Mate's Revenge

Chapter one

"ATTACK!!!" The emergency bell rang. My father turned to my mother.

"Take Wren and go, remember the plan." His voice was hurried, panic lacing every word, fear etched into his face. My mother's eyes filled with tears.

" But Atticus–"

"We both knew this day would come, my love. We both planned for it." My father cut in, his hands gently cradling my mother's face, his eyes roaming all over her face like he was memorizing it for the last time.

"Daddy, what's going on?" I cried, clutching my mother's clothes in fear. My father bent to my eye level.

"My little Wren, it's not safe here right now. Mommy's going to take you somewhere safe." His hands cleaned my tear-stained face.

"What about you?" I whispered. The sound of fighting and clashing of bodies could be heard from outside.

"I would be fine, my little Wren. I promise." His voice cracked but his face was one of silent resolution. The emergency bell rang again.

" Be quick, go through the back. Take care of our kids." He placed a hand on my mother's swollen stomach. They kissed, one of goodbye.

Sound of footsteps got closer, my mother grabbed my hands and we fled, through the back door like my father said.

Just in time to see two huge brown wolves break into the house.

"Don't look back Wren, keep moving forward." My mother's voice forced my focus forward as we ran together. My mother couldn't shift because of her delicate condition.

We heard footsteps behind us as we saw three wolves, two brown, one black, rapidly gaining on us.

"No, no, no. I need more time." My mother murmured, fear etched into her face.

We tried to run faster but a very huge white wolf barrelled into our path forcing us to stop. Soon we were surrounded on all sides.

The white wolf shifted to reveal a huge, bulky man with arms that were like trunks of trees. He had black hair and glacier blue eyes.

Those eyes contained a cold fury that left me shaking. They promised death. I held on to my mother, trembling in fear.

"Reverse what you did, Lyla." His deep baritone voice was like a dagger, sharp and dangerous.

My mother laughed and I held on tighter, it wasn't her normal laugh "Why would I? You deserve it." her voice was hard.

He took a step closer." I wouldn't ask again." he growled.

My mother remained silent, lips curled upwards.

His hand shot out faster than anyone could comprehend. One moment I was with my mother, the next I was dangling from his hand. His fingers curled around my neck.

"Wren!!!" My mother screamed. His hands curled tighter, cutting off my air supply. I clawed at his hands, slowly I started getting dizzy.

"She's just a child!!!" My mother pleaded desperately.

"You don't have long now." The man calmly said. His face blank and void of all emotions.

" It can't be reversed!!!! There's nothing I can do!!!" My mother screamed hysterically. My vision was filled with black spots.

He tilted his head as if tuning into a voice only he could hear. He was using a mindlink, an ability wolves had to communicate with their pack members through their minds.

The fingers around my neck loosened and I dropped to the ground. My vision slowly darkening. The man walked up to my mother who was sobbing.

"In that case, your life means nothing to me." There was a sharp glint of the sun reflecting on something then my mother's head rolled on the ground.

"Mom......" I weakly whispered before my eyes closed. The last thing I saw was claws dripping with blood.

The sound of metal hitting metal jolted me awake from my nightmare. I sighed, not a nightmare, more like a memory.

The memory of the day my parents were killed by the Alpha of the Black Moon pack. My father was the Alpha of the Solaris pack.

The two pack had been more than allies, a relationship that dated seventy years, since our great grandparents.

I was best friends with the heir of the Black Moon pack. Images of violet eyes filled my mind. I shook my head to clear it.

What happened to shatter that bond? How could they turn on us like that?

I don't know what happened to cause the war and the death of my parents. From what I had picked up over the years, it seemed like the Black Moon pack had gone rogue.

That was 13 years ago, 13 years spent alone, forgotten, trapped.

Everyone was holding their breath, wondering what would happen next.

Well, everyone but me. I was just trying to survive in this shit hole. I looked around the poorly lit, grimy and smelly square hole I was in.

