My Luna Alpha Mate

"How dare you?!"

The skin on the left side of my face felt the burning sting. It made my eyes water and my temples throbbed more painfully.

"I'm s-sorry. It was not intentional."

I apologized in a broken, low voice that was trying not to produce a crying sound. My hand clutched the side of my face that had just received a painful hit.

"You slave, kneel!"

The Luna commanded and I did without hesitation. What had happened was an accident, it was not done intentionally but the Luna was glad to have seen an opportunity to punish me again. The tea I'd been asked to bring to the Beta's daughter, Zaryn was now spilled on the young woman's body, some had spilled to the floor. Even though I had apologized, Zaryn still raised a hand to my face. I was not usually this clumsy and the Luna knew it, but I'd been ill for the past two days and I was expected to do my duties even with the sickness.

"Look at my beautiful clothes, Luna. The clumsy maid has ruined it"

Zaryn whined angrily.

"I'm so sorry my darling."

"What do I do?"

"Maybe you should go home and change it, then when you return, we'll go ahead with our discussion."

"Okay. Thankfully it's not far, I'll be back in a minute."

"Alright, my dear."

Zaryn stood and uses her heels against the back of my bare feet as I knelt, I winced in pain but neither paid attention. I knew she had done that on purpose and the Luna had seen it. I blinked my eyes furiously to stop the tears from coming. I had been swamped with work for days, worked tirelessly from dawn to dusk and now I did one mistake. Mistake caused by an exhausted, sick body and I was been treated like some horrible servant. I should be used to this suffering by now. This life of strife and hardship, I should be used to it.

Every other maid in the manor looked okay despite being a maid. But I looked like some destitute being on the brink of death. I was underfed and overworked, courtesy of the Luna and her son, the Alpha could care less. There were days when I missed my mother who had also received the same fate as I was receiving and had ended up dead. Sometimes, I fear that would someday become my fate too.

"Look at me, you useless girl"

I raised my forlorn expression to meet the Luna's angry one.

"Y-Yes L-luna?"

My pale, unhealthy body was on edge with nerves and fear.

"See what you did?"

Her blue eyes bore into mine and the look in the made me shiver lightly.

"It was not intentional Luna. I'm sorry."

My temples throbbed harder, my stomach churned slightly. My eyes were hot and I felt feverish but I dared not shiver before her. It would only make my situation worse.

She stretched her hand and slapped me again. I almost hit the floor from the force of it.

"You are going to pay for this."

My heart skipped a million times hearing that. What punishment did she have for me? I pray I did not die from the exertion of it. I might be living a terrible life but that did not mean I wanted to die a terrible death and not so soon. I did not want to end up the way my mother had ended up.

"I-I'm sorry, Luna. It was a mistake please I beg you."

Panic made the tears I'd been holding spring and stream down my face in torrents, momentarily blurring my vision for a bit in their haste to roll down my eyes.

"Shut up and get up on your feet, right now!"

She commanded. I was not as fast as I had been when she'd asked me to kneel. My whole body ran on pure antsiness, and shook badly partly as a result of it and partly as a result of the outbreak of the fever my body had been fighting. It took all of my will to steady myself for the lightheadedness that almost swept me off my feet when I raised myself and stood.

She head towards the door and I knew it was an unspoken command that I should follow her, I did. I wrung my hands and wiped at tears that kept falling. I followed her and was surprised when we passed the cell she usually had me locked in, even the empty dark room that she frequently threw me in for whenever she was displeased at me and wanted me beaten. We walked till we got out of the big manor and onto the grounds of the pack. I wondered where she was taking me to when I saw the large, expansive farmland workers were on.

"Now, that is your punishment?"

"I-I don't u-understand Luna."

I wiped tears again.

"What don't you understand? Go there, right now and join them to work."

"Please, Luna. Please. My body aches badly. Please, I beg of you Luna. Be kind enough to show mercy."

Growling angrily, she gave me a hard knock on my forehead and pushed me till we got near to the farm.

"Norsan."

She called out to a young guy who ran over to us as soon as he realized it was the Luna.

"Good day, Luna."

He bowed.

"Yes, good day." Then she pointed to me. "I want her to finish a large portion."

I saw the guy's gaze sweep to me in a quick manner and they settled back uncertainly on the Luna, and I understood what he was thinking. The far was off limits for women. It was considered a backbreaking work so female servants were not allowed to work on the farm, just the men.

"And why are you still standing there, Norsan?"

She gave him the stink eye.

"I'm sorry, Luna." Then to me, he said. "Follow me."

I tried one last time. "Please Luna. I'm sick."

"Did you not hear him?"

Her glare was deadly.

Left with no other choice, I followed the young man into the farm. I was the only female here.

"I want her to have a big portion, Norsan."

