Bound by the Moon, Rejected by the Alpha

Lila's POV

It was a regular day at work as usual; attended to patients when needed, avoid familiarity with my colleagues, talked when I was required to, and avoided unnecessary drama. That's how I live, so you could say my life was an ordinary one. But deep down in my ordinary life lies traumas, hidden from the world-pains buried deep within my soul.

I opened the door to my house, hoping my mother would be in a calm state as she was always in a different mood each day, due to her manic depression. I didn't see her in the living room, so I went straight to my room first so I could change and take a shower first. At least I won't have to deal with seeing her face after all the work I did today.

I noticed the drawer in the right corner of my room was slightly open. I've been living with OCD for almost half of my life, so I'd never leave my drawer open like that. I walked closer to it and took a peek inside, only to discover that my piggy box was gone. My heart started racing, and I could feel my blood boiling.

Without contemplating, I rushed out of the room and headed straight to my mom's. I knocked but didn't wait for her response before I walked in.

"Hey Lila, you are back." She said, lying down on her bed almost naked.

"Did you go to my room and touch my money?" I asked, but deep down I already knew the answer.

"The one in your piggy box? Yeah, I needed an emergency fund so I had to borrow it." She said, and I could tell she was drunk from the way she sounded.

"What could be more urgent than the fact that any seconds from now, you and your husband's creditor would come knocking and you took the money I've been preparing to give to them?" I screeched, forcing back the tears coming to the surface.

She sat upright, "Come on! Is it such a big deal I took your money?" she barked.

I rubbed my hand in my hair, my whole body trembling in anger. "You don't even have a job, how do you plan to pay back?"

"What if I don't pay back? I'm your fucking mother! I might not have given birth to you, but when your god-forsaken mother left you in the gutter to die, I picked you up and raised you." Now, she's guilt-tripping me.

"How did you raise me? By making me feel I'm not worthy of love, while you move from one husband to another? Or was it when you finally found love and I thought I've gotten a dad, only to discover he's a scammer? And look at where that has brought us today." I shot back at her, cleaning back the tears that have fallen.

"You are just an ungrateful bitch. You know how depressive I get at times, so I only wanted to have fun and relieve my stress by going to the club and getting a few drinks." She said, walking up to me.

"You spent a whole 4k dollars drinking and clubbing?" I asked, surprised at her audacity.

"I did a little shopping too, I even got you a bag." She pointed to the bag on the floor.

"You forgot to bring a man home as you always do." As if I just touched her weak point, she slapped me hard across the face. She retrieved her hand immediately as if she regretted it, but that was until she turned back and went to sit in her bed, her back facing me.

"I've met a lot of people, both men and women-but you are still the one I wish I never met." She said, her voice clear and void of emotions.

Without saying a word, I rushed out into the woods. Our house is on the outskirts of the town so we are surrounded by woods. Anytime I found the house too suffocating, I went into the woods, to cry and relieve my pain.

But this time for an unknown reason, I walked past my usual spot and kept going deeper into the woods, tears streaming down my face.

I've tried so much not to be a burden to her, ever since I turned 11, I took care of myself. I had to take out a student loan to go through school without asking her for a dime. I took care of her when she was sick-even when she had to go from one drug to another due to her mental state, I paid for them.

And if I were to mention the abuse I went through at the hands of her husbands, she owed me more than I owed her. Yet, I'm the biggest stain in her life; the stain she couldn't seem to wash off no matter how hard she tried.

I noticed a big tree and went straight to sit under it. I cried until my face felt numb, and I wished I never existed. I wished I was never born.

The sun was setting, so I decided to go back home, even though I knew I'd be getting the silent treatment from her, and it'd probably last for a while.

After walking and coming back to the same spot three times, I knew I had lost my way since I wasn't good with directions.

I went back, sat under the tree, and started crying again.

My crying was interrupted when I heard a snap behind the tree before me. I rushed to my feet, dusted my pants, and waited to see if something would come out.

It was a man; dressed in black, not too dirty, not too clean.

"Hey, are you lost too?" I moved closer to him, wondering if we were in the same predicament.

"No, I just found food." He said with a smirk, licking his lips afterward.

I looked around me, not sure of what he meant, "Food?" I asked, as my instincts told me to move backward, which I did.

He shook his head slowly, smiling mischievously, like one of those beings from the 'From' series.

But before I could react to his reaction, he bore his teeth out and I could swear I saw them look like a vampire's teeth-I fell to the ground as he launched at me.

Lila's POV

My arm was covering my face, and I already considered myself dead or badly injured. I heard bones breaking, but they weren't my bones, so I dropped my arm to see. There were two men, throwing punches at the man who was about to attack me-they kept punching until he fell to the ground; dead or passed out, I didn't care.

I rose to my feet and took careful steps towards them, afraid they might jump at me the way the man on the ground did.

I was about 2 meters away from them, so I bowed my head a bit, "Thank you for helping me out." I said, rubbing the arm I fell on.

