Chapter 2

Rowan's POV

Her gray eyes are staring at me, if they could, they would have drilled holes through me.

She is looking at me as if she has seen a god, I could tell by the way that her throat rippled when she swallowed her saliva. She is thirsty for something and it's not water.

She is shamelessly looking at my bare abs, has this girl never seen a man without a shirt before? I clear my throat and she immediately comes back to her senses.

"Sorry, sir... I brought your food," she keeps her eyes on the ground.

The sweet scent of the food hit my nose even before I could collect the food from her. She is the best chef that I've ever eaten from.

Her name is Draka, the chef and slave of the park. She never joins the park meetings, she always has her eyes on the ground, she never speaks to anyone.

I still remember being a young boy, sharpening a stick on the front porch with my pocket knife and my parents pulled up in their truck.

There was a little girl with them, I didn't know where they got her from. They said she was now going to become a member of our park and that was it....

"I asked for fresh soup, you will be in trouble if this isn't fresh." I warn her.

"It's fresh... sir," she assures me.

Her chest heaves and she looks away, her hands fidgeting. I would be a fool to say that I don't understand what's going on with her.

"Go on, get out of my presence." I say to her as I start to spoon the food into my mouth.

She gathers the hem of her gown in her hand and begins to hurry down the stairs. She turns around, trying to catch another glimpse of me, but she falls down the stairs instead.

I huff as I shut the door with my foot. I walk to the window and continue to eat from the bowl of soup that she gave me.

I shut my eyes and savor the food. She is really the best chef, she even cooks better than my mother.

I watch as she walks out of the house. It's a huge house and it has a lot of rooms, but she doesn't sleep in the house.

She sleeps in the shed that holds all the tools and stuff that no one wants. She stays there in the sun, rain, and snow.

I watch her get into her little shed and I keep on eating. I know exactly what's wrong with her, I know why she was acting strange in front of me.....

The first time I noticed it was when I turned eighteen. I was supposed to get my mate finally, I had been looking forward to that for all of my life.

"Have the moon goddess revealed who your mate is to you yet?" My mother asks in excitement.

I was supposed to have known my mate as soon as I turned eighteen. I got my wolf pretty early and I knew that he was looking forward to meeting her too.

Imagine my shock when my wolf growled as soon as I saw the kitchen slave walking to the back of the woods to get some mushrooms one day?!

I was disgusted, so I immediately instructed my wolf to quit it. I was not going to be mated to the low life kitchen girl.

That was six years ago, I have kept myself under control, my parents are worried that I hadn't gotten my mate, but I kept my secret to myself.

I don't know what I am going to do to her yet, but now I could see that she was starting to feel the attraction already... it had taken longer than usual, but the kitchen slave is finally getting her wolf. She will be able to feel the mate bond.

I have so many things to do, I don't have the time to think about the kitchen slave and whatever glitch it is that has got her mated to me..

*****

I watch Draka for the next few days and it has started to become even more obvious. She can't control herself.

She is always staring at me, sometimes someone has to smack her before she comes back to her senses and everyone will laugh at her.

"Wow, Rowan , since when has the kitchen slave started to notice you?" Levi, one of my friends, mocks me.

"Shut up." I look away.

"She looks like she wants to fall on her face and beg for your dick–"

"Shut they fucking hole in your face." I give him a harsh shove and he immediately shuts his mouth.

I see my mum looking at me. She knows what is happening, my father too.

I am twenty four and I will be becoming alpha in a month or so. I will be needing a Luna, I will be needing a mate, and it's sure as hell not the kitchen girl.

Everyone knows, I can tell by the way that they are all whispering to themselves. It's just an open secret at this point, there's something between I and the kitchen girl.

"Rowan!" My father calls my name with great authority.

"Yes, father," I stand up to my feet and everyone goes silent.

Everyone has their eyes on me. Even Draka, who is the farthest away from the circle. Her face is partially illuminated by the bonfire.

"Is there anything you want to say to your Luna and Alpha?" He gestures to himself and my mother. "Is there anything you would like to say to the park that you will be leading soon?"

I brush my nose, knowing that this day is going to come anyway, but I hate that it's here already.

"My mate has been revealed to me." I say.

Everyone starts to mumble, the ladies are looking at each other. They all have been hoping that it's one of them.

"Who is this person?" My mother asks. I could see the disappointment on her face, she thought I was going to tell her as soon as I found out.

I sigh as I look at the ground. I don't want anything to do with the kitchen girl, how can I confirm to everyone that she is the one?

"It's me." Draka raises her hand, to the surprise of everyone.

Everyone gasps and looks as she walks into the circle, even though she is shaking like a leaf.

She is scared, but the bond is irresistible. The only reason I was able to control mine is because of my strong will and stubbornness. She is not as strong as I am, she can't hide her lust and the way her wolf is drawn to mine.

Some of the members of the park are laughing at her. Perhaps they suspected that it was a crush, but it's obviously more than that now.

"What do you have to say, Rowan?" My father asks with a very tense voice.

I look at the timid kitchen slave and blurt out. "I reject her!"