After the death of my parents, I was sold into a trafficking ring by the Alpha of the Black Moon. The ring sold werewolves as sex slaves, basically to Alphas that could afford it.

It was also like a punishment for offenders, I was just 8 years old when I was placed here.

I had tried to escape so many times, only to be brought back beaten and bloodied. But it wasn't the failed attempts that broke me.

It was the fact that 13 years has passed, yet not a single person has come for me. My whereabouts wasn't hidden, everyone knew about it.

But still, nobody came. I was alone in the world, the only people that cared about me dead.

Nothing eats at a soul faster than loneliness. I'm tired of being alone, but it's for the best.

Who would want someone like me anyways. I had scars on the outside and on the inside, broken beyond mending. It was the wounds on the inside that bled the most.

The sound of metal against metal brought me out of my thoughts.

The sound came from the cell besides me. June, a wolf here, smiled menacingly at me, dragging a finger across her neck. I shuddered and whimpered.

June was also trafficked, but she seemed to have a special hunger for my death ever since she learnt who I was. It was just my luck that my cell was placed besides hers.

I stayed away from her side though, knowing what happens when she comes in contact with me. My arm still throbbed from when she snapped it.

We heard voices outside the door. I tried peering out of my cage, my hands clutching the bars, wanting to see what was going on.

"There's another buyer!" Jess, another caged wolf, exclaimed, her voice happy with a tinge of fear. There were different reactions, some happy, some afraid.

I fell into the later category. You can never know if you would end up in the hands of a serial killer.

I was struck with dread, something was going to go wrong, I just knew it. I curled my arms around my body, trying to stop myself from trembling.

The door opened and two men came in. The first man was Alric, he was the owner of the wolf trafficking ring. Greedy and corrupted, Alric was no stranger to dealing with blood.

The trafficking ring wasn't illegal, but it wasn't legal either, everyone just turned a blind eye to it.

Just like the death of my parents.

It was the second man that caught my attention. He had white hair with violet eyes that glittered like gems. He had a lithe and graceful body that screamed "predator". Undeniably dangerous.

I knew those eyes.

The power in his stride didn't go unnoticed as they walked towards my cage. I shrunk back, fear filling me to the brim. The man's nose twitched and his lips curled sadistically.

He could smell my fear.

"This is what you requested. The daughter of the fallen Alpha of the Black Moon pack." Alric grinned greedily.

Violet eyes met mine and my wolf howled frantically. My wolf had been mute for 13 years. But that wasn't what had me going into shock.

It was the word that fell out of his seductive lips that did, the same word my wolf howled.

"Mate."

Wren's pov

Flashback

"Would I remain your favorite person in the whole wide world?" Violet eyes looked at me hopefully. I giggled and continued jumping the stones along the river.

"That would be my mate someday, silly." I giggled again. Caelum hummed contemplatively, his black brows furrowed in thought.

"Well, I'm just going to have to be your mate then." He declared, using one hand to push back his black curls. I always thought he had beautiful hair.

I blushed, my cheeks turning red. "T-that's not how it works." I stuttered, flustered. Jenna, one of the older she-wolf found her mate two days ago and she had been talking about how amazing it is.

*Why not?" His violet eyes were filled with confusion. He had such stunning eyes. I looked away immediately.

"Just because." I nodded firmly.

"Well, that's a stupid reason. When I'm 18, I'm coming to your pack and I'm carrying you all the way home." He smiled proudly, while my heart kept beating faster.

My cheek burned and I looked away. At seven, I was old enough to be affected by his words.

"Whatever." I mumbled and pushed him into the river.

End of flashback

"Well, isn't this such an interesting twist of event?" His plush lips curled sadistically. I mentally berated myself for looking at his lips.

Two seconds of having a mate bond and suddenly I can't seem to look anywhere else but at him. I need to be better than this.

"What are you doing here? Came to gloat?" I sneered at him.

Suddenly a wave of electricity ran through me, my nerve endings screamed in pain. I locked my jaw together to prevent the scream that was building up in my throat. I still whimpered though.