I didn't get any response from them, instead, the eyes of the man with the jet black hair and hazel eyes were fixed on me, while the other man with the well-trimmed brown hair kept exchanging glances between me and the other man. Honestly, if I were to judge their appearance, I'd say they must be walking models. I've never seen men as good-looking as they were.

"I said thank you," I waved my right hand in front of the one with the hazel eyes, he blinked them, and cleared his throat.

He moved closer and leaned in towards me, sniffing as if there was a strange smell coming from me. I shifted backward, feeling intimidated by his actions.

While I was trying to slowly get away from him, I lost my footing-as I was falling backward, he reached for my hand and grabbed me, pulling me closer to him. Our faces were only a few inches apart, so I could feel his breath on my face.

He closed his eyes, and drew in a sharp breath, "Mate," he growled in a low manner, his hazel eyes turned golden as he opened them.

I staggered backward, removing my hand from his grip. "Mate?" I asked, looking between him and his partner, who remained glued to a particular spot.

"You people aren't normal too right? If not, why are your eyes suddenly golden? They were hazel earlier. And did you also growl?" I asked, moving back further with my whole body trembling.

The golden-eyed man started walking closer to me, his strides heavy and calculated. I raised my hands to my chest, forming an x sign, hoping that would make him back away.

But nothing prepared me for his next action. He lifted me up from the ground and threw me over his shoulders.

"Put me down!" I shouted repeatedly, thrashing my legs in the air. But he seemed to be unfazed by my actions.

I stopped thrashing around after exhausting my strength. The other guy was in front, while my kidnapper walked behind him-they were both my kidnappers. The fact that he didn't say a word makes him an accomplice.

I noticed I was being let down. The moment my feet touched the ground, I looked at my surroundings and discovered the two SUVs right before us. They were really going to kidnap me. Shivers ran down my spine at the thought of every bad thing they'd do to me.

"Let's calmly talk about this, okay?" I turned, facing the golden-eyed man, whose eyes were now back to normal, strange right?

He raised his eyebrows, and I took that as my cue to continue speaking.

"I'm very poor, even if you kidnap me you won't get any ransom from my family-my mother doesn't care if I die or go missing." I laughed nervously, feeling hurt at my own statement, because I knew how truthful they were.

"Get in the car." He said, but it was more like a command.

I looked around again and discovered the other SUV contained about five men. I sighed defeatedly and entered the car reluctantly.

The man with the green eyes and brown hair went over to take the wheel, while the one that carried me, sat right beside me.

"Am I getting kidnapped to be killed, or for human trafficking?" I covered my body with my hands, shaking at the thought of being sold out for sex. "You can make me do every other thing but not prostitution, okay?" The thought of ending up like my mother terrified me. Was it that hard for her to settle with a man?

"You are overthinking." He finally replied, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Why don't you explain this situation to me then?" I leaned towards him, raising my eyebrows.

He shifted in his seat as if my closeness with him made him uncomfortable.

"My name is Dominic, Alpha of the Blackwood pack. And behind the wheel is Jonathan, the Beta, and my best friend. We..."

"My name is Lila, a mermaid from the Pacific, the third princess of the mermaid queen." I stretched forth my hand for a handshake.

Dominic raised his eyebrow in anger, while Jonathan gave a short laugh from the driver's seat.

"You think I'm joking?" He asked, and I could sense anger from his tone.

"You have no right to be angry. You kidnapped me first, and now you are telling me you guys are werewolves? Even children in kindergarten know werewolves don't exist, what do you take me for?" I shot back at him, making my anger very evident in my voice.

"I'm sorry we had to bring you with us in that manner. But the situation is more serious than you think. I'll explain it better when we get to my pack. So before then, I want you to be calm and don't be afraid, none of us here would hurt you." His voice sounded calming and reassuring, but the werewolf bullshit is what I couldn't accept.

I didn't reply to him, so I looked out the window instead, wondering how far into the wood we were.

******

"Little girl, open the door," he banged on the door again.

I wrapped myself beneath my quilt, shaking in fear, with tears streaming down my face.

"I just want to have some fun with you." He said, and I could imagine the disgusting face he made while saying that statement.

I felt an arm touching me in bed, it felt so creepy and I thought the man had managed to enter, I shifted in bed, "Don't touch me," I screamed. I felt his hands on me again.

******

"I said don't touch me!" I screamed, my heart beating out of my chest.

"Are you okay?" I heard Dominic's voice beside me. Then I realized I slept off and had a dream.

"Sorry, I had a bad dream," I said, apologizing if I had hit him instead of the man in my dream.

He didn't say anything, but I saw a flash of anger in his eyes before he stepped out of the car.

I followed him and nothing prepared me for the sight before me.

I saw a small werewolf, or a pup as they call them in books running towards us, my heart doubled its racing pace, and it felt like I'd have an attack at any moment.

The wolf kept running towards us without stopping, wagging its tail, and sticking out its tongue.