Luna called after him. There was a warning belying her statement.

"Yes, Luna."

Oh my goodness! My shoulders slumped in hopeless resignation and more tears poured as Norsan allocated a portion to me.

"What are you doing?"

I heard the voice but I was too weak to see who they were talking to. Moreover, it was not my business who the person was talking to. I was dead tired, my back hurts so much. My waist was on fire. I needed to rest else I might end up faint from exhaustion and malnourishment.

"Am I not talking to you, Tasyra?"

Anger and irritation dripped heavily on every spoken word, and I had to look up to see who knew me enough to talk to me that way. I forced myself to hastily stand and bow when I saw who it was.

"Good day, Alpha."

"I asked you a question."

He said, purposely ignoring my greeting. His gaze was sharp and unfriendly.

I sighed sadly.

"I was resting."

"What are you doing here?"

That was when I got what he was trying to say.

"I was sent to work on the farm."

"Women are not allowed on the farm."

"The Luna sent me here."

I looked at him, hopeful that he might take in my ill condition and show mercy. He might let me off the hook and ask me to go and rest.

"Why? What did you do?"

I saw the rest of the unspoken words in his eyes. This time. That was the unspoken words. He wanted to know what I had done this time as though I was some adamantly stubborn child that needed to be grounded or punished for always going against a laid down rule, but it was not true. I was not like that and he used to believe me. The Alpha and I were once-upon-a-time very close, he used to be my source of escape from the harsh reality I was born into, not until he also became part of that harsh reality. And now, it was just me.

"I unintentionally poured tea on a guest."

I bowed my head, the hope of him helping me out of here dwindled considerably. There was a fat chance he'd let me remain here.

"Unintentionally?"

His tone was mocking.

"It was a mistake, I swear it."

I blinked back tears. No one ever believed me, and it hurt. It stung my integrity badly. The only person who used to believe me was gone.

"It is always a mistake for you, Tasyra."

"No, this was truly a mistake. I would not intentionally pour drink on a guest."

I tried to plead my case to him. Try to see if I could get on his merciful side. Honestly, I didn't think I could finish this portion all by myself. I was seriously ill. Every part of me hurt. My bones were too weak to carry on and my meals were usually too small to refuel my weary body.

"So how did it happen?"

Maybe there was hope. Though his expression was stern and unsmiling when I skimmed my gaze over his face, I did not want that to discourage. Maybe if he knew the full story, he'd realize it was not my fault.

"I had been feeling down for some days. The Luna called me to make tea for her guest. I had just entered with the tea when my fever acted up and shivered causing my hands to tremble and headache blurred my vision. I swayed and in trying to steady myself, the tray slipped from my hold and the cup emptied its content on the guest."

"You were clumsy."

"But I was attacked by fever, Alpha. Please, it was not intentional."

"Who is this guest?"

"The Beta's daughter."

"Zaryn?"

"Yes Alpha."

"Hm."

"I swear on my life Alpha. It wasn't intentional. You know me."

I tried to appeal to his conscience and also our relationship in the past to make him consider my own side of the story.

"Know you?"

I swallowed. Maybe I had gone too far.

"Y-yes."

"As what?"

I became tongue-tied. What was I thinking? Trying to use memories of our past to appeal the conscience of a full grown man who now hated me and did not want to see me.

"I'm very sorry, Alpha."

My head was bowed but in respect and shame. Respect for him, shame for what I'd done.

"Raise your face and look at me."

The order was direct and harshly compelling.

"We do not know each other, you hear me?"

I just stared desolately at him, not saying a word.

"Do you need me to repeat myself?"

"I'm sorry. No. I hear you."

I avoided his gaze while trying to swallow the hurt and pain that lodged themselves in my throat like a stubborn boulder refusing to budge even after several push.

"And never make such comment in public."

"Yes Alpha."

Other laborers on the farm stole glances at us. They were curious to know what was happening but were scared of being caught poke nosing in the Alpha's business.

"Good. Now back to your offense, what you did was a very serious crime."

He said. I became dispirited. Why? What happened to the Alpha? He used to be protective of me even as a child. He stood by me and it was because of him everything had been bearable.

"I'm sorry Alpha. But please believe me it was not on purpose."

"You are going to continue serving your punishment and I do not want to find you seating idly or lazing about."

Fresh tears poured. My eyes swept the remaining untouched portion, there was still much to do. My gaze went back to him.

"Please Alpha. I can not do this alone. Please."

His sterling grey orbs turned granite and his lips curled in a snarl. I jolted from the unpleasant sound that came from his throat.

"Are you trying to disobey my orders?"

I shook my head so quickly, I thought they'd spin right off of my shoulder.

"No."

It was a struggle trying to talk and also stand upright.

"Now get back to work."

