Chapter 4

• D'Angelo
• My body froze like a marble statue the moment I laid eyes on my mate soaked in her blood. Her face was swollen from her lashes, her lower lip was cut, and there was a large bloody gash on her forehead. I stared at the red pool around her and a sudden cold sweat broke out across my face.
• The sadist grinned maliciously while giving me a cursory bow and turned his attention towards me.
• "Top of the morning to you, Alpha. It's an honor that you stopped by-"
• Without warning, I quickly grabbed him by his collar and slammed him repeatedly onto the wall, while letting out a violent and uncontrolled roar. I beat the guard senseless. My wolf's rage had taken over.
• The guard's blood splashed all over the walls and the floor. My beast was crazily excited and his bloodlust was uncontrollable, driving him crazy.
• "Alpha, stop!" The other guard whose eyes tore open in shock pleaded with me but didn't dare move. He knew my animalistic nature was far more dangerous than any gun.
• But I listened to him and as soon as I got control of myself, I rushed to kneel and gazed at her unconscious form with concern.
• "How could you let him do this to her," my hoarse voice growled through clenched jaws. "She's a weak omega. Did he want to kill her?"
• The senior guard whimpered on the floor while his companion looked up with horror in his eyes. "It won't happen again, Alpha. I promise."
• His words were meaningless. Like a flash, I lifted the girl and rushed to my car. The engine roared to life and sped toward the hospital. I drove madly, avoiding traffic lights.
• A painful thought kept repeating in my head: What did I do to deserve this humiliation from the moon goddess? What gave her the idea to intentionally ruin my life?
• The girl was covered in blood, but was a slim, delicate beauty, with almost transparent crystal-blue eyes and curvy enough to get even an impotent man to come in a rush of fertile cream.
• The moon goddess must be insane to have paired up a filthy omega with an Alpha and assistant tribe leader of more than two hundred werewolf packs.
• With a pounding heart, I shook my head, trying to ignore the nagging voice of my wolf. I've never heard of Alphas marking Omegas before. It was almost too painful to consider the consequences of such an act.
• Still, I couldn't deny that there was something about the girl that unlocked my heart and soul in a way that I never thought possible.
• "Is she alright?" I asked the doctor while examining her face.
• "Her pulse seems normal. A few minor scratches but no internal bleeding. She'll be fine, Alpha."
• I paced around the hallway and stopped at the sight of the guard. This didn't look good as I had my reputation to uphold. If I didn't leave, gossip would spread throughout the pack about how the alpha was simping for an omega.
• "Send for her mother and make sure that when the girl wakes up, she gets discharged and is sent back to the omega camp."
• The guard bowed and I walked away. Hours later, I joined my pack mates for the continuation of the coronation party which was the successful transfer of the Alpha title to me.
• The entire pack came together, dressed in their finest attire to celebrate and eat to their hearts' content. As soon as I arrived, a wave of people flooded my arms and kissed me in greeting.
• I smiled at all the friendly faces, wishing I could disappear. Nothing made sense to me. There wasn't any shortage of food as everyone stuffed themselves until they resembled porcupines.
• "Congratulations, Alpha!" My friend and beta, Leo's voice filled the air. Leo stood nearly seven feet tall, his body built for hunting, fighting, and killing.
• I nodded as joyful cheers and shouts filled the air among my people. I should be delighted, content, and proud, but I felt the opposite. I felt miserable.
• Unmarked women in vibrant bracelets and beads performed a circle dance and swayed their hips to the beat of the local drums and flute.
• They poured a bottle of expensive perfumed oil on my feet and wiped them with a clean cloth. Kids led by Leo's four-year-old son rushed towards me, handing me a variety of gifts in woven baskets.
• "Long live Alpha D'Angelo!" They chanted and I managed a smile.
• I was going to live a miserable life for the rest of my days due to a stupid law. I needed to stop thinking about my omega mate.
• After the party, I was very moody and spent my time drinking. Leo, my beta, watched me refill a golden liquid of scotch whiskey into my glass for the twentieth time.
• "Are you trying to drown yourself?" He asked with concern, knowing that drinking wasn't one of my hobbies.
• "What if I am?" I responded coldly. Leo blinked, confused by my sudden mood swing. The whiskey burned its way down my throat and to my toes, filling my nostrils with its aroma.
