THE CONTRACTED MATE

Kali's POV.

I dragged my feet through the forest, my heart heavy as I swallowed in shame and self-pity. Atlas, my mate and the son of our pack's alpha had just rejected me in front of the entire pack. I felt like a failure, nothing but a cursed wolf not worthy of love or respect.

As I approached our family's house, I could feel my mother's anger and disappointment. She was waiting for me, her eyes blazing with rage.

"So, you're back," she spat, her voice filled with hate. "With no mate by your side, I see."

I hung my head low, unable to meet her blazing eyes. "Mother, please-"

But she cut me off, her words like a slap to my face. "You're a disgrace, Kali. A cursed mistake that should have never been born. You're a failure as a daughter, a failure as a wolf. You should have never been brought into existence, a blight on the earth. A wretched cursed wolf is all you are and all you will ever be."

"I. I am sorry mother..." I managed to force the words out of my throat.

"Sorry? Will sorry rid you of that curse?! Will sorry get you a mate?" My mother hissed and walked menacingly towards me.

My breath caught in my throat and I closed my eyes expecting a slap on my cheek but to my utmost surprise, she stopped right in front of me, looking at me like I was some worthless piece of shit.

Finally, she hardly pulled my hand and dragged me to my room, roughly shoved me inside slammed the door to my room, locking me in. "You'll stay in there until you learn to be worthy of our pack," she hissed.

I collapsed on the bed, my body shaking as I sobbed. I felt like I would die of shame and rejection, my mother's cruel words echoing in my mind, refusing to stop, reminding me of how I never got any form of maternal love from my mother.

Seconds turned into minutes and minutes into hours, then realized that had two choices: give up and accept my fate as a cursed wolf and the pack's spitbowl, or find a way to escape and prove myself worthy. But how could I possibly do that, when my mother thought I was a cursed mistake?

I lay there, my tears running down my cheeks, my mind filled with the cruel truth of my mother's words. Every word, every sentence, every hiss reminded me of how she hated me. I was born with a curse, I didn't choose to be cursed.

Why should I be blamed for something I didn't want?

As I cried, my sobs seemed to have found their way into my mother's ears. She stormed into my room, her eyes blazing with fury, her hand balled into a fist.

"You're crying?" she sneered. "You're crying because you're a failure? Because you're a cursed wolf who can't even keep a mate? You're pathetic, Kali. You're a weak, little wolf who can't even stand up for herself. A mutt who should have never been born in the first place."

"You're a disgrace to our pack," she spat. "You're a shame to our family. You're nothing but a cursed mistake, a wolf who should have never been born. I should have fed you with poison instead of my milk!"

"Mother..."

"Don't you dare! Don't you dare call me a mother?"

I tried to defend myself, but my words were stuck in my throat, refusing to come out. I tried to explain, to plead, to beg for mercy, but she wouldn't listen. She raged on, her verbal thrashing coming out of her mouth, shredding every last bit of hope I thought I had left.

"You're nothing but a burden," she hissed. "A burden to our pack, a burden to our family. You're a waste of space, a waste of resources. You're nothing but a cursed wolf, a wolf who doesn't deserve to live."

I couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't escape the cruelty of her words.

Finally, she stormed out of the room, leaving me alone in the darkness. I lay there, feeling like a broken object who can never be fixed again, a worthless mutt who wasted time and resources by being born.

But even in the silence, her words continued to echo in my head. I could still hear her voice, still feel the heat of her anger. I knew that I had to escape, had to find a way out of this house, out of this pack, out of this misery. But for now, I lay there, trapped in my room, my heart heavy and my breath coming in short ragged gasp.

As I lay there, my body shaking with sobs, my inner wolf spoke to me.

She said in a whisper, "Kali, my dear, do not listen to her. She has no idea who you are, your courage, strength, or heart. She does not know how strong you are."

Her calm words were like a balm to my battered soul, I could only smile to myself.

"Run away, Kali," she advised. "Leave this place, leave this pack. You don't need them, you don't need her. You are strong enough to survive on your own. If you stay here they will keep trampling on your worth and make you feel useless."

I considered her words, weighing the pros and cons of my possible escape. I thought of the dangers of the forest, and the hardship that comes with finding food and shelter. But I also thought of the freedom, the independence, the chance to be free from the harsh words mother and everyone else had to say about me.

As I thought of escaping, my tears slowed, and my breathing calmed. I wiped the tears that were on my cheeks and sat up straight.

But as I sat up, as I prepared to make my escape, I hesitated. I thought of my mother's words, her anger, her rejection. I thought of the pack, the only family I had ever known. Even tho they said such mean things to me, they were the only family I had... the only roof I had over my head, and my only hope of a sure meal.

