now seemed to look like it was dying off.The fight ended and they were moved to the next test ahead. They were to climb and go through military obstacles we had mounted and changed from time to time.Asher was falling behind again and I had to keep my eyes on him. The mat wasn’t so much as a problem like the obstacles were.But that didn’t mean he wasn’t pushing himself. Regardless of his speed, I had to give it to him for being persistent
VIOLET’S POVHurt flashed through my eyes, and I knew that Beta Mike could see it. It was as they said. I was the best warrior in the pack, the best they had had in years, and now I was just supposed to drop everything and look for a mate that had rejected me?Somehow, even with my skills, I had become dispensable, and I just didn’t know how to feel about that.Six years!Alpha John wasted no time on me. He said his words and walked right out with no intentions whatsoever to listen to anything I had to say.I hated that about him, and while I was appreciative he let me stay, he refused, out of the majority, to see me as a good person.I walked out after him, feeling everyone’s gaze on me. Beta Mike was quick to follow, much to my dissatisfaction.“This is him getting rid of me, isn’t it?” I voiced, regardless of not wanting anyone around.I turned to face him, begging the tears in my eyes to keep still and not to fall. But they did anyway.His shoulders slumped like he had been the on
SAM’S POVNothing was enough. No one was ever enough to get me back to being myself. I was an empty shell living and walking, pretending I was okay when I was not even an inch closer to getting back to being the person I used to be.There had been times I questioned myself on who I really was. Whether it had been the resentful one that hated that weakling if a mate or the one before that?Both seasons of my existence, I thrived and lived my best life. I should have known to keep her locked. I should have recognized that while I rejected her, I removed a big piece of myself and killed it alongside her.Because the moment she was gone out of the house, I never set eyes on her again.For six years I wondered where she was and if she was even alive at all. I couldn’t even deny the part of me that wished she was alive, maybe then I wouldn’t feel so empty.But I came to understand that there was no way she would have lived long enough to make it in the wild. She just wasn’t strong enough an