His Regret, My Escape

OLYMPIA'S POV

I stood at the edge of the grand hall. My heart was beating, racing in anticipation. The air was electric with the collective longing of our pack. Twenty-one years of searching, twenty-one years of disappointment. Yet tonight, I could feel it in my bones: this would be the year I found him. The Mating Festival was ordained, a centuries-long practice-a holy ritual for our pack to collectively rejoice at the consummation of two spirits. The air held so much anticipation; pheromones hung heavy in the crowd. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, letting that animalistic energy course through me. My eyes met those of so many hopefuls in the room, each in search of his perfect match. Some were wriggling in anticipation and some had set their faces to imply expectation of winning-sureness in their eyes gleaming with a sense of entitlement. The drums echoed across the hall, signaling the commencement of the ceremony. There was silence in the room as all eyes turned toward the alpha pair standing at the center. They raised their hands, and the crowd erupted into cheers. The search began! I perceived a cold minty floral scent and just followed it as there was no doubt. Tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome, he stood across the room, his eyes scanning the room but I couldn't make out his face. There was something very familiar about him. Could it be? Could he have been the one? I pushed through the crowd; my heart racing with excitement, when suddenly, just as I reached him, he turned and stared down at me, and in his eyes was so much hatred. Oh no, it's Silas, the newly crowned Alpha of this pack. "Mate!" he snarled, an unpleasant one at that. No! I can't lose him now! I stood before Alpha Silas, and my heart was adrenaline-pumping with excitement. All my life, I had been in search of my mate, and now I finally found him. Or rather, so I thought. My eyes met his, and in them, for a flash, I felt a flicker of recognition. It was replaced in a moment by his usual stern expression. "Everyone, please stop," he commanded, his voice echoing down the hall. "Musicians, cease playing." The room fell silent, all eyes fixed on us. I felt a squirmy feeling. What was this? "Olympia, I think there has been an error here," Alpha Silas said firmly but without anger. "You don't know that," I whispered, finding it hard to voice out words well. But in his eyes, I saw only scorn and revulsion. "You think you are worthy of being my mate?" he sneered at me; his voice oozed with malice. "You're nothing but a weak, pathetic outcast." I felt as if his words had slapped me. "I.I thought we had some kind of a connection," I said, trying to hit back. Alpha Silas laughed out loud, the sound completely devoid of humor. "You can't even connect with me. You are a disappointment, Olympia. A failure." I felt my eyes prick at the corners as the room seemed to close in around me. The music had stopped, and the only sound was those venomous alpha words. "Who wants a weak, useless omega as a mate?" He actually spoke it in front of the crowd before us, then everybody laughed. Throwing spiteful words at me. It hurts so bad. Dark mind! Dark heart! Dark soul! Happiness Killers, Living Demons. If only my mistakes can be stated. "I, Alpha Silas Moore of the Black Hitten pack, reject you, Olympia Swan, as my mate. You are not fit to stand by my side, bear my children, or hold the title of a Luna." I felt my heart crashing into a thousand pieces when Cassie and her crew suddenly started talking. " Olympia is Alpha Silas's mate?" Crystal exclaimed, though bringing forth gasps from the crowd as its eyes flew impossibly wider at their staring, furrowing their brows and curling their lips into a sneer. I shrieked, looking away from them, wringing my hands together to obvious my mind off their hateful glares or I might detonate into a loud weal. "How could that be? that's so bad luck" Cassie chipped in, compassion lacing her tone. "I feel so sad for him, he deserves better". Crystal echoed to the ears of everyone, sighing heavily and looking down pretending to be sorrowful. There were murmurs about this circumstance, running around and around again, and I turned my eyes to Sila's uncertainty. His eyebrows seemed to be drawn together in some sort of frown, jaw clenched, nostril flare. "See what you have caused?" he asked, his lips pressed to thin lines. Instantly, I drew my eyes from him, down to my feet, biting my lips and fidgeting at the same time. "Why does it just have to be you?" he questioned silently and I kept mute not knowing what to say in reply but feeling my heartbeat racing like insane, like it was about to pop out my chest. "I have waited 30 years, only to end up with a crap like you?" he asked with disbelief, scoffing. I, however, was just standing there, silent in front of him, with tears rolling down my cheeks. I couldn't hold it anymore, and I had a very bad feeling that something unfortunate was about to happen. I walked out of the scene in absolute weakness and exhaustiveness. I swear I strolled up to that bar, heels clicking across the floor, announcing the time bomb that was about to go off. I plopped onto a stool, nodding to signal for the bartender. "Your hottest drink, please. And make it a double." Shot after shot, I gulped down the drink, each one charging my emotional inferno. At the corners of my eyes, tears pricked, and I let them flow in silent sobs that raked my body. The room grew dim; my heart was slipping into a haze of despair. A set of fingers wrapped about my face, gentle yet firm, I turned my face towards him only to meet a set of dark eyes.

