Chapter 6

My uncle dragged my battered body out of his car onto the border of the Silver Moon Pack. I flinched
with every move. I didn‘t know how much beating I was able to withstand before I finally told him how I
got marked. I wanted to lie and tell him I met a random wolf along the way, but I knew he could sense
my lies. I was never good at it. And I wished I had told him the truth earlier because maybe, I could
have saved myself from all the pain and bruises I got. But then again, those pains and bruises were
better than what I was feeling right now.

I felt humiliated, standing in front of the men manning the Silver Moon Pack border as my uncle
explained to them the reason we were seeking entrance to their territory. He was narrating his story like
I was a slut. A whore who jumped on the first wolf that showed interest in me.

Although my actions might come off as such, I knew I didn‘t do it out of thirst. I was in heat.

My uncle has a mate, he should know better. But instead, he was making it clear to everyone within
earshot that his niece couldn‘t even wait to ask for details about the guy before jumping into his dick.

I let out a sigh as I tilted my head to the side, looking at the forest instead of the males in front of us,
letting the memory of my mate come flooding back into my head.

Three months ago, on the night of the full moon, I decided to run away from my pack to the human
territory to stop my uncle from selling me to an old man who was thirty years older than me.

And then, along the way, I met my mate.

The mate bond snapped between us and I went into heat. And before we knew it, we mated and he
marked me. But the next day, he went away and left me.

Just like that. He came like a hurricane and wrecked me.

But he did make me stronger.



From that day forward, I tried to live my life, trying my best not to think about him.

For the most part, I succeeded, but his memory and his smile would always creep into my mind,
especially at night or when I was alone, which was always the case.

I was alone. I left the neutral forest the same day he left me, after crying for an hour or two. And then I
decided it was enough. I couldn‘t just stay there and cry over someone who didn‘t care about me. I still
have my wolf, Arrow. That was all that mattered. I got back on my feet and proceeded with my plan to
run away towards the human territory. I reached New Orleans and was able to live there, working my
ass off as a waitress in one of the diners. For more than two months, I was able to keep myself under
the radar, but then my uncle found me a few days ago.

He didn‘t waste time taking me back to our territory and spent days beating me up so I would spill out
who marked me. But he couldn‘t get anything from me aside from the truth.

He knew I was marked in the neutral forest, and I told him it wasn‘t someone from our pack because I
couldn‘t mindlink him. He then assumed that it was from the neighboring pack.

The Silver Moon Pack or Blue Meadows Pack. Now he wanted to reach out to the Alpha of the Silver
Moon Pack to allow me to be placed in one of their centers, like a piece of meat, to draw attention to
myself and find my mate. He said the Alpha of this pack, Alpha Riley, wouldn‘t mind this act because
he didn’t care about anyone, especially if it was someone not from his pack.

Especially after what happened t o him. He then laughed like a devil as he shared the misfortune of
Alpha Riley when his Chosen Luna chose another Alpha. My heart clenched in pity for the Alpha while
internally cursing my uncle for being a devil.

And then I felt sorry for myself. I didn‘t know how I would get out of this and avoid further humiliation. I
was sure someone from this pack would recognize me and the gossip would spread like wildfire. I
should have gone further. Maybe even up to Canada. But then I didn‘t have enough money.



So what choice did I have? The sound of an approaching car from the inside of the Silver Moon Pack
territory took my attention as my heart thudded loudly. I didn‘t know if my heart was scared of what
would happen to me inside this territory or if the thought of meeting the Alpha was making me nervous.

After what felt like an eternity, the car came to a stop and the door on the passenger side opened. Out
came a male with dark hair. He was good looking and would definitely make any female weak, but I
didn‘t feel any attraction towards him. Maybe because I knew my mate looked way hotter and sexier
than him.

I scolded myself and tried to focus on the present.

Thoughts of him won‘t help me today, but I knew his mark was my only saving grace. As long a s I‘m
marked, my uncle won‘t be able to sell me. Who would want a marked female as their mate?

My attention went back to the male who stepped out of the car. Was he Alpha Riley? I couldn‘t
remember what he looked like since I was only fifteen when they had an Alpha camp in our territory,
but I knew that among all the young Alphas that were present that week, it was Alpha Riley that caught
my eyes. But I don‘t think he had black hair. But then maybe I was wrong? It had been six years, and
maybe his features had changed. And so was my taste for men.

It‘s the only reason why I don‘t find him attractive now. And also because my eyes would always
compare males to my mate. The male, who I assumed was Alpha Riley, was looking at me. His eyes
were squinting and I could see his jaw twitching.

Why was he looking at me as if I had done something wrong? What did his men tell him? Or was it the
bruises on my face? I tried to hide it with a concealer, but I was sure I wasn‘t successful. But at least
the ones in my arms were covered by my long–sleeved blouse.