The moment it got to us, it jumped, and I let out a shrieking scream.

Lila's POV

My back collided with the car as I kept screaming. My screaming stopped the moment the wolf jumped into Dominic's arms, licking his face. It was the same reaction dogs give to their owner when they return home. I looked ahead and saw other little wolves, playing in the background.

But I almost fainted when I saw some of them shapeshifting. I turned to face Dominic who had dropped the wolf in his arms on the ground. He gave me the look that said, 'I told you.'

I shook my head slowly, saying 'This can't be real,' in my mind.

As if he could read my mind, he shook his head slowly, following my action, 'It is real.' I interpreted his head shaking that way.

I stepped further away from him. Why would he bring me into the wolves' den? He ought to have left me in the woods.

"I know you exist now. So, can I go back home?" I asked, hoping he could sense the nervousness in my voice.

"Come with me," he didn't even wait for my response before he started walking towards a house that had a sign written on it, 'The Pack House'. It's a storey building, more like a skyscraper, I can't count the number of floors it had, but it had quite a lot.

I noticed there were several eyes on me, including that of the little wolves, so I rushed behind Dominic, sticking to his back like glue. He might be a werewolf, but he was in his human form, and for some unknown reason, I felt safe close to him.

We entered the elevator, but not without me noticing how everyone we came across bowed their heads to Dominic, addressing him as Alpha. He pressed the button with the number 20 on it, and it seemed to be the last floor. It was just the three of us on the elevator and I could feel the tension in the air, as if I'm about to go into a world I'm not supposed to.

I entered the house as Jonathan opened the door with a card, and I could say the house might be a penthouse, judging based on how large it was inside.

"Did you bring me here because you need someone to watch after your house, be a live-in nurse, or what?" I asked, my curiosity was already at its peak.

"I brought you here because you are my mate," Dominic said as he sat on the big couch in the center of the living room.

I remember from those books I read online, that mates are soulmates, someone you spend the rest of your life with.

I let out a laugh, "You can't be serious?'' I said nervously, I was yet to accept I had to be in love with a human, but I was mated to a werewolf already.

"Believe it or not that's the truth," Jonathan said, passing me a drink and gesturing as I took my seat.

"I didn't know you could speak," I said to him, but I didn't get any reaction from him as he proceeded to sit too.

"As you've already come to accept, I am the alpha of the Blackwood pack, and Jonathan, my Beta. My Omega is currently out on a mission, so you won't be meeting him. And my family too, you won't be meeting them too." I could guess where the conversation was leading already.

"Then why did you bring me here?" I asked, keeping my emotions and expressions in check like I always do.

"Because we can't talk in the woods. There are rogues everywhere, and your life might be in danger if they find out who you are." So, he did it to save me. That fact actually made me blush a bit.

"So, apart from me being your mate, what else do I need to know?" I asked, taking a sip from my coffee.

Dominic stood up and walked over to me. I dropped the cup of coffee in my hands and looked up at him.

"Is your real name Lila?" He asked, his eyes holding a bit of sadness I don't understand.

"Yes, Lila Rowan," I said, tucking the strands of hair that had fallen on my face behind my ears.

"I, Dominic Ashbane, reject Lila Rowan as my mate." He said, without batting an eye.

The moment he finished, it was like a wave came crashing over me. I stood up slowly, trying to keep my cool as best as I could.

"You what? Why?" It's not like I was looking forward to being his mate, but I have issues with rejections.

"I am a dignified Alpha, with a name over all regions. I can't be seen with a human mate, I am more than that." He backed away and went back to his seat.

I scoffed, placing my hands on my waist, and fighting back the tears that were fighting their way through my eyes.

It's actually reasonable that he rejected me, I've never heard of Alphas getting mated to humans. I decided not to pursue the matter further. If he didn't want me, it's fine. I was used to not being wanted, by my birth parent, my foster mother, and now my soulmate.

"I accept your rejection, there's no way I'd want to be with a werewolf," I said, holding my head up high like I did something heroic.

"I'm not going to kill you or threaten you to keep what you saw here today a secret. But I'd advise you to pretend like today never happened if you value your life." Dominic said, his eyes fixed on the tab in his hands. That jerk!

"Who would believe me anyway?" I scoffed and headed straight for the door.

I turned when I was almost at the door, "Who's taking me home?" I asked, tapping my right foot on the ground impatiently.

Jonathan raised his hand. I could see he's not much of a talker.

"Lila.." Dominic's voice trailed off a bit, "Stay safe."

I rolled my eyes at him, "You don't have to be bothered about me, I'm just an ordinary human, so focus on your pack instead." I exited the room.

The ride down the elevator was quiet, I didn't speak, and neither did Jonathan. We went to the underground garage, instead of the first floor we came in through. Just as I was about to enter the car, a red-headed girl approached us.

"Hey, you must be the girl the whole pack is talking about.'' She stretched forth her right hand,

"My name is Juliana, Alpha Dominic's arranged mate.''