Olympia's POV

As I looked up at him, my eyes, addled with intoxication, tried to keep up with his grandeur. He was a real behemoth, with chiseled cheekbones that could cut glass and arms that seemed sculpted by the gods themselves. His athletic frame radiated power, and his smirk hinted at a thousand secrets. I was entranced; my tipsy brain couldn't pull away from this sight. "Like what you see?" he goaded, his voice low and husky, as he did so, raking me back to reality. My mouth was open, an embarrassing epitome of utter shock. I whipped my face away, trying to regain some of my lost dignity, but he would not allow me to just walk off so easily. He held my chin with a firm but light touch, twisting my face back to his. Our eyes met, and in those few moments, I felt the room spin with me. "Who are you?" I said back, my voice cracking like a brittle autumn leaf. He leaned closer, the mysterious aura surrounding him, like a moth into flame. "Just a passerby guy witnessing a beautiful lady sitting at the bar all alone, drinking it out to the extreme, crying silently," he murmured, hugging me close, as his breath did goodness to my skin, leaving a mark like that of a summer wind. I froze, my heart suspended in time. How did he know these things? I thought I had been so careful, crying myself to sleep every night behind a mask of booze and indifference. Yet this stranger saw through it all, his piercing gaze unraveling the façade. As our eyes held each other, totally everything melted away finally, till none afterward couldn't remain-simply both of us, enfolded in a sea of secrets and unanswered questions. Who was this mysterious stranger, and why did I feel an uncontrollable pull towards him? I needed to find out the truth so badly, but he lay before me as a mystery-a riddle for me to solve. I peered into his eyes and suspected that he was lying to me. Such that he was really calling me pretty? So I am looking into his facial expression now for some lie detector. His face reveals nothing but a warm, forgivable smile. "Stop lying," I said between the tears and rage. "I know I look bad, speckled with dirt and drops of blood and whatnot. Don't lie to me." He chortled, his lips easing into a grin, and my heart fluttered. "I'm serious," he grumbled, his voice dipping low and husky. "Beautiful, darlin'. Even like this." My eyes drifted down to his mouth; so full and inviting. I wanted to kiss him, to feel his mouth on mine, but something wouldn't let my wants continue. "Why in the hell are you doing this?" I thought, like he was really provoking me. "Why in the world are you making me feel like this?" But then he spoke, breaking the spell. "If you desire something, I'd suggest acting on it." Something inside me snapped, and I grabbed his face, pulling him close, and pressed my lips to his. Our tongues entwined, and we kissed with much fervor, pressing our bodies desperately towards each other. In that moment, I was lost as awareness slipped aside; I forgot where we were. The feel of his skin against mine was the only thing in my mind. With every kiss, my need for him increased. I wanted to feel the bare expanse of his skin against mine, to have both our bare bodies brush against each other. I began tugging at his shirt, as if needing that barrier between us removed. However, he stopped me with his hands reaching toward mine, holding me. "We were in a bar," he said huskily, full of desire but that was going to stop me anyway. I whined in objections, not wanting it to stop, not wanting to let go of this moment. Not giving in himself, he held firm, his eyes locked on mine, the gaze burning with intensity. Just let me know whether this version is okay. "Then let's get out of here," I said, my voice barely above a whisper but laced with a sense of urgency. His eyes widened with surprise, as if he hadn't expected me to be that bold. "Are you sure?" he questioned again; there was a depth in his voice, hoarse, and his eyes blazed. I nodded, beginning