• The more I drank, the more of the omega's face was stuck there. Those huge eyes, those perky tits, those damn curves.
• "I found my mate," I said without thinking. Leo gasped in shock and came running over to my side.
• "That's terrific news! Congratulations Alpha. Who is she?"
• "She's a fucking omega," I said with a sour hiss.
• Leo's face went white as sheets. He remained silent, hanging his jaw open, not daring to utter a word. Then he gave me a disgusted look.
• "What! That's impossible. We need to get rid of her."
• My wolf nearly exploded out of me, wanting to strangle Leo, but I chose not to respond. At this rate, I was going to kill everyone because of the girl. I focused my gaze on the golden liquid, taking a long, slow finish.
• Leo went on, lighting a cigar and filling my nose with smoke. "Imagine what the council members would say, D'Angelo?”
• "I have a question for you."
• He took a long drag and let out another thick, creamy puff before saying, "Sure."
• Swirling my glass, I took my time before speaking. “Would you let your fated mate go over some fucking hierarchy difference if you were in my position?”
• Leo did not say anything, just turned the cigar between his fingers. "I know exactly how you feel."
• "You don't," I said firmly, placing my glass down on the table. "You fucking don't, or else you would realize that heartbreak might kill me. Every Werewolf understands the nature of the mating bond. It's loyalty or damnation forever."
• Leo sighed, looking away. "Isabel isn't an Omega. If she were, I would never have marked her."
• I sighed as the truth stung like a bee. "There has to be something I can do."
• Leo placed the butt of his cigar in the ashtray. "I'm afraid you can't do anything, D'Angelo. As your voice of reason, I understand that this is not what you want to hear right now. There is no way an Alpha of one of the largest packs in the South would mark a mere omega, so the moon goddess must be pulling practical jokes on you. It's pack law, and you must lead by example."
• I remained silent, gazing out the window. Leo drew closer, his hand resting on my back.
• "We'll get through this together," he said, with sadness in his tone. "I'm here to support you."
• I rose from my chair and started wandering around the house. The night air calmed me, and as I passed by the glass walls, I heard heeled footsteps approaching me.
• The thorn-in-my-flesh, Alexis, approached me slowly while wearing a golden kaftan. Her dad, a greedy bastard, sent his daughter to seduce me on the night when I drank into a stupor.
• My memory of that horrible night was a foggy blur. Her nude body lay beside me when I awoke in a strange bed.
• Despite her obvious beauty and intelligence, I would not have touched her if I had not known she was Jones's daughter.
• My excitement didn't match hers. I gave her a side hug, instead of the warm embrace and kiss she expected. Her face fell.
• "Are you okay, darling?"
• "I am not your darling," I said, spacing the words out evenly.
• There was a subconscious comparison between Alexis and my mate. Alexis was very beautiful in a sophisticated way, her skin glowing with health. In addition, she was spoiled, conceited, and used to getting her wish.
• By the moon goddess, I would gladly give up all the sophistication in this world to have my mate, who was like a diamond in the rough.
• As if she genuinely cared about me, Alexis followed me. She sank onto the couch beside me, staring at me.
• "What's wrong, Alpha?"
• "Leave me the hell alone."
• She sighed. "I want to congratulate you again, but I have even better news."
• "I'm not in the mood for this Alexis."
• "Oh, come on," she rolled her eyes playfully. "How come you get all suspicious when I have good news?"
• "As far as I can recall, you slept with me against my will and spiked my drink."
• She pretended to be hurt, but it vanished as fast as it appeared. "Well, given that I am expecting a baby, I suppose that is a blessing in disguise. We are going to become parents!"
• My eyes shot up, stunned beyond words. It felt like my brain had stopped functioning for a few seconds.
• "What did you just say?"
• "You heard me," she chuckled, rubbing her belly.
• "Please stop if this is a joke. There is no chance in hell that I am that child's father."
• Alexis's mouth dropped open in dismay. Then she looked like she was going to cry. "I can't believe you would think so low of me!"
• "Cut it out. There is a lot to process here, I said irritably. "You cannot suddenly show up and force a pregnancy on me."
• She sneered, "You fucked me, Alpha. This child is yours, and I expect you to acknowledge that. We need to raise our child, so even though I know you don't love me, I'm moving into the pack house.