I had just been tasered. By Alric.

"We don't talk that way to invited guests, not one as special as him." He tutted.

I looked at my mate, his face was unreadable. Just my luck to get a mate that doesn't care.

"What makes him so special?" My voice came out in a whisper, broken, my head tilted downwards.

"Of course you wouldn't know, you've been locked in here for most of your life." Alric mocked. I gritted my teeth. The stupid bastard was the one that locked me down here.

"This is The Crimson Alpha, Caelum Ravenwood, Alpha of the famous Black Moon pack."

And the son of the man that killed my parents and left me alone in this world, I thought bitterly.

Moon goddess, what are you playing at? Haven't I been punished enough?

Rumors of the Crimson Alpha had reached even us that the world had forgotten. A man who had slain hundreds of wolves while in his human form.

A man whose blood lust far exceeded anyone in history. A man rumored to drink the blood of his enemies as wine.

"I presume that our deal still remains the same." His voice broke the silence.

Something deep within me stirred at the sound of his voice. It was husky and smooth with just the slightest hint of an accent.

"Well, there are more things to put into consideration now. She's your mate, surely you'd pay higher." Alric grinned greedily. I admired his courage.

"Tell me Alric, do you favor your heart beating in your chest rather than in my hand?" he said, while his violet eyes never wavered from mine.

"Of course Alpha, I'll release her right now."

I eyed Alric in disgust, coward. Like he was able to read my mind, Caelum smiled.

The door of the cage was unlocked and opened. Since I was leaning on it, I stumbled only for a hand to grab my arm. I gasped.

For the second time, electricity ran through me to the core of my being, only this time, it brought pleasure. My arm tingled where his hand touched. My heart skipped and my breath caught.

Everything around me disappeared, leaving only the feel of his hand on mine. It was like a piece of me I didn't know was missing ,slotted into place.

Every part of me desired something more, I couldn't understand it but I felt it deep within my soul. I wanted him, no, I needed him.

I took a step closer to him, my destiny, my mate. The man whose parents murdered yours, something whispered in my head.

Like I was doused in cold water, I came to my senses. Quickly, I took a step back, his hand fell away from my arm.

A shadow of something passed behind his eyes, too quickly for me to identify.

What was I just about to do?

Go to our mate, go to our mate, my wolf chanted in my head.

You don't have any choice in this matter, Astrid, you left me alone for 13 years, I told her and she quieted down.

"My beta would get in touch with you, Alric. For now, I have a little bird to break, shall we?" Caelum smirked

I pushed past him, ignoring the hand he had stretched out for me to take.

Jokes on you, Caelum, you can't break what's already broken.

His eyes glimmered with amusement and his lips twitched upwards. He fell in steps beside me, always matching me pace for pace, no matter how I increased or decreased it.

A black sleek car waited outside. A man with greying hair opened the door to the backseat.

I hesitated. A part of me wishing to be back in my cage where everything was familiar.

"What are you waiting for? The car doesn't bite, I promise. I on the other hand, well,you'd just have to see for yourself." He whispered in my ear, his breath minty and warm.

I shuddered, a sigh of pleasure escaping me, every part of me hyper aware of the man besides me. I shook my head to clear the daze.

I whirled around and poked him in the chest "Stay far away from me, Ravenwood." He smiled like he knew something I didn't. I detested every inch of that smile.

We're going to have so much fun, Red." He chuckled manically. Red, his childhood nickname for me as a result of my fiery red hair.

I entered the luxurious vehicle. Everything was clean and looked new. I felt self conscious when I saw how grimy my legs looked.

Why do I care? In fact, I hope some of the grime rubs off on his leather seats. I chuckled inwardly.

He entered after me, the air filling with his scent. He smelled like the rain, light and refreshing, and like something expensive too. The car started.

"Where are we going?" I asked, curious.

"My place. Where you'd be staying from now on-as my mate of course." There was amusement in his tone. I bet this was all a source of entertainment to him, I thought bitterly.

