VICTOR  

“Alpha…” A few omegas bowed to me, trembling in fear at my sudden appearance. 

I didn't bother about them and strode away like a hurricane. However, my initial glance was enough for others to freeze at my sight.

I entered my room and hastily found the suppressant in my bedside table. Taking out the small, prepared injection, I injected the golden liquid into my vein.

Damon howled in protest, yet the calming properties of the liquid soon controlled his aggression by weakening him. 

Devastated and tired, I slumped onto the bed… 

Three fucking years—For three fucking years I am living in hell. The night that woman turned out my destined mate, my entire fucking world changed. 

I was supposed to kill her, but fate had played a dirty game by making her the rarely found destined mate. A mate that I despised the most.

My immediate thought was to reject her outright. However, I had to stop myself. Severing the bond would significantly collapse my strength and risk my position as Alpha, so I had to accept her as my Luna. But, I made sure to keep her far away from me, which created a rift between me and my wolf. 

Damon had chosen her. In fact, he's so fucking loyal to her that in last three years I wasn't able get close to any she-wolf. At times, he'd try to take control and visit her which forced me to take suppressants. 

It's dangerous. The backlash from the suppressant could be severe; it could make my wolf go insane or lose control, which would scare the entire land, but I had to take the risk, and Damon had yet to forgive me for keeping him away from her…

‘Victor?’ 

I felt a third presence in my head and heard Ami's voice through the mind-link. 

‘What?’ I almost barked out; my tone turned raspy due to the suppressant.

Ami fell silent. ‘Did you take your injection?’ Her concerned tone rang in my head. 

‘Yes, Damon was out of control.’ 

‘Victor, this is not good for you. How long are you—’ 

‘What is the issue, Amanda?’ I gritted my teeth, silencing her. My head was heavy, and everything felt annoying at the moment. 

She paused and then I heard her sighing. ‘Fine,’ She murmured, but what she said next turned my annoyance into fury.

‘There is a report that Bella left her confinement—perhaps she attempted to escape.’ Her voice echoed in my head, ringing like a venomous dagger that once more awakened a tsunami of rage.

Damon howled in torment and I felt something snapping within me. 

‘How fucking dare she try to leave me?’ Damon snarled menacingly.

And I do not disagree with him. Rising to my feet, I let my cold orders fall, ‘We're going there, now!’ 

‘Yes, Alpha!’ Ami agreed immediately, and I left my room to confront the ungrateful woman…

Does she think it's funny? I've been dying to keep her a secret, and she—fuck! 

I have a fucking good reason for distancing myself from her.

Although I kept her alive due to the force of the bond, I kept her hidden from the world. Because if others learned about this bond, this decision of mine would threaten my position as the Regent and I am doing everything possible to not let others have a chance to point at me. 

But this fucking bond—it's too strong for my own good. When away from the distractions of the day's work, I could feel the throbbing in our mate bond even from such a distance. The itch of getting close to her, the desire to touch her and have her in my arms had been fucking with my head for three fucking years. 

At that lapse of moment I wanted to think of us, wanted to believe that maybe—maybe we could have a future together, but I knew it was never possible and so, I remained decisive and never approached her.

I could never forget that horrible night when that girl dragged her broken body before me, she was Gianna, Silva's little sister. And those children we found chained and unconscious in the container sitting among rotten corpses… No, I could never forget. 

She was equally responsible for those brutal murders; even before dying, Gianna uttered her name. I could never forgive her for who she is and what she did…

The view of the prison area twisted something within me. Three years had passed since I had set foot in this area, and now I am here once again. 

The bar is closed, and it's not even dawn. For a bar that remains open till dawn, it's suspicious. A frown creased my brows, and I slammed the door. 

“What?” The bar manager's harsh query aroused annoyance within me. This damn bastard!

“Open the door,” cold words fell out of my lips, silencing the atmosphere. Even the owl sitting over the shade flew away in fear.

Good, because I wasn't in the mood.

A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing the bar manager. His alcoholic breath greeted me, which irritated me further. But the sudden fragrance of fresh coconut and jasmine stirred my pulse. Damon howled in my head as a wave of warmth appeased our souls.

It was her—my despicable mate...

“A-alpha, why are you here?” The bar manager's eyes were wide, nervousness contorted his features. He looked like a pig.

That damned drunken bastard would have been punished for questioning me, but my senses weren't on him at the moment. 

Pressing my hand on his face, I moved him away from my way and entered with my subordinates. 

My eyes searched for her desperately, and then I saw her sitting on the ground.

She was looking at me. Her frosted emerald eyes were expressive much. I felt a clear glimpse of dread and resentment flash in those gazes as if taunting me for coming before her after three years before she looked away. 

However, what caught my eye more was her situation… Her uniform was in a devastating state, almost revealing her perfect skin, which was filled with several scratches and wounds.

'What the hell!?' Damon howled within, pushing to come out, yet I had to suppress him.

My fists balled into a tight fist. “What’s happening here?” My voice came out as a cold hiss, yet my eyes remained on her, steeled. 

David hurriedly came to my side. "Alpha, it's nothing. She was trying to run away, so I—I was just punishing her.” 

As soon as those words left his lips, Damon growled, ‘How dare he?’

Suppressing him hard, I commanded, “Take him out.” 

“Alpha but—” That bastard tried to speak, but one glance of mine was enough for him to lower his head before me.

“Leave us alone,” I demanded and felt my subordinates walk out with the new manager. 

I watched her stand, limping. Her eyes darted around, avoiding mine, as if she were ignoring me, trying to hide something. 

Does she think I'll never know? She fucking forgot that she's in my fucking territory. 

I stepped forward, holding myself back not pinning her against the wall and claiming her for who she belongs. 

“These years I have kept you alive, sheltered you, still you dared to run away. Who gave you that fucking authority?” I hissed at her icily. My anger flared at her audacity in leaving me, even after all I did for her. 

Her eyes, once again, snapped at me. This time they conveyed nothing but flat blankness. 

“I never begged you for my life or the shelter that is nothing less than a hell. Your need kept me alive, so do not expect my gratitude.” She spoke, her tone was flat with no trace of soul in it. 

She averted her gaze again. “I tried, but I couldn’t,” she murmured. “Now, if you’re done with your inquiry, I’d like to sleep for at least a few hours before starting work tomorrow since I couldn't run away.”  

She tried to walk away, limping, which only added to my fury. A deep growl shuddered out of me and grabbing her by the arm, I pushed her lower back on the table, letting her sit. For a reason I can't see her—hurt. 

But then my eyes fell on something that stiffened me. Those marks on her neck, deep purple, were bruising the skin. And perhaps I wouldn't have reacted if I hadn't known those marks.

My heart tightened against my ribcage. My desperate hands grabbed her collar and pulled it down, only to freeze at the similar, yet more profound, marks. 

The marks of intimacy… 

Did she leave confinement not to run away, but— to sleep with someone?

The struck realization shook me from within. The ache of betrayal stung my heart like a poisonous aconite. 

For three fucking years I had tortured myself and my wolf by staying and not giving in our desire. Punishing us for the fault we never even committed, and here our mate—our mate eagerly left my control just to sleep with some bustard. 

I saw red before my eyes as fury burned within me. A vicious snarl tore through my chest, and I found myself shaking in anger.

My fingers wrapped around her neck, tilting her head forcefully against the wall, gagging her for betraying me. 

How dare she!?

Her eyes were wide in fear, pain sipping through her pores and I could smell it, yet I didn't care. Glaring at her I growled on her face, “Who's that fucker that dared touching what's mine?”