Chapter 10

Beth's POV The place was deadly quiet that I could even hear the sound of my own breath. But I was glad because it then meant that I was alone and could gradually examine my surroundings which I did. I was surrounded by a thick white fog, and I felt my body become very light. The pain I felt in my body also gradually subsided. This could actually mean just two things, it was either death or a dream. I tried my best to remain rational and analyse my situation before I heard a slight sound in front of me. Unable to control my curiosity, I walked softly toward the sound. I soon reached the end of the road which was a field full of plants and herbs. There was also a skinny little girl who sat on the ground and carefully picked up the herbs one by one, stuffing them into a palm-sized glass bottle. I slowly walked towards her, the moment I saw her facial features, my eyes widened in shock. It was me. I was sure that it was me at a young age, the little girl who had never been hurt by anyone, the girl who liked to hide in a place where no one was around to collect herbs because the fragrance of the herbs gave her a sense of security. Little me didn't even pay attention to me. She was still looking around for herbs happily. "Hey..." I called out to her, but she didn’t answer me. "There's one thing you're missing. One thing only..." An ethereal voice suddenly rang out behind me. I was startled and turned my head in fear, but I couldn't see anyone behind me. The voice just seems to be sounding out of the air very loud enough for me to hear. "The thing you're missing is your mate's blood. Find that drop of blood, fulfil the bottle, then your curse will be lifted. And then you can live...” "Get it, then you will be cured." The voice repeated continuously. I wanted to ask why, but never got the chance to speak. My limbs then became numb and stiff, and I suddenly felt an intense pain coming from my body. Before I knew it, I began to regain consciousness of my surroundings. I could feel I was holding something. A cold little thing. It was like a glass bottle. Next, I felt like capturing someone’s lips and tasting blood. "When the time comes, you will be given a mission. You need to kill him." Mission? I was abandoned and resented by the pack. What mission could I possibly be given? And whom I was able to kill? My eyes slowly opened as the strange dream came to an end. I’m awake. And that means I’m alive. No. No. No. This can’t be happening. I’m not… I can’t really be… alive? Which means my curse is lifted? Like the voice said. How did this happen? I look around the room, only now realizing that I don’t recognize it. I jolt again, my pulse racing. How did I get here? The last thing I remember is the blood draining out of my system, and that beautiful stranger coming into the room… Just as I think of him, I notice that he’s in the bedroom with me. He’s sitting on an arm chair at the base of the heavenly, soft bed I’m on, and just the sight of him makes my heart hurt. ‘MATE,’ my wolf screams again, and the sound of her voice in my head brings me out of my daze, tears filling my eyes. No. She’s back to normal –strong as she was eleven years ago, if not stronger. She’s not broken; not anymore. It isn’t possible. Only a few things are clear, and they keep repeating themselves over and over. One: I’m alive. Two: my wolf is healed. And three: I can’t kill myself now – which means I’m just going to have to wait for the boy in front of me to do it. Him being my mate doesn’t make a difference – in fact, he’ll probably want to get rid of me as soon as possible. No one wants someone as damaged as me. No matter how much it pains me and my wolf to even think that, I know it’s true. I’m ugly. I’m weak. And I’m scarred. He had a warm heart, he deserved a better mate. “Reject me,” I mumble, knowing that he’ll be able to hear me. In seconds, he’s on his feet, and I peek between my fingers to see him drop down on the edge of the bed, his chocolate eyes wide in what my wolf swears is concern. “What do you mean?” He whispers slowly, softly, and I wince, burying my face back in my hands to avoid his gaze. I can’t take the tone in his voice – it almost sounds like he cares. And I know it’s fake. Whatever he’s trying to pull, it won’t work. I won’t fall for it. “What makes you want me to reject you?” He drags out, and his voice gets thick with emotion, jerking and stuttering over words as he tries to get them out. It’s like he can’t process the idea, and I frown. “Don’t. Don’t ask? You deserve better. I wouldn’t want me either.” “I won’t reject you, never!” he whispers, sliding