I bet he has a nice butt, Astrid gleefully said.

13 years, I reminded her, she piped down.

The idea of living with him had anxiety filling my veins, I fidgeted with my fingers, my right leg bouncing.

A warm firm hand gripped my leg. I gasped at the sparks and the tingles. With great effort, I pushed his hand away from my leg.

"You can't fight the mate bond forever. Sooner or later, you'd have to give in to me." His face was hidden from my view but I could tell just how much this whole situation amused him.

Give in? To the son of the man who destroyed my family? Never! I would fight this with my last breath.

Why did the moon goddess do this to me? To punish me? Or to punish him? A voice whispered, a plan quickly forming in my head.

I had heard stories of how rejection affected werewolves. The stronger the bond, the more the effect.

A werewolf rejected when he first meets his mate might just lose his wolf, but for a person who loses his mate after forming a strong bond, death is inevitable.

My strength was nothing compared to the Crimson Alpha and I would never have the resources he did, but this little bond between us was all I had to get my revenge on him.

I knew I couldn't fight the mate bond forever, but all I had to do was make him fall first then reject him.

The sins of the father was about to be visited on the child, I smiled.

Caelum's Pov

I watched as she sat in awe of the car. It was adorable how wide-eyed she was.

"Where are we going?" she asked curiosly.

Silly mate, where else would we go? My wolf, Xyler, grumbled. He was trying hard not to show how over the moon he was that he found her.

"My place. Where you would be staying from now on-as my mate of course." I couldn't keep the amusement from coloring my tone even if I tried.

It must feel like salt being rubbed into a deep, bleeding wound, realizing that you're mated to the man whose parents murdered yours.

But I guess she has forgotten that her parents were the reason I'm like this.

Shaking the dark thoughts from my mind. I decided to focus on my mate. Her once shiny red hair was now stringy and dull, but her green eyes are just as fiery as I remembered.

13 years spent in that place did nothing to take away her beauty, except she was thinner than she should be. I could see her bones jutting out from where I was.

Suddenly she smiled. But it wasn't a nice one. No, I narrowed my eyes, it was one that promised death.

We need to keep an eye on mate, Xyler said. He was a suspicious wolf by nature, and well, so was I. I agreed with him.

Turning my thoughts to past events. I remembered the thrill that passed through me when I saw her sitting in that grimy cage.

A part of me liked seeing her chained and in a cage, but I pushed it down.

From the moment she was locked inside there, I had been keeping tabs on her. I knew every bone she had broken inside there.

It pleased the part that hated her for what her parents did to me, but that part was quickly declining.

I didn't know what the moon goddess was playing at, but somehow I knew I would have so much fun watching it all play out.

"Are you near?" My beta, Soren, mind-linked me.

"Yes, have a room prepared."

"A room? Jessica wouldn't like that." I could hear the sadistic glee in his voice even from here.

"My mate shouldn't be in the dungeons, don't you think so?" With that, I cut off the mind-link. Let him process the information.

I could see the huge iron gates that protected the boundaries of my pack. Ah, home sweet home.

Wren's POV

I could see a huge set of iron gates swing open. At first, I thought it was automatic, but then I saw the huge set of guards guarding it.

This is it, no going back, Astrid said. I could feel how nervous she was.

It's not like we had anything to go back to, I bitterly reminded her.

The journey had been a long one spent in silence, surprisingly. I would have thought that Caelum would spend the time getting on my nerves.

The car drove for a while, trees surrounding us. My curious eyes darted around trying to catch everything.

The sound of a waterfall reached my ears faintly and the smell of water brushed by my nose. I eagerly breathed it in.

After years of smelling sweat and blood, this was the closest thing to heaven.

Sunlight streamed through tree leaves, birds chirped here and there. I could even see a family of deer passing through. My eyes were fixed on the passing scenery.

Slowly, the car stopped in front of a huge mansion. It was way bigger than the one in my old pack.

Wolves were moving in and out. I could see some kids playing about and off to the side and people sparring in their wolf forms on the other side.

