Chapter 2 A New Beginning

Raven POV

As they reached me, my legs trembled beneath me, struggling to hold my weight

My breath caught in my throat as the tallest of them towered over me, his broad frame radiating intensity.

His eyes blazed with anger, the lines around his mouth forming a scowl

"Who are you?" He growled, his voice low and menacing.

I froze, as though paralyzed, my mind struggling to catch up

He grasped my chin, his touch firm but sending a jolt of fear in me.

He tilted my face upwards, forcing me to meet his gaze

"I said, who are you?" He barked, his breath hot against my ear.

"Ansel, ease up," One of them said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "She's scared."

I flinched, my thoughts returning, "I'm Raven.," I stuttered.

"I'm not afraid of you guys," I lied, my voice trembling.

His eyes lingered on me before shifting to his brothers, who flanked him. Their unified steps sent a shiver down my spine

Their eyes narrowed, piercing me with intensity.

"Wedding dress!" They chorused. "Are you running from someone?"

My composure crumbled, and hot tears streamed down my face as I recalled Matt's smile, once warm and inviting, now taunting me.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. He whispered, his voice gentle. "What happened?"

I took a deep breath but said nothing. I can't trust anyone, not them, at least not now.

The brothers exchanged glances, their faces in determined lines.

Suddenly, one of them blurted out, "We've been searching for our mates...our parents prophesied

"Enough Asher, not now". One of them interrupted.

I looked for what to tell them in my head. Should I tell them that I came to run with my wolf and enjoy a bit of freedom?

"I- I..." I just couldn't form any words as I was still intimidated by them.

"Carry her and let's go." The tallest one amongst them ordered.

"No! No! No!" I cried out, panic surging through me.

"You can't take me with you. No, please!" Tears flowed freely down my cheeks.

"Why can't I?" The tallest one asked while the rest looked at me.

"I can't go with you. I'm not a rogue." I explained.

Maybe they had mistaken me for a rogue and that was why they wanted to take me. I wanted to clarify that.

"And?" He asked, pissed off.

"And that's why you can't take me with you." I finished, glancing at their faces.

"Well, you can't tell me what to do because you're my mate. Are you aware of that?" The other one asked.

"What?!" I blurted out, obviously confused by his statement. "I'm sorry but...."

"And what about the rest of us? She's not just your mate, Ansel; she's our mate, too. OURS." He drew in emphasis.

My direction moved towards him and the first one dragged my chin to face him.

"Keep your face on me!" He barked.

Fear shot through me at their roughness; gosh, why are they so rough and angry?

"You're coming with us to our pack and there's nothing you say about it that's going to stop us. You're our mate and you belong to us." He declared, and with that, the two men dragged me up, and one of them carried me on his shoulders.

All this while, I was shouting and screaming at the top of my voice but it all went on deaf ears as they bounced me on one of their chests. Where were these men taking me to?

I hit him on his chest continuously, "W-Who are you? Please put me down now!" I struggled but he wouldn't budge. How is he so strong and able to hold me firmly despite all my efforts to get away from him?

I felt myself stop moving as he paused in his tracks. With an irritated sigh, he tilted his head to look at my face and I was met with the most beautiful pair of blue eyes that I have ever seen in my entire life.

"Such a beauty!" Ara growled inwardly.

As though they compelled me, I swallowed deeply as I was unable to stop myself from shamelessly staring at him. He was attractive, very attractive and I couldn't deny that. He was the type of guy that made you question your sexuality and if you were even worth existing as a woman at all.

His curly auburn hair fell to his face while the rest was tied up in a manly bun. His chiselled jawline was defined like those you would see men request when they went for a plastic surgeon at the hospital. Is this even real?

He stared at me with his distant cold eyes that lacked emotion but were stunning at the same time. How does this man look both handsome and beautiful at the same time?

I felt robbed as a woman.

'Oh dear Goddess, please help me!' I said a prayer in my head.

I thought Ara would be angry at how they were treating us, but she was calm, and her mood was lifted. My wolf was shameless for her to be happy with how tough and rude our mates were treating us.

"Put me down right this instant!" I ordered but it felt like my words were falling on deaf ears. He wasn't paying attention to me. None of them were. "Let me go!"

"Can you stop screaming already?" The one carrying me on his body asked.

"She's so loud!" One of them grumbled from behind us. "I feel like shoving her into a loose tree branch and watching her bleed to death." He added with an irritated scoff. With a yelp, I immediately shut my mouth. I don't know why but something deep inside me told me that he could do what he had just said.

These men are mean.

"I'm sorry but can you put me down?" I asked, I was so uncomfortable with the position he kept me in.

To think how he could carry me without any stress made my heart flutter at how strong our mates were.

He let me down with a thud and pushed my back to keep moving.

They were fast and I had to run at intervals to keep up with their pace.

My mind trailed to my family; I had abandoned them and absconded into the forest; they might be seriously looking for me now.

I was deep in thought and wasn't looking when I bounced into them.

"Oops, I'm sorry." I apologized.

"We just reached." He announced.

I looked up to see that we had just entered a village; there were houses around, and the forest wasn't thick on this side.

Was this their pack?