closer to me as a series of pain flickers through his eyes, and I cringe away, shrinking as far from him as possible. He looks pained at that, but I speak before he can. I stop for a second, opening my mouth but having no words come out, as I stare into his eyes. The pain, the sorrow in them… It’s almost too real. Convincing. I don’t know anyone who can act that well. ‘Maybe he's the one,’ my wolf whispers, and I tear my gaze away from him. No. No, I won’t get my hopes up. I would ruined his life. He rakes a hand through his hair, ruffling it up, staring at me. “You’re my mate! That's the truth. That's the rule!” He whispers, and I let out a sarcastic laugh. “Look at me!” I scream, and as I do so, I cry harder than ever before. My chest is heaving, “Look at my scars! No one in my pack could want me; how could you?! I’ve been told every day for the last eleven years how ugly I am, how ungrateful I am, how I don’t even deserve to be alive, much less a werewolf! I’ve been told since the age of six how God damned awful I am. How could anyone ever want that?!” By the end, I’m a quivering mess, sobbing hard. He rushes over to me, and I shriek, but in less than a second he muffles it by lifting me into his lap, and pressing my face into his shirt. I try to get away, but my wolf doesn’t want to be out of his arms, basking in the tingles that shoot through my body everywhere that we touch, and I’m too weak to fight her on this. So I do the only thing I can; I let him rock me back and forth. “You’re an Alpha,” I mumble, continuing my speech from earlier. “You’ll need someone strong. I’m not strong. I’m not strong,” I whisper, repeating myself, and giving up, allowing myself to simply cry into the soft material covering his chest. Shifting us in towards the middle of the bed, my mate nuzzles his neck into the space between my shoulder and my neck, inhaling deeply over and over again. “No, you’re perfect for me. You will be stronger, by our bond, by our love.” “It’s not a guarantee. It’s an order. Take it!” I smiled through tears, burring my face deeper into his chest. "Aaron. That's my name. You should remember it in your brain and heart. Because I am your mate. Since now and forever." He made an order as all alphas did, but his voice was warm and gentle. I subconsciously reached out and patted his back but then when I thought about it again, I quickly pulled my hand back hoping that he did not find me presumptuous. “Aaron.” I thought it was a befitting name for him as I repeated his name in my head and admired his handsome face. The light in my eyes began to dim, but Aaron was still hugging me. His warmth gave me a little warmth. " Aaron, Alpha Joe is here." An unfamiliar man barged into the room and spoke up. His sudden appearance and the bad news he came with made me stop breathing for a minute. My body shook violently as fear instantly swallowed me. That was what the mere mention of Joe’s name could do to me. Aaron sensed my fear and held onto me tightly. He hugged me for a good minute, reassuring me that it would be fine before letting me lie on the bed "Stay here. " He gently said. Then he got up and went out. I was sure Alpha Joe came here for me because he would never let me off just like that. What would happen to me if he took me back? I could almost imagine how he would torture and insult me, and I trembled uncontrollably. I crouched back, trying to be invisible. The cold wall at the edge of the bed gave me a little comfort so I stayed still. I knew that Joe was a cruel man, he wouldn’t mind getting physical with Aaron if he felt provoked, but there was really nothing for me to do at the moment. It was my fault anyways that Aaron got involved with Joe, if he hadn’t taken me out of that damned place, then Joe wouldn’t be after him. That was why when he opened the door and stood at the entrance, I was enveloped by a certain courage that I couldn’t explain. I jumped from the bed and grabbed his arms. Aaron looked down at me in surprise, but that was also when I noticed the bite mark on his lips and I wondered if I was the one who had bitten him. I felt sorry for him, it’s not long that he was with me and yet he’s already had to go through a lot. Recalling the worried look on his face when I woke up earlier, I knew that I couldn’t let him suffer too much for me while I did nothing. “I’ll go with you.” I heard myself say in a voice that was barely a whisper. I must go and find out why Joe is here. Is he come telling the secret I trying to hide the moment I was awake? The old secret should die in the old pack, not here with my mate. “I’m going with you.”