I wiped tears away and picked the farm tool I was using to harvest the crop produce. I took weak steps to my portion of the farm when the world swayed, I was almost hitting the ground when I felt a firm grip on me.

"Mate!"

"The Alpha requests your presence, Tasyra."

One of the maids came to inform me. My body froze with fear. What have I done this time? Ever since that farm incident, I had been wary and shocked still. When the Alpha had held me to keep me from falling, my body felt the electrifying effect of his hands on me. My body had responded in many ways I could not explain. That casual contact had awoken something in me, and when I'd looked at his face in astonishment, I'd seen it in his eyes too. He'd felt it and he'd been stunned as I was. And then, his wolf had flashed through his eyes and I heard the deep growl and the word 'Mate' from him.

I had not just been shocked, I'd been confused too. More confused even because how could I be the mate of an Alpha. But the yearning whimper of my wolf pinched my heart and I knew it wasn't a trick. The Alpha was truly my mate, but why? How? I had seen him few times after that farm incident but he had avoided me, did not talk to me. And it hurt. It hurt because I wanted my mate near but then again, I had not expected more from him. He did not want me. He hated me. But why was he requesting my presence now?

"Did he say why?"

I was curious, but there was also a happy part of me that I could not let surface. He might not want to see me for the mate bond.

The maid shook her head.

"No, he did not say. Only said to call you."

"Okay, thank you."

She gave a short acknowledging nod and walked away from the entrance of my room. It was night fall already, why did he want to see me at such late hour? I quickly removed my night wear and put on a dress and in few minutes I was knocking on his door. But it was a light rap, I was scared of disturbing the household especially his mother, the Luna. Was she aware that her son and I were mates? I wondered but it was brief as the door opened to reveal the Alpha.

I gulped. He was bare chested and had on a trousers that hung low on his waist, his jet black hair had beads on water clung on the strands. Maybe he was freshly out of shower.

"Come in."

His voice pulled me out of the fantasy I was already building in my head. And it made me embarrassed and ashamed. I had never looked at him that way before. I knew he possessed very attractive features but I had never let my thoughts wander the way it had just now.

Maybe it was the mate bond, I concluded as I stepped into his room carefully avoiding his face or any other part of him for that matter.

"Yes Alpha?"

I twiddled my gown. Anxious to know why he had summoned me.

"I called for you."

"Yes Alpha. So I was told."

He held my gaze for quite too long that I began to feel uncomfortable, not in a bad way though. I felt heat creep through my skin and made it tingle. There was liquid pull in the pit of my stomach, I shifted.

"Tasyra."

He advanced towards me in a manner that both scared and excited me. I did not know what to expect but I felt the unmistakable thrill of anticipation course through my veins.

"Yes Alpha."

I could not believe how low and scared I sounded.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you."

He assured.

"Uhmm. Okay."

"I want to talk to you."

"About what exactly?"

He offered me a seat and I was surprised. Why was the Alpha offering me a seat? Did he want to talk about the mate bond? Gingerly, I plopped down on the deep red soft, comfy sofa. He joined me.

"I know you'll be surprised why I called you."

I nodded wordlessly.

"I don't know myself."

He said it so low that any further distance between us and I would not have heard him. I watched him roam his eyes around his room as though it was the first time he was seeing it.

"Maybe I should go?"

I asked.

He turned to me and his gaze remained steady. My breath caught in my throat, my heart pounded. Emerald green was flickering in his eyes. His wolf was trying to take control but I noticed he was controlling it. I got scared and quickly stood.

He stood and a low growl left his lips. It was not threatening, it was more of needy but it scared me still. His fingers travelled over my face, stopping at my lips to caress them.

"Alpha."

It was a struggle to breath properly. That small yet tangible contact was affecting me in more ways than I'd care to count. I could hear the faraway whimper of my wolf. She wanted her mate. The Alpha's fingers had gone down to my cleavage.

"Alpha."

He growled again.

"Mine!"

Then his lips crashed into mine. His hands got needy and desperately rough. Peeling off my dress in seconds as his tongue dominated my mouth. My heart soared. My mate wanted me. He had accepted the bond.

Though his hands were rough on my skin, it nonetheless left a burning sensation in their wake. I tried to match his energy. To level with him in the urgent, demanding kisses, but even as I attempted to, I was no match for him. He was overpowering, uncontrollably ravaging. He was like a beast eager to tear his prey. He was an Alpha marking his mate.

I was his prey and I was excited. I wanted to be devoured by my mate. We were not just mated by flesh but by blood and soul too. He lifted my naked frame and placed me on the bed.

He raised him head to look at me. All I could see swimming in his eyes were desires, and I sure I had those looks in mine too.

"Mine!"

He growled again and went ahead to claim me as his.