to feel something like impatience engulf me. I wanted him, and I wanted him now. I burrowed deeper into his arms as his warmth wrapped around me. "Once I claim you," he breathed against my ear, "you will be mine-all mine." The words sent shivers down my spine, and this time, I didn't even hesitate. I nodded again, my heart hammering with eagerness. "Are you sure?" he said again, the eyes searching out mine for any sign of doubt. Only, by then, I had already cleared my mind. I wanted him, and I was ready in every sense to give in to him. "Just take me already," I breathed. His eyes glinted red, and with another growl, his lips crashed down on mine in a rather fierce kiss that was full of possession. The world around shattered, leaving the two of us, adrift amidst its intensity of feeling. "MINE," he growled softly, his voice into my mind like an echo, calling me totally to his body and soul. My eyes flickered open, sharp pain greeting me with a groan. I reclined against the headboard and tried to sit up slowly. My head was pretty foggy from the remains of last night's sprees. The room spun around; my stomach churned at the unease. I had had a real good going at reckless abandon, and now I was paying for it in a big way-not too pretty. I looked down at myself and all the way down to my naked body; except that I tightly held the duvet through my body. My heart started racing. What the hell happened last night? For crying out loud, did I just get drunk, or is there more to the tale? The images were all hazy, and my mind was a swirl of confusion. Just as I was beginning to piece together the events that occurred last night, I heard a low groan from beside me. I froze; my senses on high alert, my fear spiked. Slowly, I turned toward the stranger lying in my bed, and my eyes widened in shock. A man's back was turned toward me, his muscles flexing beneath his skin as he stirred. A million questions raced through my mind. Who was this man, what did we do the night before, and why were my innards feeling like they had been emptied deader than yesterday's giblets? Whenever I would try to move, flashes of stinging pain went through my legs; they felt metallic and heavy. I couldn't shake off that feeling of wrongness that inhabited this room. And now, as though I was to meet my fate that night, I waited with bated breath for this stranger to turn his face toward me, to reveal whatever it was that would answer so many questions. But he did not move, and the silence returned, building my unease. What had I gotten myself into? I was seated in a stunned silence, telling myself in low whispers, "This must be kept to myself, not a soul should come to learn of this." My head was cluttered, going forward and backward in frantic efforts to remember what I did the previous night. But my thoughts were a dead end, totally sealed in security. I labored in recollection, but in vain; trying to think back was like trying to hold loose sand in one's fist-the more I tried, the more I failed to capture events. A shrug. "Anyway," I thought, "it's done. What good is trying to picture it?" It wouldn't alter the fact; it wouldn't erase the black. Best drop the subject and get away while the new acquaintance was still asleep and I was sitting here in another embarrassing scene, or before my set missed me. I'd hardly made my decision before the stranger had stirred; his hand came out like a vice, wrapping around my waist. I gasped as my heart started racing, fighting the urge to scream. Then I saw his face. By this the memories I had so been trying to recall opened like the key turning in a lock. I remembered the bar, the drinks, the laughter, and the stranger with the platinum gaze; I remembered just how the feeling had come into my body as his hand connected with mine. My mind reeled with what I did, what I gave in to. And just as I grasped the truth, his eyes flickered open, locking onto mine with so much intensity that my blood ran cold. "Now you're mine!"