"Aren't people going to wonder when they see you walking in with a strange female?" My voice came out raspy from hours of disuse but my words were clear.

Caelum's eyes flickered to mine and for a moment, I saw something soft in them, but then they became impassive, fitting well into the bored look he always seemed to wear.

"They wouldn't mind," he simply said and stepped down from the car, as elegant as ever, an air of superiority around him.

I hesitated. Anxiety filled my body and my leg began to bounce.

There's nothing they can do that's worse than what Alric did to us, Astrid tried to reassure me.

Yeah, but at least I knew what to expect. I whispered to her. I was scared of the unknown, the new turn my life had taken.

A knock on the window drew me short. Caelum was standing impatiently by the window.

"If you don't come out now, I would drag you out and it wouldn't be pretty." I couldn't hear the words but I could read his lips.

"Here goes nothing." I muttered and stepped out. I could feel the curious eyes of wolves on me but I held my head up high and avoided their eyes.

Something unreadable flashed in Caelum's eyes, too quick for me to read it. He turned and strode towards the door to the huge building, I quickly followed.

Inside looked even bigger than outside. The ceilings were high, the room wide and spacious. A chandelier hung prettily casting the room in a warm golden light

Brown leather chairs were arranged loosely around a fireplace with a soft looking rug placed in front of it.

Stairs with golden railings twisted round and round upwards, showing the vastness of the house, despite which, it still felt so homely.

It was like a beautiful dream.

A squeal broke me out of my reverie and I turned just in time to see a stunning woman throw herself at Caelum.

I quickly locked my jaw to stop the growl building up there. She's touching my mate. The fact that I want to kill him doesn't mean she can touch him. Astrid growled.

The woman was delightful to look at which hair like spun gold, eyes as blue as the sky and a figure that a lot of women would die for. Her flawless skin looked smooth to the touch.

In summary, she was everything I wasn't.

"Caelum, you weren't in bed when I woke up." Her high pitched voice grated my ears. I gritted my teeth.

Caelum flung her aside roughly. I winced and almost felt bad for her.

"I hate clingy women." His voice was cold and unfeeling. Damn, that was brutal. Jessica pouted.

" But baby–" He brushed past her towards the stairs. He halted at the bottom of the staircase and turned towards me, an eyebrow raised mockingly.

"Do you need an invitation?" His tone was bland and dry. I hurried after him, making sure not to catch Jessica's eyes. I felt awkward.

His long legs took great strides and I had to run just to keep up with him. We passed two floors, my legs were seriously complaining.

The stairs ended in the middle of a hallway, splitting it into two.

"This floor is out of reach to other members of the pack. It's open to only me, my beta, my head warrior which is my gamma, and now you."

"Did you have to walk so fast?" I panted. He turned to look at me, sharp eyes taking in my sweaty, tired form with amusement.

His hard features seemed to soften, and his voice took on a low, tone that gave me goosebumps.

"Apologies, Red." he said, his gaze roaming over me with an intensity that was nearly uncomfortable.

"I forget that not everyone shares my... enthusiasm for speed." He continued.

His eyes lingered on my eyes, and I felt my pulse quicken as he took a step closer, his long legs boxing me in. I tried to take a step back, but my feet seemed glued to the ground.

"You're not used to matching my pace, are you?" he teased, his voice smooth like honey. "Don't worry, I'll make sure to... slow down."

His gaze dropped to my lips, and my heart beat faster as he raised a hand, his fingers brushing my cheek faintly. Sparks erupted along the trail of his fingers. I tried to pull away, but he caught my chin, his eyes burning fiercely.

"Relax, Red." he whispered, his minty breath fanning my face. "I promise I won't bite....yet."

I tried to laugh, but it came out strangled as he leaned in closer, his lips inches from mine. I felt like I was without air. My breath coming out in short pants.

With what seemed like all of my strength, I tore my gaze away from his, my eyes landing on a portrait behind him.

Shock ran through my body, fear following shortly after.