I swallowed hard and dropped my gaze away from him, focusing it on the ground. And then I heard a
car door open and, in seconds, an intoxicating scent filled my nostrils – musky forest scent mixed with



mint and coffee.

‘Mate!‘ Arrow whimpered in my head.

Realizing that my mate, who never wanted me, was just around here, I instinctively stepped back. But I
forgot that my uncle was holding my arm. In an instant, he pulled me forward abruptly, and I wasn‘t
prepared for it. I stumbled as a result of the harsh way he drew me, and I fell to my knees before my
body collapsed on the ground with a loud thud.

And the next thing I knew, a loud growl erupted in the air, marring the serenity of the forest a s I tried to
sit down on the ground.

My uncle immediately let go of his grip on my arm, and I tilted my head in the direction of the growl,
only to meet my mate‘s piercing blue eyes. My mouth opened as I stared at him. He was standing
beside the car, his eyes squinting as he stared back at me.

His face was so deadly that I felt my body crumbling from his gaze. Was he mad that I showed up
here? My eyes watered as the thought of him rejecting me again brought pain to my heart. He was still
staring at me, and I couldn‘t keep up. I dropped my gaze to the ground, but I didn‘t stand up. I didn‘t
think I had any energy to get up on my feet. I just wanted the earth to swallow me. Death sounded
better than this. I closed my eyes as I heard footsteps approaching. I knew he was coming nearer
because his scent was getting stronger.

“Why do you want entrance into this territory?” A cold voice asked, but I knew it wasn‘t him. It must be
Alpha Riley. But who was my mate? Was he Alpha Riley‘s Beta or Gamma? That would be the only
explanation for why his aura was strong. But why do I sense two powerful auras right now? Like they
were both Alphas.

My uncle cleared his throat before he answered. All the while, I kept my eyes closed and my head
down, “I want to find out who marked my niece. I knew he must be from this pack because she told m e



she was marked on the...”

I didn‘t hear the rest of his words as I felt a hand touch my chin, tilting my head up as sparks traveled
all over my body down to my spine.

“Who did this to you?”

His deep voice was so calming that despite the situation I was in, I couldn‘t help but clench my core. If
we were alone, I would probably be soaking wet now from how sexy his voice was. But I needed to
control myself or my arousal would be potent in the air.

My lips quivered as I opened my eyes. He was crouching in front of me and his eyes were boring deep
into mine, that I totally forgot everything. His hand tilted my head to the side, and then to the other side.
His jaw tightened and his eyes flashed black as he took in all the bruises on the sides of my face.

“Did you do this to her?” His voice was so loud, gone was the calmness and replaced by a deadly tone.
I knew he was asking my uncle this time, but his eyes never left mine. My uncle stuttered with his
reply.

“Ah... because... she lied..”

“Enough!” My mate growled before he let go of my chin and stood up from crouching.

“Who the fuck gave you the right to lay a hand on her or any female?” My mate bellowed at him.

And in seconds, he was already in front of my uncle, and his coiled fist hit his face hard without a
warning.

I winced at the sound of the impact, and I knew that he had broken my uncle‘s nose. My uncle
staggered backward until his body faltered to the ground.



“Leave!” His expression was deadly as his eyes dilated fully into black, making me in away from where
I was seated.

“You are not allowed in this territory, and I will make sure that Alpha Darvin is made aware of your
deeds. Now fuck off from here!”

My uncle tried to stand up, his hand cupping his jaw while a scared expression was written all over his
face.

My mind went into a daze as my uncle rushed forward in my direction, making me stumbled backward
on my ass. But my mate was fast.

He blocked his way and his hand coiled into the collar of his shirt.

“Where the fuck do you think you‘re going? Didn‘t I just tell you to fuck off? Or do you want to die in my
hand?”

“Alpha Riley... I‘m just... taking... my niece. We will leave...”

Alpha Riley? My mate is Alpha Riley? My eyes widened as my jaw dropped open. What did I get myself
into?

“You‘re not taking her! She will stay in my territory!” Alpha Riley answered, gritting his teeth before he
flung my uncle‘s body away.

A loud thud echoed as his body dropped to the hood of his car, and I hissed at the impact. But h e
deserved it. It was nothing compared to what I suffered at his hands.

“Make sure he leaves and is not allowed entrance here or anywhere near my territory.” My mate turned
around and ordered the men standing by the border as my eyes shifted from him to everyone around
me.



My gaze darted to the male with black hair that came with him. He was watching my mate with a smug
grin on his face, as if he was thoroughly entertained.

“Yes, Alpha.” I heard the men reply in unison, and my heart thudded louder. He‘s really an Alpha. Alpha
Riley.

I closed my eyes and clutched my chest, remembering all the words Katarina said about Alpha Riley
being difficult and temperamental.

Would he turn his wrath on me? What should I do next? Should I get up and leave?

Before I could find the answers to my questions, I felt sparks traveling through my body as an arm
coiled under my knees and on my back, scooping me up off the ground.


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