And so I stayed, stuck in my fear and doubt. My inner wolf whispered words of encouragement, but I couldn't bring myself to take a step forward.

For now, I remained, stuck in the darkness, not of what the future held.

After what seemed like an eternity

... I heard Mother's voice... talking with someone.

"Are you sure you want her to become a pack breeder? The alpha would not tolerate mistakes... this could mean signing your daughter's death certificate." A deep manly voice said.

My heart raced in my head as I tried to figure out who this person was and what was he talking about.

"Breeder?"

KALI's POV.

I finally gathered the courage to escape after hearing what that man had to say, whatever it was, it was not good and was a big red flag for my safety. I crept out of my room, my heart pounding in my chest. I crawled past my mother's room, holding my breath, and made a run for the front door.

I flung the door open and I ran as fast as I could, my arms swinging by my side. I didn't dare look back, fearing what I might see. Maybe mother maybe a ghost.

As I ran, the trees became more frequent, the trees became bigger and their branches thicker. I stumbled, my legs were wobbly. I fell hard, my leg twisting causing me extreme pain. I yelped in pain, my vision blurring with tears.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," I muttered to myself, struggling to stand. My leg shook, but I knew I had to keep moving.

I limped on, my pace slow and each step painful. The forest soon became darker, the shadows seemed to turn into monsters. I could hear the howls of wolves in the distance.

Suddenly, they emerged from the darkness, and their eyes soon became closer. I tried to run, but my leg gave up beneath me. I fell, my body shaking with fear.

The wolves closed in, their snarls and howls growing louder. I prepared for the worst, my eyes shut tight.

But the attack never came. Instead, I heard a series of howls and barks, the wolves fighting over me. I opened my eyes to see them lunging at each other, their bodies hitting each other with great force.

I took advantage of the distraction to crawl away, my legs hurting as hell. I collapsed behind a nearby bush, my body shaking with fear and pain as I watched the wolves fight.

As I lay there, I realized that I was truly alone. No one was coming to save me. I was on my own, injured and vulnerable in the middle of the forest.

And yet, something within me refused to give up. I clenched my jaw in determination.

"I will survive," I whispered to myself. "I will make it through this."

But for now, I lay there, my body broken and my inner wolf humming in my head. The forest was a cruel and dark place, and I was just a small, scared wolf, trying to make my way in it.

As I lay there, trying to catch my breath, I heard the sound of panting and paws approaching. I opened my eyes to see another pack of wild wolves coming from the darkness, their eyes fixed on me.

"Ah, a little wolf, all alone and injured," one of them sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "What a tasty little meal you are."

I tried to stand, but my legs refused me. "No, please," I begged, my voice shaking with fear. "Don't hurt me."

The alpha wolf, a huge gray beast with yellow eyes, took a step closer. "Why shouldn't we?" he growled. "You're weak, vulnerable. You're prey. You are our dinner... but first... let's have some fun with you."

I pulled my knee to my chest. "I'm not prey," I protested, trying to sound braver than I felt. "I'm a wolf, just like you."

The alpha wolf laughed, his teeth glinting in the dark. "You're no wolf," he sneered. "You're a weak little pup, crying for mercy. And mercy is something we don't give."

The pack closed in, their snarls and growls growing louder. I prepared for the worst, my eyes shut tight in fear.

"No, please!" I screamed, my voice filled with fear. "Please don't!"

But my pleas fell on deaf ears. The pack slowly stalked towards me, their teeth bared and ready to strike. I felt their hot breath on my skin.

And then, everything went black.

I woke up with a start, my heart racing and my body aching all over. I was in a dark, room, heavy with the scent of rot and decay, surrounded by the wild wolves that had attacked me. I tried to sit up, but on second thought, I sat back down.

As I lay there, I couldn't help but cry. I was scared and alone, at the mercy of these fierce creatures. I had never felt so vulnerable in my life. I felt so miserable and regretted my actions.

My tears fell, rushing down my face as I whimpered in fear. I didn't know what these wolves were going to do with me, or if I would ever escape.

But as I cried, I noticed something was not right, the wolves were huddled together, like they were scared and their eyes fixed on the door, instinctively I turned my head towards the doorway. A big, yet unarguably masculine figure was standing in the corner of the den, watching me. I froze, my tears ceasing as I watched the figure.

It was massive, its presence seemed to scare these wolves. I couldn't make out any features, but I could sense its eyes on me, sizing me up.

And then, everything went black again.

