Chapter 3 I Accept

Shawn's POV:

I stood and approached Lila, seizing her chin firmly in my grasp, compelling her to meet my gaze.

"How long were you aware of our mate bond?" I interrogated, my tone devoid of warmth.

Lila pursed her lips, offering no response. Her demeanor remained indifferent, as though my status as her mate held no significance to her.

"Why didn't you speak up?" As my thumb brushed against her cheek, a surge of desire coursed through me once more.

"What did you expect me to say? 'Sorry for interrupting your orgasm, may I inform you that I am your mate?" Lila retorted sharply, wrenching her face from my grip.

"Lila! Show some gratitude. My father had been more than accommodating for your whole life" I admonished, my gaze hardening.

Any she-wolf would rejoice at the prospect of being the mate of an Alpha. Yet, I had not anticipated Lila, a mere slave, to harbor such disdain. How dare she?

"I'd prefer if you focused on clothing yourself rather than spewing such nonsense. That appendage hanging from your body is nothing short of repugnant, Shawn," Lila scoffed.

Her words incited fury within me, prompting me to seize her by the neck. I will not tolerate such an attitude

"Stop it!" She struggled against my hold, her face flushing crimson.

Yet, her suffering failed to evoke any sympathy from me. Instead, I regarded her impassively.

"No daughter of a traitor is fit to be my mate. However, out of generosity, I may permit you to remain at my side. Not as my mate, but as a concubine. Agree to this, and I may release you."

"No. In your dreams!" Lila choked out amidst her struggle.

"I am Shawn Gibson, the future Alpha of this pack. You are nothing but a lowly slave, the offspring of a traitor despised by countless werewolves! How dare you defy me?"

"Alpha? You're a mere puppet to them," Lila laughed derisively, her words slicing through the air like a blade.

Her insolence grated on my nerves, igniting a fierce anger within me.

With a swift motion, I cast her to the ground, my patience worn thin by her audacity.

"You wretch! Do you believe yourself noble? If you reject this arrangement, I can easily consign you to a life as a sex slave. You'll be at the mercy of countless werewolves! Will your nobility persist then?" I growled, my voice laced with venom as I towered over her.

As the future Alpha of the Black Moon Pack, I had yet to assume the role, as my parents had passed away when I was young. Instead, the Gamma temporarily held the position, earning the trust of the pack. But now, as I neared ascension, it appeared I held neither trust nor authority over them-all due to Lila's mother, the traitor.

How dare she mock me so brazenly? On the ground, Lila coughed and gasped for air, yet she met my gaze fearlessly.

"Are you finished? Can I return to my duties now?" she inquired, her defiance unwavering.

"Very well. Since you seem to relish the role of a slave, I shall formalize it for you," I responded with a malicious smile, relishing the opportunity to exert my dominance.

"As the future Alpha of the Black Moon Pack, Shawn Pearson, I hereby reject you, Lila Todd, as my mate," I declared, my voice ringing with finality as I anticipated her reaction-perhaps regret, even tears.

But to my astonishment, Lila rose slowly, her expression blank, almost serene.

She even appeared... relieved.

"Thank you for that, Shawn," she uttered, her words sending a chill down my spine.

I blinked in bewilderment, taken aback by her unexpected gratitude.

What aspect of my declaration warranted such thanks?

Before I could articulate a response, Lila fixed me with a cold smile, her eyes gleaming with a newfound resolve.

"I, Lila Todd, daughter of the late Beta Olivia Todd of the Black Moon Pack, accept your rejection," she declared, her voice steady and unwavering.

With that declaration, Lila turned and departed without a backward glance, leaving me stunned and perplexed by her reaction.

For a long while, I stood there, dumbfounded by Lila's acceptance of my rejection without an iota of sadness or hesitation.

In my rage, I shattered the vase beside me into fragments, the sound echoing in the empty room as I struggled to comprehend her actions.

Immediately, I formulated a plan to torment her and elicit regret, determined to make her rue the day she dared to defy me.

"Shawn, what have you done? You acted rashly once more! Why did you reject Lila? We won't find another mate as beautiful as her! Go after her, please!" Zeke urged, his voice filled with exasperation and concern.

"No, Zeke. I intend to impart a lesson in regret to her," I replied, my voice cold and calculated as I watched Lila's retreating form through the window, my anger simmering beneath the surface.

"Prince Damien is attending my inauguration ceremony today. Rumor has it he's ruthless and bloodthirsty. A pack once gifted him a female slave whom he tortured to death! I intend to consign Lila to his bed," I continued, my words dripping with malice as I reveled in the thought of her suffering.

"What? No! Are you mad? You're essentially condemning her to death! Lila is your mate!" Zeke protested vehemently, his voice filled with disbelief and horror.

"Not anymore," I gritted out, my resolve firm as I embraced the darkness within me.

Clearly, my wolf refused to relinquish Lila, as did my body, which yearned for her despite my anger and resentment.

Each thought of her reignited the fiery passion within me, yet I cared not. When she lay dying from Prince Damien's torment, she would beg on her knees to return to me.

Regrettably, the sole place I permitted lowly she-wolves like her to beg was in my bed.