Olympia's POV

The memories of the night before assaulted my brain, and it was as if a tidal wave had swept me off my breath, leaving me speechless. I cringed thinking of how I had begged that stranger to take me roughly; my face burned with humiliation. I turned toward him; a pang of sadness twisted deep in the pit of my belly, pulling in opposing directions: to go, to stay. His beautiful face was serene in his sleep, and my heart skipped a beat. "Olympia, keep it together," I chide myself as the emotions welled up. Turning quickly, I gathered my clothes from where they had landed around the room, like strung confetti, and got dressed without cleaning up. The risk that he might wake up and see me like this was too great. At the door, I saw my arm bandaged and cleaned. Memories of our kiss and how he took care of my injury tenderly came back to mind. The bazillion venues, his gentleness, his care over me-so surreal. My heart melted at the memory of how he looked at me, of how he'd made me feel. I stood still, my feet refusing to move an inch as I looked at him one last time. I realized the irony in it-the stranger who had given me what I wanted above all else was not my mate but a one-night stand. When I imagined later on him being with somebody else and touching her like he touched me, tears began to well up in the corners of my eyes. A growl came out of my throat, low, as I felt a spike of jealousy. I asked, tears streaming down my face. "Why couldn't someone like him be my mate, instead of a monster?" I thought; my heart was heavy with sorrow. As I exited, I made a last glance and shut the door behind me, sealing forevermore our memories. 'I didn't even get his name,' I thought with a sad smile on my face. 'And he didn't get mine, in case he wanted to look for me. I followed him with my eyes as far as I could from the window, then went into my apartment, feeling somewhat relieved that I had gotten away unnoticed. However, my mind kept straying back to the stranger and comparing him in my mind to my mate, Alpha Silas. The knock on the door made my heart race, and I hesitated, wondering who it could be. I flung the door open and was met by a smirking Alpha Silas. My heart dropped. "Happy to see me?" he asked sarcastically. The urge to snort almost hit me, as I was still a bit off with the stranger. Silas was dull compared to him; he completely missed the something that made my heart hiccup. "What, you zoning out on me?" Silas growled, snapping me back to reality. I shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs. "You were saying?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Silas was really happy with my fear. But still, what couldn't leave my mind was how the stranger did; he just made me feel so acknowledged, listened to, and cared for. The difference between those two men was striking, leaving me in awe of what could have been if only I met the stranger under other conditions. It was still fresh, the memory of last night's rejection, which would have festered; and Alpha Silas now presented himself as very keen on ripping the flesh. "I take it that you are terribly hurt because of the way I rejected you last night," he mocked, his voice filled with disdain. I shivered down my spine, watching him start to circle around me with a look of wild hunger in his eyes. But I stood my ground, even as my mind, dazed from the stranger's warning, threatened to give way. "I may not be able to accept you as my mate due to your low status," Silas continued, his voice laced with disdain, "but you can surely be my mistress." He smiled then, his lips curling up in a sickening grin, and I felt my eyebrows arch in incredulity. Was he serious? Did he really think I would accept such a proposal? For just a moment, I thought of the stranger, his mesmerizing smile, and tender touch. No-I can't accept this; the monster is not passable. "I truly appreciate your concern, Alpha," I said with a voice shockingly bold and steady. "My answer will, of course, be no." The words hung in the air, almost a challenge, and the smile faltered on Silas's face a second before he pulled himself back together again. His hand shot out, and I felt a searing pain on my left cheek. I gasped, the metallic tang of blood filling my mouth. I held my cheek, my eyes widening in shock. How dare he? At last, Silas's vice-like hold on my hair drew a groan of pain as he dragged me closer. "How dare you, vile, sniveling garbage, push aside an Alpha of high-rank status such as myself?" he howled at my ear. I had struggled to get away, but he had a tight hold on me, his hand moving over my flesh with a practiced familiarity that disgusted me. I had thought about that stranger: his light touches, the way he had gazed upon me as though I was the most precious thing on earth. No, I would not allow Silas to use me. I would not allow him to spoil me. Adrenaline burst through me and I pushed him away, full of fear, with my heart thumping. Silas had let me go, his eyes flaming with anger, but I glared back at him. "Now is not the time," he growled back, "but I will surely claim you." He turned and left me, trembling, and feeling a little sick. Then came the twist of everything, and I reeled in my mind for escape and salvation-who would save me from this monster?