After what seemed like an eternity, I opened my eyes again, my vision blurry and my head spinning. But as my eyes got used to my surroundings, I saw the same figure from before, holding me in its arms. I was held up in his arms, my head on his chest, for some reason, I felt warm and safe.

My mind raced as I tried to process what was happening. I looked up at the figure, wondering what I was doing in its arm and if I was safe or not.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Kali's POV.

I slowly opened my eyes, taking in my surroundings. I was in a room, a very well-lit and furnished room, and something struck me, this was not my room or my mother's room, this room was screaming luxury. But what caught my attention was the figure standing a few feet away from me.

My mind raced as I tried to remember how I got there. The last thing I remembered was being attacked by the wild wolves. And now, I was in a room with this strange savior.

As I tried sitting up, a gentle voice spoke up. "Ah, welcome back, Kali. I'm Nurse Sarah. How are you feeling?"

I turned my head to see a heart-shaped face nurse approaching me with a warm smile. She had a gentle touch as she gave me a check-up and administered a soothing balm to my wounds.

But my gaze kept drifting back to the stranger, who stood silently, watching me with an unreadable expression. His eyes never left my face, making my heart race and my palms sweat.

"Where...where am I?" I stuttered, trying to sit up.

Nurse Sarah helped me into a sitting position, putting pillows behind my back. "You're in Ryder's estate. He brought you here after...after the incident."

My eyes widened as I scanned the luxurious room. "Incident? Ryder?"

The stranger's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched. "The attack, Kali. You were attacked by wild wolves."

My mind reeled, memories rushing back. The forest, the wolves, the pain...

Nurse Sarah handed me a glass of water, her voice calm and gentle. "Don't worry, Kali. You're safe now. Ryder will take care of you."

But as I looked at Ryder, I got scared and felt uneasy. Why was I here? What did he want from me?

As Nurse Sarah continued to tend to my wounds, Ryder remained silent, his eyes never leaving my face. And I couldn't shake the feeling that I was trapped.

"Ryder?" I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "Yes, Kali?"

"Who are you?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

He took his hands out of his pocket and sank into the couch. "I am Ryder, the Alpha of the Riverside Pack."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Alpha?"

He nodded. "Yes. And you, Kali, are a guest in my home and my pack. How are you feeling?"

I hesitated, not how much to reveal. But there was something about Ryder's piercing green eyes that put me at ease. "I'm...I'm okay, I think. A bit sore, but okay."

Ryder nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "Good. I'm glad to hear that. Can you tell me what happened? How did you end up in the forest, alone and injured?"

I took a deep breath and started spilling the story of my escape from my mother's house, my journey through the forest, and the attack by the wild wolves. Ryder listened intently, his cold expression never slipping off even once.

When I finished, he cleared his throat and spoke. "I see. Well, Kali, you're safe now. You're under my protection, and I promise you, no harm will come to you while you're in my care as long as you are not a threat to my pack's safety."

I felt grateful hearing his words but I could not deny the threat that came with his words. "Thank you, Ryder. Thank you for saving me."

Ryder gave me a small smile. "Anytime, Kali. Now, tell me more about yourself. What do you like to do? What are your hobbies?"

I was caught off guard but I still smiled sheepishly. "Well, I love to run, explore, and read. I'm a bit of a bookworm."

Ryder chuckled for the first time. "A bookworm, huh? I like that. I'm more of an outdoorsy person myself, but I appreciate a good book now and then."

We talked for hours, Ryder asking me questions and listening to my answers. I found myself opening up to him in ways I never thought possible, sharing stories that I had never shared with anyone before.

But there was one thing I didn't share, one thing I couldn't bring myself to reveal. My curse. The secret that had haunted me for so long, the secret that had driven me to run away from my mother's house in the first place.

That, I kept to myself, hidden deep in my heart, where no one could ever find it.

Ryder's expression suddenly turned serious again. "Kali, can I ask you something?"

I hesitated, sensing tension in the conversation. "What is it?"

"Are you cursed?" he asked bluntly.

My heart skipped a beat. How did he know? I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. "W-what makes you ask that?" I stuttered.

Ryder relaxed his shoulder. "Let's just say I've done my research, Kali. I know all about your...condition."

My mind raced as I tried to process how he could know about my curse. Did he go back to my pack and find out about my curse and my train of rejection?

Ryder's next words cut me off as I opened my mouth to talk. "And that's why I'm willing to make you an offer, Kali. An offer that could change your life forever."

My heart was racing, my palms suddenly became sweaty. What could he possibly offer me? And how did he know about my curse?

"What is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ryder's upper lip curled up into a smirk. "Let's just say... this deal will be beneficial to the both of us."

"What is it?" I mumbled again.